2012 Presidential Candidate Debates

25. September 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: On the Issues, Random · Tags: , , , , ,

I’ve been trying to catch up on the republican presidential candidate debates and I watched the latest one last night and the nights before. First; wow what an amazingly high-tech debate! I like how Fox partnered with Google to let everyday people send in their questions through YouTube videos and emails and such. I also enjoyed the online extras in between the breaks with different analysis of the candidates and what people are searching for the most etc.

Here are some thoughts I have about the whole thing. I don’t mind sharing these thoughts because I find it helpful to get them out for myself but also because I like to share my opinions about politics not to convince anyone necessarily to think exactly like me (I’m not sure I’d wish that upon anyone) but because I find dialogue about this topic to be extremely important. Keep in mind that when I share thoughts on politics I am in no way trying to make you agree with me or even vote just like me. I also reserve the right to change my mind about candidates and even about certain issues as I learn more about them.

Politics—the study of how policy is formed in our country—is incredibly fascinating to me, even though it can also be incredibly frustrating at the same time. It is interesting to study our history (which I’ve been doing more of) and see how we’ve evolved and are evolving as a country. Like a good friend of mine likes to say, “we are all on a journey” and usually we each are in a different place on that journey. I feel that I am a baby still on the journey of understanding politics and many of my thoughts and ideas about certain parts of it are still ‘in progress’. So keep that in mind; that my words with this subject tend to be more ‘streams of consciousness than solid unchangeable convictions. There are of course certain exceptions to that when it comes to intrinsic moral issues such as abortion and other ‘sanctity of life’ issues.

First, I’d like to share why I find it important, for myself, to watch these debates and pay attention to the candidates now. The simple answer is: All politics is local. It would be easier really for me to do my own thing and live life without having to pay attention to what the legislatures in my state or federally were doing but the fact of the matter is that what they do affects my everyday life. They can’t take away my choice of how I choose to live my life—happily or sadly, positively or negatively etc. But they definitely have the power to impose regulations or laws on me that affect what I do or don’t do in my day and life. Policies that are made in the government legislatures and departments can effect what food I buy, what type of car I drive and when, where I send my children to school, what supplements, medicines or other ‘health care’ treatment I use for our families health, what house I buy, what bank I keep my money in, even what I do with my trash. It’s pretty important for me and my family who holds those reigns. I know I have very little influence over who gets voted into office and then from there who gets assigned to the various departmental positions—I, the little person, am almost as important as a speck compared to the huge companies and lobbying organizations. But, like I’ve said before, Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who makes a really great point—“A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Even a speck like me is important and I can make a difference.

Now, back to why the debates and the pre-primary presidential candidates are important to keep up with starting now. By the time next November comes around, the majority of Americans will have forgotten much of what was said during this time—if they were even paying attention. I think most people are just waiting until after the primaries to see which candidate will have to face Obama. Which is too bad because now is the time when it is more important to get involved. Now is the time when we can start the process of getting to know all the candidates, rather than waiting and trying take a crash course of one candidate and his/her history and positions a week (or day) before the November 2012 election. Now is the time when we have more of a choice about who we really want to be the next president rather than who we’ll have to settle for to replace the current president.

The debates are long but you can watch the all online and break them up into little segments rather than sitting down and watching the whole thing in one setting. They are also actually quite entertaining in some parts. The last game-show-type question at the end of the last debate gave me a good laugh—especially after Newt Gingrich’s typical matter-of-fact response to the whole idea. It’s also interesting to see how well each candidate debates, even amongst their ‘friends’.  I know many do not like to see them attacking each other, being that they are on the same ‘side’ but it’s good practice for having to go against Obama—clearly not on the same side.  Romney pointed out that even though they all don’t agree with each other on everything; they all do agree that any one of them would be a better president by far than who we have now.

These are my first quick impressions of each of the candidates from the last debate (if you’ve made it down this far).

Michele Bachmann — I like her. I like that she is a ‘constitutional conservatist’. I admire her gumption and her zeal for this. I also like that she really does not play into any ‘sexist’ games by drawing any attention to the fact that she is a woman. But, as a woman, I admire her for not letting this difference stop her. I also am happy with how she has answered the Gardasil issue and thankful that she has brought the issue of unjust government vaccine mandates into the debate as it is a very important often-overlooked-tossed-aside issue. It wasn’t surprising to me though that the media and others used this as a way to ruin her. It’s the same old trick—use something dumb to make a woman candidate look less than intelligent and every one will just follow along and assume that she is, in fact, too dumb to be in politics. I’m not sure yet if she is the one I would pick for the next president as there are some areas I feel she is weak on but overall I think she is playing an important role in the debates and in our country.

Herman Cain — I don’t know a lot about him but from the way he answers questions, I could vote for him. I think that the job of the president is a big leadership role. Herman’s business experience definitely makes him qualified for such a job. And I like that he does not play on any ‘race cards’. Herman does not look at himself as different from any other candidate up there because of his ethnic/racial background. He is who he is and the color of his skin will not change or determine that. He is a man of principal and it is his principals that he will run on.

John Huntsman – He has some good answers but some of his other answers and his history in politics make it hard for me to see him as a real ‘conservative’ candidate. I also hope his prediction about Romney and Perry come true—that they will just obliterate each other with all their back-and-forth attacking.

Gary Johnson—I appreciate the libertarian perspective he brings to the debates and the added humor too! But, for my sanity, will you please stop wiggling around and stay still when talking!

Ron Paul – One thing I most admire about this guy—he never quits. He knows his chances of actually being elected president-much less the primary candidate—is slim to say it nicely. Yet he stays in. Why? He is passionate and unyielding and consistent in his conservative and libertarian principles.  And for this I do admire him. Yet, I get lost when it comes to his more extreme positions on the military and foreign policy. I am, however, impressed by his fans. I don’t think there has ever been a candidate that has so many devout and loyal fans as Ron Paul. If someone has a Ron Paul sign in their yard or a button on their shirt for him—you know there is nothing you can do or say that will change his/her mind about supporting him all the way, not matter what, to the end.

Rick Perry—Sorry dude, I’m not just not convinced. I listen and watch you answer and I’m left asking, “Huh? Did you even answer the question?”  And yes the HPV Gardasil thing is a big deal.

Mitt Romney — You know at first I didn’t really like this guy. Just another slick politician whose teeth twinkle when he smiles. But the more I listen to him talk the less I dislike him. One thing is for sure: He wins the award for the best debater! (See, his magic is already working.)

Rick Santorum — Oh Rick. I could love you, I really could. You’re passionate about what you believe in—but maybe a little too passionate. I’m waiting for the day when you just walk up and punch one of your fellow candidates for saying something you disagree about. Your lack of composure is unfortunately a problem and would never stand against the cool, calm debater that is Barack Obama. That said, thank you for speaking the truth on many important issues. I hope you will continue doing so…just not as president.

Newt Gingrich—Out of all the candidates in the debates, Newt is the one I most enjoy listening to. He’s smart, he’s witty, he makes me laugh and feel relaxed. I know he’s been around a long time but maybe this could be a good thing—experience produces wisdom. I’ve been told and have heard his past does not really serve him well. I honestly haven’t had time to dig into his past yet. If he can’t be the president, I sincerely hope the new president will invite the former speaker onto his/her team as an invaluable advisor.


God’s Will is infinitely more beautiful and perfect than mine.

25. September 2011 · 2 comments · Categories: faith · Tags: , , ,

I finally finished Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light. Actually I skipped through some of the last of it but all in all it was a truly amazing book to read–this was surely one amazing soul. Often times we see Mother Teresa put in an unattainable light–she was so good and such a great saint–but there’s no way we could ever really be that good. But that’s not what makes a saint. Imperfection and constant humility put together with a continual choice to live in and survie with God’s grace–that’s what can bring anyone to heaven–where all the saints abide perpetually in God.

Out of the whole book, below are my two favorite quotes that have applied to my own life, especially in the struggles I’ve endured more recently with trying to understand God’s Will for me in the work He has asked of me.

Pg. 111 In a letter to the Archbishop of Calcutta, Ferdinand
Perier when asking permissions for starting the new order.

“How many must we be to have the Blessed Sacrament in our
midst?—The work that we will have to do, will be impossible without His
continual grace from the tabernacle. –He will have to do everything.—We have
just to follow. “

Pg. 112 In the answer from the Archbishop:

“Pray much and live
intimately with Our Lord, J.C. [Jesus Christ] asking for light, strength,
decision; but do not anticipate HIS WORK.
Try not to put anything of your own in all this. You are His instrument,
nothing more.

How easy it is to forget this simple advice! How easy it is to begin a good work in service to God and then to try and replace Him with ourselves–with our own will or our own ideas of how a certain task should be done. Each time I do this I end up running smack into the wall I built for myself. And each time–ever patient–God is there; waiting to help me get back on my feet and continue–gently reminding me that His way really is better than my way. The more I try do do things on my own the harder it is. The less I stress about whatever I’m working on and the more I pray and let Him lead–the more work actually ends up getting done. And then I see that yes, God’s way is beautiful and His plans are so much better than mine.


Waiting for Superman or Waiting for Us–the Parents?

21. September 2011 · 3 comments · Categories: Education · Tags: , ,

My husband and I recently watched Waiting for “Superman”. It is a documentary film about the state of children’s education in America today. This subject of education always catches my attention so I was excited when its turn in the Netflix cue finally came up. Still I was cautiously optimistic about it since there are so many different opinions about children’s education and what needs to be done to fix its problems.

The movie started out a little boring (honestly I fell asleep and had to try again the next day) with all the same ol’ statistics about how horribly failing America’s public schools are–not to make light of it but I’ve heard it so much that it’s sadly not so shocking anymore. It seemed my hidden assumptions were going to be correct–just another documentary about how bad our schools are and that’s why we have to give more money to the schools and pay all the teachers more and test the kids more–blah, blah, blah.

But then a twist came along when it got to the part about teachers unions. I had assumed this movie would take the same tone as other ‘popular’ education ‘experts’ take when it comes to the teachers unions and rave about them and praise them and basically hail them as the one true solution for all of America’s education problems. To my great surprise, it was quite the opposite so that definitely perked up my attention and I was able to stay awake for the rest of the film. It was refreshing to hear someone else acknowledge the obvious–if teachers are all paid the same based on nothing but ‘contracts’ then what motivation will there be to actually teach–and teach well? What would drive a teacher to not only sit at a desk and ‘babysit’ but to actually do their job and inspire greatness and discovery and excellence in their students if they themselves had no real motivation or incentive?

There were a lot of very interesting points and observations made and the movie gave a lot to think about so I would recommend watching it. I agreed about the problem with the teachers unions but also wonder if switching to an only-merit based pay method for teachers is the answer. A couple of friends who are teachers (and great ones too!) made a good point that while it would be better for teachers to have more incentives to teach well, merit-based pay systems can also be problematic when teachers are being paid more because they are the principal’s pet and they can be paid less if the principal (or pastor in parochial schools) simply does not like him/her. This is one of the reasons teachers unions started but it’s gone way too far. There needs to be a better balance somehow. It’s pretty bad when the most money given for political campaign funding comes from teachers unions.

Aside from the debate about teachers pay and teachers unions and more money from the government to the schools (which the film also seemed to indicate was not the answer either)–there were still some things missing in this movie that I had hoped they’d addressed.

  1. Testing
  2. Curriculum/teaching methods
  3. Parental and family involvement and how it affects children’s education.

1. Testing: I was talking to a 3rd grade boy today and asked about his upcoming school day and what he was going to be doing and his simple answer was “testing”. He had 3 or 4 tests in the classroom that day and then another outside-of-the classroom state assessment of some sort with a catchy acronym that really had nothing to do with what the test is about. Every time I ask what he is doing that day or did, it’s always about tests. I understand that testing has a value and they do serve a purpose.

But I can’t help but feel that maybe our kids are getting slightly over-tested when they seem to spend the majority of their time studying for a test or learning material in order to take a test or even taking a test about how to take a test. Whatever happened to just learning? Whatever happened to serving kids bite-sized servings of knowledge and then leaving them alone to chew on it and savor it for a little while without having to regurgitate it before it was even digested, much less swallowed.

Of course it’s a circular problem stemming from us grown-ups chronic problem with pride. Parents and teachers and school boards want what’s best for our kids, sure, but they also want to prove that their way is the best. We want our kids to learn but then, since we can’t see inside their brains, we wonder if they are really learning or not so then we test them to find out if they are so that we know what we need to keep working on so that we can test them again and it’s just kind of a silly cycle of nonsense and after the ball finally crashes–are our kids really any smarter? More importantly—are they more likely to succeed in life and be happy? There’s only one way to test that and find the answer.

2. Curriculum/teaching methods: Imagine a box. Now imagine trying to fit 20-30 kids into a box that is made to hold 2 maybe 3 at a time. That’s kind of how I envision the problem of trying to use ‘boxed’ standardized curriculums in classrooms that on average have 28, give or take a few, students. I have issues with standardized methods that are applied to people, particularly children–who are each unique and individual. Eventually, someone is going to get pushed out or fall out of the box and get ‘left behind’. This is where the good vs. bad teacher debate comes up. In my opinion, a good teacher will look at the curriculum in the box–take it all out and use it together with other tools found ‘outside of the box.’ But so few teachers are willing to do this, or if they are willing they don’t have time or resources or ‘approval’ to do such new-fangled things such as teach their students something that isn’t ‘required’ for that year. To all you teachers out there who do go above and beyond—THANK YOU.

3. Parents and Family involvement. This is really the kicker and I left the best and most important key to the success of education in America here at the end. Waiting for Superman and other such documentaries and articles and NPR radio programs and politicians love to talk about the failing test scores, the failing teachers, the failing education budgets, the failing administrations, the failing kids—but what about the parents? Why do people forget about them and the HUGE role they play in the success or failure of a child’s education? It’s easy to blame everyone else, it’s easy to say, we need more money for the schools, or we need to fire all those bad teachers (which is true)–but really–the people that consistently show up in research studies as the most influential people in children’s lives are–guess who?—THE PARENTS–the family; the home. It’s the core. It’s where it all begins and ends. It’s where all the numbers and letters and tests and reading programs and math drills and science experiments come together and either sizzle…or fizzle.

Sadly, our families are falling apart–this is the true problem in America. This is where the rebuilding and the reform need to happen–in the families. Good teachers, administrations and schools that are strong and willing to fight against the goliath teacher unions, outside-0f-the-box teaching methods–those are all definitely part of the answer. But until we really delve in past all that and get to the heart of the matter and fix the root of the problem, those answers will only serve as a small band-aid for an oozing open wound in the heart of our country and world.

 


Theology of the Body, Day 4

18. September 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: faith · Tags: , , ,

Ok, it’s been a little more than a few more ‘days’ since my last T.O.B post but I got a little derailed by school starting and life. Here are some excerpts for pondering from the next ‘day’, day 4, of Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology Of The Body, given at the General Audience of September 26, 1979.

“1. When Christ responds to the question about the unity and indissolubility of marriage, he appeals to the words of Genesis about the subject of marriage. In our two foregoing reflections, we analyzed both the so-called Elohist text (Gen 1) and the Yahwist text (Gen 2). Today we want to draw some conclusions from these analyses.” [Can someone please explain in very simple terms what the difference between Elohist and Yahwist is??]

“When Christ appeals to the ‘beginning,’ he asks his interlocutors to go in some way beyond the boundary running in Genesis between the state of original innocence and the state of sinfulness that began with the original fall.

Symbolically, this boundary can be linked with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which delimits two diametrically opposed situations in the Yahwist text: the situation of original innocence and that of original sin. These situations have their own dimension in man, in his innermost [being], knowledge, consciousness, conscience, choice, and decision, and all of this in a relationship with God, the Creator…”

“Yet, Christ’s words, which appeal to the ‘beginning,’ allows us to find an essential continuity in man and a link between these two different states or dimensions of the human being…”

2. “It is not a question of mere dialectic. The laws of knowing correspond to those of being.” [The rest of this part was difficult to follow. I think the main point being made though is that when talking about our history as human beings, we must also understand the state of our original (pre-historic) and "fundamental innocence" as a "dimension of being created 'in the image of God'"]

“3. When Christ, according to Matthew 19, appeals to the ‘beginning,’ he does not point only to the state of original innocence as a lost horizon of human existence in history. To the words that he speaks with his own lips, we have the right to attribute at the same time the whole eloquence of the mystery of redemption.  In fact, already in…Genesis 2 and 3, we witness the moment in which man, male and female, after having broken the original covenant with his Creator, receives the first promise of redemption in the words of the so-called Protoevangelium in Genesis 3:15 and begins to live in the theological perspective of redemption. Thus…human beings today [and those of the past since the fall] participates…not only in the history of human sinfulness…but he also participates in the history of salvation…Precisely this perspective of the redemption of the body guarantees the continuity and the unity between man’s hereditary state of sin and his original innocence, although within history this innocence has been irremediably lost by him.”

“4. In the interpretation of the revelation about man, and above all about the body, we must, for understandable reasons, appeal to the experience, because bodily man is perceived by us above all in experience….our human experience is in some way a legitimate means for theological interpretation…”

“5. It seems that the words of Romans 8:23…express the direction of our research centered on the revelation of that ‘beginning’ to which Christ appealed in his dialogue about the indissolubility of marriage (Mt 19; Mk 10)….’We ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for…the redemption of our bodies’”

So basically: We have an innocent history and a sinful history. Our human experience is a ‘labor’ that will hopefully bring us back to that original state of innocence through the redemption of our bodies. In the end, we hope to return to ‘the beginning’. Any other thoughts about this reflection?

 

 

 

 

 

“


I love sugar! I hate sugar. Darn cookies.

14. September 2011 · 3 comments · Categories: Comic Relief, Doodles, Health, Just for Fun, Whiney Wednesday

School time is in full swing now and that means so is all the nasty germ passing. While I hate illness (because it’s generally gross, annoying and just no fun for anyone) I know our family will get sick from time to time and these times can be blessed opportunities to grow in grace. I’m thankful for all the knowledge and information I have gained through the years about germs and health and wellness and disease prevention. We do the best we can, and the rest is in God’s hands. That said, it’s much easier to “talk the talk” than actually “walk the walk” as is comically portrayed below…


Sweet and Spicy Coleslaw

13. September 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Food · Tags: , ,

Before we kiss Summer goodbye and snuggle up with Autumn, here’s one more recipe for the Summer Salad Series by Martha that almost got left behind. I went to the store today to get the cabbage and onion I needed to complete the recipe thinking I had everything else at home but then sadly realized I was all out of carrotts and had none to pick from the neglected garden either. Judging from the name and everything else my mom makes, I’m sure this salad is fantasticly awesome. If you try it, let me know what you think!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 2 pounds green cabbage  ( you can also get the bag of coleslaw)
  • 4 carrots
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup mustard
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Martha shared this last recipe of her summer salad collection from the Food Network. So just click here for the directions and rest of the recipe and maybe you’ll find some other great recipes to try while you’re there!

Thanks for joining me for the Summer Salad Series by Martha. You can view all the salads from the series here. And thanks, mom, again for sharing these! Stay tuned for a souper fun autumn series! (courtesy J.M. for the pun)


Yeah well, Mary’s perfect so what does she know?

12. September 2011 · Write a comment · Categories: Faith: Mary, Random · Tags: , , ,

I took a little detour from Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God but picked it back up again recently to finish up the last few chapters. I enjoyed this one, Immaculate Mary: Perfection and Virginity. 

This chapter focuses on the mystery of Mary’s virginity and how other women have used her purity as an example in their own lives. It is hard to pick out excerpts from this chapter because it all goes together but here are a few to intrigue you until you get the book and read it all together. 

Ginny shares her primary education about Mary and her virginity. 

“Thanks to the teachers at St. Simon Elementary School, I grew up knowing a tremendous amount about my Catholic faith…I also learned something that many Catholics never do: the true meaning of the Immaculate Conception. Lots of people think that this refers to Jesus, and how he was conceived without sin, but they’re wrong…It really refers to Mary. Because Jesus grew inside Mary’s womb, they explained, she too had to be sinless. As a result, God made sure that she was conceived without any mark of original sin. From the beginning of her life until the end, she was absolutely perfect.”

Ginny goes on to explain that this teaching was easy to accept as a child but became problematic as she grew older and started looking at Catholicism “with a critical eye”. 

“I still believed that she had been conceived without sin, but that perfection created a barrier between her and me. Somehow, sinlessness equaled difference; sinlessness equaled judgment; sinlessness equaled a gap that I couldn’t bridge…She was above all of us, unreachable and unreal in her perfection.”

The rest of this chapter recounts other women’s awareness of Mary’s sinlessness and how it has affected their relationship with Mary. 

“For some women, Mary’s perfection raises questions about how to approach her in prayer. What is the proper way to speak to a woman who is sinless? Do we need to mask our flawed selves and rough edges in order to communicate with her? 

“For other women, Mary’s sinlessness gives rise to feelings of frustration and resentment. Throughout history, Catholic women have often been told, both directly and indirectly, to pattern themselves after Mary. Her status as the role model for female Catholics raises a host of questions. If she had the special privilege of being born without sin, many women think, then how can we possibly hope to emulate her? Why are we even told to try? To some, the message that they should be like Mary seems like a setup for failure, or a way for women to be made to feel guilty about their own imperfection. The fact that such messages have traditionally come from male clergy makes the issue all the more emotionally charged. As a result, many women have come to regard Mary as a kind of pawn, a figure used by men to keep women from getting too comfortable with themselves.”

I certainly related to that last paragraph. Ashamedly I admit that I often experience jealous feelings toward Mary even when she is innocently there to help me and pray for me. One time I confessed to my confessor this, that I was jealous of her since she was perfect and had the perfect baby and how on earth could she possibly understand what life is like for me—a very imperfect woman with similarly imperfect children. I remember that he laughed at me, which annoyed me at the time but then made me realize later how silly it is and so I laughed too. Then later, Mary seemed to say to me, “I may have had the perfect child, but I did also have to watch him suffer and die on a cross—for YOU.” (I wanted to disintegrate into the floor.) 

Ginny also understands these feelings of resentment. “It’s similar to the resentment one might feel toward an older sibling who can do no wrong: The more you are told you should pattern yourself after someone perfect, the harder it is to develop an authentic relationship with that person. He or she becomes not a real human being but an impossible standard, a passive Goody Two-shoes. To many Catholics, Mary is more a plaster statue than a flesh-and-blood woman. How does one rescue her from this image? How can we understand and embrace her full humanity? 

The rest of the chapter helps to answer these questions and settle these feelings of resentment or jealousy and trade those for a better understanding and feeling of Mary’s immaculate distinction. Have you ever experienced these feelings toward Mary? How have you dealt with them? 

Related Posts with Thumbnails