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A CALL TO ACTION

1/25/2012

 
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State of the Union, 2012
_A Call to Action
    The stark contrast between President Obama’s State of the Union message and the petulant rantings of Newt Gingrich and vacuous vaporings of Mitt Romney, make you wonder about their supporters. Evangelicals, breaking out of their closed communities, want to convert the world. Greedy economicals, terrified they may have to pay up, would gladly bankrupt it. And Tea Party traitors, grinding their teeth for four years, would not hesitate to unholster their Glocks and Kalashnikovs to shoot you dead. It’s an angry pack.
    An election campaign is a battle, but going into battle blinded by anger is no way to win. Martial arts masters teach calm with a clear head. Actions primed by rage allow victory to go to the clear-headed fighter.
    I thought of this watching Barack Obama last night, the coolest President since FDR. FDR countered every lie spread about him, calmly calling it a “misstatement of fact,” then nailing the truth.  Too cool to use the word, “lie,” his forceful reasonable tone won him four terms in office.
    Some of Obama’s supporters consider him too cool, are agitating for more heat. Yet his clear optimistic reasoning blows away Gingrich’s choleric claptrap, rings past Romny, 20 million dollars a year pathetically pretending to be middle class.
    A poll taken immediately after the State of the Union address gave it an approval rating of 90%, a historic high. It was Obama’s call to action. The months ahead will be historic too.            
    
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NOTE TO READERS: From tomorrow until February 7th, no new posts as I tackle my income tax return.  So I invite readers to scroll down to peruse past posts, and welcome all comments. Once my return is calculated, like last year, I’ll add an extra 1% to be sent directly to the U.S. Treasury.


Martha
1/25/2012 08:20:03 pm

Spot-on: perfect characterization of Obama versus his opponents. Will miss your reflections. Appreciate your tax-patriotism.

truman
1/25/2012 10:44:42 pm

he better stay cool, he hasn,t much of a record.

Kathy Fehl
1/31/2012 01:30:37 am

Reasoning is important for all of us. For a person in the public eye it is also important that the person display 'authenticity'. Oddly, this is an art. I think that just as with great actors it is a paradox: being courageous enough to let people see the real you, by which I mean the unmasked you, gives power and strength to whatever you are saying. While some people are naturals at this, it can also be learned, although I don't think everyone can learn it. Roosevelt gave the impression that he wouldn't rest until his message was understood (as opposed to merely delivered). That's part of the same authenticity. The real human need to be understood. I think Obama is in touch with it but a little scared of it. I wish he would embrace the longing to be understood more. This would give him a huge advangtage: instead of abjuring people to 'get what he's saying' he would need to have them do so.


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    Picture

    Author (Yuma, AZ, 1944)

    Being 90 years in this world,  with great kids,  great grandkids, great wives (two, one at a time) and great memories, I wonder why some people seem to have stopped loving the U.S.A.? I will wonder in print right here. If you wonder too, or can provide some answers, please comment.
                                   Stuart Hodes

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           With my friend, Nero.
                   April, 2012.
        Photo by Ray Madrigal

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