I'm not sure if anyone had the chance to see the Democratic Presidential Debate in South Carolina last night. EC and I watched it on MSNBC.com.
After watching the debate, I have a new least favorite Democratic candidate. You can say what you want about Hillary Clinton -- but at least admit she is extremely bright, politically astute, highly determined and overall, a strong candidate for the D's.
John Edwards (leading in most polls last time I checked), however, laid out a set of populist platitudes almost-but-not-quite-worthy of Orson Welles' semi-fictional character Charlie Kane, another extraordinarily wealthy white guy spouting populist, near demaguagic rhetoric, all in the name of "The People."
Reminds me of folks in Colorado who loudly support "direct democracy" efforts like the ballot initiative process, then tap their multi-million dollar campaign budget to run a ballot initiative that serves the interest of their own pet issue.
Ah, democracy.
We do not live in a democracy. Never have. This is a Republic, and I am thankful that this is so.
BC
Friday, April 27, 2007
All for The People!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
From Chaput....
From EC: At 6:30 on Sunday nights Archbishop Charles Chaput celebrates Mass at the Denver Cathedral.
The first time we attended the service it was packed out -- standing room only -- with college students and young families. The presiding priest informed the congregation that unfortunately, Archbishop Chaput could not be with them. I didn't think much of that statement then, but I do now.
Archbishop Chaput truly celebrates at church. When he prays, he's not just reading out of the prayer book. When he gives the sermon, he moves his lecturn down to the congregation level, and he speaks from the heart -- without notes and without attention to the time. His sermons are biblical, solid, and challenging, and they generally end with the Gospel message.
I was reading the Crunchy Con blog today, and Rod Dreher referenced a talk given by Archbishop Chaput last Saturday in Philadelphia. I was surprised to see his name on Dreher's blog.
Said Dreher: "Archbishop Chaput has written the most important thing you will read today."
I read it, and Dreher was right.
The talk was solid. And inspiring. And convicting.
Archbishop Chaput addresses the power of ideas, the power of free-will, and the courage it takes to follow Jesus Christ:
"The world doesn't need affirmation. It needs conversion. It's doesn't need the approval of Christians. It needs their witness. And that work needs to begin with us...."
Check it out: Religion and the Common Good.
From BC: Can I get an 'Amen???!!!' The Archbishop's speech is a tour de force. It's characteristic of his style: unpretentious, direct, brilliant and filled with the authority of the Holy Spirit.
Read the whole thing. Read it twice. I'd quote from it, but like the Crunchy Con says, I'd have to quote from the entire thing because it's that powerful, important and prophetic.
The first time we attended the service it was packed out -- standing room only -- with college students and young families. The presiding priest informed the congregation that unfortunately, Archbishop Chaput could not be with them. I didn't think much of that statement then, but I do now.
Archbishop Chaput truly celebrates at church. When he prays, he's not just reading out of the prayer book. When he gives the sermon, he moves his lecturn down to the congregation level, and he speaks from the heart -- without notes and without attention to the time. His sermons are biblical, solid, and challenging, and they generally end with the Gospel message.
I was reading the Crunchy Con blog today, and Rod Dreher referenced a talk given by Archbishop Chaput last Saturday in Philadelphia. I was surprised to see his name on Dreher's blog.
Said Dreher: "Archbishop Chaput has written the most important thing you will read today."
I read it, and Dreher was right.
The talk was solid. And inspiring. And convicting.
Archbishop Chaput addresses the power of ideas, the power of free-will, and the courage it takes to follow Jesus Christ:
"The world doesn't need affirmation. It needs conversion. It's doesn't need the approval of Christians. It needs their witness. And that work needs to begin with us...."
Check it out: Religion and the Common Good.
From BC: Can I get an 'Amen???!!!' The Archbishop's speech is a tour de force. It's characteristic of his style: unpretentious, direct, brilliant and filled with the authority of the Holy Spirit.
Read the whole thing. Read it twice. I'd quote from it, but like the Crunchy Con says, I'd have to quote from the entire thing because it's that powerful, important and prophetic.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Another round of Thune v. Daschle?
One gets the sense that John Thune and Tom Daschle will be squaring off in a nursing home someday. "The never-ending campaign" of 2004 for a pivotal Senate seat in South Dakota....may linger on yet more.
Could the duel play out on an even more prominent national stage this time around? It is possible, but only if you believe political rumor-monger Dave Kranz of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. Kranz coins one of the more bizarre headlines of the week:
"Daschle might be Obama's Cheney"
Yes, some are speculating Barack Obama might opt for the politically seasoned Daschle as his Vice President pick. Given plenty of previous punditry suggesting John McCain may very well choose Thune for his number two man in the White House, we could have the following scenario in 2008's presidential campaign:
McCain-Thune v. Obama-Daschle.
Crazy? Yes. Implausible? Absolutely not.
Let the cosmic struggle continue.
BC
Could the duel play out on an even more prominent national stage this time around? It is possible, but only if you believe political rumor-monger Dave Kranz of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader. Kranz coins one of the more bizarre headlines of the week:
"Daschle might be Obama's Cheney"
Yes, some are speculating Barack Obama might opt for the politically seasoned Daschle as his Vice President pick. Given plenty of previous punditry suggesting John McCain may very well choose Thune for his number two man in the White House, we could have the following scenario in 2008's presidential campaign:
McCain-Thune v. Obama-Daschle.
Crazy? Yes. Implausible? Absolutely not.
Let the cosmic struggle continue.
BC
Monday, April 16, 2007
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Too busy for beauty
“All babies are born with the knowledge of poetry, because the lub-dub of the mother’s heart is in iambic meter. Then, life slowly begins to choke the poetry out of us.”—Billy Collins, from the Washington Post article below
On January 12, “one of finest classical musicians in the world” played “some of the most elegant music ever written on one of the most valuable violins ever made” at the top of the L’Enfant Plaza metro escalator in Washington D.C.
The Washington Post ran the experiment to watch how morning commuters would respond to beauty in an unexpected place. Would they recognize Josh Bell, the world-renown violinist, winner of the Avery Fisher prize, and thousand-dollar-a seat musician? In the midst of coffee and papers and cell phones and morning-meeting rushing, would the context mute the music?
I first heard this story today on NPR, which profiled Josh Bell based on the article in the Washington Post. I then read the Post story. The article…and its outcome…paint a vivid picture. During the 43 minutes Josh Bell played, 1,097 people passed by. Seven people stopped. The rest hurried by.
I can’t blame them. I’ve been to L’Enfant Plaza. If there’s one tidbit to remember about D.C., it’s is: you do NOT want to impede the flow of traffic getting on or off the metro. You will be squashed by a mid-level bureaucrat.
Sadly, but honestly, I admit that I would be among the 1,090. The article incites reflection, however. The video clips, especially, are worth considering.
What would you have done?
EC
On January 12, “one of finest classical musicians in the world” played “some of the most elegant music ever written on one of the most valuable violins ever made” at the top of the L’Enfant Plaza metro escalator in Washington D.C.
The Washington Post ran the experiment to watch how morning commuters would respond to beauty in an unexpected place. Would they recognize Josh Bell, the world-renown violinist, winner of the Avery Fisher prize, and thousand-dollar-a seat musician? In the midst of coffee and papers and cell phones and morning-meeting rushing, would the context mute the music?
I first heard this story today on NPR, which profiled Josh Bell based on the article in the Washington Post. I then read the Post story. The article…and its outcome…paint a vivid picture. During the 43 minutes Josh Bell played, 1,097 people passed by. Seven people stopped. The rest hurried by.
I can’t blame them. I’ve been to L’Enfant Plaza. If there’s one tidbit to remember about D.C., it’s is: you do NOT want to impede the flow of traffic getting on or off the metro. You will be squashed by a mid-level bureaucrat.
Sadly, but honestly, I admit that I would be among the 1,090. The article incites reflection, however. The video clips, especially, are worth considering.
What would you have done?
EC
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