Go, Joe!

BREAKING: Joe Biden is on fire again! Delivering a great speech, as I'm composing this, at the DNC! I'm so proud to be a lifelong Democrat, especially at this moment in history. We haven't always dared to be daring, dared to be strong enough in our platform (and, by "we", I mean my party--I myself have been daring as all get out since I was a small sprout, but I digress #AlwaysVeryLiberal/Progressive), but I feel that now, in large part thanks to my beloved Bernie and all of us Berners, quite frankly, and our influence on the party, as well as thanks to a convergence of demographic influences and socioeconomic influences and other factors coming together, I'm hearing some GOOD, substantive stuff coming from Joe, for one, and we have also managed to PASS some good stuff recently. But we have so, so much more that urgently needs DOING!

While the repugs talk about cutting--read: eliminating--Social Security and Medicare, which we all pay into with every paycheck for our entire lives, so they truly ARE entitlements, don't let the repugs' attempts to make that into a dirty word succeed: Social Security and Medicare ARE entitlements--we all pay into them all our lives, and are thus entitled to them, we, Democrats, are talking about PROTECTING same. What we really need is single-payer, universal health care (among other things, but I got thinking about single payer due to mentioning the repugs actually trying to cut/eliminate Medicare, when we need to be trending the OTHER WAY, massively), but anyway: Joe is on fire, I appreciate him, and I think he is getting BETTER with age, like a fine, deep, complex vintage wine. You go, dear Joe!

P.S. For goodness/democracy's sake, VOTE in November! And vote BLUE!

Bernie and us Berners Have Moved the Democratic Party and Our Country Forward

Bernie, his vision, his priorities, his platform, his leadership, his eloquence, his refusal to let the media drag him off message, his insistence on sticking to substance and never talking down to the American people, his entire 2016 campaign, and last but not least, all of US--the Berners!--really accomplished a tremendous amount in 2016, though right now, with the situation in the White House, it may not seem that way.

Bernie, his vision, his priorities, his platform, his leadership, his eloquence, his refusal to let the media drag him off message, his insistence on sticking to substance and never talking down to the American people, his entire 2016 campaign, and last but not least, all of US--the Berners!--really accomplished a tremendous amount in 2016, though right now, with the situation in the White House, it may not seem that way.

What did he, and we, do? We moved the dialog, discuss...ion and talking points in this country. We changed not only the 2016 platform of the Democratic Party, but we changed what are considered valid, mainstream ideas and issues moving forward, for the future of our party and this country!

Single payer? It's now not laughed out of the room. It's mainstream, Kamala Harris has come out strongly for it upon announcing her campaign, to my utter thrilledness. SINGLE PAYER NOW! I've been shouting for it since long about 1980, when I first came of age, and happened to go to Europe for a class in college one semester, and learned, while I was there, of a little thing called single payer, and democratic socialism. WOW. Brought some buttons (political) home with me. Still have them. Still for single payer. Know it is what our country needs for a health care system if we are ever going to have one that is economically sustainable and morally/ethically right--in other words, if we are going to have a health care system that is healthy for our country in more ways than one. Single payer now? Yes, Virginia: NOW!

Finally!

Thank you, dear, unwavering, unfaltering, Bernie Sanders. And thank you, me, you and all of us because we stood together, we raised our voices and our candles high in the air, and the party and the nation has taken note, and notes. Single payer is kitchen table talk now. He did that. We did that. Never think that you can't make a difference.

 

All The Ways 2020 Democrats Sounds More Like Bernie Than Hillary

Get a Piece of It

Sanders just tore it up on "State of the Union" with Jake Tapper!

Bernie is SO great: Tapper asked the question that the press just seems obsessed with, namely: why don't you get out, why don't you NOT go to the Convention? You've gotten some concessions on the platform this week, why not just endorse Hillary and get out?

He said "Nope, no." He said that yes, we did make some progress on the platform this week, but in two weeks, the platform committee meets in Orlando and we still don't have--and, emphasis mine, we ***NEED***--single payer health care, a carbon tax, an anti-fracking plank, etc. So we go to Orlando and we fight, and we go to the Convention and we fight for what America needs.

Why is the press and why are Hillary people so incapable of understanding that we are in a democratic PROCESS right now, and Bernie has built a movement behind him, so why oh why on earth would we just quit now?! WE ARE GOING TO THE CONVENTION.

Get used to it, Hillary supporters. Get used to it, media. We are the base of this party. If you would turn your eyes from wooing the 2016 iteration of the so-called "Reagan Democrats", which don't even exist and never have, and which are actually called REPUBLICANS, and also turn from wooing your corporate masters, you would see that you have a yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge base that is waiting to embrace the party if the party would only embrace US. Embrace the PEOPLE instead of the 1%, and the clueless voters (a.k.a., most Republicans) who support the interests of the 1% because they are easily confused.

Your base, on the other hand, is NOT easily confused. We are HERE, we have been here all along. All the decades that you have tried to be Republican Lite, Reagan Lite. WE DON'T WANT THAT. And we are not going to stand for that anymore without a fight.

As Bernie said during this campaign season: "democracy is messy". We're in there and we're scrapping. Like successful baseball hitters, we don't give up when we are at the plate! We just keep trying to "get a piece of it"! It ain't over 'til it's over: we are still trying to get hits and hopefully a home run...we are, to borrow a phrase from Clinton's 2008 campaign, in it to win it. What is "it"? Well, ideally the whole enchilada, platform-wise, PLUS the nomination, but we definitely are in it to win the "it" of getting what this country desperately needs on the Democratic platform!

‪#‎SeeyouinOrlando‬ ‪#‎SeeyouinPhilly‬ ‪#‎Getapieceofit‬!

Sanders is About the Opposite of Violence

For the love of God. Now CNN is trying to spin Sanders' for saying "democracy is messy", trying to twist that into some sort of call for violence. He was simply saying that, in a democracy, there is diversity of opinion, there is DISSENT, there is debate, there is passion. It isn't all about UNITY, all the time, especially not at a party convention, which is about picking candidates and hammering out a party platform. If we were just about UNITY, we would be a staged parade in North Korea, not a democracy.

CNN is so obviously--ever since Nevada--trying to give legs to a narrative of Sanders and his supporters being some sort of violent mob. I think it is, indeed, taking off as a narrative with some, because people fear the real change that Bernie represents. However, Bernie condemns violence. In fact, the real change that he represents is about undoing the violence of the last 36 years. The violence that is what I've always called the "Robinhood in Reverse" effect of Reagan's trickle-down economics. The violence of corporate welfare. The economic and social violence by the 1% against the 99%, carried out via the Reaganomics we've all been forced to endure since 1980. Bernie is about UN-doing violence, and bringing about a fair, healthy economy and society that works for the people. So put that in your narrative, sit and spin on it, CNN!

Breaking: Democratic Base Awakens After Decades on Life Support, and the Ensuing Earthquake Exposes Deep Fault Line Within Democratic Party

In the past few weeks, I have lost two long-time friends who are also fellow Democrats, over the fact that I am an ardent Bernie Sanders supporter and they keep relentlessly commenting on Facebook, smearing Bernie and his platform, and they also keep making outrageously smearing statements about Bernie's supporters.  Since I am a many-decades-long and ardent Bernie supporter, when people I thought of as friends insist upon attacking us, I take that very personally:  they are attacking me.

I didn't end my friendships with them because they disagree with me on policies or on a candidate.  I don't mind if people hold different views from my own (they have a right to be wrong *lol*), or support a different candidate.  I do take profound issue with them personally attacking all Bernie supporters by making shockingly offensive and inaccurate, generalized statements about us, or about Bernie himself, or about his platform.  And the fact that I've personally lost two long-time friends in the span of a few weeks, two fellow members of the Democratic party--the fact that it got to a point at which the friendships of many years are actually over, when we are supposedly the party of tolerance and respect for diversity--I think warrants a blog entry, so here goes:

I think the Democratic party is actually experiencing an earthquake right now that is exposing a fault line, an ideological divide.

Everyone is talking about the GOP coming apart at the seams. Perhaps being overlooked is what is going on over here on the Democratic side. Bernie is the heart, soul and mind of the party, and he's breathed life into its body, which has been on life support for decades. We have air in our lungs now, we're awake. He's given us breath and voice!

Hillary and her followers who keep relentlessly smearing Bernie's supporters like me don't seem to be celebrating our awakening.  They don't even seem to respect that, or us. They want us to go back to sleep, back into a deep coma, and stop all our crazy talk about "pie-in-the-sky" dreams. They are comfortable with the status quo. What's more, if the newly revived and awakened Democratic base keeps trying to speak, let alone rip off the life support and get up, they will keep trying to shut us up. 

Well, hear this across the increasingly wide fault line being exposed by this ideological earthquake, fellow Democrats who are trying to smear and dismiss us Bernie supporters:  I will not be silenced.  We will not be silenced.  Bernie has helped us find our voice.  And we are going to raise it.

The First Democratic Debate of 2016 Made This Democrat Very Proud

#Wow!

I should wait until manana to write and post this. I have to be up at six a.m. and off to work. But I just CAN'T CONTAIN MY PRIDE AT BEING A LIFELONG DEMOCRAT at this moment!

The Republican debate and all the coverage of their candidates has been like watching some sort of grotesque hybrid of a professional wrestling match meets a witch hunt meets Reaganomics on crack.

Contrast that to the impressive Democratic Party debate we witnessed tonight. The candidates did not personally attack each other. Not once. They did not attack women. They did not attack immigrants. They did not attack Planned Parenthood. What did they do? They respectfully, passionately, substantively discussed THE ISSUES.

I am so proud of my party right now I honestly am fighting back tears (not sure if it is okay to cry a few weeks post-cataract-n-LRI surgery, or I would let 'em flow, babies). Our country desperately needs this kind of intelligent, thoughtful, respectful, substantive debate on the issues, and leadership in kind.

Instead of going on a witch hunt against Planned Parenthood​, Rosie O'Donnell and immigrants, the Democratic Party and our impressive field of candidates are trying to bring people together. Bernie Sanders wants people to wake up and realize their power over corporate money. Hillary Clinton wants to help women, children and the middle class. They both want us to have family leave and health care. Martin O'Malley wants us to move to a clean energy grid (not fast enough, but at least he is talking about it and wants to move us toward it). All of the candidates are talking about issues and what is best for the people, our country and our world.

I don't know about you, but I profoundly prefer that to the aforementioned professional wrestling match meets witch hunt we have been horrifyingly and embarrassingly-to-our-country witnessing from the other side of the aisle. I am so proud to be a Democrat tonight.

Why are some of my Democratic Party leaders acting meek instead of backing Meek?

First of all, I am totally disgusted with one Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who, a few weeks back, destructively and inexplicably BETRAYED the Democratic voters of Florida and the Democratic Party by endorsing Independent (read: REPUBLICAN, with REPUBLICAN agenda, who changed party affiliation before the primary elections because the polls showed he wouldn't win) candidate, Charlie Crist, in the Florida race for US Senate, even though we have a perfectly great, duly nominated DEMOCRATIC candidate named Kendrick Meek, who has consistently been a leader and fought for issues Democrats care about.  RFK, Jr.:  What a turncoat!

I was fuming about that one for days, but I got over it.  Who cares about RFK, Jr. anyway?  He's coasting on name recognition, overrated, not from Florida and has no clue what he's talking about re this race.  For example, he called Crist a, quote, "champion of the environment".  WHAT?  The truth is more like Crist has been a champion for offshore oil drilling...before he recently decided to be against it.  Kendrick Meek has consistently stood against offshore oil drilling.  He's the true champion of the environment!  Windsock Charlie blows with the wind in terms of his stance on any given issue, and our environment and people cannot afford that.  Back to RFK, Jr.:  voters down here aren't really going to pay any attention to what he says, I consoled myself with thinking.

But then yesterday happened:  I started seeing news stories about someone who, unlike how I feel and think about RFK, Jr., I greatly admire and think of as a truly great Democratic leader, Bill Clinton.  I am shocked and in a state of disbelief at what allegedly happened, although to say there are conflicting reports about this is an understatement.  Apparently--emphasis on apparently, as in, I'm not sure about this but the majority of news reports I've read indicate this--he at least broached the possibility to Kendrick Meek, whom I remind you again is the DULY NOMINATED Democratic candidate, that he get out of the race , since he is running so far behind and, theoretically, if he drops out, all his support would go to the Independent, Charlie Crist.  This would, theoretically, save the day because it would stop the dreaded ultimate Tea Party candidate, Marco Rubio, who is waaaaaaaaaaaay ahead in the polls.  Yeeeeaah, just a few problems with this logic:

1.  Crist can call himself whatever he likes, he's a REPUBLICAN at heart.  True, he's more "moderate" than Rubio, but that doesn't take much!  You can be a far right-wing Republican and still be more moderate than Radcon Rubio.  Charlie Crist is a lifelong Republican.  He is also the consummate politician and he made a calculated move to run as an Independent because the polls indicated that he could not win the Republican primary against Rubio.  I don't care what the ticket says, if you prick Crist, he bleeds Republican Red.  Kendrick Meek, on the other hand, is a DEMOCRAT, with a solid, consistent, Democratic record on issues like the environment, offshore oil drilling, education, civil rights, the greening of our economy, little things like that:  you know, our entire platform.  He's our candidate, not Crist!  Crist is a Jeb Bush Republican.  Period.

2.  If Democratic leaders are worried about the Republicans taking over the Senate and throwing a tea party, instead of urging our own party's duly nominated, solid candidate to get out of the race, why not use their stature to urge CRIST to get out of the race and save the day?  If Crist gets out, at least some of his support (particularly, teachers who appreciate him vetoing a terrible Republican bill that would have decimated education in this state, which was a great thing but a calculated move on Crist's part precisely to get their votes) would go back to Meek, where it rightfully belongs (Meek has been a champion of issues important to teachers for YEARS, not just since he wanted their votes, for example, he brought forward the class size amendment that is now part of the Florida constitution).  Then we'd have an actual Democrat in the Senate and not a historically Republican windsock that blows whichever way the political winds do.

If Democtratic leaders don't think Crist would be swayed by them urging him to get out of the race, and they fear the split vote handing the election to Rubio, well, I agree, so here's an idea:  don't therefore urge our own great Democratic candidate, whom the Democratic voters of our Democratic Party nominated, to get out of the race!  That's insanity!  He's our only hope!  Instead you should enthusiastically and urgently endorse him (which Clinton has done, I hasten to add--but I'm writing this to all my Democratic leaders) and spend all your energy and time campaigning for him (again, which Bill Clinton did do, but it's what he may have urged privately that has me writing this) instead of doing turncoat, damaging things like RFK, Jr. did by endorsing Crist, or urging Meek to drop out of the race!!!  What kind of message are you sending to Democratic voters with that behavior?  Why do you want to convince us that Meek has no shot of winning?  He has EVERY shot and, indeed, the CERTAINTY of winning IF every registered Democrat goes to the polls and votes for him.  That, my dear Democratic leaders, is what you should be out there convincing the Democratic voters to do!  You should be circling the wagons!

3.  How DARE any Democratic leader urge the DULY ELECTED NOMINEE to get out of the race when there is no reason on earth for it?!!!!  This is madness!  I mean, do I see the urgency of defeating Rubio?  God, yes.  Do I see that my party leaders probably have way more influence and pull on the Democratic candidate than they do on Independent, Charlie Crist?  Yeah, I get it, I get it.  Seen in the best of all lights, they are valiantly trying to do anything necessary to defeat Rubio, thus saving our state from the kind of slash and burn destruction he inflicted on it from Tallahassee, only now it would be from Washington.  They also would prefer an Independent, not a Republican, get that Senate seat, numbers-wise.  I get their so-called logic but I also get that it is so flawed!

Most of Meek's supporters would not vote for Crist.  I would not.  If Meek dropped out, I would not vote for the candidate who basically forced him, my Democratic candidate, out of the race.  For the first time in my life, I would just not vote because there would be no choice representing me, or even representing the lesser of two evils, on the ballot.  (I already voted by mail for Meek so luckily I wouldn't even have to face that whole, epic, moral dilemma, but if I hadn't voted by mail, I do not think I could vote for Crist.)  Oh, and, by the way, if Crist goes to the Senate?  Yeah, newsflash to my party's leaders:  he's going to vote with the Republicans, not the Democrats!  You shouldn't be backing Rubio Lite, when there is a picked-by-your-voters, real live DEMOCRAT on the ticket.  Don't act meek, back Meek!

If Meek drops out, his supporters--i.e., us so-often-overlooked-by-our-own-party DEMOCRATIC BASE--would not go for Crist.  On the other hand, if Crist drops out, there will be a windfall of Democratic voters who will come home to Meek.  So, any Democratic defectors out there (a.k.a., "leaders" who would attempt to lead our candidate right out of the race):  put that in your turncoat pocket and button it.

It is Charlie Crist who should get out of the race.  He wasn't nominated by anyone but himself and all his presence is doing is handing the election to Tea Partier, Marco Rubio.

Perhaps the bigger question here is, IS FLORIDA CAPABLE OF EVER HAVING A NORMAL ELECTION?  Obviously, though, that topic requires a blog of its own.  So, sticking to my topic and wrapping 'er on up:  I'm disgusted with the confirmed action of RFK, Jr. in endorsing Crist, which was a total and uncalled for betrayal of the Democratic Party and very potentially harmful to Florida (if any Florida voters actually pay attention to RFK, Jr., which, thankfully, they probably won't).  Mind you, if there were anything wrong with our Democratic candidate and/or if RFK, Jr. differed with him on the issues and there were a good Independent alternative, maybe I could see it, but Meek is a solid, consistent, strong Democratic leader.  RFK, Jr. didn't say anything against him as a person or on the issues.  He just decided to endorse "his friend", Crist, and felt the need to throw into his statement that Meek has "no chance".  WRONG:  when Democrats vote for Democrats, Democrats win!  So he DOES have a chance, if we get out and vote!  I'm also very shocked and dismayed to hear that Bill Clinton may have privately urged Meek to drop out.  It is very important to note, however, that Clinton campaigned for Meek in my city, St. Petersburg, Florida, and at least if he did bring up Meek getting out of the race, he did it privately and he still stood up for him publicly.  What I don't get, though, is why any Democratic leader would even suggest, even entertain the notion and bring it up for discussion, that the nominee exit the race to enable a Republican in windsock clothing to win.  Crist and Rubio are both Republicans!

Crist has a new label on the ticket now, but his actions stand as those of a lifelong Republican.  Crist and Rubio both have a history of supporting offshore oil drilling, for instance, and being against gay adoption, and on and on the list goes.  It's a longer, scarier list for Rubio, but Crist is not our candidate.  Meek is.  Unlike the other candidates, Meek has a history of supporting and fighting for Democratic priorities, and thus can be be counted upon to support those priorities in the US Senate:  the environment, education, civil rights, the greening and thus health of our economy, seniors, the middle class, and the list goes on.  It's a good list.  It's a list of our Democratic values.  Remember those?  Aren't they what we should be fighting for?

So, to the leaders of my party and, more importantly, to my fellow Florida Democratic voters (because your endorsement on Tuesday is the only one that counts), please throw your support to our deserving candidate, Kendrick Meek.  If we all do this, he WILL pull off a stunning win.  THAT is how we save the day, save the future of our state, and stop Marco Rubio.

Florida Democrats, you have a choice on Tuesday:  For US Senator, contrary to what it says next to Crist's name, there are really two Republicans on the ballot.  A really scary one, and a scary one.  There is also a Democrat on the ballot.  Democratic voters put him there.  And we can also put him into the Senate.  You decide.

Gore and Meek Rally Rocked!

The traffic, the crowd, the hassles: it was all worth it!

I am so glad I went to the Kendrick Meek rally in Tampa yesterday. I think Kendrick is a good candidate and the only progressive choice in the Florida race for the US Senate, and it is critical that we turn out the vote to defeat both tea party Republican, Marco Rubio, and Charlie "windsock" Crist, who bows whichever way the political winds blow, but we all know he is a Republican at heart, even though he changed to Independent in a politically calculated move to win this race. Everything Crist does, in my observation of him over the years, is a politically calculated move. He is the quintessential politician. We don't need the quintessential politician! We need a leader, and I believe that is what Kendrick Meek has shown himself to be. For example, he has consistently opposed oil drilling off the coast of Florida, even when it wasn't a popular position (i.e., before the catastrophic recent BP oil spill). Crist, on the other hand, has done his usual Windsock Hop on that and other issues. Not only is Kendrick Meek the only US Senate candidate we can count on to protect our environment and tourist industry by opposing offshore drilling, he will also make it a priority to bring green jobs and initiatives to Florida, the Sunshine (i.e., potentially solar!) State. We must elect Kendrick to the US Senate to ensure we move both our economy and environment in a healthy new green direction.

As Al Gore (who I'll get to in a second and I can't believe I've gone this far in the blog without mentioning!) urged Democrats and Independents yesterday at the rally: don't split the US Senate vote between Meek and Crist, that will only hand the race to Rubio. He said "I've been through a few elections" and my heart just broke at that one. Boy, does the man know what he was talking about when he made that plea for us Democrats not to hand the election to a Republican by splitting the vote!

My fellow Florida Democrats out there reading this: as they also kept emphasizing at the rally, when Democrats vote, Democrats win. We have to vote and we have to vote solidly Democratic in this election. Unless we want the state budget cut so much that our schools, infrastructure, first responders, libraries, and all other services to actual human beings/citizens will suffer even more than they already are, while the rich will get richer due to tax breaks designed for them and corporations will have free reign to trash our environment, it is vitally important that we vote the entire Democratic ticket. The future of our state--and by "our state", I don't mean some vague, impersonal thing, I mean our children, our seniors, our lower and middle class, our teachers, our first responders, and last but not least, our environment--is at stake.

Now on to Al Gore!!!! Frankly, though I think Meek is a very good candidate and I voted for him in the primary, and I will vote for him in the general election, no WAY would I have braved Tampa during rush hour to go to some unfamiliar venue to rally for him or anyone...unless, you tell me that Al Gore will be there. Say the secret word and the duck drops down! Color me THERE! And I'm so glad I braved said Tampa traffic (it was as bad as I thought it would be and yet another argument for green rapid transit) to see him. I LOVE him! I just flat out love him. His speech was so great, and the fact that he took the time to be there for Kendrick, for the party, for Florida (it MUST bring back 2000 for him every time he comes here), says so much about him. When Gore and Meek were on stage together and Gore was showering Meek with glowing praise, Meek was just beaming and you could tell how much it genuinely meant to him to be receiving such praise from such a great leader.

The whole thing was wonderful--once I got through the harrowing traffic and parking situation (!) and standing in crazy, disorganized lines (you have to love my Democratic Party--if you want organized lines, go to a Republican rally) in the blazing Florida sun with, where I happened to be positioned in the line, a speaker blaring music into my ears the whole time at a hearing loss-inducing level, and finally making it into the hot union hall with only seats for a few physically-challenged folks, it was all SO WORTH IT. I work every day with a bunch of, as one friend of mine calls them "radcon fundies" and it was so refreshing to connect with a big crowd of Democrats! Packed in like lemmings as we were, and hot as it was in that room, I felt like I could breathe again, like I could relax and be ME. The crowd was very diverse, with African-Americans, Latino-Americans, seniors, young peeps (a lot of the organizers/volunteers there were VERY young, which was nice to see), union workers, environmentalists, etc. There was a lot of "etc." there. A good kind of etc.  The Democratic base kind of etc., of which I count myself a proud member.  There was a beautiful energy in the room.  I loved when one speaker said "If you want to move a car forward, you put it in D. If you want to go in reverse, you put it in R." Yeah/sing it!  That one never gets old. It was really good to be at a Democratic rally. Really good. It was very healing for me, personally, after feeling so alienated from my party in the 2008 primary season (due to the whole Rubio-induced delegate SITUATION--that's right, folks, it was Rubio's baby to move up Florida's 2008 Presidential primary election date in violation of both parties' rules, setting up the electoral chaos and horribly divisive primary season that followed--and this guy wants to be our US Senator? NOT JUST NO BUT HELL NO!), and frankly being so unhappy with the current administration. I really needed to remember that I love my party. Being at that rally reminded me. In a big way. It was like a giant bear hug...or a homecoming...or a family reunion. Make that all three.

I'm so glad to be a Democrat, even though I can't stand the current president, frankly. But as bad as I think he is, he's still FAR better than any Republican president we've had in my lifetime. My first memory of a Republican administration comes in the form of the televised Watergate Hearings.  I was just a kid.  Then I came of age just as the Reagan era came into being.  I think Reagan was a complete disaster for our country and is the nightmare gift that just keeps giving, because somehow people mistakenly think he was so great and the current tea party movement, for example, is, in my opinion, people trying to get back to Reagan Republicanism. Horrifying. Then we had Bush I and Bush II, the latter of which I can't even think about without recoiling in rage and disgust. Nope, like I said, I'm glad and proud to be a lifelong Democrat.

To recap, that rally really hit the Democratic spot.  Gore was, is and always will be great, and, any Florida Democratic and Independent voters out there reading this: please vote for Kendrick Meek (and the entire Democratic ticket, while you are at it) on November 2nd. Our state cannot take any more Republican "leadership". With "leadership" like that, who needs ruination? Please vote Democratic to vote for the health of our economy, children, seniors, middle class, and environment.



Kendrick Meek and Al Gore, at 9/30/2010 Rally for Meek



Hero ALERT: I'm Going to See Al Gore Today

Heroes are in short supply these days...or maybe it just seems that way. The media rewards bad behavior by splashing it all over Entertainment Tonight, TMZ, Extra, and the net. The quiet, non-dramatic sort of good guys don’t get as much attention. It’s curious that doing good isn’t seen as being as sexy as going off the rails. I mean, really, from a purely evolutionary standpoint, it is curious: wouldn’t you think we’d evolve to be attracted to good, healthy behavior? I’ll have to ponder that one in my peppermint mind sometime after I have at least one cup of kukicha green and peppermint tea, and/or some protein. For now, it’s too early and pre-tea-n-protein in the morning, so I’ll move right along.

I have a few heroes in this world, two of whom are dead: Martin Luther King, Jr. is a major hero of mine, and so is someone he modeled his creative, non-violent resistance approach after, Mahatma Gandhi. A third hero of mine is very much alive, and I am going to see him tonight at a political rally: Al Gore. Now, I know that, for many on the right, he is the butt of jokes, mostly based on erroneous disinformation and urban myths. He NEVER, for example, claimed that he invented the internet. Look it up on Snopes, I don’t have the time or inclination to debunk all the hurtful bunk that is out there on Al Gore. I find it interesting just how vitriolic the right is towards the very mention of his name. I think it is because he speaks the truth in a civil, respectful, eloquent way, no matter how much they attack him, and he never lets the attacks bring him down to their level. He remains, always, what I just said: eloquent, respectful and civil. This is one aspect of what I admire most about him:  in a world desperately starved for civility and respectfulness, he embodies it. The other aspect I admire so much, which goes hand in hand with his character, is his actions.

As I recall, Al Gore first came onto my radar screen back in 1988, when I was a young voter. He was in a field of presidential hopefuls that was crowded with quality and potential: Joe Biden, Dick Gephardt and Paul Simon, just to name the ones that I thought were excellent in addition to Al Gore (Jesse Jackson impressed me, too, but also scared me because I felt he was anti-Israel...but I digress). Even in that crowded field, though, Al Gore stood way out from the rest to me. I’m a total policy wonk and his positions on the issues exactly jibed with my own, as did his priorities, plus his aforementioned eloquence really stood out. In the years since 1988, I have grown to admire the man more and more for all the things I’ve mentioned--his positions and priorities on the issues I care about, and his civility, respectfulness and eloquence--plus his great leadership, vision, imagination, intelligence, honesty, knowledge, patriotism (how he conducted himself in the 2000 election horror show, for example, always keeping what was best for the country and the rule of law as a priority), diplomacy, integrity, steadfast commitment and adherence to speaking the truth, and tireless passion for the environment.  He also has demonstrated an amazing ability to, as the cliche goes, take the lemons that life hands out and make lemonade.  After the heartbreaking and soul-crushing election of 2000, he picked himself up, dusted himself off, and went on to do great things as private citizen Gore.  The awareness, education and sense of urgency that he has brought to the world about global climate change is profoundly impressive and important.  He has also provided us with concrete ideas on how to turn back from the brink of disaster and build a green, sustainable future that respects our mother earth.

Ever since the days (and no doubt before) when people didn’t want to hear that the earth was round and not flat, a majority of people always fear and, unfortunately, sometimes hate, the visionary, inconvenient-truth-telling leaders among us. But the ones who are truly great go on telling the truth despite all the fearful backlash that engenders, because they care passionately about doing the right thing, they are bright enough to see what that is, and they are brave enough to endure whatever comes their way in order to do it. This is why I love Al Gore and why he is, corny as this probably sounds, my hero.

He is sounding the warning on global climate change and the world needs to hear that and act on it now. This evening, he will be at a political rally for Senate candidate Kendrick Meek, here in Florida, and I will be braving driving in Tampa (!) to be there. I’ve seen him at a brief rally at the Sarasota airport in 2000 and that was a thrill. All of a sudden, Air Force Two appeared in the sky, made a brilliant landing as we all cheered wildly, and out popped Vice President Gore!  He gave a short but stirring speech to us, the party faithful, and then I forget if he got right back onto Air Force Two and flew off or got into a waiting car or what, but I didn’t get to actually meet him and I probably won’t this evening, either, which is probably just as well, as I am sure I’d be a complete and utter deer caught in headlights if it happened. That said, though, it would be a thrill to shake his hand. To meet a living hero up close and personal would be a very special thing. Perhaps it will happen tonight...or perhaps I’ll get lost in Tampa, never to resurface again. Most likely, though, I’ll just hear him speak live and rally the Democratic troops, and that will be exciting enough. I’ll love to tell him how much I admire his character and everything he’s done and continues to do for our country and the earth, both of which need as much help as they can get. I’d love to simply say, thank you, you are great, keep up the good work. That’s what heroes do: they keep up the good work. I just want to tell him I appreciate it. He’ll probably glean that from the WILD APPLAUSE AND SCREAMING I’ll be engaging in at various points in the going.

Releated link:  LA Times article, re: Gore to appear at Kendrick Meek rally