November 11th, 2016
Sahaar mo pa kheyr سها! (A fine“Good Morning” in Pashto!)
Jack says I am in mourning and I guess it’s true. My friend Donna, always a formidable intellect, lashed out in her Facebook posts in anger and despair as did many others. I think she reported that she had completed her grieving yesterday and I hope that is true. Well, if Jack thinks I am being a “woosie” and I am in the company of Donna’s processing, then I guess my feelings are honest and validated. But I do apologize for inflicting that on you folks.
The election is over and people are protesting in the streets. Absentee ballots and mail-ins are not yet all counted but it appears that while Trump (real name Drumpt) got the Electoral College votes needed, the popular vote again was won by the “looser” of the election, Hillary Clinton. Hillary has kept her word, conceded and encouraged everyone to support our new President-elect. Life goes on … even more uncertain than before, when these folks only had control of the Congress and Court.
If Trump does even half of what he threatened in the campaign America will return to its path of eroding standards of living from ever-rising health care costs as our population ages. Trickle down tax relief policy will have yet another opportunity to make the top 1% richer at the expense of services to our elderly, veterans and shrinking middle class generally. We will grow the military industrial complex to inappropriate levels to defend against non-state based threats. Many immigrant children who grew up in our communities will be repatriated to countries they cannot remember, thanks in part to trusting Obama’s registration and immigration enforcement holiday for children who were illegally brought to the US. Of course we will all be safer because every one will have automatic weapons. The next four years should be a boon time if you are white, rich, armed, not openly LGBT or wanting lower deficits, better heath care for all or an affordable higher education. Ignoring all the science about Global Warming, Trump has stated that we will be switching our focus to “clean” coal and increasing fracking. All of this is due in large part to the Citizen’s United ruling that provided the opportunity for corporations to fund politics with out limitation. Using that vehicle, the 1%’er puppet masters have given the nuclear codes to an individual who has demonstrated he has the emotional stability of a toddler at nap time and the moral compass of a deluded syphilitic alley cat in heat. This election also means that they have control over all three branches of government so our carefully constructed system of checks and balances has been effectively negated.
But I am an optimist. I believe that we get what we deserve until we learn to behave such that we deserve better. We need reminding of the wisdom of separating church from state. The next four years will be painful but I hope not fatal. I hope we enjoy enough pain to remove the obstacles in congress to counter the damage done as we learn to be careful what we wish for. I am hopeful that the members of the court appointed by a Trump administration reject their charter utterly once appointed or do us the courtesy of dying 20 minutes after a decent human being is sworn in as our 46th President. I believe that our great nation will find a way to right the ship and embrace our role in history as a benevolent democracy founded on and once again lead by people of principle.
This week I learned some stuff:
• I learned you can get your employment history from the Social Security Administration.
• I learned that I am a raving pluviophile (look it up!)
• I learned that I could get angry about politics again. Not since the 1960s when I was protesting the Viet Nam war have I felt such antithesis towards my country’s leadership. It was different then. Even though we were fighting a terrible war and loosing so many kids, there was a feeling of sincerity from both sides. Those promoting the war genuinely believed it was necessary and right while we were just as sincere in our conviction that it was wrong. It was honest disagreement. After this election, I just want to take a shower and wash off the bullshit and transparent cynicism. These people do not believe what they say. They said what they rightly assessed the people needed to hear to put them in power. The exceptions are those that voted for the Libertarians, Green Party and write-ins. They contributed to the current failure of our system but they did it based upon principle.
Website Update
• A new vocabulary list is available this week.
Writing and Painting Update:
• Noah has finished the GPS edits and I am wading through them now.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• How horrible it must feel today to be LGBT, or a Muslim, Or a Syrian, or an illegal immigrant living inside the United States of America. On behalf of our country, I am sorry for what you are going through now. Even if none of the stupid, fearful, ungenerous and mean things promised during this campaign come true, you must live in fear of them happening every day.
Music Update:
This week features a lot of new music for me. I reached out looked for connections to people I admire musically and found some. I found a new (at least to me) John Mayer song this week called, “Man On The Side”. Its just John singing and playing a wonderful acoustic guitar. Its not available on iTunes. Here is the You-Tube acoustic version ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOqRltu60ys ) I hope you enjoy:
• Andy Grammer – Crazy Beautiful — I love this song and its lyrics. I have loved Crazy Beautiful women and known this joy.
• Gavin McGraw – She Sets the City on Fire – I heard this the first time in a full production version and it kind of sounded a little trite to me. But then, I heard this acoustic version and it hit me completely differently. Lets see what you think.
• Sting – 50,000 – This one is from Sting’s new album called, “57th & 9th”. Its his tribute or reflections of loosing David Bowie and Prince this year. Its a great song. I used to have an apartment off of 51st between 6 & 7th Ave, which now somehow feels kind of cool to be able to say 🙂
• James Taylor – Secret O’ Life – This is a wonderful song with a beautiful and valuable message. The key to it all is enjoying the ride and time.
• Jefferson Airplane – Comin’ Back to Me — This is another beautiful song sung beautifully by Marty Balin way back when on their Surrealistic Pillow album
• Teitur – Sleeping With the Lights On – Found this guy through John Mayer. Like John, I liked his thoughtful song just seconds after I heard it the first time. This one is from his 2008, “Poetry and Airplanes” album.
• Tommy Emmanuel – My Life – This one is from the live Tommy Emmaneul and Friends album recorded at the Balboa Theater right here in America’s Finest City. Singer/Songwriter Pam Rose sings this prayer that I pray in one form or another every day. She has a sweet voice and a bright mind. Tommy just plays guitar n this one 🙂 Google her and listen to the songs on her website you won’t be disappointed.
• Elliot Smith – Tomorrow Tomorrow — For all you UJT radio listeners, I found this through my connection to Lifehouse. This is a kind of whimsical flight of fantasy with lovely acoustic guitar punctuating the haunting lyrics.
That’s it… Do the best you can; Laugh every chance you get; And always remember … The best is yet to come!
As always, thank you for being my friend!
James
Under the Jacaranda Tree URL: http://www.jfmccann.com