What Is Love?

I just received this from a friend - though I almost always delete what he sends, for some reason I stopped to read this particular email. I'm glad I did.


What is Love?

For those who misuse the word love, even kids have a better understanding than adults. A group of professional people posted this question to a group of 4 to 8 year olds: "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.


1. When my grandma got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandpa does it for her now all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.
Rebecca - age 8

2. When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouths.
Billy - age 4

3. Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving Cologne and they go out and smell each other.
Kari - age 5

4. Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French Fries without making them give you any of theirs.
Chrissy - age 6

5. Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.
Terri - age 4

6. Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.
Danny - age 7

7. Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss.
Emily - age 8

8. Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.
Bobby - age 7

9. If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.
Nikka - age 6

10. Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.
Noelle - age 7

11. Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends, even after they know each other so well.
Tommy - age 6

12. My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.
Clare - age 6

13. Love is when mommy sees daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.
Chris - age 7

14. Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.
Mary Ann - age 4

15. When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.
Karen - age 7

16. Love is when mommy sees daddy on the toilet and doesn't think it's gross.
Mark - age 6

17. You really shouldn't say "I LOVE YOU" unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.
Jessica - age 8

And the winner was a 4 year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly man who had just lost his wife. When the child saw the man cry, the little boy went over into the man's yard and climbed on top of the man's lap and just sat there.

When the boy's mother asked him what he'd said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

Meshuganah

My Twitter feed exploded – EXPLODED – yesterday afternoon. You would have thought there had been a terrorist attack, or perhaps Donald Trump had reentered the presidential race. What made my Twitter feed explode was something I had to read twice: President Obama had called on the Israelis to acknowledge the ’67 borders as the basis for a negotiated peace agreement with the Palestinians (UN Resolution 242, for the uninitiated).

Really? THIS is what made my friends and acquaintances go crazy? And it wasn’t just my Jewish friends – oh no – going apoplectic. My Christian, Israel-loving friends had gone even MORE mad. “Time to pray” some said. Well, they are certainly right about that.

What is an Israel-loving American Jew – who happens to be a Democrat – to do about the current state of affairs? I look left and right and see pundit after pundit declare it’s time for a major paradigm shift; American Jews may now withhold support for Obama in 2012…which Republican candidate will step up and “out-Israel” the field for the love and affection (and money) of American Jews…and what about me? Should I disavow my political leanings and pledge support to the next Republican candidate for President who can offer me the most sincere, God-inspired pledge of fealty to Israel and the Jewish people? Are you meshuganah??

Let’s first lay out a few simple, elucidating facts.

1) UN Resolution 242 called for Israel to withdraw from territory gained in the 1967 war. 242 has been the basis – some would say obstacle – for every major Israel-Palestinian peace dialogue for the last 25 years. The Oslo Accords of 1993 – you’ll remember the poignant handshake between Yitzhak Rabin and Yassir Arafat – essentially codified an agreement based on the ’67 borders as a starting point. The borders of 1967 have ALWAYS been the center of fulcrum, so to speak, as a basis of negotiations.

2) President Obama said nothing new or controversial. He didn’t demand that Israel withdraw from land taken in the ’67 war. “We believe the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states.” Maybe I’m missing something, but MY read is that he’s calling for the borders as the basis for negotiations – not the end of them.

3) Americans love Israel, and want two states. Public polling couldn’t be more clear on this. In a poll conducted last year by The Israel Project, a majority of Americans agreed with the sentiment that “Even with all the problems that America faces at home now, we must still work hard to create a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” Unless someone has the land deed to Madagascar, it’s pretty clear where that second state is going to go.

4) Most importantly, ISRAELIS believe this is the right thing to do. More than 3 in 5 Israelis support the two state solution. And more than 3 in 5 accept the 1967 lines as a starting point for negotiations. If the ISRAELIS want it – for crying out loud – why should WE have such a problem with it?? (of course, the answer is we don’t; just a handful of screeching politicians make it seem that way).

So as we enter the silly season of Presidential politics, I think it would serve everyone to step back from the ledge – or away from their Twitter or Facebook page – and consider this: the Peace Process has failed. Year after year, decade after decade, leader after leader, the same language and promises and stalemates repeat themselves time and again. To allege that Barack Obama has “thrown Israel under the bus” is a gross misrepresentation of his intention – not to mention completely wrong, given that American Presidents have said and done far worse with no such outcomes (remember George HW Bush cutting off loan guarantees for West Bank settlements?).

To simply give in to the political posturing robs us of yet another opportunity to have a real, measurable impact on what has long been an aching sore in the backside of American foreign policy – nay, this is bigger than American foreign policy. Two peoples – cousins – have been at war for the better part of 65 years, and I, for one, welcome the effort by President Obama, even as I remain skeptical. Because the sad truth is, if history is a lesson, to be optimistic is a little crazy – call it my Meshuganah Conundrum. I want to believe – truly – that there can be peace between Israel and the Palestinians, with two states, recognized by the other. Even if it does sound a little crazy.

On Women - A Two State Solution?

Israel has been called a country of cleavages: secular vs. religious, Arab vs. Jew, Ashkenazi vs. Sephardi. One of the most troubling cleavages for me, however, is the schism over gender roles. Today is International Women’s Day – the 100th anniversary (as if such things needed to be marked in time) – and the Internet is replete with stories of great women, of their accomplishments, and the distance they still must travel for equality (note: I am NOT a woman). But what you won’t hear too much of, I fear, is the situation for women in Israel, where nearly half of the candidates of officers in the IDF are women, yet there are bus lines in Jerusalem where women must sit in the back of the bus, separated from men.

I’m sure it has been studied, but there must be more than just a little truth to the notion that the most successful societies are ones in which women are empowered to do great things. A quick glance at the world’s wealthiest countries will also reveal countries where women have fared considerably better than their sisters in less-developed countries. Countries where they serve in the armed forces, occupy corner offices in the largest companies, and hold power at the highest levels of government.

And, yet, the statistics are staggering, even for these “developed” countries. Women still earn less for the same amount of work than men, are frequently overlooked for promotions, and are far less represented in government than their total population would warrant. And, if you are like me, this becomes even more troubling when you realize that the smartest, most capable people you know lack a Y chromosome.

But, such inequalities pale in comparison to the situation we see in the most religious of communities in Israel. Women – perhaps revered for their most gender-limiting roles – are nonetheless captive to a philosophy defined by what any rational person would call institutionalized misogyny. Women in these shtetls are discouraged from working, from partaking of civic responsibilities reserved only for their male counterparts, from enjoying the very essence of living in a free and modern society.

But it is the separation that I find most odious. To this day, I refuse to go to the Kotel – the Western Wall – because I cannot possibly derive spiritual satisfaction from a place where I am prohibited from enjoying it with the most important women in my life. For my wife – a Cantor – it is an affront I cannot imagine. But for my two young daughters, it is an insult that as a parent I cannot tolerate.

Perhaps there will come a day when those who decide such things will recognize that men and women are equals, both created in the image of God, and equally deserving of the privileges and protection a modern society can and should offer. On this International Women’s Day, let us all resolve to work toward a day when our daughters will no longer fear being forced to sit on the back of a bus.

Tweet, Pray, Love

The last week in Egypt has been stunning, and inspiring, and not just a little bit scary, and though no one knows how things will end up (or who the real winners and losers will be), there are three images that have left an indelible imprint on my memory. For me, they serve as a reminder that while we watch these events unfold on our televisions and computers from 5000 miles away, there are real people involved – there is a human element that cannot be ignored, and for better or for worse, we are all God’s children and are connected – if by nothing else – by those things that we all do, and often take for granted.

Tweet




Pray




Love

Debbie Friedman

There are many people who know Debbie better than I, but I do know her, and wanted to share a few thoughts about her. I know Debbie in three different ways. As a young, rather confused 20-something working for NFTY, I had the honor of being Debbie’s “body man” for a concert she was doing at a NFTY event, even getting the opportunity to play a little bodyguard at the front of the stage. I met her in her hotel room with her pianist, heard a couple of ribald jokes on the way down to the stage from her room, and ended things with a hug, a smile, and a friend.

The second way I know Debbie is through my wife, Rosalie. Rosalie is a cantor and a songleader, and through her I have known Debbie as a friend and mentor, someone who both inspires and encourages. She has always tried to lift Rosalie up, professionally and personally, and to see her impact on Rosalie has always left my heart warm.

The third way I know Debbie is through my mother, and it’s that relationship that made the greatest impression on me. The first time my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, we got very lucky – my mom went through all of her treatments like a champ, fighting through the chemo, surgery and recovery with the spirit and fire for which we had all come to love her. Somewhere in the middle of it all, Debbie got involved. For the life of me I can’t remember how, but Debbie and my mother began exchanging emails. My mother was a convert, a true daughter of Ruth, and had always been the driving Jewish force in our family. She was also incredibly musical, and Debbie’s music enveloped her with a warm yet powerful embrace, welcoming my mother into Judaism in its own unique way.

I can’t say I know the nature of the conversations between my mom and Debbie; all I can say is that Debbie took the time and energy to reach out and befriend a woman she didn’t know, a woman who was in clear need of a kind, heartfelt mishbeirach. It is for this that I have always loved Debbie. Not for her music, which I adore, or her friendship, which I treasure, or for the role she has played in my wife’s life, which I cherish. For a brief time, long before darker days clouded my mother’s sky, she and Debbie Friedman were friends. When my mom was in need of a r'fuah sh'leimah, Debbie was there for her.

Debbie – I am now here for you. We all are. You have always been here for us in our times of need. Now we are here for you.

A Trip To Be Thankful For

Two millennia. For nearly two thousand years, Jews were personae non gratae in the Catholic world, vilified and demonized as the killers of Christ. In the Jewish ghetto in Rome (what’s left of it), there’s a painting on a church directly across from the Great Synagogue that essentially calls out the entire Jewish people for “making a very poor collective choice.”

Even prior to the establishment of Catholicism as a great religion and the faith of local designation, Romans took great pleasure in torturing the Jewish people. The Arch of Titus, which greets tourists as they enter the great Roman Forum, was built in 82 AD to commemorate the sacking of the Second Temple in 70 AD, and was used in later years by the Pope as the choice location to force Jews to submit to the authority of the Church.

All of that began to change, however, in 1965, with the meeting of the Second Vatican Council in Rome. From that meeting emerged the Nostra Aetate, a document that effectively absolved the Jewish people of the death of Jesus. This was followed shortly thereafter by the establishment of the internal International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee in 1971. And those efforts toward reconciliation have continued since, culminating last week in an amazing journey of 20 American Reform Cantors to Rome.

The Catholic Church is a massive, almost byzantine (forgive the pun) institution; perhaps the largest bureaucracy on the planet, with more than a billion adherents around the world. The Vatican is a self-contained city-state, a sovereign nation with defined borders and immense wealth. Rome is a 3,000 year-old city that was the seat of political and religious power for the better part of 2,000 years, and gave us what is today the model of our American “republic.”

In the face of this daunting history and power, 40 Jews from across the United States – clergy and congregants, staff and spouses – boarded planes last week with the goal of continuing the dialogue between the oldest of the Abrahamic faiths. The instrument of their design was a concert; the uplifting of voices and of spirit, with a call for greater understanding between Jew and Catholic. The mission was idealistic, the challenge enormous, and the expectations high.

The concert certainly did not disappoint. Each of the musicians assembled were at the top of their form, and the music was truly beautiful. Nearly 100 people were in attendance, and the setting – the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, designed by Michaelangelo – reminded those of us there of how truly inspiring the occasion was.

Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, the Pope himself was unable to participate in any of the events. I imagine these things happen in a bureaucracy as large as the Catholic Church. But his absence in no way detracts from the larger mission or what these cantors accomplished. The relationship between Jews and Catholics has a long, sordid history, and the fact that after nearly two thousand years sincere efforts to reconcile these two faiths are happening is a remarkable occurrence.

If the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day” is true, then it must be doubly true that the rift between the Jewish and Catholic peoples will be healed over the course of time as well. And for those 20 cantors who gave their time, energy, and spirit in order to continue the process of reconciliation, one can only hope that they view their trip and their efforts as one very positive step in bringing our two faiths closer together. And for their work, we all should be thankful.

So a Cantor and a Pope walk into a bar...

I've always been interested in interfaith dialogue; as the son of a convert to Judaism, raised as a Jew in the very deepest part of the Bible Belt, it was only natural that I became interested in how people of different faiths communicate (even if for a while it was only as a matter of survival!).

Soon after my wife and I started dating, I taught in a Hebrew High School program on comparative religion, and even in my work today, I'm exposed to some really great faith and interfaith organizations, such as the Center for Interfaith Action on Global Poverty.

So I am totally thrilled to be a part of an incredible event in Rome, a journey that began in 1965 with the release of the Nostra Aetate by the Second Vatican Council, absolving generations of Jews of the death of Jesus. The path of reconciliation has continued since - though not without some speedbumps - and continues tomorrow with our trip to Rome.

While I am only an observer (and an incredibly lucky husband), I am excited beyond words to be a part of this momentous occasion. This trip marks the first time that a concert of Jewish music will be performed for the Pope, at the Basilica of Santa Marie degli Angeli e dei Martiri before Pope Benedict XVI and other Vatican leaders. Just typing that gives me goosebumps!!!

I hope to write some from Rome as the trip unfolds, but I wanted to share a personal reflection on the eve of our trip:

Our world is a beautiful, fragile, divinely-inspired creation. All too often we let our differences obscure the many common traits and values we share, and it is only through dialogue and humility that we can begin to achieve Tikkun Olam - to fix our world, to heal its soul, and bring us all closer to the vision of what can truly be: a reflection of God's image.

I AM AWESOME

I am awesome.

I am flawed, often tragically. I am not the best looking person in the room, nor am I the smartest.

I am awesome.

I am caring, and compassionate. I love, and feel deeply.

I am awesome.

I can be insensitive, rash, and thoughtless. I have vices that I frequently abuse. I am often careless, and callous.

I am awesome.

I am funny, and clever, and empathetic. I am quick to believe and forgive, slow to anger and never vengeful.

I AM HUMAN.

And I am awesome.

Don't you forget it - I constantly have to remind myself.

Angels On Our Shoulders

"For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways."
--Psalm 91:11

As many of you know, I am a huge South Carolina Gamecocks fan. I'll admit I am borderline fanatic - but it was something I was raised with and about which I do not apologize.

The last six months have been very emotional for the Gamecock Nation, as we were inspired by our National Championship baseball team, and then, just last weekend, witness to a stunning upset of then-ranked #1 Alabama in football. These have surely been heady days to bleed the Garnet and Black.

But underneath these tremendous victories lie two unrelated but very important events that I would like to focus on: the deaths of Baylor Teal and Kenny McKinley.

For most of those who don't eat and breathe Gamecock sports, neither of these names are likely familiar. But for those of us who avidly follow Gamecock sports, these names evoke a profound sense of loss and hope, of tragedy and inspiration. Kenny and Baylor were taken from us much too soon, but they both loom large in the minds of Carolina faithful.

I bring this up because I was in Columbia this past weekend as USC defeated a number 1-ranked football team for the first time in school history. Prior to the game there was a moment of silence in honor of McKinley, who, as a former USC player and team captain, was a fan favorite long after his departure for the NFL. Several times during the game I found myself thinking of him, wishing he were there in Williams Brice stadium to watch his beloved Gamecocks do something he never had. But it occured to me at some point that of course he was there, resting on the shoulders of each of us.

Judaism has a rich tradition of honoring those who came before us - we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors, so to speak. But the idea that the memory of those recently lost can somehow serve to inspire isn't necessarily a Jewish one; in fact, it's as much a cinematic device as anything else. But I think there is a powerful lesson to be learned from the concept of taking inspiration from those we most admire.

As we navigate this life, through the heights and valleys of our day to day existence, it's important to remember and embrace those who have left an indelible imprint on who we are. Whether it's our parents, our siblings, best friends, our life partners, or even our children, we are products of the myriad elements that touch our lives, whether we like it or even recognize it.

Most times, it isn't something we consciously think about - it simply happens, as if someone switched on our internal auto-pilots, set a course and let us go. But from time to time, when challenges arise that seem insurmountable, we often turn to specific people whose unique character traits exemplified what is needed or desired most at that particular moment. It may be strength, or courage, or even just a sunny disposition, that at that moment will carry us through our toughest trials.

I used to think it was cliche, even cheesy, for athletes (or athletic wannabes) to dedicate a game, or a season, or even a moment, to the memory of one who was lost too soon. But since the loss of my mother six years ago (blessed be her memory), I find myself more and more often looking to those people in my life - dead and living - who embody the very things I aspire to. Why should I begrudge more public figures the right - even the blessing - of looking for the same strength, the same courage, to overcome their own personal challenges?

I can't say that there are little people with wings whispering into my ear as I go through life - but I can say that in my darkest depths and in my happiest heights, I believe the memory of those who mean most to me are a constant presence, guiding me down this path I walk, and I know I am surrounded by their love.

Window Washing

So i just spent about ten minutes watching these men washing the windows of a building across the street. It was all quite fascinating; the rhythm and motion, a random but ordered movement, and perilous, to say the least. Suspended in air by just a handful of ropes, a slip or tear away from real injury.

But the need they were fulfilling was real, if not underappreciated. For the people on the other isde of the glass, the change might only be subtle, but critical in their ability to have a clear view of what is right in front of them, even if they didn't know what they were seeing before was less-than-clear.

I think there's a metaphor in all of this. Our lives are full of distraction and opaqueness. Even when we don't realize it, how we view the world, our family, friends, even ourselves, is subtly but importantly altered by things we can't see, or refuse to see. Often, we know these obstructions are there, and yet don't take time to clean our own windows. It could be laziness, it could be fear, it could be because we have grown so accustomed to the distractions, that we'd rather just leave well-enough alone, and reshift our focus to make that distorted view our new reality.

I think it's incredibly important from time to time to see to it that our own windows are cleaned, to readjust to a more real view of things. To see ourselves and the world around us clearly, stripped down of the daily soot and grime that often can overwhelm our ability to see things as they truly are. I think window washers have an incredibly difficult and often overlooked role in our lives, whether it's for our office windows or for ourselves. And we should take the time to appreciate and thank the window washers in our lives, because they are more important to us than I think most of us, especially me, realize.

Who are your window washers?

Not So Fast CNN

I see what you did, and I see you've changed it, but everyone should see the FIRST article you posted on the Lebanese aggression killing an Israeli soldier.

I've posted the revised article, but here is the original:

Israeli, Lebanese soldiers exchange fire at border
By the CNN Wire Staff
August 3, 2010 9:18 a.m. EDT


Beirut, Lebanon (CNN) -- Clashes between Lebanon and Israel along their volatile shared border Tuesday left at least one person dead.

The official Lebanese press agency NNA reported that journalist Assaf Abu Rahal was killed in the exchange of fire between Lebanese and Israeli soldiers. At least one Lebanese soldier and a civilian were injured, Lebanon's army said.

The incident occurred after an Israeli patrol tried to enter disputed territory on the Lebanese-Israeli border to install cameras, the Lebanese army said.

The flareup drew condemnation from Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, who called it an act of "Israeli aggression" and an attack on Lebanese soil.

Israel disputed the contention that its forces entered Lebanese territory. It said the Lebanese opened fire on Israel Defense Forces soldiers who were on the Israeli side of the border.

The Lebanese army's account and a report from Lebanese media said the hostilities occurred when Israel wanted to remove a tree.

Lebanon's National News Agency said a Lebanese army unit stopped the Israelis, and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon intervened.

The Lebanese army said it asked the U.N. force to arbitrate the issue, but the Israeli forces didn't comply and entered Lebanese territory. That led the army to open fire, with Israeli forces returning artillery fire and hitting a house in the village of Odaise.

The Israeli military said its soldiers were on "routine activity" when the incident occurred. It said in a statement that the soldiers were in "an area that lies between the 'blue line' (the internationally recognized border between Israel and Lebanon) and the security fence, thus within Israeli territory."

But Suleiman said Israel violated U.N. Resolution 1701 in crossing the blue line. He said any Israeli attempts of aggression need "to be confronted whatever the sacrifices are" and that he will pursue the issue diplomatically.

Resolution 1701 bars Israel from conducting military operations in Lebanon. Israel has accused Hezbollah, considered a terrorist group by the United States, of violating the resolution by smuggling arms into southern Lebanon.

Israel fought a five-week war with Hezbollah in the summer of 2006 after Lebanese-based militants kidnapped two Israeli soldiers during a cross-border raid. The United Nations deployed peacekeepers to the area in the aftermath of that war.

A little bit of Congressional humor

And never let it be said that I am unable to give credit to Republicans when due. In the spirit of the Super Bowl, National Signing Day, and my love of both politics and collegiate football, I give you an AWESOME email train (identities have been removed to protect the innocent). Please start reading from the bottom:


From: XXX XXX
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 3:42 PM
To:
Subject: FW: Looking for Tim Tebow

From the House Republican LD Distribution list. Hilarious.

________________________________________
From:
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 3:23 PM
To: Republican LD's
Subject: Re: Looking for Tim Tebow

Did you check Rep. Shuler’s office? That’s where overrated QBs who have no chance of playing in the NFL usually hang out.

(sorry, just had to do it)


On 2/3/10 3:19 PM, wrote:
Folks:

Several of the singles ladies in my office are hearing rumors that one Tim Tebow is meandering through the House buildings. If one of you might be able to give me a heads up on his general location, these ladies would be very appreciative.

XXXXX

P.S. My apologies for list abuse of this sort.


Legislative Director
Office of Congressman XXX
Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-xxxx

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Maggot

It occurs to me as I watch the ever-weirder and increasingly-uncomfortable details of the Tiger saga emerge that we are - as a society - getting a bit of our own just rewards. What really sparked this thought was the news of a new book coming out in February revealing all of the sordid details of the John Edwards affair.

So why are we getting what we deserve? Well, to be clear, I should start by saying it isn't ENTIRELY our fault. Just as it isn't ENTIRELY an alcoholic's fault for falling off the wagon, even as his friends drag him into a beer-pong tournament.

What we've learned in the last few days is simple: Tiger Woods is a whiny, foul-mouthed, skirt-chasing malcontent. He also happens to be the greatest golfer ever to live, and herein lies the problem for us. We've been lulled into believing that Tiger Woods is everything we want our kids to be, when in fact none of us knows ANYTHING about him besides 1) what we see on the golf course, and 2) what sponsored TV ads tell us. I call this parenting by Buick. Remember the “Be Like Mike” campaign? Seriously?

The same problem applies - though in a more subtle and complex way - to our elected officials. However, the consequences for us are MUCH worse. Ironically, as media scrutiny has gotten tougher and more pervasive, one could argue the professional quality of those who are left standing in the race for elected office has declined; I mean seriously, what upstanding civically-minded do-gooder would want to subject his or her family to the rabid voyeuristic feeding frenzy of the mass media and 24 hour news cycle?

What modern media and its pursuit of the hottest news story HAS left us is a bunch of people, of varying moral fiber, who are unable to do what we most need them to because they must spend their time worrying about doing the things that WE all do without fear of public scrutiny (and embarrassment). Which is a damn shame, because some of the smartest, most talented, decent people in the world have every reason to NOT run for office, in many cases leaving us with, well, just read a newspaper and fill in the blank.

That isn't to say everyone who runs for office is a dirtbag. I personally know that many of the people who run for elected office are decent, intelligent, hard working patriots. But all too often, the human foibles that we are all guilty of, such as vanity, hardheadedness, even infidelity, somehow become benchmarks, measuring sticks, for how we evaluate our elected officials. If I wanted a paragon of moral virtue to be my elected Member of Congress, I would vote for my rabbi, your priest, perhaps even your grandmother. But what I WANT from my elected officials is an acute mind, a dedication to public service, and a willingness to make tough decisions in the face of terrifying policy choices. Why is that so terrible?

Now, when we evaluate our sports heroes to a lofty position of “virtuous role model,” that just makes us look foolish. But when we do that to the people we choose to make and execute laws, that just makes us stupid. These are lawyers, doctors, travelling salesmen, even pest control experts. But their JOB is to make laws. That's all.

So whether it's Tiger Woods or John Edwards or any other well-known celebrity-type figure, it's high time that we take a little responsibility for the culture we ourselves have created and enabled, one that holds people to a set of standards that have very little to do with what they SHOULD be focused on, and reevaluate what is truly important. As a parent, my job is to teach my children what is right and wrong, how to be a good neighbor and good citizen. That isn't something I want to leave up to Tiger Woods, nor to John Edwards. But as long as we allow our media-mad society to put others in a role that we ourselves should fill, we will continue to suffer by our own hands.

Mike Signer for Lt. Governor, Virginia

Yet another attempt to revive the blog....

SO I have decided to throw my support toward a candidate in a state in which I do not live. That's right. I actually don't even TRAVEL to Virginia because it's a pain in the butt for me to get there.

But there's this guy named Mike Signer. He's really, really smart. And committed to making the world a better place. I really believe that. And so I'm trying to get involved in his race. Here's my shpiel:

I am, along with members of Foreign Policy Professionals for Obama, hosting a fundraiser for a Democratic candidate for Virginia Lt Gov, under the theme of the importance of electing foreign policy/national security progressives to state-level office because today’s state legislator is tomorrow’s Member of Congress!

Mike Signer was a foreign policy advisor to John Edwards during the last Presidential campaign, speaking frequently and passionately about the importance of how America engages the world. Mike also has a very strong background on Homeland Security; he was deputy counselor to former Governor Warner on Homeland Security and National Guard policy. He also served as senior policy advisor and director of the Homeland Security Presidential Transition Initiative at the Center for American Progress, and is a principal at the Truman National Security Project.

The event will be the evening of June 1 on the rooftop terrace of the Universal South building at 1825 Connecticut Ave, and we are asking for donations of $100, $250, or $500. Larry Korb and Rudy deLeon will be speaking, along with the candidate.


If you would like to be a part of this, please email me at jboxt1@gmail-dot-com, and donate to the campaign using my name, either directly (www.mikesigner.com/newleadership), or through me (which I wouldn't mind at all!) by going to Paypal and paying my email address.

If you are in the DC area and would like to come, I think that would be great!

One month, three days

Is it me, or is the fact that baseball is the most vulnerable that I've ever seen it an attractive thing? I'm actually looking forward to the baseball season this year - mostly because I want to see how the league reacts en masse to the whole steroids scandal. Will players totally drop the juice, and see their stats decline as well? Will there be a new, breakout player who is clearly juice-free? Will an oldie but a goodie step up and blow folks away?

And this year's Nationals have all the feel of the Cleveland Indians in "Major Leagues" to me.

I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it.

Hey Dems: Do The Right Thing

It seems to me that the following story is an example of how NOT to conduct Congressional business in an era - real or merely proclaimed - of bipartisanship, not to mention fiscal responsibility and economic hardship.

Fiscally-moderate Dems like myself are likely to get a little peeved if this is the "new" status quo....

CongressDaily
Blue Dogs Register Unease With Handling Of Omnibus Bill
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009
by Humberto Sanchez and Christian Bourge

In a sign of possible intraparty tensions to come, some members of the Blue Dog Coalition today raised objections to the $410 billion omnibus spending bill that House appropriators are trying to pass by week's end. As the House began debate, Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., raised a point of order arguing that the package likely contains unfunded mandates in violation of House rules. He said House members had less than 48 hours to vet the bill's 9,000 earmarks and therefore cannot know all that is in the bill. "We have to pile through ... to see if there might be anything untoward," he said. Although the House overruled Flake's point of order, 234-177, eight Democrats joined Republicans to express their qualms with the handling of the bill incluing four Blue Dogs. Reps. Allen Boyd of Florida and Dennis Cardoza of California were seen huddling with Majority Leader Hoyer on the floor, and Boyd later voted with Flake. He told CongressDaily the two were discussing the need for regular order, which Boyd considers necessary because changes were made without full debate. "There is not any issue that wouldn't be resolved by regular order," said Boyd. Other Blue Dogs who sided with Flake included Reps. Mike McIntyre and Heath Shuler of North Carolina and Gene Taylor of Mississippi.

The House proceeded to consider a rule for passing the omnibus, which would complete appropriations for FY09. The rule passed, 398-24. The bill includes a provision canceling an automatic cost of living increase scheduled in FY10 for members of Congress. During debate on the rule, House Appropriations Chairman David Obey said Congress must pass the bill to ensure that the federal agencies have the needed resources to carry out the provisions in the $787 billion stimulus package. "It provides the base funding for programs that are funded in the recovery act, without which the additional recovery funding could not succeed," Obey said. "The bill also funds numerous critical programs not funded in the recovery act. We only touched about 25 percent of government accounts in the recovery act." He and other Democrats argued former President George W. Bush was responsible for delaying FY09 appropriations work because he refused to negotiate with Democrats unless they cut spending to his requested levels. House Republicans questioned the need for the omnibus package in light of the recent passage of the stimulus plan. House Republican leaders have called on Democrats to implement a spending freeze and extend the CR, which funds the programs covered under the nine bills at FY08 levels.

Signaling a Change.

It is incredible to me to that in the state of Maryland, one of the most intelligent states in the union (a point that is backed up by data), there is no law that mandates the use of turn signals while changing lanes.

(I should now immediately apologize to the thousands of people I have yelled at in the last eight years. My old friend Andy coined this phrase, one that I have since used liberally: "Blinkers aren't optional (expletive)!! Itslaw!!")

It is even MORE incredible to me that there are OPPONENTS of this soon-to-be-law in Maryland. Here's to YOU, Mister McDonough of Baltimore County: you care so much about the civil liberties of we Marylanders, that you would publicly, ON THE RECORD, oppose a new turn signal law lest police feel emboldened to pull us over under the GUISE of a turn signal infraction and, say, find dead bodies in our trunk.

For years I have posited that DC-area drivers are some of the worst in the country; I am comforted in knowing that legally speaking, we have an excuse.

At least for now.

One last name change.

I'm not inflexible, and I'm willing to change when a better option avails itself to me.

And so, thanks to Team CalTort for "The SoapBoxt."

20 Funny Things My Kids Do.

1) Pick their nose – in public and in private. They do it with such nonchalance – I’m sometimes a little jealous.
2) Eat dessert midway through dinner. And then finish dinner. I can’t get my head around chocolate chip cookies and fish sticks.
3) Pee in their pants. Admit it – you wish you could sometimes.
4) Mimic their mother’s mannerisms.
5) Mimic their mother’s speaking habits.
6) Mimic their mother in general. Mini-Hers.
7) Have animated conversations with inanimate objects. It’s considerably less funny when I see adults doing that.
8) Wear their clothes backwards and/or inside out.
9) Every once in a while, Tahlia (my older girl) makes very adult observations – often more adult than most people I know.
10) Get lost on a bed with more stuffed animals than you can count (feel free to mentally reference Drew Barrymore in E.T.)
11) Watch the same movie time, after time, after time. On the same day.
12) Fart and then immediately say “Excuse me!” And then giggle uncontrollably.
13) Run with complete and reckless abandon. All elbows and knees.
14) When they meet someone new, they quickly turn and stick their heads between my knees, which might be the kids’ version of “home base.”
15) They lick their ice cream bowl. My two year old’s head practically disappears in the bowl, only to reappear, completely glazed over in a vanilla sheen.
16) They lie. Now, that might not sound funny, but since I know they’re doing it, it’s manageable. “Honey, did you wash your hands?” “Yes.” “Honey, did you wash your hands.” “I did! Really!” “Honey?” (She then turns around on a dime, and proceeds to march to the bathroom, with a sheepish grin on her face).
17) Lay their coats on the floor, upside down, in order to put them on. A feat of graceful physics.
18) Teeth-brushing is always a visual treat. The only thing funnier is when they run up to me and breathe directly in my face to prove they’ve done it correctly.
19) They laugh uncontrollably at physical humor. Fall down on your ass, and they’re in stitches for hours.
20) There are moments when they act like best friends, and sit for hours playing, hugging, and laughing. It isn’t particularly funny, but it always makes me smile.

Wait - you mean Israel was right?!?

Everyone who said Israel was rattling sabres (as if people use sabres anymore - really now) may have something new to think about.

What I want to know is this: do the same people believe that the Financial Times is now also under the woolen blanket of the Zionist-controlled media?

Or perhaps - PERHAPS - Israel has been right all along to be screaming bloody murder about the Iranians and their ultimate goals?

And more importantly - do we continue to poo-poo the Israelis, or do something to avoid a nuclear armageddon??