Remind you of something?

Every morning I wake up to the sights, scenes, and sound bites of chaos enveloping Egypt. The last couple of weeks have brought endless news coverage, frequent discussions, countless debates and many differing opinions over what this means and what this will lead to.

Is this the beginning stages of a civil war?

Who will take over?

Will Mubarak fight till the end?

Will this throw the Middle East into upheaval?

Will the new governing body be more or less moderate?

It is very easy to ask these questions and even easier to hypothesize about them. It's also easy to watch the news coverage, see the pictures and think Egypt is enraptured in a bitter violent struggle for power. In the coming weeks and months these questions will be answered and these concerns addressed. The unfortunate aspect of this new and exciting dinner party conversational piece is that some fundamental aspects of this struggle are being overlooked. Many of my friends, family, and seemingly the majority of people in the western world look at the Arab people as innately violent and chaotic. I am guilty of having the very same preconception. However, what I have been witnessing in Egypt is strikingly different than the stereotypes depicted.

Amidst the numerous questions that have been left yet unanswered, there are a few poignant questions that have been answered. At no time over the last two weeks has any element in Egypt decided to use the uncertainty as an excuse to threaten Israel. At no time over the last two weeks has the Egyptian border been compromised by terrorists. At no time over the last two weeks has the Egyptian border shown permeability to weapons being imported or exported from Gaza, Libya, or the Sudan.

There is no doubt the seeds of an impending coup d'etat have been planted. The Egyptian people have, in no uncertain terms, drawn a line in the sand. What is remarkable is that they have not exhibited violence or threatened terror in order to accomplish it What has seemingly looked like a chaotic mess has actually been a profound example of an orderly, levelheaded peaceful and amazingly effective revolution.

The people of Egypt have shown remarkable restraint in the midst of an impassioned demand for social and political change. How can anyone witness what is happening and not be reminded of what began in Montgomery and Selma Alabama in the late 1950's. The civil rights movement was based on people yearning for change and achieving it with nothing more than a passion and a voice. Rather than succumbing to violent anarchy and turmoil, Egypt has become the 21st century example of how to initiate powerful and seemingly impossible change using the very same methodology.

I encourage everyone who reads this to keep the debates alive, to continue asking the questions, and hypothesize about the answers....but never overlook the nature of this revolution.

Chai Horowitz

The End of an Era

As the remaining US combat troops leave Iraq, I am bombarded by thoughts and emotions. Thoughts I never imagined would be relevant in 2010 and emotions I never thought would be this poignant after nearly eight years of war in Iraq.

This monumentally historical and profoundly symbolic night is one for reflection, not one for political gamesmanship. Unfortunately, in this political climate it seems like every big decision made by this country's leadership is used as political fodder for those who advocate said policy and conversely used as ammunition for those who oppose it. Nothing has exemplified this trend more then the authorization of force in Iraq and the subsequent seven and half years of combat that followed.

This country has primarily operated under the auspices of a two party system. The two parties differ fundamentally with regards to social, economic and foreign policies respectively. However, over the last 7 years this country has been split farther and wider than it has been in recent history. What is best for our country has sadly dropped prioritarily and been usurped by political wrangling and positioning for elections ever upcoming. The moderate center has slowly been depleted while the progressive left and conservative right have become stronger. A striking example and unfortunate victim of this trend has been a struggling economy. The economic stagnanation has turned into a political hot potato for which both sides of the isle use to lay blame rather than come up with tangible real world solutions that transcend political aspirations.

What happened to the middle ground? What happened to the brave politicians who dare to admonish those whose policies pose a threat to the successful evolution and transformation of our country regardless of party membership? What happened to the bold lawmakers who aren't too shy to hail those who have provided a tangible contribution to strengthening our country irrespective of political affiliation?

Perhaps tonight, the very last combat troops shedding their weapons while they cross the border into Kuwait, will act as a new beginning in American politics. A begining where dialogue and discourse replace bickering and dissension.

Watching the very last US combat vehicles exiting Iraqi soil, I am overcome with emotion that I never thought I'd summon. I can't help but think of the 4,415 US troops who have died and the nearly 30,000 who have been injured. These heroes selflessly volunteered to serve our country to ensure our safety and freedom. I can't help but think of the families of these casualties. I can't help but think of the heroes who will be coming home and reuniting with their loved ones. I cant help but think of the countless American reporters , like David Bloom, who lost their lives embedded with the troops trying to bring the war to the forefront of our collective consciousness.

Whether you agreed with the invasion of Iraq or not, these soldiers served with honor and distinction. They deserve to be in our thoughts, in our prayers and will hopefully serve as an inspiration, providing a turning point to the intense partisanship stunting the progress of this great nation.

Lost in Transition

"The winds of change are coming", 

"the prodigal son has bestowed his presence upon us in our darkest hour", 

"the horrors of the last 8 years have finally come to an end",

"our hopes our dreams our aspirations are finally going to come to fruition as our fearless leader is going to usher us into the golden age of peace and prosperity".

All hail our new savior from Illinois....

Ok so these aren't verbatim the quotes I have heard on the streets, grocery stores and haberdashers of NY, I might be paraphrasing  just a little (well except for the "our hopes" quote, I proudly claim sole ownership of that one), but they are close.  In fact the non-Whoopie black woman on The View (you know, the one who admitted that she couldn't say for certain that there are other planets in our galaxy, because she hasn't seen them first hand) actually gave President-Elect Obama Divine status, saying he's the closest thing to Jesus we have ever witnessed.

Before St. Obama single handedly solves world hunger, claims his rightful place on Mt Rushmore and supplants Benjamin Franklin as the face of a crisp $100 bill, I need to quote one of my favorite TV personalities Lee Curso "not so fast my friends". Obama's first test and challenge as President-Elect was to stage a viable, successful, and seamless transition in the 2+ months time between the election and the inauguration. 

So how did he do?

Well he did manage to successfully garner congressional approval for every cabinet nominee he brought to the hill.  This was accomplished with a nearly unanimous vote across the board. Which includes the high profile, highly controversial but much ballyhooed former democratic rival Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State.   No one would argue this was an accomplishment that took a lot of preparation, due diligence and hard work on behalf of Obama's transition team.  

This transition was not without it bumps in the road however.   The most highly publicized bump, which turned out to be more of a crater came from his former state of residence, as the Governor of Illinois and one of Obama's staunchest allies during his days as State and US senator, Rod Blagoavich was impeached for improprieties pertaining to the the alleged attempt at "selling" Barack Obamas senate seat.

Obama's first choice as Secretary of Commerce Bill Richardson was forced to resign after speculation that he was involved in his own pay for play scandal involving a New Mexico company that proved to be one of the biggest contributors to his campaign for Governor.

Despite Obama's pledge not to, he has appointed numerous lobbyists to key governmental positions including Bill Lynn as Deputy Secretary of Defense who until his appointment worked for the third largest defense contractor in the US.  Sounding eerily familiar to a conflict of interest scenario that was highly ridiculed by Obama on the campaign trail with regards to a certain outgoing Vice Presidents corporate ties prior to his VP nod.

Tim Geithner, Obama's appointee for Secretary of Treasury it turns out owes back taxes to the IRS for insufficient payment over the span of a couple years.  Though to his credit when notified took immediate steps to rectify the situation.

The heat he has taken during his transition has not been unilateral. He has received much criticism from the right and left regarding his appointee for CIA Director, Leon Panetta.  Though Panetta has been a stalwart for the democratic party serving with distinction as both a Congressman and as Presidential chief of staff.  Panetta however has no experience in the intelligence community which has caught fellow democrats by surprise and even irked many of them. Diane Feinstein who leads the congressional committee in charge of approving the CIA appointment was quoted as saying "My position has consistently been that I believe the agency is best served by having an intelligence professional in charge".

Obamas appointments have not been the only transitional headaches he's encountered over the last couple months. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have been confused by Obamas contradictory position regarding a President's-Elect role when it comes to publicizing policy initiatives before taking office. When it comes to sensitive issues like the conflict in the middle east, Obama has consistently tried to avoid controversy by hiding behind the line "there is only one President at a time", however when asked about the economy and Obama's plans on domestic issues, he has ignored his own "one president" dictum by going on a diatribe in his critique of the Bush administrations domestic policy or discussing in detail his stimulus and tax plans.  A stimulus plan that for the record has been the subject of much anxiety by many legislative members of his own party.

Has Obama's transition been an utter failure, no.  He has clearly run a tight and organized transition team with confidence, diplomacy and caution.  Much the way he ran his campaign. There have certainly been more than a few bumps along the way, some more embarrassing than others, but none that have been game changing.  One central theme however that has become increasingly apparent to me since Obama has been thrust upon the national scene is that his words are often much loftier and more hopeful than his actions have been to this point.

Over the course of the last 18 months Obama has been compared to a king, a savior, a god, and of course a profound conduit for change who is willing to shake things up in order to better our country and way of life. So far the closest example I have seen of a shake up is Obamas desire to appoint a TV personality , CNN's own medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta as his Surgeon General...

Who knows, if he really wants to change the staus-quo maybe he'll consider Judge Judy as his Attorney General.

Today and Tomorrow

I have a confession to make.  I think I owe it to my readers as a political blog to explain my absence over the last few weeks.  I could blame it on time issues, scheduling conflicts or the poor position USC finds itself within the BCS standings.  The truth is however I have simply been disenchanted by the direction of electoral poling and the virtual political certainty they bring along with them.  My frustration and disappointment however does not lie with the fact that the pendulum has completely swung Obama's way, but rather the reasons behind the shift.  

A mere 50 days ago McCain was the clear front runner in the election for president and congressional poling was indicating a virtual even split in the house and senate (with a slight edge to the dems).  Though Obama was engaging, eloquent and a seemingly strong candidate as a conduit for change, people were just not ready to vote for a one term senator whose resume was made even shorter by the mere fact that six months within taking office he had already left Washington to begin running for president.  In these turbulent times people were seeking and yearning for a candidate with the experience to lead a country and the moxie to unify a nation.

Then .....

Fannie May and Freddy Mac showed signs of going under and the stock market began to plunge on seemingly daily troubling news from failing banks.  From this point forward voters pivoted and momentum swung from the experienced candidate to the exciting one.  It seemed as if people weren't poised to vote Obama for tangible reasons embodied by the candidate, but because of peripheral circumstances not tied to either party, but blamed  on McCain.

In an ideal world the President Elect would be someone with strong morals and exceptional conviction with tangible plans to make this country great.  A president who believes party affiliation is not nearly as important as being the leader of the greatest nation on earth.

Today on this November 4th 2008, I will not be voting for the eventual winner of this election. However, my opinion and support of one candidate versus the other pails in comparison to the universal truth that persists.  The next President will face challenges both anticipated and unforeseen. This president will not be facing them alone, we as a nation will be facing them along with him.  May G-d bless him and us with the strength and fortitude to face these challenges and may G-d bless America.

Its Debatable...

Boxing and debates; we love the drama behind 'em, we love the sight of two long time foes being on stage (or in a ring) together. We love the idea of them face to face to solve their differences right then and there for the world to see.  We love to bare witness to the big hit or the tough question (so long as Olberman is not on moderating duty) that makes the fighter wobbly and the debater uncomfortable.

Both debates and fights become fodder for a lot of conversation  leading up to the event and its an even bigger opportunity for analysis directly following.

We are a competitively driven society.  I imagine its a big reason we love sports, various challenges and even game shows. We live vicariously through these athletes and contestants who are competing for pride, money, prize or glory.

We love to see somebody win and somebody lose.  We sit there watching very closely for that line or soundbite that's akin to a knockout punch. Depending on who is the recipient of said "punch", the audience either churns uncomfortably or is consumed with giddiness.

The only problem with the afore-mentioned scenarios?

In this day and age boxers are rarely fighters.  More often then not, they are technically sound, precise and safe boxers. As a result these matches rarely end in a decisive knockout punch and fans rarely get to see the fight the brawl or blood they crave.

Unfortunately the same can be said for debaters. I can't speak for the way debates were handled during the days of Alexander Hamilton, James Polk and John Tyler ( I imagine guns were involved), but debates these days are a lot more reserved, calculated and safe.  We all talk and fantasize about the one liners and soundbites of some of the most memorable debates we have had since they were televised, but when we look closely at it, how often do they really happen?

Just last night, a movie was brought to my attention, Roshomon.  A movie in which a number of people all witnessed the same murder and all have divergent opinions on exactly what they saw.

In the modern day of spin and counter spin both sides claim victory for every line, every question and every debate.  As for us? we glean from it what we choose. More often than not, if we liked a candidate before the debate we will like them after the debate and vice versa.

Now that I have convinced you that debates are essentially meaningless, forget everything I have just said. Thursdays debate between both vice presidential candidates is lined up to be a decisive one.  There will be a clear cut winner and loser.  If Sarah Palin can hold her own and keep the debate at a stalemate, she wins. If on the other hand she has a Katie Curric moment she loses.

So....when all is said and done, will she win?

well....I guess its debatable.

Have your popcorn and eat it too

There's a crispness in the air, the trees in Central Park are starting to shed their leaves, the football season has started, the baseball races are reaching a crescendo, this could only mean one thing...the television season is back! ....or is it?

The new fall season? the network dramas? The ever popular reality shows? The excitement and anxiety that goes along with an American Idol finale?

these are all things that traditionally keep Americans glued to their TV's on a weekday evening....during this election season however, who needs 'em?

A new reality show has emerged and taken center stage for a vast majority of Americans.

....and for those with whom it hasn't, maybe this post will help.

Act 1: A fierce Democratic primary filled with more twists, turns and plot changes than all 3 seasons of Lost combined (or have there been 4 seasons?).  The daily exchange of mutually aggressive harsh words between both campaigns and endless strategizing by Clinton/Obama advisers, mixed in with Buba's thrust back into the political limelight sprinkled in with a little Rev. Wright controversy caused housewives across the country all summer long to increasingly exchange their bon bons and Oprah Winfrey for well...bons bons and Wolf Blitzer. Ok that gross generalization and harsh exaggeration of housewives may have been over the top, but the Democratic political drama that ensued was not!

Act 2: McCain pulls away from Mike Hukcabee the "other" formerly fat- ever-so whimsical governor from Hope Arkansas and the straight out of central casting oh so presidential looking and sounding Mitt Romney. Obama does the same with the tougher than nails former first lady whose love of brightly colored pant suits would put to shame anyone who well...wore many brightly colored pant suits.  Clear battle lines have been drawn for a hotly contested presidential race. 

Act 3: A true fight begins to gain momentum. It becomes increasingly clear that this race is going to be as much about personality, character and spin as it its going to be about issues. In one corner you have the older more experienced and stately candidate, and in the other you have the younger more energetic self proclaimed conduit for change.  Ad after ad, soundbite after soundbite, press conference after press conference the public begins to become more and more engaged and the country becomes more and more polarized.

Act 4:  As the national polls and state polls start to trickle out, the razor thin race between Obama and Clinton starts to look as wide as  the Grand Canyon (at its widest point, and that pretty wide, i think).  However just as quickly as the race begins to look like a race, the Democrats have their convention.....and what a convention it was.  Day 1 ironically started out pretty boring (highlighted by Michelle) Day 2 - With the underlying question of party unity adopted by the media, the Democratic National Convention turned into the Clinton National Convention. Hillary comes out in an emotional, satirical, funny  and forceful speech putting a virtual end to the question of unity.  Day 3- Bill follows up on the good will fostered by his wife to deliver a true Clintonian speech, raising the bar for Obama.  Which brings us to day 4 in which Obama delivers a majestic speech in front of roman columns underneath a star strewn night in front of a star studded audience.

Act 5: After a resoundingly impressive and successful convention by the Democrats, Obama begins to pull away in the polls.  Just as soon as the conversation and attention  starts turning to the Republicans and Minneapolis, hurricane ("Hidalgo"?...whatever that "h" hurricane was before Ike) begins to head for the gulf states and all the attention gets redirected from Minneapolis to New Orleans. Once the hurricane proves not to be disastrous, the media jumps back on the network jets headed back to Minneapolis for the resumption of the Republican convention.  Can McCain overcome a plunge in the polls? A hurricane that cancelled the first day of his convention? The release of the monstrous ratings numbers from Obama's speech less then a week earlier?

Act 6: Enter Sarah Palin stage right.

Questions answered!

Act 7: After a very successful convention, McCain evens the playing field and takes a slight lead in the polls.  The drama, the issues, the attacking surrogates, the endless analysis, and the nasty attack ads begin anew.

- By now I am sure most of my somewhat theatrically astute readers may ask, isn't the 3 act storyline, the traditinally accepted one in the modern age of theatre and cinema? As act 8 will tell you, this story coninues to break the rules and push the limits.

Act 8: "Its the economy stupid" 

After both candidates set aim at one another, spending months digging in and entrenching themselves within their respective battle plans and particular ideologies, a dramatic shift in America takes hold. A faltering economy, financial markets in peril and credit virtually shut off to all business's and citizens, everyone begins to question everything.  This shift and national uncertainty permeates both campaigns.  John and Barack are now forced to question their tactics, their economic plans, their long range strategies and yes even their own parties. Congress is scrambling to pass or reject the biggest governmental bailout in American history, partisan lines are blurred, party loyalty and unity is postponed and suddenly an unpopular lame duck president is thrust back into the political forefront.  With 41 days left until the election the campaign for presidency turns into a national debate over the economic future of our country.

The question of who will win is only trumped by the question; what contest are we even talking about?

Act 9: I can't wait to find out....can you?

Friday 8 pm MSNBC

Oh Henry!

I can't speak for everyone, but I grew up with a -parental guilt inspiring saying- that I am sure many others did as well, "money doesn't grow on trees" or "if you are willing to work hard enough for it, then you deserve to bare the fruits of your labor" the flip side being, if you decide to be careless with your money or property, then conversely you deserve to bare the loss that goes along with it.  

Now that the investment banking industry has taken a plunge, the government, with the urging of Treasury Secretary Paulson, has decided to bail them out, sending a resoundingly disconcerting message to the public, while simultaneously placing the investment banking world above and beyond the needs and troubles of everyone else. Allowing them to conduct business relatively free from impunity, only to jump in and save them after they have taken advantage of said freedoms is not what I would call fiscal discipline.

Not only is the creation of this welfare for millionaires program difficult to grasp, but the estimated  700 billion being used for it is nothing short of staggering!  

For the sake of scale, allow me to compare it to some areas of the 2008 US budget:

-This bail out is more than the cost of every social program the country has for this year, combined!

Including; the Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration, Department of Education, HUD, and the Department of Labor....just to name a few.

-This  bail out is double the combined amount of every operational expense the country has this year.

Including; the Treasury Department, the cost of all government personnel, the Justice Department, the State Department, Department of Homeland Security (at a time when threats of terrorism are prevalent), NASA (at a time when we have been sending rovers to mars at a pace faster than Carl Lewis could run the 100 or 200), and the cost of maintaining the three branches of government!

-Finally this bail out is more than half the size of our entire yearly military budget (at a time when we are engaged in two wars)! 

Money does not grow on trees. This money is not going to come from the wallet of the very same executive that just cashed a 10 million dollar check from the very same bank being bailed out......it's coming from the guy in Michigan making 60,000 dollars a year working at an auto plant!  In addition to his expenses for raising a family,  he now has incurred an additional financial responsibility; bailing out some guy in a pinstripe suit 2,000 miles away who decided to partake in fiscally irresponsible transactions.

The primary excuse and reasoning for the bailout is to restore confidence in this country's economic system.  Well what kind of confidence does it inspire when we decide to carelessly dole out monies we don't have to PRIVATE businesses that have acted so carelessly?

What message does this send to every financial institution in this country? 

Take all the risks you want, if you succeed, all the power to you, but if you fail - we'll make the tax payer bail you out?

Proponents of this move will say, this action is needed to stabilize the markets. They are right....if you want to stabilize the markets for a week, then this is the action you take. However, what happens the week after that? or the month after? When people realize these financial intuitions didn't really recover on their own, rather they are only around today because of a new governmental program that I like to call BCWP, or the Big Corporation Welfare Program. It is a very dangerous precedent to set and a very frightening message to send.

I would like to think my brother and sister-in-law are two of the best parents I know, as a result, their two daughters are two of the most well behaved children I know.  Their secret? love and discipline.  If Adina or Shoshana were to take expensive toy dolls and smash them on the floor, I could assure you the discipline employed by their parents would not come in the form of giving them more dolls with which to smash.

....perhaps it is time the lawmakers of this country learn a thing or two from the parents of this country.