July 2, 2018--Jack: Born On the 4th of July

"Happy birthday!"

"My birthday is in October," I said to Jack who was on the phone, sounding celebratory, "I'm confused."

"I was born on the 4th of July, wouldn't you know it, and I call all my liberal friends to remind them about how it was when America was great. When we had our freedom."

Here we go, I thought, but said, "July 4th isn't until Wednesday and I assume you have at most one or two calls to make, considering I'm probably one of your only liberal friends."

"You'd be surprised," he said.

"I'm sure I would be. But in the meantime, happy July 2nd."

"I assume you've read the Declaration of Independence."

"I sort of know it by heart--'When in the course of human events . . .' We were required to memorize the first few paragraphs in elementary school."

"You mean when America was great," he repeated himself, chuckling, "Before all the political correctness. These days, since the Declaration didn't free the slaves or talk about women's rights it's probably ignored in history class, that is if kids these days even take history."

"About that we probably agree. Not much history is being learned these days. Or evolution." 

He liked that. "You know we conservatives like the Declaration more than the Constitution. The Constitution is about what kind of government we are to have while the Declaration is about what to do when the government becomes oppressive. How to change it. Even how to overthrow it. That was a big deal to Jefferson. Didn't he call for governments to be overthrown every few years? Every generation? I think he called this, 'throwing the government off.'"

"Glad to see you know at least some history. And about the differences between the two documents. We may agree about that too. Though we have differences, other big differences. I don't see the government in general being oppressive. Aspects of it, yes. Especially now with Trump as president, ironically, though he calls for less government in fact many of the things he's been doing are making the government even bigger and more oppressive. Think what it would be like if you were an American Muslim. Or an immigrant Dreamer. You wouldn't feel too free now."

"Speaking of immigrates, have you been to any big political demonstrations lately?"

"What about this past Saturday? Doesn't that count?"

"Not impressive. Relatively few marchers showed up. Sure wasn't like the Pussy thing or the one organized by Parkland High School survivors. Millions across the country participated then. This one was hardly publicized or covered by the press."

"Again, it looks like we agree."

"Just more evidence that you guys are out of gas. If you were serious about protecting your rights--like for women and gays, immigrants and the Supreme Court--shouldn't you be planning a huge 4th of July protest? A massive march on Washington? Reading of the Declaration? To show that you're unified and riled up. Not just heading out to the Hamptons or the Macy's fireworks thing. That you're willing to forgo your BBQs. Of course I'm not unhappy about this, but you and your friends should do some hard thinking about how to rally your people. To have a chance in November you have to out-organzie us. We're all jazzed up again with the prospect of Trump appointing another Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. If that doesn't get you marching I don't know what will. The Supreme Court is one vote away from overturning. Roe v. Wade. I hate that idea, by the way, because I'm a libertarian and support a woman's right to choose."

"It must be your birthday," I said, "Because again I tend to agree with you. We progressives have to get even more serious and mobilized."

"I've got to run," Jack said, "I have more calls to make. In the meantime, fair warning."

July 26, 2016--Hillary Quiz

Some claim that Hillary Clinton, with the exception of a few of America's founders--Thomas Jefferson, for example--is the most "qualified" nominee ever to run for president.

This assessment more than anything is based on her resumé. It is indisputably impressive.

She was First Lady for eight years and had real responsibilities. She did much, much more than preside over congressional wives' teas. Among other things, in a quasi-official capacity, she visited 82 countries.

Then for eight additional years she was a U.S. senator from New York.

In 2008, she almost won the Democratic presidential nomination.

After Barack Obama was elected, as part of his "team of rivals," she served for four years as his Secretary of State.

Even George H.W. Bush, who also had a very impressive professional history, didn't compare.

So by these resumé criteria, Hillary Clinton, on paper, is about the most qualified. Ever.

But before coming to that conclusion, there is another way of thinking about "qualified."

Not by a list of job titles and honorary degrees but by an accounting of accomplishments.

On this basis, Hillary Clinton as most qualified? Not so sure.

But, if you are inclined, convince me otherwise by taking this snap quiz.

Rate each of the following on a 1-10 scale, with 1 being indictable and 10 worthy of the Nobel Prize.

As First Lady:

Health care reform? OK, this one is too easy.

As Senator:

Support for the Children's Health Insurance Program? (CHIP)
Vote to authorize invasion of Iraq?
Other?____________

As Secretary of State:

"Resetting" relationship with Russia?
Keeping Russia from invading and annexing Crimea?
Containing North Korea's nuclear weapons program?
Overthrowing the Muammar Gaddafi regime in Libya?
In Syria, attempting to remove Bashar al-Assad from the presidency?
Overthrowing the Mubarak government in Egypt?
Seeing the election there of the Muslim Brotherhood?
Stabilizing Iraq?
The emergence of ISIS?
Containing/defeating ISIS?
Limiting China's expansion in the South China Sea?
Resolving the Israeli-Palistinian conflict?
Leading the effort to reach a nuclear deal with Iran?
Managing her State Department e-mails?
Other? (Anything but Benghazi) ____________

Of course we could do the same thing with Jefferson. Also on scale of 1-10:

Declaration of Independence?
Ambassador to France?
The Louisiana Purchase?
University of Virginia?
Sally Hemmings?
Other? ____________

July 10, 2105--Fridays at the Bristol Diner: The Meaning of Life

"I'm not interested in the meaning of life."

"That surprises me, Paul. I think of you as a thoughtful, self-reflective guy. And also a little philosophically-minded. I would have thought the meaning of life would be of great interest to you."

"Maybe this will help," he said, though I wasn't pressing him to be helpful, "Though I may not be interested in that big-picture question, I am very interested in how to live a meaningful life." He paused to let that sink in and then said, "Get the distinction?"

I didn't feel the need to answer and he went on anyway, "Look, I'm in my mid-60s and have tapered off from work. What do I have, maybe 20 more good years. If I'm lucky. With my family history, probably 10 to 15. I'm passed the-meaning-of-life stage. I'm not religiously oriented. Never one to get too involved with any of that, including any more, personal belief systems. So I'm thinking about  just living. How to live meaningfully."

I didn't really disagree but I wanted to make this a bit more complicated, nuanced. "You say there is a  distinction between the two. I'm not sure I see it that way. Living meaningfully implies, doesn't it, that the way you choose to live--meaningfully--is derived from what you believe to be the meaning of life. I see them connected in that way."

I looked over at him while he thought this through.

"I can see your point but here's mine--Chasing after the meaning of life inevitably means seeking connections to something really big, maybe even something universal. Like following the Golden Rule. Guided by it to live so that you do unto others . . . You know the rest."

"Yes. To live meaningfully, as you put it, means, doesn't it, that unless you find meaning in things that are self-involving and pleasurable (and I know you well enough to know that's not you), if you have something resembling a humane or ethical core--and I think you do--that what you find meaningful does in fact connect to something else, often something bigger, even if not universal. Something at least close to the meaning of life?"

He peered at me seemingly thinking. I let a few beats go by and then asked, "So, what do you say?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I'm into pursuing happiness. The other day was July 4th, right, and our Founders in the Declaration of Independence put that on the list that also included life and liberty."

"What do you think they meant by happiness? What was happiness to them? Surely not what many today think constitutes happiness--pleasure-seeking, doing their thing, adventure, acquiring stuff, sex, drugs. And to be fair, less controversially, things like family, reading, pursuing culture and . . ."

"I'm OK with much of that," Paul said, interrupting me. "I'm OK with folks doing their thing. As long as they're not harming anyone or anything or making demands on others or encroaching on anyone's territory. And here I'm not just talking about property but . . ."

"You do know, don't you, that Jefferson's first draft of the Declaration said that all men--men--are created equal and entitled to life, liberty, and property? Not only is what finally emerged--life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness a better sentence," I smiled at him, knowing how he reveres Jefferson, "but they may have thought that there was a connection between property and happiness."

"Well, to them, if you didn't have property you couldn't be a full, participating citizen. Jefferson's yeomen."

"But let's get away from early American history and get back to your pursuit of a meaningful life because I think it may have things in common with that pre-revolutionary meaning of happiness. Pursuing happiness," I returned to that in spite of saying we should move on, "suggests a life of meaning, and not one that's just pleasure-driven. In fact, other than Hamilton and his Federalist followers, Jefferson and others hated the idea of a life of commerce and materialistic striving. They wanted us to be good citizens above all else and find happiness largely in that. Very Roman."

"I don't see why you keep saying, or at least implying, that my interest in a meaningful life is not to be a good citizen or take care of my property and family--another important piece of the meaning equation--means all I care about are empty pleasures. I'm not really sybaritic or materialistic--though I confess to liking nice things--I don't think I take advantage of or ignore people who are struggling or less fortunate than I. I even try to do a little helping. So what's wrong with my loving my music and reading and gardening and all the good and healthy foods I prepare or, as I said, how I love and enjoy being with my family and fiends--even you," he said with an exaggerated wink."

"I'll concede you all that."

"But I won't go along with your insisting that I somehow have to be interested in higher pursuits if my life is to be meaningful. I'll stack my music and the things I love to read against anyone or anything who claims that there are higher things which are needed to guide a meaningful life. All the codes, all the so-called sacred texts to me were written by men--not by God or gods--and are no more valid as guides to the good or meaningful life than the things I've discovered on my own."

He had became a little heated and I didn't want to press him that much further. But, I said, "I too believe that sacred texts and moral codes such as Hammurabi's or Leviticus and Deuteronomy are all man-made. But they do distill a lot of wisdom and are thus worth taking into serious consideration even when attempting to living a meaningful life disconnected from the meaning-of-life."

"With that, we've come full circle," Paul said, easing himself up out of the booth. "Stiff joints," he grimaced.

"Sorry to have kept you so long," I apologized.

He waved me off, "I always enjoy talking to you, even though at times you make me crazy."