"Nine Nineties in Nine" and Other Things...

Well, the check’s 1040’s in the mail. And, wonder of wonders, I’m getting a refund. This is highly unusual for me, as I’m philosophically opposed to giving the gubmint a free loan. I don’t mind paying my fair share of taxes, far from it. But I always abide by the contract and usually pay the amount owed near the date due and not sooner. I think… no, I’m sure… the reason I overpaid this year is because I hit the ol’ 401k harder than I usually do, and as a result withheld more taxes on my distributions than I should have. The fact that I’m getting a refund complicated the preparation process, which is to say I ran the app three times before I was satisfied I hadn’t made any errors.

{sigh} Dang, but I’m glad that’s done. For another year, anyway.

C-SPAN is in re-runs during the congressional recess, what with no witch hunts committee hearings and the like to broadcast… and that’s not a bad thing, not a bad thing at all. Case in point: Last night The SPAN broadcast a 90 minute “conversation” between Newt Gringrich and Mario Cuomo that happened on February 28^th at NYC’s Cooper Union (two-plus hour Real video here, third item down). The day before the conversation, Mssrs Gingrich and Cuomo published an op-ed in the NY Sun entitled “Come to Cooper Union.” An excerpt:

We believe it is important that the 2008 campaign be different. While the re-creation of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates may be impractical in today's world, there is ample evidence to believe the American people would welcome a return to a more substantive issue-driven dialogue instead of the current banal horserace politics. By comparison to the presidential race of 1860, there are many more vehicles for Americans to not only observe the dialogue but also actually be part of it.

In 2004, the rules governing the general election presidential debates ran a full 32 pages. Lincoln's 1858 letter to Stephen Douglas challenging him to debate contained two sentences. Lincoln's only insistence was "perfect reciprocity, and no more."

Tomorrow evening at the Cooper Union we hope to provide at least one model — there are more — for the kind of discussion needed in 2008.

We're throwing out the current play book and having a 90-minute dialogue about America's future.

Our hope is that this kind of in-depth, unrestricted, but civil conversation will once again become the norm. To that end, we are inviting all the presidential candidates, Democrats and Republicans alike, to come to Cooper Union and to present their vision for America — just as Lincoln and several of his fellow White House aspirants did in 1860.

We believe that the simple act of bringing candidates and their supporters together in the same room will take at least half the poison out of our political system because the candidates would have to be less strident and more persuasive in their presentations. This will require more thought, more creativity, more substance, more solutions — and a whole lot less rhetoric.

Wow. WHAT a concept, especially the thought contained in the last paragraph! If I was forced to name the single most important thing needing fixing in our body politic today, it would be to remove the poison. We’re rapidly approaching the point (if not already past it) where BOTH sides absolutely cannot hear what the other is saying, doesn’t want to hear what the other is saying, and spends 90% of its available time playing “gotcha” and demonizing the opposition. And yeah, I’m a “little bit guilty” in this regard, as well, but at the risk of tooting my own horn, I’m less guilty than, say, Ann Coulter or several right-wing bloggers I could (but won’t) name. I’m sure you know who they are.

If you’re thinking I was much more than impressed by Mssrs Gingrich/Cuomo last evening, you’re correct. I hope and pray the other candidates will buy Mssrs Cuomo and Gingrich’s proposal to hold “Nine Nineties in Nine.” Here’s Mr. Gingrich:

If you believe, as I do, that there is an opportunity for a better political dialogue now and in 2008, then I need your help. I issued a challenge at Cooper Union to those who are running for president asking them to take a pledge which can be summarized as follows.

"If I receive my party's nomination for President of the United States, I pledge to participate in nine, ninety-minute dialogues in the nine weeks before the general election with my opponent. In the Lincoln-Douglas style, I will agree to debate my opponent with only a time-keeper, and to insist upon no rules. I understand it will be just me and my solutions and my opponent with theirs."

Tim Russert from Meet the Press stated in the Great Hall at Cooper Union that he would ask every presidential candidate if they would agree to nine ninety-minute debates in nine weeks. I am asking you to do the same. When a candidate asks for your support, ask them if they will take the Nine Nineties in Nine Pledge.

What he said. Rudy Giuliani has taken the pledge. I hope ALL the candidates do so, as well. But I’m pretty pessimistic about the chances of this proposal. It simply makes too much sense, and sound bite politics is much easier than actually engaging your opponent (and the electorate) in meaningful exchanges. But…hope springs eternal. Read more on “Nine Nineties in Nine” here.

Courtesy of Lou…another new milblogger in the Sandbox. I meant to post this yesterday, but was overcome by events too lazy to blog. In any event, it’s better late than never…Desert Flier is written by LT Carl Goforth, a trauma nurse in Ramadi. Drop by his place and wish him well!

Wow… it got pretty danged cold, pretty danged quick, didn’t it? While I’m not freezing or shoveling snow here on the High Plains, my furnace IS getting a minor work out. Doncha love Spring?

Today’s Pic: Yesterday I posted the last group family photo ever taken and noted that SN2 and d-i-l Alisa had two additions to the family since that pic was taken in 1997. Well, here are those two young ladies…grand daughter Ava on the left, Angelina on the right. And let me tell ya…Angelina is a pistol! SN2 and Alisa have their work cut out for them, in spades.

Brunswick, Maine. June, 2006.