Plessner Chronicle Blog

Except for the heavy responsibilities carried by the Secret Service —- which protects the president, vice president and their families —- one is tempted to encourage Americans to send the president a set of the oldest, most beat up, cheapest shoes in their closet.

And while we are at it, we should elect John McCain the honorary chair of this tribute, what with his seven or eight homes (I lost count). John McCain could send as many pairs of clod-hoppers as he has bedroom closets! He would almost certainly win first place in that competition.

With all the propaganda being generated by the Republicans disclaiming the irrefutable truth that George W. Bush is our worst president ever, a collection of ugly, ill-fitting, thread-bare, smelly, preferably useless, mortally-wounded shoes would validate the judgement of that courageous, decisive reporter in Baghdad, who —- come to think of it —- ought to get a trip to America to try out as pitcher for one or any of our professional baseball teams.

Now everything I have written above may be cute but, if we take it seriously, we ought to be ashamed of ourselves.

George Bush and Dick Cheney have given us a war that has killed thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians —- men, women, children , parents and grand-parents —- and thousands of our own men and women who have served so valiantly and have been neglected by this president, his vice-president and those false patriots who believe that this terrible war has been an act of high morality.

Perhaps we should give each of them a pair of those shoes as well.

National leaders the world over will eagerly welcome Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. They will want to be seen with her in their own country or at international meetings. Her experience and self-confidence will be valuable in one-on-one conversations with heads of state and in public diplomacy as she appears in other nations.

While the Obama administration will have a number of people able to deal with international issues, it is hard to believe that a president Obama who ran such a disciplined campaign will allow rivalries or competition to damage his efforts.

And what’s the big deal about Bill Clinton’s current activities and travels? It has been reported that he gets as much as $175,000 for a one-hour speech, with most donations going to the Clinton Global Initiative, a non-profit foundation whose goal is: “fostering a shared responsibility to address major global problems”.

Some commentators have expressed concern that the former president’s personal activities might conflict with the new administration’s objectives. To the degree that it is closely managed, the former president’s ability to communicate can be made a very positive asset for our America.

Isn’t it interesting that two people who began their adult lives together almost broke, and who have worked so tirelessly for the common good, are now being questioned for their income, most of it coming as recognition of their considerable service to humanity. Why do they now find their wealth and income questioned, while other politicians with much greater wealth and relationships with foreign leaders, are almost never assaulted in the same way?

The first president Bush and the soon-to-be former vice president Dick Cheney come to mind. President George H. W. Bush has been involved in the Carlyle Group, a holding company with global interests (including Dunkin’ Donuts) and deep roots in the Middle East.

The current vice president, though not directly involved — as far as we know — with his former employer Halliburton, a major vendor to our military, is deeply involved with projects in Iraq and other Middle East countries. Halliburton receives billions for providing “contractors” in Iraq and elsewhere.

Although he is removed from the management of his former firm, vice president Cheney probably still benefits through deferred income from dividends and fees.

And then there is this: A few days after leaving the White House, former president Ronald Reagan flew on a corporate jet to Japan where he gave two speeches for which he was reported to have been paid one million dollars.

Barack Obama is going to assemble his administration in the same way he ran his campaign. With tremendous insight, creative energy and integrity and Hillary Rodham Clinton is entitled to the First Chair in the president’s cabinet if she wants it!

It’s not such a big deal!

With all the other changes that an Obama administration promises, doesn’t that count for something special?

When was the last time that something like that happened? Was it president Clinton who could do that? Or Nixon? Or Kennedy? Or one of the Roosevelts? Franklin? Or Teddy?

In our 21^st century world, when issues become more complex each day, where science and technology are so important to our survival, our health and our security, isn’t it good news that we now have a president who can think on his feet?

And isn’t it reassuring that the anti-intellectual know-nothings who have done such terrible damage to our Constitution and the rule of law, who have almost destroyed our economy and our atmosphere, will no longer control our ecological and atmospheric future?

Did anyone notice? And does it matter?

Damned right it matters! And in the longer term it might be the most important lasting benefit of the Barack Obama presidency.

Here’s a new Internet game we can all play!Will Sarah Palin:

1. Write a book about her family life, political career and the McCain-Palin campaign?

or will she

2. Write a book about her religion, her life and family experiences?

3. Become an inspirational speaker for Conservative women’s groups and Evangelical conventions and churches?

4. Become an afternoon television host on a talk show aimed at stay-at-home women?

5. Become the host of a FOX News show of rightwing pundits?

6. Become a popular speaker at Republican events and fund raising dinners?

7. Complete her term as Governor of Alaska,

or will she

8. Wait and campaign for president should McCain become unable to run in 2012?

9. Become as wealthy as Bill and Hillary Clinton were, at least before they dumped all their money into Hillary’s campaign?

10. Other? _____________________________________________

In any event, this campaign is Sarah Palin’s Cinderella moment, the adventure of a lifetime and she, her “hunk” of a husband and her large family will probably do well, as they should. After all, isn’t that what the American dream is all about?

But what do you think will happen to Sarah Palin?

Go to my BLOG at geraldplessner.com and share your ideas with all our readers. And don’t be nasty! Its been a long and sometimes tedious campaign so let’s have a little fun! I really want to know what you think!And why not share this with your friends?

Palin’s performance in St. Louis (where I grew up within a mile of Washington University), was exceptional, given her background and her previous appearances with Katie Couric and others. Those of us who are elitists (this author included) will see her as the completely uninformed small town mayor and small state governor that she is.

But Americans like her — young parents, Evangelicals, urban small business owners, rural people and hourly workers male and female — will see her as one their own and that includes one heck of a lot of voters, by golly!

And it will also diminish the hesitancy of many blue collar voters across the country and especially in the South, who are not eager to vote for a black man for president, a fact of American life that all Americans should be concerned about.

As for her cute dialect of “you betchas” and “by gollies”, Americans should remember that Strom Thurmond and other politicians of the last decade also talked like hicks and no one made fun of them.

Television is not about content, it is about appearances and in her debate performance Sarah Palin appeared smart and eager, two qualities most Americans admire.

Of course she is not qualified to become president and if, God forbid, a President John McCain should die in office, America and the world would be in even greater peril.

Of course she has little knowledge of how Washington works. Of course she is probably uninformed about anything political beyond the South end of the Trans-Alaska pipeline. And of course she has a lot of ideas about global warming and Evolution that most Americans don’t share.

But one heck of a lot of ordinary Americans like a woman with spunk and that is why Democrats ought to take Sarah Palin more seriously.

P.S. And if she gets elected I may move to Alaska, dadgum it!

Except for the fact that I lost my wife to a stroke a year ago, all-in-all life for me and my family is just fine.

But I wonder just how much of that good life we are going to leave to our grandchildren. Will they enjoy the American dream that you and I have been blessed with? Will they be able to go on to college, university or a first-rate technical education program?

Will our grandchildren be able to find good jobs with rewarding wages and a retirement as safe and secure as we have? What kind of life will their children have and will the world even be livable by the time they retire?

All of these thoughts come to mind because of the current political election which has, regrettably, turned from a road show into a soap opera and now into an embarrassment, one way or another, to every American.

You and I, at our age, have one last chance to turn things around for our grandchildren and it has to do with the 2008 presidential election. We know that most people our age are politically conservative with what are called traditional values. We also know that people like you and me have tended to vote Republican since the election of Ronald Reagan. But times have changed — quite drastically — and the Republican Party of today, despite what it’s leaders or candidates tell you, is not the party you joined when you were a “Reagan Democrat” or “Reagan Republican”.

I was a Republican long before that. My great-grandmother Flora, who cared for me when I was a toddler, was a Teddy Roosevelt Republican. Great-grandma Flora lost her husband Hermann to Influenza in 1889. He fought for the Union in the Civil War and they were both members of the original Republican Party, the one that elected Abraham Lincoln!

My grandfather Edward was a Republican patronage employee in St. Louis, Missouri, where I was born, and my mom and dad were both registered Republicans. I actually voted for Barry Goldwater for president and I’ll bet many of you did the same thing!

But things have changed since then and especially the Republican Party.

Republicans have always tended to be fiscal conservatives and small business people, but today’s Republican party is more reckless than Democrats ever were when it comes to money. Just look at the huge debt they are creating day by day!

And Republicans have done everything they can to kill small business. If you don’t believe that just look around your neighborhood for an independent drug store, filling station or grocery market.

Republicans were always more interested in solving domestic problems, but today’s Republican politicians are much more interested in being imperialists, sticking our nose in other country’s affairs and helping international businesses get bigger, ultimately at our citizens’ expense. Have you checked how much more it costs to fill up your automobile when you want to visit your grandchildren? I have!

And worst of all (in my opinion) the Republican Party is being run by a class of professionals who can only be called political criminals. Just look at their lying television commercials, their organization that is run by a majority of Washington lobbyists and the McCain campaign manager who is a registered lobbyist for the nation of Georgia!

In addition, the same neo-conservative operators who got us into an unjustified war on Iraq are John McCain’s best friends and advisors on international and military affairs!

I have believed for some time that American conservatism was on a losing slide to the dustbin of history. After what has happened in recent weeks,I’ve decided that John McCain’s choice of a modestly experienced, small state governor as his vice presidential candidate is the conclusive evidence of conservatism and the Republican Party’s disintegration. I believe the Republican Party — the one that played such a big role in my family’s life — is lost for all time and that is why you and I, while mourning our loss, must vote for Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

For America’s sake and for our grandchildren’s future, I hope you agree.

Sincerely,

Gerald Plessner

The real reason for Russia’s attacks on Georgia is to respond to the Bush administration’s provocative installation of ballistic missiles in Poland, which is right next door to Russia.

The United States says the rockets are a defense against an Iranian attack on Europe but the Russians don’t believe that. They see the missiles as a danger to their own country, upsetting the previous balance of power.

Remember the Cuban Missile Crisis? The United States made Russian Communist ships carrying missiles to Cuba turn around and go home. Every nation has a right to protect itself and bigger nations have a right to a sphere of protection and influence around them. This concept is even included in our Monroe Doctrine which defines our rights and responsibilities in diplomacy and on the high seas.

The fact is that the Bush administration’s initiative to locate anti-ballistic missiles in Poland without considering Russia’s interests was another example of its incompetence and its neo-conservative ideology, which is based upon the belief that America has the right to rule the world as the dominant imperial power of the 21^st century. (I am not making this up!)

The United States began negotiations with Poland at a time when Russia was weak, suffering from an unstable economy and angry that the United States and other European countries broke up the former Yugoslavia to create the predominately Muslim state of Macedonia.

The United States and the other nations disregarded the concerns of Russia, which had a long-standing friendship with the former Yugoslavia.

To presume that Russia would remain weak, or that it might not do something in the future to get even, was also foolish.

But the Russians now have the upper hand with the United States having committed the majority of its military resources in Afghanistan and Iraq, and with the price of oil ravaging our economy.

The Russians are now speaking and acting aggressively to defend their interests and in this situation they are acting fully within their rights.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gerald Plessner is a Southern California businessman who writes regularly on the subjects of politics and culture. He would be pleased to have your comments at gerald@graldplessner.com.