Election Mockery

Ah yes, our 6th grade students today voted in that timeless American tradition: the mock election. They voted for the US President, as well as NH's US Senator (a merciless battle between incumbent Repub. John Sununu and Dem. challenger and former NH Governor Jean Shaheen -- this campaign has been ruthless), a US Representative, and a local state Rep. race.

Barack Obama won overwhelmingly: I don't remember the exact numbers, but it was something like 80 votes to 40. Shaheen also defeated Sununu soundly, although it was a little closer.

I'll give you a little demographic background on the town around the school. Franklin, NH is apparently notorious around the area for being riddled with drugs and poverty. It's a strange thing because most of the surrounding towns are fairly affluent, even though they are largely rural. Franklin is not a large town, but it seems to be the most depressed in the area.

I've had one student out for the last 2 weeks because her mother got arrested on drug charges. The girl is staying with her grandmother and has no way to get to school. Another came in today with a note from his mother explaining that his father was arrested last night, and now has a restraining order against him. Another student, arriving late today, told a teacher that he didn't want to come in because he was afraid his father would not go to see his parole officer today (as he is required to do) without him (the 6th grader) being with his father. How sad are you when your 12-year-old son is more responsible than you?

Anyway, I digress.

I won't pretend to interpret the mock election results based on the background of the kids.

But I did hear something interesting on National Leftist-- er, Public Radio yesterday. While interviewing voters who said that they would be voting for Obama, I did not hear one of them express anything resembling enthusiasm about the man. No, it was more along the lines of the enthusiasm one shows when one has chosen between methods of execution: "I'm voting for firing squad, but only because I'd rather not be starved to death."

Hey, I've expressed it many times here, and you're probably sick of it: but I agree. I realistically have to choose between Obama and McCain? And it's not just this election: I was disgusted with both of the choices in both 2000 and 2004 (the first and second elections in which I could vote). It seems I (and many, many others) end up voting AGAINST one candidate, or for the lesser of two evils, rather than for someone they truly believe will be good for the country and themselves.

I don't have a solution, but this question really bothers me. Does anyone have an explanation? Why is it unfeasible to allow more parties into American politics? Why do we have to settle for these horrible choices? What can we change about the election machinations to give us more choice? Why is it so laughable to vote for a 3rd party candidate when so many people are seemingly fed up with both parties (or at least both candidates)?

To quote a wise man: "Democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried." Like almost everything else in life, it can be improved. I think the best way to start would be to allow more choice.

Go ahead, laugh at me the same way everyone laughed at people who vote for Ralph Nader. You sheep.

Pumpkin Lasagna? Do Those Things Go Together?

In fact, yes they do. And they sidle up nicely to one another. In fact, I made Pumpkin Lasagna tonight, and it was utterly delicious. It might have been just a touch dry, but for a first attempt, I gotta say, it was pretty magnificent. I highly recommend giving it a shot. And while you're at it, have some wine. Or beer. Sets off the flavors even more.

Has anyone else been as disinterested in the World Series as I have? I mean, I've tried to watch it a little bit, and I know this is blasphemy, and you can call me an un-American communist and tell me to go watch soccer and bicycle-racing and stuff, but I just haven't been able to get into it. I don't know why either. I like both teams. The Phillies have some exciting players; the Rays are an incredible story, and I actually enjoyed watching them all season. But so far I haven't been able to get into true October baseball mode for this World Series. I don't know. Someone help me out.

I'm gonna go try to watch this belated game 3.

Review: "John Adams"

I've been in a rather classical, historicized, romantically political mood lately because of the book I recently finished. I tore through the biography of John Adams (all 600+ pages) by David McCullough in the last couple months. Alright, maybe that doesn't qualify as "tore through". But still, it's a large book. I read the last couple hundred pages in only a couple weeks.

McCullough is an incredibly gifted historian, and a very good writer. He won a Pulitzer for his biography of Truman, and later for the biography of Adams. It was published in 2001, and I received an inscribed copy in 2002, but I did not have the occasion to read it until this year. I'm glad I did.

I've gained a new perspective on the dawning years of American democracy, as seen through the eyes of a New England patriot, ardent Christian, and enlightened federalist democrat. Adams was from a line of established, land-owning farmers in Massachusetts. Though blessed with some advantages (such as a college education at Harvard), Adams was thoroughly a self-made man, the epitome of the American success story. He worked hard to become a successful lawyer, a respected politician, and ultimately, the leader of the United States.

The writings that John Adams left behind are voluminous. From his teens, he began keeping a journal, which he continued, with only occasional breaks, for the rest of his life. Most of these journals survive today. In addition, he wrote tens of thousands of letters to his wife, Abigail, his children, friends, colleagues, and even strangers. No other character from the Revolutionary period left such an extraordinary written record of their life.

Many things struck me in Adams' biography, not the least of which was his unfailing sense of honesty and duty. Though he was an ardent supporter of American freedom, as a successful lawyer he agreed to defend the British soldiers accused of murder in the Boston Massacre trial. He believed strongly that everyone should receive a fair trial and defense, even those he personally did not care for: 6 of the 8 soldiers were acquitted of any wrongdoing. Throughout the rest of his life, he risked unpopularity, public scorn, and even disgrace to do what he considered the right thing. And he was usually right.

Also immensely interesting to me was the relationship Adams shared with Thomas Jefferson. They first met at the Continental Congress in 1776, and were on the committee responsible for writing the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson has received the credit for writing it, but it was Adams who was responsible for defending it in full Congressional session, and ultimately responsible for it's acceptance. Adams was the voice, Jefferson the words. It was the beginning of a long, varied relationship.

During the course of the Revolution, Jefferson and Adams eventually lived together in Paris as American emissaries. It was here that their friendship really blossomed. They became very close, and thoroughly enjoyed the qualities which they both shared: classical educations, backgrounds in the law, a love of liberty, and an enjoyment of culture. Abigail also formed a close friendship with Jefferson, and they began a correspondence that would last the rest of their lives. Yet years later, back in America, Adams and Jefferson's political views separated. Jefferson insulted Adams, and for years, decades even, they did not speak. Even while Adams was President, and Jefferson Vice President, they rarely saw or spoke to each other. This after being the closest of friends years earlier.

Finally, after both had retired from public life, they began a correspondence that last over a dozen years, in which they discussed all they did before. Here were two of the greatest minds of their generation, pontificating on nearly everything under the sun. It is a most incredible occurrence that each lived until the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826, and died only then, just hours apart: one in his magnificent mountain home, Monticello; the other in his enlarged New England farmhouse.

Without waxing on more romantically about the biography, let me end here by saying that I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone interested in American democracy, American history, or just American life. It's a very well-written book -- which other, smarter people than I have recognized -- and will teach as well as entertain and amuse you. So there you go.

Another Political Post

As we near the Presidential election only a couple weeks away, I want to take a moment to reflect on the partisan bickering which has -- somewhat naturally, of course -- resulted from such a heated contest. Here's the thing, Democrats and Republicans: you're both basically the same people.


Oh sure, I know you GOPers are pro-life, against gay marriage, and you support supposedly smaller government, and more defense spending. And you Dems are open-minded on the questions of abortion and gay marriage, and you would like the government to take a more active role in ensuring that all Americans (and all humans too) have access to the best health care, government-sponsored welfare programs, and you'd like to see the US focus more on diplomacy rather than spend more money on bombs and guns.


But really, those differences are minor. They're piddling. You're fighting over things that, ultimately, have an inertia of their own, and will or will not (more often not) end up making a big difference in the history of human existence. Yet you bicker and fight and call each other names and assassinate the character of those who disagree with you. The partisan fighting takes on the character of two illogical schoolgirls: reason, level-headedness, and sensibility play no part in your arguments.


I recently read an online post from a friend who is a Democrat. He concerned himself with the fact that somehow the McCain campaign's mudslinging has taken on a level never before seen in American politics. The Republicans' dirty name-calling (to my friend) represents something to which he and his liberal friends would never stoop. He was shocked and befuddled that they were attacking Democrats' personal worth, their patriotism, and their basic humanity.


As if -- were the tables turned and the Democratic candidate behind in the polls -- there would not be vicious, ungentlemanly, unreasonable attacks on the Republican candidate.


Look, I understand that the choice of Sarah Palin is a direct, unforgivable assault on your intelligence and reasoning, Dems. McCain was deliberately attempting to insult each and every one of you personally. And GOPers, I understand that Obama is a borderline-socialist who's probably secretly a Muslim and wants to do away with the American Army. He doesn't give a damn about you hard-working, patriotic Americans.


Just don't act like you have the high moral ground because you're not on the side that's slinging mud. Because both sides do. And it's stupid.


Take a step back, cool off, and think about how silly it is that the most important thing in your life is who will be President. Instead realize that the election of an American President, while important, should not lord over your existence. Shouldn't the government merely be a background to the narrative of your life?


I'm not advocating apathy. My intent is to get you to think outside of normal American politics, use your logic and cool-headed reasoning for a moment, and ponder whether your government should have a hand in every single part of your life? Is that what you want? And is there really a difference between the candidates in that respect? These two are our only choices?

An Open Letter to Our Presidential Candidates

I wrote this about a week ago. It's a first draft, and I'm not very pleased with the writing style and organization of it overall. But I can't bring myself to revise it, so you're getting the dregs of my draft-box. Sorry. Enjoy!

Dear Sirs,

First let me say that I respect both of you. You are both clearly patriotic, intelligent, well-intentioned, hard-working Americans. Though you have your differences, you represent much of what has made America the greatest nation on Earth. However, despite your qualifications, and the certainty that one of you will definitely be the leader of the free world (and for that matter, basically the most powerful person on the planet), I have many questions and concerns about your abilities, your ideas, and your philosophies.

Gentlemen, I wish you to know that I am NOT -- contrary to a statement from one of you several weeks ago -- a Georgian. This in no way impugns the Georgian people, or their state or government. But I am American. I have no connection to Georgia; I have no wish to associate myself with Georgia, and I have no wish to engage America in any actions that could possibly result in a disharmonious relationship between our country and Russia, who undoubtedly DOES have connections with Georgia, since they are immediate neighbors. I do not want to see America's youth -- of which I am part -- involved in any type of military conflict in Georgia. Please calm down.

Gentlemen, I have no desire for the American federal government to provide me with health care. I believe it is the government's responsibility to provide for my defense, and safety, from external threats, as well as internal threats. I do not wish the government to take on the additional burden of ensuring that I live a healthy life. That is my own responsibility, and one which I take seriously.

Although I hold neither of you personally responsible for getting America into a bog of war in both Iraq and Afghanistan, I DO hold you -- whoever wins this election -- personally responsible for getting our soldiers out of both conflicts quickly and safely. I believe that the vast, incredible resources we are using to fund these wars could be better served in enhancing our intelligence and defenses, which should in turn help protect us from those people in these areas who wish to do us harm. I do not believe that regions with absolutely no history of democratic thought will suddenly become harbingers of liberty in their international communities. Please end these horribly costly wars before I lose another of my friends. I will not believe those who have bravely fought and died will have been in vain, if we view their sacrifices as noble by illustrating to us that we simply cannot go marching into sovereign countries, unprovoked. The lesson of humility and prudence is never a bad one.

Please, sirs, decide whether or not America is to continue as a capitalist society or not. If we are not, please admit it, and put into place all of the state-run controls of the economy that you believe will be necessary. Or if we are to be a capitalist, free-market society, please remove any and all federally-controlled restraints or mechanisms currently in place.

I believe that we need to conserve our beautiful planet, and put in place measures to protect and preserve it. With encouragement from you, our leader, and -- perhaps more powerful -- the bottom-line pressure of rising energy costs, I believe we Americans can develop an intelligent, efficient way to achieve the necessary energy resources for our home; resources which will not only not harm our planet, but even perhaps reverse the damage already done. The innovative American spirit that has driven the Industrial and Technological Revolutions of the last 2 centuries can still provide the force behind a new advance in human existence: one in which we live harmoniously with our sheltering environment.

By no means the lightest of my concerns, gentlemen, is the last. It is my firm belief that American pride, decadence, ignorance, indolence, and arrogance have played a significant part in bringing us to these crises which we face today. An unhealthy obsession with pop culture; rampant consumerism; a perceived inherent entitlement to live an easy, distracted, unfocused, entertainment-filled life: all of these things contribute in a very real way to the decay of American life, indeed our basic human existence, and the afore-mentioned crises which we face. It is not my intention to indict any one group, nor do I speak from a place of hypocrisy, as I am guilty of many of the ills listed above, as are many other Americans. However, it is my wish that we should strive to reduce and eliminate these vices. As our next leader, it is incumbent upon you to provide Americans with a good example, and in fact, to denounce these problems.

These are my hopes. I do not believe either of you currently is anywhere near agreeing with me. As such, neither of you will receive my vote this November. It is my sincere hope to have my faith in our democratic system, and our American republic, restored at some point in the near future. Until then, I will do my best to do what I can to change these things I have discussed. I hope others will join me. If I am wrong, I will admit it. If I am right, however, I expect the same from those who opposed me.

Please hear me, and do not simply continue the massively-flawed situation with our American government, with minor changes here and there. It is never easy to change the course of history. But sometimes, despite the difficulty, it is necessary. Now, I believe is one of those times.

Sincerely and faithfully,

An American

Ain't Dead Yet

Thursday night, in the middle of the 7th inning, with the Red Sox trailing 7-0, I began preparing myself to go to bed. I was nearly ready; had my shirt off, and was about to jump into bed. I had given up the Red Sox season, and was ready to get a decent night's sleep in preparation for another day of yelling at 6th graders.

My girlfriend asked if I was done watching the game. I told her she could turn it off. She didn't, but went to get herself ready for bed. Since it would be a few moments before she would be ready, I decided to put a shirt back on and sit down for the bottom of the 7th, and catch the Sox doing their best submissive dog impression, and continue to roll over and slowly die.

Instead, as you know by now, I witnessed the greatest comeback in playoff history.

Sometime in the top of the 6th inning, I had a feeling come over me. It was similar to the feeling I had during games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS. It was the unmistakable feeling that the Sox' season would not end this way, that they would find a way to come back from (at that point) the 5-run deficit, and extend the series. Then Manny Delcarmen -- or as I like to call him, Eric Gagne Redux -- walked the only 2 hitters he faced, and Papelbon, forced to clean up the mess, allowed them to score. It was then that I finally lost any hope, and began to reconcile myself to the fact that the Sox would not beat this incredible Rays team, and fail to defend their World Championship, again.

But we all know what happened next. As the Sox began mounting their comeback, I took a somewhat uncomfortable position on the couch, snuggled with my girlfriend. For the next 2 innings, if either of us had to get up, or move around, I made sure we came back to that position. Hey, it worked, didn't it?

I am glad I stayed up and got to watch the incredible comeback. And while I am still terrified of this Rays team (they really are incredible, and deserve all of their success -- except for one Johnny Gomes... sucker-punching Coco like that was unforgivable; what a meathead), I have a restored hope that Josh Beckett will summon his inner Curt Schilling, fight through the pain, and find a way to shut down the opponent tonight, like he has in every postseason until this one.

I am so happy to have another chance to watch the Sox stave off elimination. At one point before the comeback, L said to me, "they can't win EVERY year." I replied, "Yeah, but I still want them to." And that's the way it goes. Even though they can't win every year, and we Sox fans are still reveling in 2004 and 2007, our devotion doesn't subside. We don't mind losing any less. We don't love winning any less. I want the Sox to win. I always do. And hopefully always will.

You'll find me tonight, on my couch, probably in the same position as Thursday, uncomfortably but happily willing the Red Sox on. I love baseball. And God bless America.

Liars and Thieves

I know this isn't really the point of this blog,* but I simply must take a moment to recommend some music I've been listening to lately. I'm feeling a little guilty because I've downloaded everything for free, so I felt obliged to at least spread the word about these guys:

The Avett Brothers

*What IS the point of this blog?

And you can find their music for free downloadin' here. That is a link to their second full-length album (I think), called Introducing Emotionalism, and it's really the first one that I got, and got me hooked on them. If you check out the archives of that linked blog, you will see several more albums of theirs for your downloading pleasure. I also recommend the 2 Gleam EPs, especially the song "Murder in the City" on the second Gleam. It is an astoundingly beautiful, yet simple, ode to their family.

The style of music is a kind of new bluegrass, infused with post-punk sensibilities (how pretentious do I sound?), and incredibly brilliant, witty lyrics. Imagine Weezer with banjos, only if Rivers Cuomo hadn't gone completely insane. Even that description doesn't do these guys justice.

Anyway, I've been wearing out my iPod listening to these guys lately. Just thought I'd pass it along.

Update: Here is "Murder in the City". Give it a listen.

Several Things

Ah yes, the ol' I've-been-too-busy-to-mention-everything-so-I'm-just-gonna-give-you-a-bullet-list-of-the-last-several-days-happenings blog. Nothing like good ol' fashioned American laziness.

1. Still teaching 6th grade Reading.

2. Still want to strangle approximately 8 of the 6th graders. Just to scare them. Don't wanna hurt nobody.

3. Went to see Ray Lamontagne perform at the Opera House in Boston last night. I'd never seen him or been to the venue. I gotta say, the acoustics were phenomenal, and Ray was a pretty impressive performer. His voice is outstanding. He goes from a throaty whisper to a full-on howling, and matches the bluesy, soulful music perfectly. 2 encores and a passionate performance of all the favorites, including my own personal favorite, "Empty", and several new songs really made for a nice evening. If you get the chance, I'd recommend seeing him. Just don't request "Trouble." Apparently he's sick of that song.

4. Excited for the Red Sox' continued run through the playoffs. They face a very tough Rays squad, who are too young to know that they are supposed to freeze up in the playoffs. As always, I'm enjoying October baseball this year, although I must say I was a little disappointed to see the Cubbies swept away so quickly. They just can't catch a break.

5. I make a trip to the family place on Lake Champlain in upstate NY this weekend for an Octoberfest celebration put on by my 58-year-old cousin, a behemoth of a man, physically and characteristically. He's probably 6'7", and pushing 300 pounds. He played college football, and then coached high school football for 30 years. And he's got a personality to match. He loves hosting, cooking, and drinking. With lots of family gathered to eat German food and imbibe, and the weather predicted to hold beautifully (mid 60s and perfectly sunny -- yes sir!), it promises to be a good weekend.

Update: 6. I had my court date for my speeding and driving on a suspended license violations on Monday. You remember, this one. The judge was apparently eager to be rid of me and onto more important things like restraining orders and more violent crimes, so he offered to wipe the suspended license charge for $200. I told him I couldn't pay that for about a month. He asked if I could pay $100 that day. I did, and was out of there with a guilty plea for speeding, a $100 payment, and a wasted day south of Boston.

The most painful part of the whole ordeal: the 6 trips to the DMV to get a Mass. license, including a road test; the 2 weeks without a license, including moving out of my apartment; and the money spent procuring a new license, as well as the money spent getting my car out of the tow lot (that alone cost me more than the court-imposed fine). The American judicial system at its finest. And you wonder why I detest democracy.

Finally, I've had many thoughts recently on politics, foreign policy developments, the Presidential election, and things at that nature. Unfortunately, these thoughts are scattered. When I track them all down and get them in a pile, I will organize them into a readable blogpost for you, the people. Until then, enjoy your fall!