Daily Archives: 05/21/2009

(Community Matters) My dearest friend Michael Mitchell reminds us in his blog, Squirrels In The Attic, that yesterday was the one year anniversary of learning he had lymphoma. Seems like a long, long time ago.

(Community Matters) A friend’s comments to my recent political postings reminds me that I’m better at inclusion and understanding outside of campaign mode.

(Community Matters) Stumbled across these lists of Capitol Inside power political consultant rankings 2008 and 2004

(Community Matters) Is Rick Perry political consultant Dave Carney this campaign’s Clayton Williams? New voters, Kay Bailey and whorehouses

(Community Matters) I think a meeting of our country’s most important philanthropists is a good thing. here

(Community Matters) hmm, still thinking about yesterday’s conversation and the later-in-the-day conversation with another like-voting friend who has an analytical perspective on local elections.

Thinking about political chasms – about those who’ll even profess a different philosophy but as you look beyond the language, you realize they spend a great deal of their time the same way you do – volunteering to provide opportunities and/or assistance to others.

My friend who I wrote about yesterday, mentioned that GWB’s presidency wasn’t so bad. This morning in bed, I tried deciphering that perspective. Ok, here’s a privileged friend who made and makes a shit load of money. He made more during 43’s reign (since the economy has now tanked), he & his family felt safe, probably rewarded. He’s a bootstapper, not a silver spoon, works his ass off nearly everyday. And now he’s feeling threatened by the rise of a “royal” presidency which threatens our democracy. De ja vu? This is how I felt about GWB, especially after 9/11. That was not a good feeling, and it isn’t a good feeling even if it’s not me feeling it but our political opposition.

Yet, I think about Pres. Obama’s Norte Dame speech and wonder, wow, didn’t he do a better job reaching across the aisle of American political persuasion than other contemporary political leaders? I don’t think we get to answer that question. It has to come from the other side.

On the local front, the conversation (which was not a unique one) is how Machiavellian will our local political scene become? Are the reports that the winning camp will seek political retribution correct? Are the reports of threats reliable? What are the implications and would this be tolerated by Austin progressives?

I’m friendly (even still – at least as well as I know) with the professional campaign leaders – though as I think about it, one hasn’t returned my calls since the election; the winner hasn’t responded to any emails. Don’t believe their honorable political ambitions would be corrupted so. And, then again, Lord Acton had a lot to say about that.

(Community Matters) Hard to believe how much progress the first year players have made since their winter concert in December, but it’s very measurable. My goddaughter Lauren Mayes center of this not-so-great blackberry photo plays the clarinet.

Lauren’s mom, Karen, was away tending a sick mom. Lauren’s dad, Kent Mayes, and I enjoyed dinner afterwards with Lauren, her friend Isabel and Isabel’s mom, Ingrid.

(Community Matters) In a conversation with a friend, we wandered into discussing politics. This friend isn’t especially political but he was/is a supporter of GWB. Started out by telling me he wasn’t going to apologize for Bush (knew that I’d been calling for this). Admittedly, that was a little bit embarrassing. Guess I can ask for an apology abstractly but not in person.

It was a friendly conversation and has left me thinking. My friend believes that by raising his taxes (one could comfortably presume he’s in the upper tax bracket – probably making $500k to $1mm per year), it’ll hurt the rest of society more than him. They’re simply likely to reduce what they spend, and that’ll hurt others more. This is a valid and interesting perspective.

The philosophical discussion about entitlements and accountability became a wee more sensitive, though we were ginger and further explained ourselves without challenging each other too much. My focus on the lower and middle class prompted the question of “what about me & mine.” Of course, that’s most folks’ perspectives. And, I could have been more ginger than answering that was not my concern (even while acknowledging nor were Steven & I my concern – what I meant is the friend & his family, Steven & me (our family) are blessed with resources, demand for our intellectual capital & time and will be fine – even if taxes are raised to Clinton-era levels). I explained my perspective that the lack of upward mobility for the middle class, deteriorating public education, crumbling infrastructure and a tenuous economic system are bigger threats to affluent Americans than modest increases in taxes.

Anyhow, I enjoyed my conversation with this friend. I also realized I am not in practice discussing these issues with those opposed philosophically. Good gosh, have I mostly been staying in the tribe? That’s not a good thing.