Pilgrims

“Man is by nature a political animal.” Aristole

Man is by nature many things and it is certain that the great Greek had that one right. For there to be much anything to remember or write of there must be civilization and culture and these mean mankind in its corporate state. The individual is not a civil society, nor even is the family. Without interaction both among individuals and groups we have no cities, no states, no nations, and no countries.

As such for eons like minded peoples have grouped together and joined forces to preserve, change and overcome their situations. This grouping of those with at least some common purpose is the basis for much of our society and almost all our political parties.

As such those who consider themselves more liberal or conservative, left or right, progressive or reactionary have tended to ally themselves with whichever major (or minor) party that best suited not only their beliefs but which had the best chances of electoral victory to achieve at least some of their goals. (This often half-hearted ideology is common in America and a source of endless victory parades for less than mediocre candidates.)

As I am most conversant with those on the “right” I can address only them. It seems since the series of electoral defeats suffered by the Republican party since 2006 the more conservative members are having second thoughts. I suspect this started before that year. There are those who supported the Republicans and George W. Bush by proxy for social reasons but who had serious misgivings about Iraq. With the primary opposition being of the far left variety though, these with troubled consciences had no home and no stomach for a civil war in the GOP.

The series of defeats though and the victory of Comrade Obama have given new life to the doubts of these conservatives. They are not a monolithic group. Some are church aligned, some are libertarians, many were Ron Paul supporters and some are even Iraq war veterans. These last in particular have formed a revived Whig Party. There is also increased interest in the Libertarian Party as well as the American Conservative Party.

Whether this flirtation with third parties has any real effect only time will tell. This is certain though, a great many conservatives and reactionaries are fed up with the Republican party. They are fed up with having the hard work of supporting the party for all these years and doing so much to help it to victory thrown away by those in office wearing its name.

Disgust has mounted against the high levels of corruption, greed and mismanagement at the Congressional level. The spending right now gets the media but under George W. Bush, Dennis Hastert and Trent Lott the Republican administration began the spending spree with abandon. Obama may have spent more in a shorter time than his predecessor but he was only following the game plan already laid out when he took office.

Conservatives are sick of seeing promises of smaller government and homage to the constitution shredded as soon as the candidate takes office and drinks of the Potomac Koolaide. They have become weary of not being able to tell the policy or voting differences between the Democrats and Republicans. Only when prodded by outrage or clogged phone lines to Capitol Hill is any positive action seen by Repulicans as a whole. This will not do.

Libertarians, conservatives, reactionaries (like von Rum) and social traditionalists alike are either at or approaching a crossroads. The great question is do we continue to support a party with no ideas and ideology beyond securing its own power or do we just walk away? (von Rum walked away years ago)

Yes by abandoning the Republican party conservatives may conceede rule by a Democratic administration for some time to come. In that there is great danger. There is however little possibility that the Republicans will see sense either, even if they do regain the Congress in 2010. Those who value tradition, family, honor, law, liberty, justice and peace may be without a true home for some time. Until viable new party is found or created we will be pilgrims who may take temporary shelter under some party umbrella but knowing we have not found a home.

von Rum

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Greed, Graft, Government, and the Guillotine

It seems the sewage from 2008 has spilled over into 2009 in a manner that will leave many of us unable to leave behind that awful anno.

Now that Governor Bill Richardson has withdrawn his assent to be B.O.’s Secretary of Commerce we officially have a rocky start to a presidency that has yet to actually begin.

From Blagojevich to Richardson, to Jackson to Reid the Chicago Machine is dragging along all the vaunted Democratic principles that have long upheld them to Washington. Not that the fair city on the Potomac needed any help.

Don’t think for a moment thought that I am bashing Democrats in particular. They are just the best known current examples. Sadly public life (especially at the higher levels) has become positively Byzantine in its intrigue, corruption and greed.

Take for instance Roland Burris, the man appointed by Illinois’ discredited governor. In early December Burris was condemning Blagojevich as “appalling”, “reprehensible” and describing the governor as “incapacitated”. He then promptly lined up to shake Blagojevich’s hand and beg for the seat. This is only the latest most prominent example of the bottomless pit into which public ethics has fallen.

In past generations the best and brightest entered military academies to serve in the armed forces and into the universities to serve in the civil, and diplomatic corps as well as in the clergy. Now these honorable positions are brushed aside by a culture dedicated to gain, luxury and utterly devoid of a concept of service.

As the spectacularly mediocre and the stunningly inept continue to dominate all levels of public policy from the White House to Capitol Hill there seems to be some reasoning behind the idea of categorically raising the bar. That the human material filling these posts, whether elected or appointed is flawed is beyond question. Therefore there should be incentive for those in these offices to clean up their act.

It is perhaps time to introduce an old Roman custom. That is that any major officeholder is subject to investigation into all their acts as soon as they leave office. No immunity would be possible and the punishments would be severe. Any malfeasance, corruption, or criminal neglect of duty would result in immediate loss of pension, long imprisonment and in more severe cases decapitation.

We seem to be incapable of electing competent leaders so we could at least give them ample incentive to remain honest and passable while in office. If they cannot be smart at least they can be made to be good. Nothing like a razor at the back of your neck to make you walk the straight and narrow.

von Rum

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The Pope, Palin and the Purse.

There has been little good news in the last two weeks regarding the world’s economy.  As shades of 1929 rise from the grave to haunt even the most stout hearted investor or broker, we missed a prodigy.  That was the fact that two major figures made statements that make utter economic sense, yet are almost universally ignored.

The first came in an arena that is about as far removed from the ups and downs of economic cycles as can be.  It was in Pope Benedict XVI’s opening statements to a synod of bishops in the Vatican.  In his address he read from the Gospel of Mathew concerning the futility of building on sand.  He said, “He who builds only on visible and tangible things like success, career and money builds the house of his life on sand.”  Later he added that, “We are now seeing in the collapse of major banks that money vanishes, it is nothing.  All these things that appear to be real are in fact secondary.  Only God’s words are a solid reality.”

The Pope was conveying a spiritual message that has echoed true for millennia and yet is ignored even among the faithful.  That is that what we perceive to be of value in our hurried lives is most often of the least permanence and worth.  Regardless of what your personal faith is, if any, it is fair to say that no faith or creed which espouses the material or wealth as the ultimate goal has long survived the trials of human experience.

It was during the Vice Presidential debate that Governor Sarah Palin threw out an easily overlooked statement that rung just as true as those words of the Pontiff.  They are also as widely ignored.

In response to a question about the subprime mortgage meltdown and who was at fault Palin inserted the following. “Let’s do what our parents told us before we probably even got that first credit card. Don’t live outside of our means. We need to make sure that as individuals we’re taking personal responsibility through all of this.”

We have all most likely heard this same advice from family many times.  The problem is that it was about the only time I recall hearing such a sentiment from a politician throughout this whole debacle.  Remember George Bush’s statement after September 11 to go out and shop?  How about the “Ownership Society”?  The whole smorgasbord of easy credit that has been available up until now has been based on the opposite premise of what the governor is talking about.  Our system is based on living beyond our means and it is not sustainable.

We have simple statements here from two very different people with utterly different tasks.  One is spiritual, one temporal.  One from a mother of five from a frontier area in a political role.  The other from a celibate church leader in the Eternal City in a theological role.  Yet the messages are of a common theme.

From the Pope we have the everlasting wisdom that wealth is not everlasting.  The pursuit of endless gain in this world is rarely successful in the ways we think it might be.  Of course there are plenty of people who do very well, make a lot of money and keep it.  Many of them do well by their families and leave them in better conditions than they found them.  When those goals though become more for the sake of more something is lost.  A blindness to what matters most and, more importantly, what will last longest sets in for those who’s greed becomes their driving force.

On the same tone is Palin’s simple reminder of what we have all already heard.  When we attempt to gain it all right now, before we have earned it we are in more danger of loosing it than ever.  Young people are the most commented on about living beyond their means.  They are not alone however.  You do not have to look far to see individuals and families nearing retirement age that have lived beyond their means for so long, and owe so much that retirement becomes and ever fading dream.

When we make wealth the core of our world, and demand it all now so that we live on the high wire of a thin credit line, disaster looms.  For years examples of individuals or families that suffered tragedy from this mindset have abounded.  Now however, we have the phenomenon of businesses, corporations, governments, even whole societies living according to these flawed precepts of more and more now.

The results are all around us.  We live in a world that functions on what it does not yet and may never have.  Our economy is a paper empire.  Is it likely to change due to this downturn?  I doubt it.  The habits are far too ingrained and far too much is invested in keeping us all out on a limb and running just to stand still financially.  As long as we base all success on wealth and demand that wealth before we have earned it we are stuck in this cycle.  I just found it refreshing for someone to stand up and say it, even if no one was listening.

von Rum

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Manure occurs.

Every once in a while we are reminded the human race is coming up a little short. This can sometimes come in the form of blatant and monstrous wrongs. A case in point would be this year’s disastrous flooding in Burma. The government there refused outside help, and then when some did arrive often confiscated the better part of the humanitarian aide and left the victims to starve.

While most of us on a day to day basis have no such experiences we are often confronted with the basic wrongs of human life that constitute such barbaric events.

These might include an overwhelming pride, hipocracy, jealousy, unbridled lusts, greed, laziness, and anger. We all see it everyday. We try to work around it, pretend it isn’t there, and wish it away. We cannot do it though. These things are part of the lives of us all. They are part of our makeup. No wishful thinking, no positive thinking, and no smoke and mirrors view of humanity can change that. They are well and true the best evidence that original sin exists.

Hope is there. We love those who we are closest too despite these failures. Perhaps even because of them. The same shortcomings I see in a relative or friend I see magnified in myself. They may not be the same failings, but failings sure to be there.

When I look at someone with contempt who does not deserve it, when I look away rather than help, when I decide that what I want always matters most, I become what I often despise.

This is not about rum, or lack thereof. It is not politics, though it could be. It is about us all. We all fail.

There is however forgiveness. The trick is this though. If you or I or anyone else is the one who is guilty of mistreating someone we love then we, not they, are to blame. Everyone is responsible for their own actions.

Many point to the story of the Prodigal Son as the picture of forgiveness. It is, but remember this, the son repented and went home. The father did not go to the son in his filth and say “What you are doing is alright son, I forgive you.” Much about society today in America and around the world would have us believe otherwise, but it is true.

If I do not ask forgiveness, if I do not admit that I am wrong, then what right at all do I have to expect forgiveness or reconciliation? None, I have none at all.

Sometimes we are hurt by those closest to us. Those cuts are the deepest. They are also most often the most unnecessary. Learning that these things will come, and that we have to grow through them is one of the hardest lessons of all. As the man said, life ain’t always beautiful, but its a beautiful ride.

Manure occurs my friends, but if we are not willing to get out the shovel and start cleaning how can we expect to do anything but stand in the stinking pile?

Take from it all what you will,

I think I will have more of this swill.

von Rum

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