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Scary scenes indeed.....
For the second time is as many months, California is up in flames yet again. All the major "mainstream" online media and local television has had nonstop coverage of the fires in Southern California. One of my friends sent a few of the images from the frontlines late on Saturday:
What should we do?
Geese!!!
There has been hardly any rain or snow. We seem to have no relief in sight. The fires will eventually be put out, people will overcome and rebuild their lives. Yet, the fundemental problems of our environment remains. What scares me is that the focus on the environment will simply not be there because of the economic Tsunami we are dealing with.
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The 2010 & 2012 Race starts on November 5
America and the world has been subjected to the Greatest Political Show on Earth. Many came and criss-crossed the country for votes. But, only two were left standing. It has been quite a ride for us all.
Thanks to the power of the internet, I have been attending campaign events and enjoying myself. I was witness to a major Presidential candidate being called a socialist and even a Marxist. But, this was also an election where it appears that the people understood that change was in the air. This was also the election that is the first billion dollar election. We were also introduced to Joe the Plumber. The sentiments it arose was one of the final acts of the campaign:
We're all Joe the Plumber Now!!
This was also the election that saw us being polled-to-death. I became addicted to the Gallup Daily Poll for a while until I discovered FiveThirtyEight.com and Pollster.com. The two sites at least gave me an indication on how things stood. As the battles continued, the battle of the endorsements were in full swing. The Financial Times and the Economist came out for Senator Obama. The Economist called it a "gamble".
I have truly enjoyed the show and am anxious for it to end. We have to think about the next day and all the challenges. But, it has been quite a ride and I would not have missed it for the world. Both candidates are maintaining a grueling schedule as we speak. I have been amazed as I got the twitter feeds daily. How they're holding up is quite a feat. My hat's off to both of them.
Both candidates are bringing out the big guns. Senator McCain brought out the Governor of California. I was glad to see them having a good time:
Quite a Team
Ed Henry from CNN called him one of the more popular moderates in the Nation. The actual record is different, though. If The Governor's record would have been truly discussed, the record would have reflected a track record of broken promises as far as the eyes can see. California is faced with another budget shortfall. His job approval rating is as low as it gets. Yet, Senator McCain wanted to appear with him. "Star Power" is great and fun. But, I am trying to find where the beef is?
Right now, the media is noting that it is going to be a close election. I tend to agree. All the tea leaves are pointing to an Obama victory and a Democratic Congress. As I have written before, I wonder how big it is going to be. The American People will speak on November 4. I just hope the margin of win by the winner is big enough to stop the lawyers from getting involved. I wanted to finish this retrospective with the Colbert Report's weekly retrospective. Whatever does happen, America will make history. Enjoy:
By the way, Colbert is voting for McCain, endorsed Obama and is predicting an Obama win. Colbert can't be wrong, right? I am anxious and ready for the 2012 election. When November 5, 2008 comes around, folks will start running for the job in 2012. I will be taking the next few days off and be ready to start writing and reflecting on 2012 on November 5. Remember, the era of the permanent campaign is here now. We all have to get used to it.
I have begun to develop a keen interest in Africa. I was listening and reading with horror as to the turn of events in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Joseph Kabila was in Swaziland while the Tutsi rebels began their latest rampage. Right now, things are as bad as they are going to get. Right now, Goma in the DRC may fall. I cannot believe the claims by the DRC Government that Rwandan Army troops are fighting alongside the rebels. As I have said before, Paul Kagame will then be an absolute fool of a leader after having been witness to over 800,000 of his fellow countrymen killed. The images of refugees fleeing the fighting is a shame. The UN seems to be powerless to stop it.
I continue to also read the horror out of Zimbabwe. The hunger for power and self-interest seems to be driving the butcher Mugabe's insistence on keeping everything to himself. The arrogance of the man is absolutely beyond words. I have advocated that South Africa start turning the screws on Mugabe. Thabo Mbeki did not have the spine to do it. His clout now is non-existent. The only person that can do anything is Jacob Zuma. But, he is preoccupied with staying out of Jail. The folks that support Zuma are cut from the same cloth as the Butcher Mugabe. So, I don't know if Zuma will step up. I read with profound concerns the warning by the South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel of the "drift to the left". South Africans are also just as hungry and desparate. I can understand the apprehension. But, South Africa has a regional obligation. The question is whether it steps up or not?
I also worry about Africa and how the cancer of drugs is working itself through the improvished states in Africa. These merchants of death have wrecked havoc on Mexico, Colombia and other improvished nations. Now, they have set their sight on Africa. How much more can Africa take? Young men don't have much of a choice if they have no hope and no opportunity. This is also so true with the Somali pirates as well. According to a BBC report, drug money is tainting the elections in Ghana. I always thought that Ghana was one of the success stories. If a success story succumbs to this, what about the other one-man shows?
I wonder if the merchants of death be stopped. It is a fight worth fighting for. Such a fight is the fight for our lives and our future.
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Arnold May yet have the last laugh....
The Governor in California has spent 2 million dollars out of his campaign money on an initiative to take the redstricting away from the California legislature and put it in the hands of a commision. This is a variation of what he tried a few years ago. I can't understand why he is focused on this when the State of California is in such a fiscal mess. These guys could not even get a budget passed. When they finally did, now everything is up in the air. California is out of money and all the assumptions they made is out the window. I am reminded of John Burton's admonition when Gray Davis lost when he said, that'....he would recognize how screwed up it is to run this state when he gets here...". We have a week left. Let's see what the result of all of this is on November 5.
With thirty days remaining in the campaign, the McCain-Palin campaign has adopted swift-boat III. Governor Palin was out apparenlty yesterday calling William Ayers, a 60's radical, a Pal of Barack Obama. I was glad to see that the Obama Campaign came out with a swift response. This is the kind of gutter politics that must not b tolerated by anyone. I spoke up for Governor Palin. I do condemn her stance in thinking that she's more American than the rest of the us who disagree with the Republican Ticket. I have seen NOTHING except talk about reform. Many of us are trying to look ahead. Yet, our conservative friends and the McCain-Palin campaign seem to want to fight the last election. Let's focus on the future!!!
California has a budget. The budget was passed after seventy two days almost without a budget. It contains no new taxes. The Governor has threatened a veto. If the Governor's veto is overwritten, he has threatened to veto all legislative proposals for the year. Republicans would like that, because according to the California State Republican Leader, most of the proposals are Democratic Proposals anyway.
From where I sit, the only people who have lost are the people of California. California is in an economic downturn due to the housing market collapse. The last statistic I saw was that it was the 9th largest economy in the world. Yet, the political leaders can not even agree on a budget. They are also hellbent on being at war. This is not the way to Govern. I worry especially about schools. Schools are losing because they have to depend on private donations to survive. With all the taxes being paid, schools still have to beg parents for supplies, PTA has to scrap the bottom of the barrel to help meet expenses. There has to be a better way.
Mike Pouraryan
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