Lincoln vs the Tea Party

CAN'T BUY ME LOVE . . .

For weeks, if not months, the media have been harping on the drubbing the Dems are about to get in the mid-term elections. The drumbeat has been incessant. Strange how tribal the world's leading democracy can be?

So, what's a liberal to do? First, stay in touch with your inner Stewart and Colbert. Let's rework Freud's formulation, of Ego, Super-ego and Id. Stewart is our Id - trashing anyone who leaves themselves vulnerable with the abandon of a three-year-old on sugar. Colbert is our Super-ego - the know-it-all confidence of Beck and UnRuly (aka O'Reilly) rolled into one.

So who is the Ego? How about Obama - as in cool, no-drama, no-panic, do-what's-right Obama. If you don't want to wait up for the live shows at 11pm on Comedy Central, catch the reruns at 7 pm the next day, or watch it online, and be sure to stay tuned to CC for coverage of the "Rally to Restore Sanity" today. As for sanity, mine's already restored.

There's great material to review from their shows this last week, with Stewart taping in Washington. There was a break a week back while the teams got ready for this week and the rally, but the week before that also had some gems. (Here are the links again: Stewart and Colbert)

Right now, have a look at Garry Wills on Colbert - spiking the Tea Party on the issue of racism. As Wills says, "Of course!"

The last few national elections have been interesting tests of Lincoln's wisdom, that you can "fool some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time." In 2006, Rove's playbook of banning abortion and gay-bashing to get out the conservative vote was drubbed by the collective wisdom of the people, returning Democratic majorities to the House and Senate, with Bush still in office. So how will it go this time?

First, Tea Party Darling O'Donnell appears to have saved Biden's old Delaware senate seat for the Democrats - which you might call "magic"? No? And then there are fine women stepping up for the Republicans all over the place, causing the media to carp that the Dems are not empowering women in their own ranks. Spare me, ok, the Dems women are already in office, on the job, or had the job. (How about Clinton, Boxer, Feinstein and Albright?) Fresh faces are fine, but beauty is skin deep!

But let's be serious about this now (even if it really is serious all the time). California is providing an interesting lesson regarding the future of the Republican Party. Two substantial Republican women are running for major office in the nation's bell-weather state - Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina. Surely this is the next wave, and the country should be ready? California is historically a Dem supporting state, but has elected Republicans like Reagan and Schwartzenager, and if ever there was a time to defeat Democrats because of the economy, you would think it would be now. Both the current candidates have run well-funded and well-presented campaigns, but both are lagging. Why is that?

I am sure there are many reasons. For one, funding isn't everything. We know of course that politics is big business, and thanks to the recent Supreme Court ruling, Big Business can now spend freely in political campaigns. Further, both these candidates have spent chunks of their own money on their campaigns. If money was everything, they would be winning, no? Then again, not if you believe that silly love song, "Can't buy me love", which seems to have as much wisdom and power as the Biblical Proverbs. (Who would have thought that the Beatles would trump the venerable Supremes?) Politics may be big business, but being big in business does not necessarily qualify you to lead in politics, especially when you try to play the game for the Party of "No!".

The Dems may not be popular, but the Repudicans haven't got a clue. Tea and sandwitches, anyone?

Renovations at JCC

Due to renovation of the JCC auditorium, until further notice, all Saturday WAM services will take place in the Addlestone Library/Celia and Sol Cohen Media Center at AHA.

l'shanah tova

As the time for Rosh HaShanah comes around again, many of us who have not been in shul all year may find ourselves attending services again. Or we may attend a dinner with family or friends to mark the start of another Jewish year. It's a special time for most, for some perhaps, an obligation, borne with a sense of patience and a tinge of guilt, and all-the-while looking forward to "getting it over with".

Even so, there will be things to think about - will the rabbi make a good sermon, or will it be tedious and long like last year? Will the choir sing anything new, and is the chazzan looking at the ladies again? Are the ladies dressed fashionably, with taste or without it? Has Reeva put on weight and has Herb gone gray? Will there be a good crowd and who will stay to the end? Is that a real tan? Are the Steins and the Grossmans still not talking? How many kids does the assistant rabbi have already? What are all these prayers about . . . and who cares about all this stuff anyway?

And later, at dinner - "look at all this FOOD! This is simply too much!"

With all these things to think about, there is at least one further question to consider: can one break through all these distractions and connect with something deeper? Well, it may just be possible. Possible, but still a long shot? Now, I hear some of you saying, "Yes, sir, a very, very long shot." But with a bit of luck, maybe not.

Getting into the zone for prayer and meditation more than likely takes some effort and preparation. Brain plasticity is all very well, but if you haven't been practicing this stuff, it's not going to materialize out of the blue, now is it?

Well, getting it going may not be all that difficult. Firstly, you're doing all that thinking, right? All those thoughts knocking about in your head? You're day-dreaming already, just give your mind some quiet, some space, to think about something. Who has "kept you and sustained you"? Now, or sometime in the past. You don't have to stretch the answer to include G-d from the get-go. But you should be able to fill in some names that begin to answer the question. Who are those who have done something for you, this last week? . . . this month, or this year or way further back? Think this over, and appreciate it. Breath deeply and begin to count your blessings. As you do this, you should begin to feel a little different - that's a start.

Now it is true that you don't have to go to shul to do this, but the Jewish way is to do this communally - it is not good for us to be alone. And don't just consider who has done something for you, but what have you done for someone else? Such reflections may be a way for you to begin to connect with the notions of meditation or prayer, and feelings of gratitude and peace.

Shanah Tovah

___________________

Other sources:

The full blessing of Shehecheyanu : (which can be found in prayer books as part of Kiddush for festivals and Rosh HaShanah)

" . . . who has kept us and sustained us, and brought us to this time."

Turn, turn, turn - wikipedia
(play the song and slide show)

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to build up,a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing

To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time to every purpose, under Heaven

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late