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Don't be surprised if...by Mark Halperin.
http://thepage.time.com/halperins-take-dont-be-surprised-if/
5. The White House continues to use Fridays to bury bad news.
6. Joe Biden achieves a major foreign policy coup in the next few months -- one that we don't publicly learn about for quite some time.
7. A key White House adviser suffers serious, early burnout.
8. Another big-name Republican retires, and another joins the Obama administration
Number 8 is quite intriguing.....If that happens again...Requiescat in pace, GOP...
1. Obama picks a woman you have never heard of for the Supreme Court.
A gay Hispanic woman?? j/k
"For those who plan with audacity and execute with vigor,
progress is the magnificent by product."
In one of Bill O'Reily's books, his nightmare scenario for America was a Liberal Hispanic Woman being elected president. (I don't remember if in the scenario the woman was lesbian or not.)
My thoughts to that were.... so what?!! My mom is a Liberal Hispanic (Puerto Rican) Woman and this country would be blessed to have her as a leader!! She'd take no crap and get this country back on track in many areas! (Particular those stupid parents who drive around with their kids bouncing around in the back seat not in seat belts! instant tickets!!)
My sister is a Liberal Hispanic Woman! Well, social liberal has not thoughts yet on financial and foreign policy issues. This country was blessed to have her serve in the military. She's a Staff Sergeant in the Army, did a year in Iraq. She is great at what she does. She'd be excellent in public office!! She took no crap as a Staff Sgt., she'd take no crap as president or in any leader fashion.
The bass player in my last band was a Liberal Hispanic Woman, who is also gay, and she'd be great in public service. She holds a Masters Degree in Science Education. And rocks out teaching just as much as she does on stage.
Tinsoldier, this isn't a rant because of what you wrote. I've read a lot of your posts and know you write that in jest. And I totally get your ironic wit there, please trust me on that!! (And I get the insight of the guy that wrote that list.) Idiots like Bill O'Reily don't jest. That pisses me off.
And that pisses me off for a secondary reason, besides the fact I identify myself as a Liberal/Progressive. It's demeans minorities, and it demeans women any area of the political spectrum.
There are some really awesome women who post here. Suzi, Misty to name a couple. (There are a lot more.) Reading their posts...I'd be proud if the were my elected leaders. Just like if they got to know the Hispanic Women in my life, even the gay ones, they'd be proud of their service too.
So I guess what I'm saying is, I hope Obama nominates a woman. It's inspiring to woman, and men, everywhere. And woo-hoo, on a selfish bit of PR Pride, if she's Hispanic! If not, woo-hoo too!! I just want any nomination to be qualified big time.
And that's my late night ramblings.
TinSoldier - I wouldn't discount that just yet.
These future speculations are so provacative, yet no names. Shoot. :(
Kaizen: I'm glad that you understood that I was being ironic there. I was a little worried at first...
I would hope that a person could be nominated based on his or her jurisprudence and not because of checking some box on a list somewhere.
But I'm also not so naive to think that sometimes checking a box is not important. Because it is. I still look forward to a day when it is not.
"For those who plan with audacity and execute with vigor,
progress is the magnificent by product."
Lets face it. And some men would never admit this. If the world was run by Women presidents and more women in higher positions it would probably be a better place. Men, especially a lot of the kind that seek leadership roles are so damn egotisical and stubborn. I'm a guy, and I have to be honest. Of course this is not true of a lot of or all guys in government or leadership rolls like Obama but the men who run so many countries are some of the most stubborn, power hungry, and egotisical people you'd ever meet. We just don't see it as often from women. Or at least I don't....
Or maybe i'm just crazy... ( :
It's a nice thought that women could/would improve the world if they were in charge. As a male like SG, I too would welcome the change. I'm just not all that sure that the sexes are so different.
Outside of the reproductive realm, the distinctions are pretty blurry. Yes, men on average are taller and heavier, but the overlap is tremendous. The male dominance in athletics is beginning to wane as more women find time and inclination to participate. The male monopoly on political office is certainly being shattered.
By all means, let's encourage women to be equal partners in governing and legislating. Let's just not be so naive as to have unsubstantiated faith that they will be all that different from men.
I am wondering if HRC was a man at some point - just kidding :)
While I don't agree with her politically or even in her choice of mates, she has achieved a lot in life and I can respect someone that goes out there and makes things happen.
SG8970 - I think an all-women political world would just be as deadly and devious and messed up.
I mean Margaret Thatcher alone proves that.
I am going to take what has been said in response to my first post and kill my argument a little with this chilling, horrifying, need-to-get-drunk-to-deal-with-the-pain words:
President Ann Coulter....
*gags*
Please come down off that ledge, SG. Nobody will get hurt.... just come back to us gently.
SERENITY NOW!!
( :
LMAO. I love Seinfeld. It never gets old.
Well, good points obviously (shivers at Pelosi), I guess my thinking works a little bit more with a woman in charge of some muslim countries, places like North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Russia, a few war torn African nations, China etc....
Again though, let's not rule out me being crazy.... ( :
Although I won't rule out the "crazy" possibility...it's one of the things I love about ya....there is some validity in what you say...as well as in lep's humorous point above.
Women in politics today have to be "more like a man" in order to be successful. We saw the same thing in the past in the business world. There are some basic differences in the "hard wiring" of the two sexes (although there are exceptions) and the traits more associated with the female have had to be buried, as they have not traditionally been valued as much as the male. In business, this is slowly changing, as the business world learns how much can be accomplished by utilizing the more feminine traits. We can only hope that this evolution will take place in the world of politics as well.
I was just thinking that a lot of what we admire in Obama comes from his "feminine" side, and his lack of "macho swagger". Feminine does not equal weak! His kindness, compassion, willingness to listen and compromise, etc, in a woman, would be seen as weaknesses. This may be an unexpected gift from the president...He could well show our country that these traits are pluses, not minuses, which could pave the way for a "real" woman to serve.
Re: "Feminine does not equal weak! "
Quick comment and add on to that statement Suzi. And everyone here, men especially would do well to remember this maxim:
"There is no creature more deadly than a mother protecting her young!"
Woe to any one who tries to get between a mother a her child!
And then my own personal theroem/postulute/general observation. It's not as strong as the above one, but I think still as valid:
"There is no creature more vicious than the human adolesence, particularly the female."
(...ok, I admit, I was teased a lot in middle school.)
Or her grandchild!! That instinct to protect our young, (and the weak in general) is hardwired into most of us.
About the adolesent female...right again! As the mother of twin girls, I used to say that there is nothing nastier than a 10-12 year old girl!!! ;-)
Exactly. Compassion and less"macho swagger" was a big part of this off track thing I got into.
I knew exactly what you meant, Steve, and as others cited women who had to be "more like a man" in order to succeed, I thought I would try to explain it...from the female understanding.
To be honest, I don't think there is too much chance of change in my generation, but as your generation comes into running this country, hopefully the playing field will be more level, and the positive feminine traits will be accepted for the strength they bring. Kudo's to you, and other men like you, who realize the great potential in this.
Suzi,
I think you may find this interesting: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9059265454566485886
It's about women in technology, but I think a lot of it would apply to women in politics as well.
Suzi>I was just thinking that a lot of what we admire in Obama comes from his "feminine" side, and his lack of "macho swagger". Feminine does not equal weak.
You are right, never thought about that in him. But it is one of my beliefs about spirituality and the world, that for anything to run smoothly or properly you need to have balance as in Yin/Yang(the masculine/feminine). I think it is why history has been the way it has, to much testosterone ruling everything. We need reason/intuition to work together not against each other.
HOPE: We need reason/intuition to work together not against each other.
Not to mention someone who makes really really good brownies. Chewy. With lots of corner pieces. . . .
There's a brownie pan that is made to look kinda like a maze, so that every brownie has an edge piece to it.
Personally, I'm all about the middle of the pan.
I tend not to mind where the brownie was cut unless something got burned.
----It's sad that we've reached a point where 'government service' is a dirty word... If we're the greatest country on earth, maybe we can have the greatest government.
Lewis Black
That would be the pan. I notice it's out of stock... there must be quite a few folks who like the edges.
----
It's sad that we've reached a point where 'government service' is a dirty word... If we're the greatest country on earth, maybe we can have the greatest government.
Lewis Black
This is my favorite word from the description of that pan: nomability. LOL Nom, nom, nom.
My husband would love it, but that pan ain't cheap.
Sorry to swtich topics slightly but...
How about women expanding their role within the Church? The Catholic Church is way behind on this! I think I'd consider going to confession more if I knew a woman was there to talk to. Why is the concept of women priests so frightening for some? I'll bet they'd tackle social issues more forcefully and maybe even help to re-shape the stance on birth control. The only people I know who faithfully practice the "rhythm method" have 6 or more kids!
Kelly, as a practicing Catholic, I am glad you brought up the women in the church issue. I personally believe that, with the number of vocations to the priesthood declining, that the Vatican will be forced, eventually, to allow priests to marry, as many other religions do, and maybe even women priests.
This pope, of course, continues from the conservative church tradition. But I think reality will eventually force changes.