For all the howling from the left, and the unhidden gleeful mischaracterizations on the right, the actions that President Obama directed the U.S. military to take over the weekend regarding Libya, were something that U.S. presidents, from BOTH parties, have missed the opportunity to do for many, many years.
We're not saying President Obama should put together another "Why We Fight" film series like those that were used to ramp up public support of World War II. However, we think Americans on both sides need to step back, look, and listen to the facts regarding the United States involvement in Libya, before they start hollering.
Of course, this is America, so our plea for getting the facts first has already fallen on deaf years.
From the right, there are already folks jumping up and down, trying to blast their propaganda about President Obama's motives in a vain attempt to paint him with the same brush as his predecessor. Their desperate attempts to twist the facts in order to defend George W. Bush's unnecessary invasion of Iraq are sadly obvious to anyone with basic brain function. There are no U.S. military troops on the ground in Libya, nor are there plans for American troops to take that role, but the right-wing media echo chambers will be in full cry this entire week about how this is "Obama's New War". That's in spite of the reality that this is a U.N. effort, led by someone other than the U.S.
Sadly, the situation on the left is no better.
On the far left, they're listening to the histrionics of the right, and beginning some of their own. The militant anti-war crowd is furious at Obama - as they would be at anyone who used military force for anything more authoritative than tossing teddy bears and tulips. What they really fear is American military involvement in yet another war, especially after the disastrous misadventures in Iraq and Afghanistan that Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Rove got us into. We understand their concerns and fears - but Libya is not Iraq, now matter how much their political polar opposites wish it were.
The simple truth is one that neither side seems willing to hear.
America is providing missile support, and a couple of Stealth bombers, as well as intelligence, and other various types of support to the French, British, and Spanish, who have taken the lead roles in enforcing the U.N. no-fly zone over Libya. For those who spent much of the early 2000s dismissing the French as effete sissies, they should be happy to know that the French are the ones now doing most of the bombing and heavy lifting in Libya. This is primarily because Americans currently will not tolerate our country's participation in helping Libya's "quest for democracy", thanks to the degree that our nation is still involved in Afghanistan and Iraq.
For those on both sides of the aisle who have for years - for their own reasons - criticized America's role as World Cop, they should understand that the need for such a position will never disappear, even if America no longer holds that title. Throughout history, the British, French, the Holy Roman Empire (basically Germans), the Spanish, the Romans, the Greeks, and the Egyptians have all played the role of worldwide enforcer.
In order for America to step back from that role, someone else must be allowed to step forward. If we don't want to forever be locked into the role of supercop, it is in our own best interest to support other countries that do take the lead in actions like stopping a crazed dictator from committing genocide on his own people.
Because America has made commitments to stop the kind of violence now occurring in Libya, we agree that America must help in some way, to stop Gaddafi's destructive behavior.
The role that President Obama and his advisors like Sec. Clinton have chosen for us to play this time in Libya achieves that goal, without getting America involved in yet another all-out war. Obama's actions are exactly the right role for the U.S. at this time - a fact that won't make either fanatical conservatives or liberals very happy.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Friday Funday: Strange Days Indeed
There comes a time of year for most people in temperate climates when folks realize Spring has actually begun to arrive, and it isn't just a cruel tease before more miserably cold weather returns.
For us, we notice it when our staff members leave buildings without the perfunctory cursing, under their breath or otherwise.
We each look forward to the beauty of spring foliage; the cherry blossoms in our DC location, and the goldenrod and cottonwood trees in Lincoln. We also keep coming back to the fact that the more things change, the more other things stay the same.
We're planning a few changes of our own, soon - although it won't be anything that will result in any serious changes for you, our readers.
There are challenges involved in these changes though, and that may mean a few days away for us, both from the drawing board and the computers.
Still, our overall mood as we head into this weekend is one of relative positivity.
We're not the only ones who seem to be feeling it.
There's a cat in the neighborhood of one of our staff members, who has been less than cordial this winter. This pretty orange and white tabby would sit, huddled against a building or near a car, looking cold and uncomfortable but not unkempt or otherwise homeless. All winter long, she'd watch our staffer hurriedly shuffle from car to house and back again, with a stare that seemed to be filled with jealousy for our warm coats and homes. She'd occasionally come around our vehicles - we'd see paw prints in the snow - but she'd never get closer to us than a few car lengths.
Then something happened recently when the weather really seemed to break, and began to turn warmer.
At first this neighborhood cat would saunter past our staff member's driveway, near the car but not too near, whenever we'd come or go. Then a few days later, she came closer yet. Finally, this semi-feral cat began greeting our staffer every time the door opened, rubbing up against our legs, purring, and patiently waiting to be petted.
The cat's mood appears to have changed, as has our own.
By the way - did we mention this staff member is generally a dog person?
Springtime certainly puts something into the air (other than the irradiated particles we may find this year) that can change even the most dogged traits we each carry.
Whatever it is that's making us feel this way, we hope you also get a whiff of Spring this weekend.
For us, we notice it when our staff members leave buildings without the perfunctory cursing, under their breath or otherwise.
We each look forward to the beauty of spring foliage; the cherry blossoms in our DC location, and the goldenrod and cottonwood trees in Lincoln. We also keep coming back to the fact that the more things change, the more other things stay the same.
We're planning a few changes of our own, soon - although it won't be anything that will result in any serious changes for you, our readers.
There are challenges involved in these changes though, and that may mean a few days away for us, both from the drawing board and the computers.
Still, our overall mood as we head into this weekend is one of relative positivity.
We're not the only ones who seem to be feeling it.
There's a cat in the neighborhood of one of our staff members, who has been less than cordial this winter. This pretty orange and white tabby would sit, huddled against a building or near a car, looking cold and uncomfortable but not unkempt or otherwise homeless. All winter long, she'd watch our staffer hurriedly shuffle from car to house and back again, with a stare that seemed to be filled with jealousy for our warm coats and homes. She'd occasionally come around our vehicles - we'd see paw prints in the snow - but she'd never get closer to us than a few car lengths.
Then something happened recently when the weather really seemed to break, and began to turn warmer.
At first this neighborhood cat would saunter past our staff member's driveway, near the car but not too near, whenever we'd come or go. Then a few days later, she came closer yet. Finally, this semi-feral cat began greeting our staffer every time the door opened, rubbing up against our legs, purring, and patiently waiting to be petted.
The cat's mood appears to have changed, as has our own.
By the way - did we mention this staff member is generally a dog person?
Springtime certainly puts something into the air (other than the irradiated particles we may find this year) that can change even the most dogged traits we each carry.
Whatever it is that's making us feel this way, we hope you also get a whiff of Spring this weekend.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Tsunami Of Stupid
While today is indeed St. Patricks Day (and we hope you remembered to wear green today), for millions of teachers and students across the country, it's just another school day.
It's also another day to wonder if they'll have jobs - or teachers - next school year.
From California to New York, from Texas and Arizona to Ohio and Pennsylvania, state and local governments have painted themselves into the kind of political corner on the twin issues of taxes and schools that we've been warning of for years now. We understand from both sides of the classroom how important great teachers are, to both our individual futures and to our future as a nation.
Sadly, as a country, America constantly complains that our children are not growing up to compete well against young adults in other countries. Yet when reports are released - like the one released this week, from the Programme for International Student Assessment - that say we should pay teachers more and respect them more, the response from state and local authorities across the country seems to come from the idiots at the back of the class: they say, "It's not a revenue problem, it's a problem with teacher pay."
We could respond like some of the more aggressive teachers we've known, and try to use words to beat that kind of stupidity out of people. We could simply continue to throw facts and further studies at our readers which support our position, as well as common logic.
Unfortunately, we doubt that would help.
From Michigan to Kansas, and Florida to Pennsylvania, the reason for these cuts has become as obvious as a tidal wave. Kids and teachers must suffer, so that big business and corporations can get their tax cuts.
There are people who have memory issues, who simply can't learn because their ability to remember things has been seriously compromised. We understand that kind of medical issue exists and feel a great deal of sympathy sympathetic towards people afflicted with such conditions.
However, we don't believe that's the problem with politicians and legislators across the country.
We believe that these politicians are so hubristic that they don't believe corporations will do to them what corporations have been doing across America for many, many, many years.
Corporations will eventually almost always threaten to leave a community if they're forced to pay more in taxes - even if that means simply paying their fair share as a member of the community. Asking them to do otherwise is asking a tiger to remove its own stripes, or asking a scorpion not to sting.
Corporations are not in the business of educating students or directly valuing education. They are in the business of making money. Spending money on anything - be it taxes, wages, or capital improvements to increase worker safety - is an action that works against that goal. If we keep that in mind, it's obvious that corporations will threaten to leave if they're forced to pay more. As history has shown, some of them will take their jobs and leave, whether their taxes are cut or not. Some won't.
Local and state governments need to remember: their job is not to coddle businesses to the point where they hurt their own citizens. The job of government is to make sure their state or their community provides an environment that wise businesses and corporations will choose to locate in - complete with well-educated workers. If some corporations choose to leave, others can always be brought in.
Kids will always need high-quality education, regardless of whether there are corporations in their communities.
Of course, if you were lucky enough to have good teachers back in the day, you probably already knew that.
It's also another day to wonder if they'll have jobs - or teachers - next school year.
From California to New York, from Texas and Arizona to Ohio and Pennsylvania, state and local governments have painted themselves into the kind of political corner on the twin issues of taxes and schools that we've been warning of for years now. We understand from both sides of the classroom how important great teachers are, to both our individual futures and to our future as a nation.
Sadly, as a country, America constantly complains that our children are not growing up to compete well against young adults in other countries. Yet when reports are released - like the one released this week, from the Programme for International Student Assessment - that say we should pay teachers more and respect them more, the response from state and local authorities across the country seems to come from the idiots at the back of the class: they say, "It's not a revenue problem, it's a problem with teacher pay."
We could respond like some of the more aggressive teachers we've known, and try to use words to beat that kind of stupidity out of people. We could simply continue to throw facts and further studies at our readers which support our position, as well as common logic.
Unfortunately, we doubt that would help.
From Michigan to Kansas, and Florida to Pennsylvania, the reason for these cuts has become as obvious as a tidal wave. Kids and teachers must suffer, so that big business and corporations can get their tax cuts.
There are people who have memory issues, who simply can't learn because their ability to remember things has been seriously compromised. We understand that kind of medical issue exists and feel a great deal of sympathy sympathetic towards people afflicted with such conditions.
However, we don't believe that's the problem with politicians and legislators across the country.
We believe that these politicians are so hubristic that they don't believe corporations will do to them what corporations have been doing across America for many, many, many years.
Corporations will eventually almost always threaten to leave a community if they're forced to pay more in taxes - even if that means simply paying their fair share as a member of the community. Asking them to do otherwise is asking a tiger to remove its own stripes, or asking a scorpion not to sting.
Corporations are not in the business of educating students or directly valuing education. They are in the business of making money. Spending money on anything - be it taxes, wages, or capital improvements to increase worker safety - is an action that works against that goal. If we keep that in mind, it's obvious that corporations will threaten to leave if they're forced to pay more. As history has shown, some of them will take their jobs and leave, whether their taxes are cut or not. Some won't.
Local and state governments need to remember: their job is not to coddle businesses to the point where they hurt their own citizens. The job of government is to make sure their state or their community provides an environment that wise businesses and corporations will choose to locate in - complete with well-educated workers. If some corporations choose to leave, others can always be brought in.
Kids will always need high-quality education, regardless of whether there are corporations in their communities.
Of course, if you were lucky enough to have good teachers back in the day, you probably already knew that.
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