Here are the topics for this week's blog: the Yankee "quipper;" Francis' speech; dysfunction and violence; John Boehner's "forced" resignation.

Larry's passing. You probably knew him as Yogi. This past week sports fans mourned the passing of a true American icon. If you are into baseball, many of the remembrance stories include titles of what are surely enjoyable books. Also, let us not forget those wonderful "Yogi-isms" that have become a part of our language. Sadly, now it's truly over. RIP, Yogi.

Pope Francis' speech. The historic joint session occasioned mention of the many Roman Catholics in public office. The Vice President, Speaker of the House, six of nine Supreme Court justices, and numerous representatives and senators are Roman Catholics. In a column entitled, "Pope Francis' profound personalism (sic)," Michael Gerson, conservative columnist with the Washington Post, characterized the Pope's message at his "State of the Soul" address....historically sophisticated, gracefully appropriate, morally ambitious....For a moment, marginalized groups — from refugees to prisoners — got the center stage of American politics. Congress got a bracing reminder of its calling, including the 'demanding pursuit of the common good.' And representatives from both parties were forced to applaud the Golden Rule..." Those assembled applauded as he praised Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. 
     How do you comport yourself when His Holiness is the speaker? Interestingly, a memo on "proper behavior " was circulated to all congressional offices, not unlike the school principal's yearly reminder about behavior at graduation. Ah well.... It appeared to work. Appropriate, polite applause even as the Pope did not shrink from noting the world's -- and our nation's -- problems and challenges.
     Because of the camera positions, Vice President Biden and House Speaker Boehner, both Roman Catholics, were conspicuous throughout and were often visibly moved by Francis' words. The Pope's post-speech appearance on the Capitol balcony was an impressive moment: equal parts reverence, awe, and spectacle.

Dysfunction and violence. We Americans are wont to look abroad and shake our heads disapprovingly over the governmental chaos and social violence we see. For example, Greece's high unemployment and financial mess and the Europe's immigration problems. We make assumptions about causes and solutions that may be totally unwarranted. We often do not understand a region's history, past or recent. We shake our heads in disbelief at continuing sectarian violence.
     Looking inward, though, we seem not to observe similar problems here at home.

• another threatened government shut down in Washington; 
• low unemployment but stagnant wages for middle and low income families that thwart upward mobility; 
• minimum wages resulting in poverty-level incomes;
• state governments struggling to find tax dollars and/or on the verge of bankruptcy; 
• increasing gun violence, civil unrest, etc.

     Unfortunately, it appears that at least two the old adages may apply: "the pot is calling the kettle black" and "Nero fiddled while Rome burned."

John Boehner (R, OH)...Speaker of the House, resigned both as speaker and his seat in the House, effective this coming October 30th. Since the Constitution requires that vacancies in the US House be filled by a special election, Boehner's resignation will, in effect, "cost" OH taxpayers the expense of a special election. A most interesting development, to say the least, for the Congress and the nation. 

     A long time Democratic colleague, House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D, MD), who has spent three decades in Congress, called Boehner’s resignation — and the circumstances behind it — a “big loss for the country and a loss for this institution....This is a victory for dysfunctional government,” he said just off the House floor Friday. “This is a victory for confrontation. This is a victory for taking positions that one knows cannot and will not be adopted, and allowing the government to shut down, the debt [limit] to be breached and other things to happen if you don’t get your way...This is a vote for my way or the highway,” he continued, “and that’s not democracy. That’s not how the Congress of the United States works. That’s not how America works.”
     Not everyone thought Mr. Boehner's actions were entirely selfless. The editors at the Washington Post headline read, "Mr. Boehner’s resignation is a political cop-out." They continued,  

House Sepaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) insisted on Friday that he was resigning in order to forestall a tough vote on his leadership and “protect the institution” of the House. Protecting the institution, he said, is a speaker’s primary job. We respect his devotion. But a speaker’s primary responsibility is to the nation, not the House. And what the nation needs is a Congress willing to make compromises in the national interest — compromises that Mr. Boehner may have favored but rarely had the stomach to promote.
 
     A note on succession in the US Senate: Each state's constitution applies. Senatorial vacancies may be filled either by gubernatorial appointment or special election.A governor usually uses the first option, an interim appointment, effective until the next regularly scheduled national election, thus sparing a state's taxpayers the expense of a special election. Traditionally, a surviving spouse is offered the interim appointment.

Thank you for reading. Do feel free to send along your comments on any of my ramblings.

Here are the topics for this week: THE question; Pope Francis and President Xi in America; bike paths. I delayed this posting until after Francis' arrival in Washington.

"Why do you want to be president?" In a recent column, Kathleen Parker opines that this is the paramount question to asked of -- and answered by -- each presidential candidate. She began...Once upon a time in a twinkling city on a hill, little boys and girls were taught that anyone could    grow up to become president....The children all believed it and today many, many of them are trying to fulfill the promise. While it has been proved true that anyone really can become president, it has also been proved even more true that most shouldn’t. The column is well worth reading in its entirety.

Three days, two leaders.  On Tuesday, Pope Francis arrived in the US to accolades from many Americans. Indeed, the president greeted His Holiness on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews (Maryland). Most, but not all Americans, are thrilled. In a recent column, conservative columnist George Will wrote disapprovingly, highlighting  what he called Pope Francis' "fact-free flamboyance."  From that column:

Pope Francis embodies sanctity but comes trailing clouds of sanctimony. With a convert’s indiscriminate zeal, he embraces ideas impeccably fashionable, demonstrably false and deeply reactionary. They would devastate the poor on whose behalf he purports to speak — if his policy prescriptions were not as implausible as his social diagnoses are shrill....[Francis] stands against modernity, rationality, science and, ultimately, the spontaneous creativity of open societies in which people and their desires are not problems but precious resources. Americans cannot simultaneously honor him and celebrate their nation’s premises. 

     A "ticket to ride" for his speech to a joint session of Congress (Thursday, Sept 24th) is extremely hard to come by. Even past US representatives and senators are being shutout, unable to use their valued "lifetime floor" privileges. There will be one vacant seat, however, as one member of Congress has announced he will not be in the audience for Francis' historic speech because he objects to the Pope's stand on global warming and climate change.  Anyway, 434 + seems a good number and there will be a jumbo-tron outside the Capitol and, hopefully, simultaneous network/cable/C-Span coverage.
     China's paramount leader, Xi, will be hosted at the White House on Thursday (just as Francis addresses Congress). Like the Pope, China's president is also viewed by many with suspicion. While the Pope holds sway over 1 billion Catholics scatter around the globe, President Xi's dictatorial rule encompasses 1.4 billion Chinese scattered about in his huge, far-flung nation. Both men have their dissidents to deal with and so so each in his own way.
     Later, Obama, Francis, and Xi will address the UN General Assembly, providing even more material for the pundits to ponder.

CO's fall colors. Despite dire predictions to the contrary, this fall's golden aspen display is trending (as they say today), much to the delight of those flocking to the high country. "Golden Eyeful" was the front page headline of Monday's Denver Post. I particularly enjoy the areas where rivers of aspen gold suddenly spill out, streaming down the mountain side, completely surrounded by evergreens. In truth, though, I  have to admit that a part of me still misses the multi-colored autumnal displays of my birthplace in northwestern PA.

Bikes vs. autos. This past week CO governor, John Hickenlooper announced plans to spend over $100M of infrastructure funds to make our state an even more bicycle-friendly state. Letters to the editor clearly indicated that not everyone was overjoyed!

Thank you for reading. Enjoy this first week of fall.

Here are the topics for this week's blog: the "really, really big," new, late-night show; "they're back;" not so gold this fall; bunny heaven; and fiery sunrises.

From David L. to Stephen C. Too bad the show plays so late! Even though the critics seemed to have been impressed, in my view Colbert's first show did not begin well, far too much of a largely meaningless opening. He would been much better served by "cutting to the chase," getting to his first celebrity and political guests. Yawn! Time for bed.

Meanwhile, the continuing,  awful 114th show. If Colbert was new, the title of a Roll Call story on Sep 10th merely repeated what has been coming down the pike in Washington: "A ‘Perfect Storm’ on Budget, Debt and Taxes?" We bury our heads in the sand and continue to try to fund the national government with too small, uneven revenue streams. As an ex-USAF colleague used to say, "It's intuitively obvious to the most casual dullard" that we have to either cut programs or raise taxes, perhaps both. Either choice requires gumption on the part of our 535 senators and representatives -- a willingness to risk becoming unemployed.

Fall color in the Colorado Rockies. CO's state foresters and local weather prognosticators tell us that the aspens may not be as golden this fall. A combination of higher than average rainfall and late spring's cold temperatures have taken a toll which will dim the golden hues that draw residents and tourists alike. Not to worry, this too shall pass. Nature is merely healing her/him/itself. Fear not, on the weekends the I-70 corridor is flooded with locals and tourists all wanting to see the annual fall displays.
    Years ago my now deceased stepfather was president of the National Management Association and would shepherd business visitors from around the world to see the fall colors in the "Big Woods" (northern PA's forests).  When the entire northern tier blazed with its annual show, corporate heads from Europe and Asia flocked to Talon zipper headquarters in Meadville, PA, to ride in the company's plane to see and photograph the spectacular fall colors.

Bunnies galore. I am not sure about your neighborhood,  but here in southeast Denver we have rabbits by the dozens. They scamper away as you come down the sidewalks. Just this morning, I saw a previously unnoticed rabbit hiding in one of the hedges. It was a bit too tall, though, a well-hidden weatherproof ceramic chap sporting a silly smile!

Fiery sunrises. The old saw tells us "...red skies in the morning, sailors take warning." Our last few sunrises have been quite red, the result of the new forest fires raging in CA. Haze and smoke have flitted into and out of the front range mountain valleys, too. Moisture is badly needed throughout the west.

Thank you for once again "picking me up." Have a pleasant week.

Here are this week's thoughts: another Democrat in the race?; migrants; a vote of conscience; the Latino vote; mountain arts festivals; Labor Day.

Vice President Biden. Will he or won't he? The Washington Post's Ed Keefe said, Rarely has a speech on the importance of community colleges been more closely scrutinized. That was the central theme of remarks delivered by Vice President Biden on Wednesday at one of the nation's largest universities -- at least, the stated theme. The other theme, which he only hinted at, was the political subtext: Still grieving from the death of his oldest son, Biden is weighing a presidential bid. And until he makes his 2016 decision, everything he says and does will be viewed through a campaign prism.
     Indeed, given his age, should the VP decides to run, he may well have to fall back on Ronald Reagan's famous words from that second presidential debate with Walter Mondale. "I want you to know [Reagan said] that....I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience."

European Migration. Neil Diamond sang in Coming to America: "Home, to a new and a shiny place / Make our bed, and we'll say our grace / Freedom's light burning warm..." reminding us that a desire for freedom takes many forms. While Trump and others worry about Latinos heading north, another of history's true mass migrations is taking place in Europe as millions flee Middle Eastern violence and stream north and west across the Mediterranean Sea. In Europe, freedom from violence is proving as strong as our closer-to-home economic magnet. It is only a matter of time before a European Trump" proposes fences to stem the flow. Obviously, these domestic and foreign fence "begaters" do not remember that even Khrushchev's Berlin Wall was not 100% effective. A wall built by a dictatorial regime in a puppet state was fallible. People still found ways under, over, and through.  

Study, look inward, then vote. I have written to my US representative and both senators asking that they study the Iranian agreement and then vote their conscience. Wikipedia offers this definition: "A conscience vote or free vote is a type of vote in a legislative body where legislators are allowed to vote according to their own personal conscience rather than according to an official line set down by their political party."

The Latino vs. African American vote. An op ed in the Washington Post by Bruce Bartlet suggests that Donald Trump need not fear losing the Latino vote -- IF he can swing enough of the African American vote his way, not an easy task. Bartlet bolsters his argument by reviewing the past anti-immigration stance taken by Frederick Douglas, Booker T. Washington, A. Philip Randolph, and various influential African American publications. More recently he notes that, " 'By 1993, poet Toni Morrison put the issue succinctly in an essay for Time, saying, “Whatever the ethnicity or nationality of the immigrant, his nemesis is understood to be African American.' ” Politics surely makes for strange bedfellows.

Breckenridge arts scene. The Labor Day weekend brings the yearly Arts Festival to town. Nearly 100 artists, most of whom are "on the circuit," working in a wide variety of mediums, set up their white traveling booths and engage in the normal give-and-take of greeting, explaining, selling. One booth provides music as the two CO-based guitarists entertain, sell their CDs, and display more than ten guitars, including some rather innovative designs.

Labor Day. Traditionally this holiday marks the beginning of fall and also the start of the "real" political season. All of the candidates fan out among the potential voters, early polls abound, and the pundits are busily discussing what might or might not occur. Candidates parade around, partake of the local delicacies, and make statements, some of which, down the road, may be thought to have been "spot on" or "foot in the mouth."

Thank you for reading. I hope your Labor Day weekend was pleasant.

Here are to topics for the week: priorities; empires; The Donald from the right; red moon; Denali.

Ordering your priorities. Is it fair to ask a candidate and/or legislator how he/she would arrange these categories from this alphabetical list: family, friends, nation, party, self, state. 

Empires, then and now. Talking recently with friends about our respective visits this summer to Athens, Rome, and Ephesus, we agreed about the marvelous architectural achievements of the ancient world. True, later denizens of the 18th, 19th, and 20th century empires were also builders, but one cannot but  wonder what evidence of these later empires will exist 2,000 years on.
     The Roman, Mongol, and assorted other empires were extensive, but pale in comparison to America's current far-flung footprint. Much of our overseas construction has already vanished or been changed beyond recognition.

Trump, seen from the right. Conservative columnist George Will surveys the sobering numbers candidate Trump's might face in 2016. Sobering, of course, for everyone except Donald who seems to view himself a "master magician," even the "chosen one." Trump might do well to remember that in 1912 the Republicans turned their back on a still beloved Theodore Roosevelt, who headed the third party Progressive ticket -- throwing the election to the Democrat, Woodrow Wilson. In 2016, the GOP is unlikely to choose a political novice who veers more often than not toward the absurd, especially not when there is no incumbent president in the race.
     In a recent column, conservative-leaning Michael Gerson commented, "A number of thoughtful conservatives are attempting to take the good parts of Trump’s message — his unapologetic nationalism, his identification with working-class discontents — while minimizing the parts that appeal to the lowest human instincts. They prefer their Trumpism with a little less Trump."
     Eugene Robinson, left-leaning columnist noted that two even further-out ideas had surfaced. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R, WI) said that [building a wall to the north] was “a legitimate issue for us to look at.” Not to be outdone, Gov. Chris Christie (R, NJ) that "...as president he would have the chairman of FedEx 'show these people' at Immigration and Customs Enforcement how to track visitors the way his company tracks parcels."
     Rock on!

Smoke gets in your eyes. Last Friday evening's moonrise over the Denver skyline was a sight not usually seen, thankfully: full, sharply outlined, and nearly blood-red. Smoke and haze from the fires burning to the west provided this dramatic scene. Many of our recent sunsets have been similarly fiery.

Sad history remembered. "How Emmett Till Changed the World," was the headline of this Daily Beast story. The story continued, "The brutal lynching of a black teen in Mississippi helped shape the civil-rights movement and became the first Black Lives Matter case. Before Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, and 12-year-old Tamir Rice, there was Emmett Till."
     When  Emmett's body was returned to Chicago from Mississippi, his mother demanded an open casket service so the world could see how her son had been brutally tortured, shot, and hanged in Mississippi. "The graphic images were published in Jet magazine and Black newspapers. [Ms. Till's] decision changed the course of history." Indeed, even J. Edgar Hoover's FBI was unleashed on the case.
     "Two months after Milam and Bryant [both white] were acquitted for the murder of Emmett Till, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus, sparking the 381-day Montgomery bus boycott and the beginning of a Civil Rights Movement led by a young minister by the name of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The fight for civil rights, which had mostly been a legal strategy up until that time, had become a mass movement. Soon after there were Freedom Rides, sit-ins at lunch counters, boycotts, demonstrations, and marches...[A]ll of this can be traced back to Emmett Till."
     And to his very brave uncle, Mose Wright, who stood up in court and publicly identified Milam and Bryant as Emmett's kidnappers. Blacks simply did not do that in those days, especially not against whites and surely not in open court! Mose quickly left town for relative safety to the north.

Denali or McKinley? What's in a name? The re-naming of North America's highest peak has been accomplished, re-designating Mt. McKinley as Denali, the "Great One." Native Alaskans have used the peak's Koyukon Athabaskan name, Denali, for centuries. William McKinley, America's 25th president and for whom the peak was named, was from Ohio so naturally John Boehner, Senate majority leader (R, OH), and other Ohioans, just like Denali's wolves, are howling in protest. Ohio Senator Rob Portman has expressed his discontent with the name change saying decision was "another example of the President going around Congress." Really, Senator? There is a 1947 US law on the books making the re-naming quite legal. Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank called the issue the "newest Republican molehill."
     Milbank continued, "The [real problem for the opponents of renaming]...is that Alaska, run by Republicans, want the name to be Denali and have been trying to make the change for decades. The Alaska delegations — Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young, Republicans all — heralded the move (even as Ohio's Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, who represents McKinley’s hometown, joined the opposition)."

Thanks for reading and enjoy waning full moon during this first week of September.