What's everyone reading out there? Who? Why? How did you come across it?
I'm currently reading Cormac McCarthy. My friend Rebecca raved about McCarthy's novel, THE ROAD. After I read her review of the book, I ordered a copy. Then I did some research about McCarthy. At the time I was finishing up reading a whole bunch of Southern Gothic works, Truman Capote, Faulkner and Harper Lee. I read a couple reviews about McCarthy's SUTTREE and BLOOD MERIDIAN. SUTTREE was described as pure Southern Gothic, but I started with BLOOD MERIDIAN. It is one of the most sublime books I've ever read in my life. The prose is poetic, austere and very violent. It's about the Glanton Gang, a historical group of scalp hunters, who massacred and scalped Native Americans and others along the Mexican-U.S. border in the late 1850's. It's a horrifying read. It's hard to believe they're actually going to make a film of this book!
I'm just now finishing SUTTREE, which I swapped BLOOD MERIDIAN with Rebecca for. It's classic Southern Gothic, a great story, amazing poetic prose, and colorful Faulknarian characters.
After I finish SUTTREE I'm going to read McCarthy's Border trilogy, which includes ALL THE PRETTY HORSES. Finally, I'm going to finish McCarthy with THE ROAD.
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Republicans are Wrongo!
***This is a copy of an email I sent to a friend of mine named Greg. I'm going to publish it on my blog as well as the rest of the discussion thus far.***
I'm glad I supported Obama and voted for him. I don't regret that vote one bit. It was the easiest political choice I've ever made in my life. Unlike you and your wife I'm going to continue to vote for Democrats until all the stupid economic policies of Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush administrations are reversed and the government plays a larger role in providing basic services to its citizens, services like universal health care, education, and social security.
The idea that privaitization is the solution for everything, that it is far more efficient, effective and money-making, is all bunk now. Finally. Thank you Enron. Thank you Iraq. Thank you Katrina. Thank you AGI. Thank you GM. Thank you Chrysler. Thank you Citigroup. I'm leaving many others out obviously.
The fact that the Federal Government, which is us, the lumpin' tax payers, has to now subsidize these corporations to insure the future of capitalism is changing a lot of peoples' perceptions of the role of government and of corporations.
This is NOT the 1970's, Greg. Obama is NOT the reincarnation of Jimmy Carter, Greg.
Change indeed.
Obama's presidency is a reaction to things that have already happen, a repudiation, you might say. The evidence has been manifesting itself for many years now, especially the last eight years under The Village Idiot, who you yourself have referred to as a "genius".
I don't know where to even start with W's administration. We were in the black when Clinton left office. Now we're in the deep red. All because of those Republican yahoos. Economic stimulus checks! Katrina. Iraq. W's administration was a blunder, a complete disaster, and people of the United States reelected his doofus ass again in 2004, which is still so staggering a disappointment now. People are fed up and done with Reagan. His "trickle-down" theory and "supply-side economics" are now being reevaluated as a trojan horse.
If Carter had been reelected in 1980, our economy would have rebounded in 1983 or '84, there's plenty of argument out there by leading economists that support this notion. Reagan's policies didn't make a hoot of difference. In fact, he actually raised taxes and just called them "user fees", and I forget what else right now.
It's over Greg! The whole Reagan myth is bogus. It's a shame. Shame on people for still believing it. Shame.
Republicans are now scrambling to redefine themselves as a party. Are you watching this? And those fools, like Bobby Jingle and Rush Limbaugh(PLEASE!! Spare us!) still believe this crap? We now have plenty of evidence that demonstrates that pure privatization is a failure. Just look at the failure to repsond to Katrina and the rebuilding of Iraq. Both were profound failures of W's admistration.
I get it Greg. You and your wife, and many others, are afraid of what's happening. This is not like the 70's recession. It's much worse. I get it. We simply cannot continue the Reagan Revolution policies. They will bankrupt us, if they haven't already. But we want to believe. We want to believe that our children and our children's children will be wealthier than us and have many more opportunities.
The truth is China and India are taking our place as the world's leading manufacturers.
And I know you want to blame the Mexicans and other illegals for all our woes, but regular U.S. Joes aren't going to accept being paid like a Mexican. I've worked with these people when I bartended and they are desperate to make a living for their families in ways that you have the luxury not to even have to consider. They will continue to sneak into our country by any means necessary and trim our shrubs and cook and wash our dishes and we will allow it because we need them. And if they were not here the costs of dining out, produce and other things would escalate considerably. Shut up! We benefit. They benefit. We have to figure out some way to make this work for all of us.
Do I revere and follow Obama blindly? No. For one thing, I am profoundly disappointed in his appointment of Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education. Duncan has been following Daley's Renascence 2010 policy, which is to make 50% of Chicago schools charter school by 2010, 75% by 2014, I think. That is, privatitize them, pay the teachers less and have no Union representation. If you follow "the news" (whose news?), you'll know that charter schools are successful. They're making gains in test scores and grades compared to the dismal failures of public schools, which have not. Charter schools are another trojan horse, Greg. The reason they're so successful is simple: selective enrollment. They get to choose who they'll admit. Public schools take everyone and anyone, the very dregs.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
By the way, I voted for W. in 2000. I regret that choice so much now. It gnaws on me, and it's difficult for me to admit to family and friends who voted for Gore, or even Bush, that I made that choice. By 2004 I'd regained my faculties and voted for Kerry.
Greg, the Republicans are wrong.
Wrong.
FISH
I'm glad I supported Obama and voted for him. I don't regret that vote one bit. It was the easiest political choice I've ever made in my life. Unlike you and your wife I'm going to continue to vote for Democrats until all the stupid economic policies of Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush administrations are reversed and the government plays a larger role in providing basic services to its citizens, services like universal health care, education, and social security.
The idea that privaitization is the solution for everything, that it is far more efficient, effective and money-making, is all bunk now. Finally. Thank you Enron. Thank you Iraq. Thank you Katrina. Thank you AGI. Thank you GM. Thank you Chrysler. Thank you Citigroup. I'm leaving many others out obviously.
The fact that the Federal Government, which is us, the lumpin' tax payers, has to now subsidize these corporations to insure the future of capitalism is changing a lot of peoples' perceptions of the role of government and of corporations.
This is NOT the 1970's, Greg. Obama is NOT the reincarnation of Jimmy Carter, Greg.
Change indeed.
Obama's presidency is a reaction to things that have already happen, a repudiation, you might say. The evidence has been manifesting itself for many years now, especially the last eight years under The Village Idiot, who you yourself have referred to as a "genius".
I don't know where to even start with W's administration. We were in the black when Clinton left office. Now we're in the deep red. All because of those Republican yahoos. Economic stimulus checks! Katrina. Iraq. W's administration was a blunder, a complete disaster, and people of the United States reelected his doofus ass again in 2004, which is still so staggering a disappointment now. People are fed up and done with Reagan. His "trickle-down" theory and "supply-side economics" are now being reevaluated as a trojan horse.
If Carter had been reelected in 1980, our economy would have rebounded in 1983 or '84, there's plenty of argument out there by leading economists that support this notion. Reagan's policies didn't make a hoot of difference. In fact, he actually raised taxes and just called them "user fees", and I forget what else right now.
It's over Greg! The whole Reagan myth is bogus. It's a shame. Shame on people for still believing it. Shame.
Republicans are now scrambling to redefine themselves as a party. Are you watching this? And those fools, like Bobby Jingle and Rush Limbaugh(PLEASE!! Spare us!) still believe this crap? We now have plenty of evidence that demonstrates that pure privatization is a failure. Just look at the failure to repsond to Katrina and the rebuilding of Iraq. Both were profound failures of W's admistration.
I get it Greg. You and your wife, and many others, are afraid of what's happening. This is not like the 70's recession. It's much worse. I get it. We simply cannot continue the Reagan Revolution policies. They will bankrupt us, if they haven't already. But we want to believe. We want to believe that our children and our children's children will be wealthier than us and have many more opportunities.
The truth is China and India are taking our place as the world's leading manufacturers.
And I know you want to blame the Mexicans and other illegals for all our woes, but regular U.S. Joes aren't going to accept being paid like a Mexican. I've worked with these people when I bartended and they are desperate to make a living for their families in ways that you have the luxury not to even have to consider. They will continue to sneak into our country by any means necessary and trim our shrubs and cook and wash our dishes and we will allow it because we need them. And if they were not here the costs of dining out, produce and other things would escalate considerably. Shut up! We benefit. They benefit. We have to figure out some way to make this work for all of us.
Do I revere and follow Obama blindly? No. For one thing, I am profoundly disappointed in his appointment of Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education. Duncan has been following Daley's Renascence 2010 policy, which is to make 50% of Chicago schools charter school by 2010, 75% by 2014, I think. That is, privatitize them, pay the teachers less and have no Union representation. If you follow "the news" (whose news?), you'll know that charter schools are successful. They're making gains in test scores and grades compared to the dismal failures of public schools, which have not. Charter schools are another trojan horse, Greg. The reason they're so successful is simple: selective enrollment. They get to choose who they'll admit. Public schools take everyone and anyone, the very dregs.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
By the way, I voted for W. in 2000. I regret that choice so much now. It gnaws on me, and it's difficult for me to admit to family and friends who voted for Gore, or even Bush, that I made that choice. By 2004 I'd regained my faculties and voted for Kerry.
Greg, the Republicans are wrong.
Wrong.
FISH
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