Moses and Superman - Turning the Eye Upward

Moses and Superman Superman was created by two nice Jewish boys Siegel and Shuster in 1938. While not particularly religious, as sons of immigrant Jews, they were steeped in the stories and customs of traditional Judaism. It’s not uprising that Siegel and Shuster’s most famous creation, “The Superman,” has so many connections to the Jewish experience, particularly the immigrant experience. The early stories, before Superman had many of the otherworldly powers we associate with him today (x-ray vision), sound like Golem tales with the lead character in colorful tights. Superman’s Krypton family name (“Kal-El” and his father “Jor-El”) references the “of God” suffix found in names such as Samuel, Gabriel, and of course Israel. Most powerfully, Superman has the ultimate reverse immigrant experience. Superman, from another, now dead, planet, is the irreversible stranger in a strange land. Yet, instead of being an oppressed stranger who was looked down upon the majority class, Superman was the champion of the oppression looked up to (literally) by others. I’ve always found the most interesting parallels are to Ur Jewish hero – Moses. Born Moses: Born a son under Pharaoh’s decree to kill all the males first born Superman: Last son of dying planet Escape Moses: Placed in a tiny boat and set adrift in the river Nile. Superman: By the Kents, two homespun Midwestern farms, the ultimate symbol of America Raised Moses: No official history but lots of after the fact legends (burned lips with coal) Superman: No official history but lots of after the fact legends (Superboy and Krypto the super dog) Moral Emphasis Moses: Don’t oppress the orphan and widow because you were strangers. Superman: (from Action Comic No. 1) “he must turn his titanic strength into channels that would benefit mankind, and so was created 'Superman', champion of the oppressed.” Iconic Image Moses: Moses on the mountain Superman: “Look up in the sky…..” It might be easy to dismiss the Moses story as a myth – no more real than Superman. (In truth, there is almost no historical evidence of the Exodus story although it’s likely the story has some factual basis like the Trojan war). Myth or not, the stories speak to the power of visions that raise our line of sight above their daily lives.

Public Option

I was recently talking with a friend about Health Care reform, and he told me how disappointed he was that President Obama dropped his support for the public option so early. I've heard several versions of this charge, and figured it was time to put it to rest. I did about 30 minutes of research and found dozens of speeches where the President reiterated his support for and defended the public option. (I've listed just a sampling below). It is true that the President never said "I won't sign a bill unless it contains a public option." Whether this statement would have worked or not, nobody knows. It might have, or it might have put us in worse position (e.g., we have the same bill that we have, which the President would have have to sign, and thus make him look like a hypocrite or there would be no bill at all). Let's face it, looking back, the public option was effectively killed when the right wing showed up at town halls in early August and the left didn't. During the summer and fall, the President kept up his support for the public option, taking all the heat from left, right, and center. Before blaming the President, ask yourself "how many town halls did I attend." I'm ashamed to admit my answer is zero.


June 9 American Conference of Bishops. " I believe one of these options needs to be a public option "
June 16AMA Speech, Explains why his public option plan is not socialism.
June 24. ABC Prime Time. Explains how public option would benefit families.
July 7. Press Release "as I've said before, that one of the best ways to bring down costs, provide more choices, and assure quality is a public option that will force the insurance companies to compete and keep them honest. "
July 28, On-line town hall with AARP "And one of the options should be a public plan that would increase competition "
August 15, Town Hall Meeting in Denver. Mentions Public Option 25 in defending it against critics.
August 22. Weekly address. Defends public option against attacks
Sept 7, 2009. Labor Day Speech supporting public option.
Sept 9 Joint Session of Congress
Sept. 12 Rally at Target Center in MN. "I think one of the options should be a public insurance option"
Sept. 17. Town Hall Meeting in MD. ", I've also said that one of the options in the insurance exchange should be a public insurance option. (Applause.) "

Progressive Defeatists - Cut it Out

I'm always shocked how quickly progressives declare defeat in the midst of victory. I was attending holiday party for a local political action group with a liberal bent. There were many fine speeches and pep talks, but they all struck as being defeatist. The gist of the all the talks were as follows: "Gee, I know we've all been disappointed in the Obama administration but we still need to work hard because the Republicans are really horrible." Amazing! Less than one year in, and the left is back to the Gore/Kerry mantra of "I'm not thrilled with these guys but the others are worse."

This argument will not rev up the troops. The argument is foolish - and unnecessary. Despite being handed the great recession and two wars, President Obama has a list of achievements that you'd be proud of if they occurred over 3 years not one. Why we don't talk about these achievements is a mystery to me. (OK, I have some theories, but I leave that to another post. If you have theories, feel free to post). Here is a very short list of achievements progressives can and should be proud of. Let's get the people excited with these and save the defeatism for the other guys.

The Progressive Progress Report

A Very Short Re-Cap Of President Obama’s Progressive Achievements - 12/15/09

The following slides outline just a few of President Obama’s achievements promote the progressive agenda as of 12/15/09

Civil Rights

Progress

· Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act:

· Ensure that all Americans receive equal pay for equal work

· Civil Rights Lawsuits Increase Dramatically Compared With 2008

Health Care

Progress

· Pushed comprehensive healthcare reform further than President Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson, or Clinton

· The Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act: Provides quality health care to 11 million kids – 4 million who were previously uninsured.

· Executive Order repealed the Bush-Era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research.

The Environment

Progress

· EPA now regulates carbon omissions.

· Increased, for the first time in more than a decade, auto fuel economy standards.

· Department of Energy implements more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances, like dishwashers and refrigerators.

· States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards.

· The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included more than $80 billion in clean energy investments

· $5 billion for low-income home weatherization projects.

· $4.5 billion to green federal buildings and cut our energy bill, saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

· $6.3 billion for state and local renewable energy and energy efficiency efforts.

· $600 million in green job training programs – $100 million to expand line worker training programs and $500 million for green workforce training.

· $2 billion in competitive grants to develop the next generation of batteries. to store energy.

Poverty

Progress

· Took office in the midst of a 2 year recession and took immediate action on numerous front. Recession ended less than 9 months into his watch.

· $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), funding for food banks and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

· $2 billion in new Neighborhood Stabilization Funds to help maintain ailing neighborhoods.

· Tax breaks to working families through the Make Work Pay and Child Tax Credits

Education

Progress

· The American Recovery Act Provides:

· $5 billion for early learning programs, including Head Start, Early Head Start, child care, and programs for children with special needs.

· $5 billion in competitive funds to spur innovation and chart ambitious reform to close the achievement gap.

· $30 billion to address college affordability and improve access to higher education.

Urban Renewal

Progress

· Established the White House Office of Urban Affairs.

· American Recover Act Provides:

· $1 billion in increased funding for the Community Development Block Grant.

· $4 billion in increased public housing capital funds.

· $2 billion in payments to owners of project based rental assistance properties to keep them affordable.

· $2 billion in Neighborhood Stabilization Funds to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed homes.

· $1.5 billion in Homelessness Prevention Funds to keep people in their homes

Public Service

Progress

· Signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act:

· Increase the size of AmeriCorps from 75,000 volunteers to 250,000 by 2017

· Created a Social Innovation Fund that will invest in ideas that are proven to improve outcomes and "what works" funds in federal agencies to promote effective and innovative programs.

· The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act included $201 million in funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service to support an expansion of AmeriCorps State and National and AmeriCorps VISTA programs.

Peace

Progress

· Won Nobel Prize For Peace.

· Set date for withdrawal for troops in Iraq.

· Banned torture. Set withdrawal date or Gitmo and is methodically making progress.

· Improved diplomatic relations with a host of countries from Russia to Cuba.

· Restarted the nuclear non-proliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection.

· Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years.

· infrastructure/protocols

Ethics and Open Government

Progress

· Ended media “blackout” on war casualties; reporting full information.

· The White House and federal government are respecting the Freedom of Information.

· Limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House and limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration.

Summary:
Your Elevator Bullet Points Answering the Question “What t Has Obama Really Done?”

Progressive Top 6

1. Saved the U.S. Economy from recession while promoting long term improvements in environment and education

2. Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act

3. Increased, for the first time in more than a decade, auto fuel economy standards

4. The Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act: Provides quality health care to 11 million kids – 4 million who were previously uninsured.

5. $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), funding for food banks and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

6. Tripled the size of AmeriCorps

The A List - Obama: The Accomplishment President

 

Recently, comedians have been having a nice laugh over President Obama's supposed lack of accomplishments. SNL, Conan, even Jon Stewart have taken their licks.  His supporters can't be too thinned skinned after dishing jokes out to George Bush for so many years.  While we can have a laugh over the jokes, we must also remember that the digs have no merit.

I'm not sure how the "lack of accomplishments" impression got formed. Maybe it is because the President is faced with problems that simply can't be solved quickly. The economy is not going to turnaround quickly from a two year recession no matter what steps are taken. Similarly, peace in the the middle east and a reduction global warming are goals that will not, and cannot, be completed in a few months or even a few years. The very nature of the challenges the President has taken on are ones that can only be partially met 9 months into office. Maybe it was that the President dared to enunciate lofty goals, even when he knew they could not be easily achieved. Maybe opponents decried "he's done nothing" so many times that people just started believing it. 

Whatever the reason, the President deserves credit for tackling the major problems of our day and making real progress on many fronts. Below is a short list of accomplishments. Suffice to say, I could have gone on much longer but there are enough bullet points to show clearly and concisely that the guys done a lot.

Economy

Here's a simple summation– “He saved the economy from economic collapse.” How about a slightly longer one - “After a nearly a two year recession, and two years of total inaction, Obama steered the economy back to growth in only 9 months.” Here are the particulars:

· Developed and passed the  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act..  Even the Wall-Street Journal admits that the Recovery Act worked and independent audits suggest there is little or no fraud. Most Americans got a tax break. If you or know someone who is getting extended unemployment insurance or COBRA, you can thank this Act. See all that construction on the streets? Thank the Recover Act for that as well. You can debate how well the Act worked, but you can't debate that it did. You can debate how many jobs the Act created, buy you can't debate that it created or saved many, many jobs. As important is the fact that the projects funded by the Recovery Act will have a multiplier effect. For example, the investment in computerizing medical records creates jobs now and reduced medical costs long term.

·  The "Making Home Affordable" home refinancing plan allows people in trouble with their mortgage to refinance at lower payments and rates. 500,000 people have refinanced.

·  The President signed the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, expanding on the Making Home Affordable Program to help millions of Americans avoid preventable foreclosures, providing $2.2 billion to help combat homelessness , and helping to stabilize the housing market for everybody. 

·  The President launched a $15 billion plan to boost lending to small businesses.

 The President sighed the first time homeowner tax credit and cash for clunkers. 

·  The President signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act to protect Americans from unfair and deceptive credit card practices.

 

Civil Rights

• The President signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, restoring basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers.

Health Care

• Reform bills have passed every committee in both houses of Congress. No other President has pushed reform this far.
• The President signed the Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act, which provides quality health care to 11 million kids – 4 million who were previously uninsured.
• The Recover Act:
• Protects health coverage for 7 million Americans who lose their jobs through a 65 percent COBRA subsidy to make coverage affordable.
• Invests $19 billion in computerized medical records that will help to reduce costs and improve quality while ensuring patients’ privacy.
• Provides $1 billion for prevention and wellness to improve America’s health and help to reduce health care costs;
• Provides $1.1 billion for research to give doctors tools to make the best treatment decisions for their patients by providing objective information on the relative benefits of treatments; and
• Provides $500 million for health workforce to help train the next generation of doctors and nurses.

 

Foreign Policy:

• Won the Nobel Peace Prize for putting diplomacy back on the table.
• First U.S. President to address the Muslim/Arab world directly
  
• Appointed Special Envoys for Climate Change, Southwest Asia, the Middle East, Sudan, and a Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• Improved relationships with China and Russia
• Won commitments from Russia on tougher sanctions with Iran.
• Ended the expensive, ineffective and diplomatically disastrous missile program in Europe.
• Re-started nuclear non-proliferation talks
• Re-started talks between Israel and Palestine
• Had the U.S. join the U.N. Human Rights Commission
• Helped save the Turkey/Armenia peace agreement.
  

 

Hiring the Most Qualified Senior Staff that is Also the Most Diverse Group

Obama’s senior staff is generally acknowledged to be one of the most impressive, smartest, and qualified groups in presidential history. Here’s a fact – they are also the most diverse. He’s picked more women and minorities than any other president.    

Jerry Brown - Again

Early today I sent a glib Facebook update from a house party fundraiser for Attorney General Jerry Brown (not Gerry as I wrote in the post). So here are my thoughts on Jerry.

• The guy is really smart and has an incredible, detailed knowledge of the issues that face our state.
• He's thought a lot about these issues, and without downplaying the complexity of the problems, actually has some solutions. I left feeling somewhat optimistic about our state for the first time in a while. When he didn't have an solution, he'd tell you.
• Ideas get him excited.
• He came across as tough, funny, self-effacing, acerbic, smart, and genuine. I usually think the most genuine candidates wins.
• At 71, he looks great. Trim, athletic, and energetic
• Hasn't come up with an overarching idea or message for his campaign. OK, he hasn't announced yet, but an overarching idea of what his campaign is about and why he should be governor is crucial. Meg Whitman already has a theme.

Jim Carrol - Now Among the People Who Died

My brother just told me that Jim Carrol died today. The Jim Carrol Band was my first club show in Boston. I drove my mothers car in with a friend from high-school who ended up dating Mellisa Gilbert years later. When we came out of the show, my mom's car was stolen. We had to take the bus back to Worcester and my parents had to pick us up. Now that's punk rock. It was a great show and some of those songs on Catholic Boy are still among my favorites.

Sen. Kennedy - Personal Reflections

In my last blog post, I wrote that healthcare reform "may be the last bill that Sen. Kennedy ever votes for before the ravages of cancer catch him." As you know by now, that projection turned to be optimistic. Growing up in Massachusetts, Sen. Kennedy dominated our political lives, and I met him many times. As a young boy, I campaigned for Ted Kennedy during his presidential run in 1980 -- one of my first political memories. I was at the Democratic National Convention (my mother was a delegate) when he made his concession speech. Although spoken in defeat, it may have been the Senator's finest moment of oration.

In that speech, the Senator asked us "to renew the commitment of the Democratic Party to economic justice." I recalled these words often and they have been a light to me whenever it seemed that the cause of justice was hidden in darkness.

That speach also contained an impassed plea for healthcare reform.

[W]e cannot have a fair prosperity in isolation from a fair society. So I will continue to stand for a national health insurance. We must -- We must not surrender -- We must not surrender to the relentless medical inflation that can bankrupt almost anyone and that may soon break the budgets of government at every level. Let us insist on real controls over what doctors and hospitals can charge, and let us resolve that the state of a family's health shall never depend on the size of a family's wealth.

These seem like dark times for the Senator's dream of healthcare reform, but "we must not surrender."
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/tedkennedy1980dnc.htm.