A Common Good

Ownership is a good thing. Owning a car, a home, a dog, a bike, a chair and even a garbage can are all good and helpful things.

Each one of those things requires certain care in their respective handling so as to ensure that they will be maximized in their use for us. Each of these things, to a greater or lesser extent, is a resource for the owner and even for non-owners in some cases.

Each of these things becomes a part of our routines of life, a life woven into a common one. We sit in the chair to eat, read the paper or surf the web. We walk the dog and pet him, relaxing on the couch after a long day soaking up the unconditional love of a good pup. The garbage can, if properly used, sorts our recyclables and this act in our personal life adds to the common one which makes it better--good.

Ownership

American society is an ownership society. Again, there is nothing wrong with this; well, there are many wrongs but the overall basis for this concept upon which our nation was founded is not wrong. Yet, when people own things, they strive to ensure that their neighborhoods are good, clean, safe and happy. If all of this, then a town or a neighborhood can be a great place to own a home, a dogs, bikes, balls, TV's, bbq's, etc. By acting in a manner that is conducive to an overall good, one contribute to a sounder, common good.

A common good is something that the GOP and the conservatives don't want for America. I believe this from the bottom of my heart. This is not rhetoric. They do everything they can to put the interests of America behind the needs and interests of a) the wealthy and b) big business. How else can we justify what they did to our nation during W's 8 long years? How else we can justify the way they are creating panic and hysteria over the president's courageuous efforts to overhaul health care? They mocked the clunkers program--an obvious benefit to some but at the end of the day, a benefit to all.

There are so-called preachers wishing President Obama dead and there are talking-heads on Fox hinting that something "radical" must be done to stop him. Is this good for our nation this hate? How is it that when W was lying to the world about Iraq, all debate on the need for that invasion was considered "anti-American" and "support for the terrorists"; and now, when we are trying to pull our nation back from the brink of bankruptcy by overhauling the greatest drain on our nation's wealth, the failed healthcare system, conservatives and the GOP are turning the debate into a screaming match while wrapping themselves in the buntings and banners of silent Old Glory?

The Media

The emasculated and fading-from-relevance, traditional media is not questioning or condemning these tactics. Why? Again, the profit incentive. They too need to make money, they are looking after their own interests. The Iraqi invasion was exciting. It was good for sales of newspapers and magazines. Many a smart journalist probably knew as I that the "truth" W was selling was about as accurate as a history book written by Soviet historians. Those same journalists also knew that uncovering W's deceit would sell still more papers and magazines, etc--help them and their interests.

Writing an article with the facts and figures about the healtcare dilemma, showing support for the president and why these conservatives and the GOP are simply wrong and even anti-American, is boring. Such journalistic responsibility can't compete with the lies of Fox News, the reprehensible and irrresponsible criticisms by Cheney of Obama's policies so why try, they figure.

With no regard for the nation's rules, mores and precedents before him in regards to governing and the US Constitution, Mr. Potter (Cheney) has again broken with protocol and less than 6 months out of office, already, he is vocally challenging the president; trying to plant the seeds of doubt, hate. When will death knock on his door I ask? It will be a great day for our nation when he dies and I will be the first to shout with joy. (So Republican of me, such anger. Imagine, waiting for someone to die. So, non-Christian of me.)

At a time when our nation needs to gather behind our president as he struggles to lead us to a better place, the lies and emotions of the conservatives threaten to destroy our president, our nation. Why? Because they want to be re-elected, they want to limit more abortions, kill more criminals, invade more nations which were not threatening our good, embarass us on the world stage more often, ruin the environment further, give more tax breaks to the billionaires, bankrupt more local governments and states further: California, arguably our greatest state, is stricken by disasterous fires and bankruptcy.

A Genius Idea

Cars pulling into a Burger King in New Jersey drive over a medal speed bump at the drive in and energy is created and stored. Eventually, it is hoped that this would be used at all drive-thrus, toll-boothes, etc. This invention received stimulus money from Obama's "failed stimulus package" (so say the conservatives). If used at all the drive-thrus and in other places throughout a town of 15,000 people, 30% of its energy needs can be taken care of in this manner. This is a simply genius invention which will do wonders in lowering energy costs. This is something that never would have seen the light of day under a republican administration.

A woman was interviewed in a local paper in New Jersey about how she would feel if these things were put around the town" "So long as it doesn't mess up my routine, I don't care. But, if it gets in my way, don't need'em." What has happened to our "can do", "community first" attitude? When did we become so obsessed with our own so-called personal good? When did the cult of comfort, ease and leisure replace our belief in the American nation? Have we become so self-possessed that we can't slow the car a little, add 22 seconds onto our drive to the store, for the sake of creating energy to run the street lights in our town? For the sake of maybe, just maybe, staving off the disastrous effects of global warming by a decade or two: a common good.

What has happened to the common good and who is left to make sure it survives? President Obama is one and this is why the conservatives are finding it so easy to railroad his healthcare overhaul. He has proven himself to be naive and foolish: he believes in the America that drove our troops across battlefields in faraway countries, in their efforts to accomplish the mission and lead us to victory.

He wants to make ALL of us better and not just some of us. How cynical we have grown as a nation. We are more like Europe than we want to admit.