As Good As it Gets - Redux

One of the all time greatest lines in film is from the film "As Good as it Gets" starring Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt.

Nicholson and Hunt are at a restaurant. In the midst of an uncomfortable conversation, Hunt asks him to say something nice. Nicholson looks at Helen Hunt and says. "you make me want to be a better man."

It is the kind of moment where men and women alike sit back in stunned silence and rapt attention. In the simplicity of those words lay a powerful nexus of emotion, hope and ambition.

Political pundits and historians can and will write volumes about the last few months.

There will be the tales of Barack Obama's "shadow presidency", calming a fearful nation in the face of an economic crisis that the sitting-President just did not have the intellect or emotional energy to confront.

There will be the economic tomes about why the stimulus package was too much, too little or just right.

There will be the historians who tell the story behind the story of each and every appointment and news conference.

But the most powerful story of all will likely not be told by authors, historians or pundits. It will be written by the American people themselves over the next few years because as we have watched Barack and Michelle Obama and Joe and Jill Biden these past months: working at a soup kitchen, working out with the recruits at the gym in Hawaii, arranging a special dinner honoring John McCain, or describing and exemplifying the public service imperatives of honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, we have, in our hearts and minds come to a common conclusion similar to that of Jack Nicholson.

I may be wrong, but I don't think so. But to be safe, I'll just say it for myself. Mr. President, I hope you will understand how much it means to me to say this . . . Mr. President, you make me want to be a better man.



"We Will Never Forget"


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The Real Message of Obama's Innauguaration

The timing of the inauguration of America's 44th president couldn't be better for marking the historic accession to power of America's first black president, coming as it does on the heels of the anniversary of MLK's I have a Dream speech, but the Obama message that we are all one people is the real message of the day and must not get crowded out.

Too much depends upon all Americans being vested in our success for the inauguration to become bogged down in what - while historic and wonderful - is nonetheless parochial, when viewed in the light of what lies ahead of us.

Barack's message: "We are one people" must rise above all the parochial interests of the day and capture our imaginations and fire our actions.

Robert Kennedy said it well: "All of us <> share one precious possession, and that is the name American. It is not easy to know what that means. But, in part, to be an American means to have been an outcast and a stranger, to have come from the exiles' country, and to know that he who denies the outcast and the stranger still amongst us, he also denies America."

"Fawn in a Green Wood"

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Truth and Reconciliation in the US

Should Congress consider a Truth and Reconciliation panel to address the abuses of the Bush Era?

The buzz is growing over whether the incoming administration and the Democratic congress should investigate and prosecute members of the Bush administration for the abuses of power, violations of the Geneva Conventions and other related violations during the course of the Bush tenure.

President Elect Obama, understandably does not want this to be a distraction from what he considers the more immediate and urgent economic issues faced by the nation. Further, there is a large group of Democratic party leaders and opinion makers who see this as a losing proposition.

On the other hand, a powerful case is presented by many constitutional scholars that the abuses of the last 8 years are so flagrant and serious that not taking action would be tantamount to condoning the behavior, sentencing us to relive the outrage the next time that a similarly inclined politician assumes power. The most compelling spokesman for this position is GW Scholar and professor Jonathan Turley. Turley takes a hardline but is highly credible on the issue (he supported the impeachment of Clinton for perjury, but opposed ousting him from the Presidency).

A less onerous approach to addressing the issues might be to have our own version of a Truth and Reconcilliation commission. For those unfamiliar with the term or its associated process, generally a Truth and Reconcilliation process calls forward those who have violated the tenants over which the panel has jurisdiction. The requirment of full immunity from prosecution is that the individual acknowledge their transgression and ask for the forgiveness of the nation.

Its unlikely that hard-liners like Turley would accept the quasi-judicial approach of a truth and reconcilliation panel, but many of his concerns would at least be addressed by such a panel and those who - like myself - would like to see some accountability but without the bloodletting associated with prosecution of these individuals. It would be a way to send a clear message to future administrations that these behaviors are not without consequences entirely.

The economic meltdown deserves the full attention of President Obama, but there's no reason that the House or Senate can't strike a blow for the constitution by calling some of those who committed the most egregious violations to task for their sins.

At the very least, lets acknowledge that under the best of circumstances there should have been some accountability while Bush and Cheney were in office. In the words of one Republican friend of mine, " call them war criminals and move on".


"Smith Covered Bridge"


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The Garden in My Mind

2009 Calendar of unique images from Wayne King

Each image suitable for framing at months end! Only $28.50


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Where Both Sides are Wrong

Hamas and Israel both Guilty of Wrongdoing

If you've been wondering why you can't seem to figure out where to come down on the battle raging between Israel and Hamas, you aren't alone. Further there's a simple reason you can't figure it out. It's like that old tune . . . "there ain't no good guy, there ain't no bad guy". Each side is to blame in roughly equal measure, and each is the victim as well.

In a brief but compelling piece (Playing into the hands of Hamas) this week in "Haaretz" (Israel's Oldest Daily Newspaper) Bernard Avishai and Sam Bahourmake make the case that, at the risk of seeming to make light of a terrible tragedy, a tie goes to Hamas and Israel is playing into Hamas' hands with their brutal incursion into Gaza.

This piece is must reading for anyone confused by the situation because it is the perspective of two people very close to the issue and representing both sides.

Until we take action to strengthen the hand of moderate forces in the middle east, the radicals in both Israel and Gaza will drive policy by inciting their respective sides and creating deeper and deeper animosities.

Resources:
Bernard Avishai's Blog
Sam Bahour's blog


"Mr. Lincoln's Legacy"

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A Place to Stand

"Give me a place to stand," said Archimedes, "and I will move the world.”

President Obama must move the world. It is our task to give him a place to stand.

Ghana Proves Its Readiness to Claim the Mantle: Economic Gateway to Africa

The torch has been passed to a new generation of leadership in the West African nation of Ghana and all signs point to a very bright future for this nation. At a time when so much attention has been, understandably, focused on the historic transition taking place in the United States, we would do well to take a moment to herald the small country that has a very big story to tell - and the potential to lead an African renaissance in the coming years.

Just 50 years from its independence in 1958, Ghana has proven to be the "wise elder" of Africa in its fierce commitment to democracy, liberty and economic opportunity.

While the day and Ghana's near-term future are in the hands of Professor John Evans Atta Mills, it should be said that defeated candidate Nana Akufo Addo deserves the praise and thanks of Ghana and the world for his leadership and example in defeat. History will remember that while other nations in Africa took the dark road in this historic year, Nana Akufo Addo, in yielding peacefully to the will of the people, has played a role no less important to the future of the country than that of the winner, Prof Mills. Future generations of Ghanaians will praise his name for this act alone.

And now Ghana has proven itself ready to lead Africa on all of the major fronts in the never ending struggle for the welfare of humanity: as a bulwark against terrorism on the continent; as an economic powerhouse with the legal infrastructure to truly open Africa to world trade and to secure the economic future of its own citizens; as a shining example of the power of ballots over bullets.