TeaPublicans Vs. The First Amendment

During the public discussion that resulted in the Constitution replacing the failed Articles of Confederation, there arose two contradictory views of the role of that Constitution. Simply put, the question was "Should the document detail what the federal government can do or detail what it can't. The body of the Constitution conforms to the first principle: it delineates what the powers of government are. The first ten Amendments (aka The Bill of Rights) conforms to the second principle by detailing the limits on government power.

The first of those amendments reads:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Last week, Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) banned citizens from recording his remarks at a constituent meeting. Now, mind you, local media were allowed to record his remarks while actual constituents were not allowed. This type of action exemplifies the arrogance and ignorance that seems to typify our new TeaPublican Party. These are the same folks who whine about being "silenced and intimidated" by the so called "Librul" media when they are being promoted by the 24/7 right-wing propaganda outlet know as Faux News, where contrary opinions are routinely silenced when not being ridiculed. Or, as in the case of Chabot, having a local talk radio host keeping the "Libruls" in their place.

Why are religion, press, speech and the right to assemble peacefully all in the same amendment? Because they all have something to do with the an individual's right to free expression in the face of government power. An example of First Amendment in action might be recording the words of a Congressperson spoken at a public meeting on public property. So, while it may be a bit of stretch, Chabot, patriotic American that he claims to be, does not feel obligated recognize the "marketplace of ideas" that the First Amendment defines. Our Faux News Teapublicans deny the spirit (if not the letter) of the First Amendment with impunity. Lenin, Trotsky, and Goebbels would feel right at home with the Chabots of this world: Free speech for me but not for thee.

I Like Burnt Edges

The other night is saw a television advertizement for microwavable frozen lasagne that used the tag line "And no burnt edges." Why no burnt edges? And anyway,
I like the burnt edges. That's the crispy part that has texture to contrast with the soft noodles and cheese. Now I don't mean something totally burnt beyond recognition, but a burnt edge is the evidence of real heat, not simply molecules moving very fast.

This is what lasagne is supposed to look like. Not mine, unfortunately.

The advertizement I saw was in Food Network"s Restaurant Impossible, that included a scene in which Chef Robert Irvine was shouting "Presentation, presentation, presentation as the revamped restaurant was about to reopen. Given the look of the previously served food, there is not doubt the new dishes looked better, but the presentation was the last criteria, not the first.

Now I understand that there is a relationship between the look of dish and all it's other components. It is the totality of the dish that is important to the experience of dining. At the same time, for some of us, and for some times all of us, we just want to eat something regardless of how it looks. That's called hunger. Many people world-wide would settle for the sustenance, burnt edges and all. I don't need for food to look perfect. Food just needs to satisfy our basic nutritional needs. Everything after that, if you excuse me, is gravy.

For those interested, you can check out my recipe page. And don't worry about burning the edges.

Hiding in Plain Sight

Last week and this weekend have been strange for us in New Orleans. We live anxiously through hurricane season (and the upcoming anniversary of "the Storm" known elsewhere as Katrina). Over the past week, we have been innocent bystanders as the East Coast experienced first an discernible earthquake and then Irene's rain and wind. We are are thankful that the the loss of lives was minimal although property damage may reach into the billions.

What was not unexpected has been the reaction of various TeaPublican politicians who have managed to take two diametrically opposed positions on paying for disaster relief. One one hand, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Another Planet) maintains that any disaster relief must be offset by spending cuts elsewhere. I am sure his constituents are pleased that their representative is willing to maintain his ideological purity at the expense of helping to pay for the damage to their homes and communities. As Cedric Richmond (D-New Orleans and my congress critter) maintained, if NOLA had to wait for spending offsets in the wake of Katrina, we would still be waiting for federal relief. He called Cantor's comment, "Sinful."

On the other hand, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) has called for passage of a bill that has $1 billion in additional disaster funding for FEMA. Rogers blames the shortfall on, who else, President Obama, "who has ignored the obvious funding needs of the Disaster Relief Fund, purposefully and irresponsibly underfunding the account and putting families and communities who have suffered from terrible disasters on the back burner." Chair Rogers seems to have forgotten (or chose to ignore) that these cuts were proposed and approved by his committee.

So our TeaPublican brethren have suggested that, at the same time, (1) we shouldn't fund disaster relief without cutting other unnamed programs in the federal budget and (2) it's Obama's fault that the House-passed Continuing Resolution cut funds for disaster relief, so we should just appropriate more money. If you can reconcile these two positions, be my guest. My take is that these people are so fueled by hatred of the liberal traditions of U.S. governance, that they will do and say anything to destroy our Social Compact. These people are true enemies of "We the People," and they are right there in front of us everyday, hiding in plain sight.

Karl Marx Was Right

Karl Marx was a philosopher with interests, among others, in the relationship between money (Capital) and the workers that produce that capital (Labor), not the guy responsible for the all those governments that US media refers to as "Marxist regimes." One of his concerns involved how those whose work creates capital rationalize their relationship with the owners of the means of production.

For Karl Marx, this is the beginning of the revolutionary process: simply put, when workers understand how they are being screwed by the bosses, they will do something about it. Before Labor reaches this point of self-awareness, they exhibit what Marx termed "false consciousness." In this state, workers accept their oppression because they believe the Capitalist system itself is the natural order of things: Rich folks running things and workers working for them. The few who successfully negotiate the transition from laborer to capitalist are proof of the correctness of that natural order. In the 20th century, European philosophers modified Marx's original thesis under the rubric "hegemony," but it still works basically the same way.

The Tea Party is not spontaneous eruption of middle and working class desires, but rather a co-optation of legitimate concerns (such as, the economic disaster of Bush II) and illegitimate concerns (such as the racist objections to "one of them" in the White House) by well-funded elites in DC and Wall Street. Freedom Works and other such organizations offer to the disaffected simple solutions that avoid confrontation with the true nature of their oppression. It's the Wizard of Oz come to life, where Tea Party anger deflects attention away from the men behind the curtains. The greatest obstacle to a solution to our current economic mess is that those affected have confused who are their advocates. Tea Partiers direct their anger at those who really do have an interest in fair and equitable solutions to our problems (Democrats, unions, liberals) rather than at those who use false enemies (such as the debt and deficit spending in a recession) to deflect attention from those who want to continue the skewed transfer of wealth from the workers to the capitalists. It's enough to make me believe that, in this instance, Marx was right. And so was PT Barnum.

Respectful Disagreements Are Possible

This morning I learned that John Keshishoglou had passed away. John taught forever at Ithaca College and was the founding dean of the School of Communications. He was a noted scholar and consultant in the field of international communication. He was also an outspoken conservative among the relatively liberal faculty across the School.

I met him when I was hired at Ithaca College in 1985. By then he was the senior media faculty member and saw himself as mentor to us all. I arrived at IC from the University of Maine and I dressed the part, complete with flannel shirts and jeans before Grunge made them fashionable. He took me aside for a quite chat in order to tell me that I did not dress as college professor should. He even offered me some of his old three-piece suits to upgrade my wardrobe. I politely declined and that became the basis of our relationship over the ten years I was at IC.

As for the title of this post, John was not shy about his political priorities. His office was filled with pictures of various conservative icons, often with John in the photo shaking hands or whatever. John was, however, old school when it came to politic discussion. Respectful disagreement was the rule. He was more interested in whether you were a good teacher and supported the mission of the School. He expected you to be articulate in defending your politics. His closest colleague on faculty was the most progressive.

This was the marketplace of ideas writ large. It is possible to have respectful disagreements in political matters, a notion seemingly lost in the Foxification of our political discourse. I disagreed with John often, but I respected his willingness to engage in the discussion as a reasonable, rational adult. Our current politics would clearly benefit from more folks like Kesh and fewer like Rush and O'Reilly.

Rest in Peace, John, and may your name be a blessing.

Walk A Mile In Their Shoes

I recently started a new job now that I am retired (welcome to the new definition of retirement according conniving financial managers and the TeaPublican Party). I can walk to work from my house even though the morning temperatures in New Orleans this time of year make that a very sweaty proposition. As I am walking and perspiring, I pass by a home for homeless men. They are already sitting outside off the parking lot in the heat, looking somewhat like a refugee camp. I am also not that far from the New Orleans Mission, that serves meals for many homeless, some of whom "live" under the 190 BR overpass that goes to the Mississippi River Bridge.

Picking up on yesterday's theme, I wonder what would John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Mitch McConnell or any of the other TeaPublican leadership would do or say if they landed at the homeless shelter in some Twilight Zone/Scrooge reversal. Can you imagine the screams of anguish that would erupt from their lips, the claims of how unfair this was, and how they did not deserve their fate? And why doesn't someone do something to help them? Much of the current DC leadership (and the leadership in many states) are insulated from the consequences of their actions, so they never see the damage to individuals caused by their irrational belief in a social philosophy based on greed and self-interest. Our Constitution begins with the words "We the People" with no exclusions. Maybe our political leaders and their advisers need to walk a mile in the shoes of the homeless and destitute, the hungry and the weary, and start doing their job for "We the People," and not just for their Randian overlords. And then pigs will fly.

Living in Alternate Realities

The late science fiction writer Roger Zelazny created a series of novels about Amber, which is true reality. Our earthly human reality is simply a parallel reality. The author posited that when we lose something in our reality, it is simply that someone in Amber needed it and took to the true reality. Sometimes they even returned it, that's when you find what you thought you lost.

When I see Congressional Republicans pushing a Balanced Budget Amendment while denying an extension of payroll tax relief, as they did yesterday, I have to assume that I do not live in the same reality as these folks. They campaigned in 2010 on working to fix the economy and to create jobs. Since taking control of the House (and through their intransigence, the entire legislative process), they have done nothing but make things worse. The GOP has one mode of operation now: give us what we want or we will through sand in the gears of government. They are not legislators, they are terrorists.

I can only conclude that we live in alternate realities. Where I live, real people suffer as a consequence of the GOP's actions. Where the GOP live is in Ayn Rand's fantasy world where the individual matters more than the community. Poll after poll shows the majority of Americans oppose most of the Republican agenda, yet GOP leaders claim a mandate for their "help the rich so they might help the rest of us" policies. Real people don't mean much when you bask in the light of ideological purity. Sounds kinda Soviet to me.

Why Does Anyone Pay To See Preseason Football?

When I was a youngster, the professional football (US) preseason began with something called, I think, the College All-Star Game. It took place at Soldier Field in Chicago usually toward the end of August (NFL seasons were shorter then and began later in September than today). The game matched a team of College All-Stars (most of whom were signed to play with an NFL team once this exercise was over) against the previous year's NFL champion (very pre-Super Bowl). The games were usually mediocre and served simply to introduce the new class of NFL players to the fans. That is, until 1976, when a ferocious thunderstorm cut the game short. Although the game was never played again, it still personifies all that is wrong about preseason football: NFL regulars just getting into playing shape, rookies playing essentially as a pick-up team, and not much more. But one big difference: the College All-Star Game was played for The Chicago Charities. So, however the game played out, there was a good cause to support. Today, preseason NFL football is a profit-center for the owners. Fans are subjected to high-priced games played, for the most part, by low priced players trying to make the team. A few series of downs with the first team and then clear the bench. These guys may be playing football, but not NFL caliber and you pay NFL caliber prices, often blackmailed by the owners who force season ticket holders to buy tickets to these meaningless, boring, mistake-filled games. I guess P.T. Barnum was right about suckers being born every minute.

Sanity And Reason On The Outdoor Sports Page

I live in Louisiana where people take their hunting and fishing very seriously, more seriously than I do. I do read the sports pages and down here I ran into a fascinating dynamic. Without a doubt, the most reasoned and evidence-based criticism of Republican attacks on enlightened environmental policy (and global warming in specific) comes from the Outdoor Sports columnist for the Times-Picayune. Check out this column by Bob Marshall. My fears for this country are magnified when I realize that his audience is comprised of outdoor sports enthusiasts, not left-wing radicals. It's not a stretch to imagine a few subscribers to Tea Party mania among his readers. Will they listen to an expert with no Liberal/Satanist axe to grind? My take is that they will dismiss his arguments by repeating facile Fox News/Tea Party talking points. How can we all have a serious discussion about these issues when one party won't even listen to some one who speaks the language.

My fears grow daily.

Why I Changed My User Name For This Blog

When I started this blog all those many days ago (four, I think), I had the username "nolaguy." I was just playing with the idea of doing this and entered that username in the form for Blogger not realizing that that name would be the name on the blog. It's not a bad username. I was surprised actually that no one had already taken it in the Blogspot universe.

Then I thought, "I have lived here less than a year, so it is pretty arrogant to call myself be a name that implies long term residence." So I thought a bit and then chose "enolaguy." This was a multiple pun, most evidently referring to the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. And, of course, referring to "nolaguy."

After a day, this didn't sit right with me. Punning on the death of many people just wasn't funny. I also decided that this blog is about me (no kidding!) so I should be identified. The days of pseudonymous blogs is over. We are not writing the Federalist Papers or marxist/fascist radical tracts. So I am who I am, Jonathan David Tankel, and I take full responsibility for what is written here. It is important to understand the consequences of taking on a name. Just ask the Teabaggers, oops, Tea Party, if you know what I mean.

You Can Make The World's Best Ice Cream

Growing up in New Jersey, I never had "homemade" ice cream, except for a few disasters at picnics, with the old hand-cranked machines with the rock salt. For me, ice cream came from the truck that came down the street in the summer, the Carvel on River Road and my folk's freezer. Over the years, machines to make ice cream have become more convenient, especially with the canisters that freeze and the use of electricity to move the beater. Store-bought ice cream has also come a long way, with premium brands aplenty. Homemade, however, still seemed not worth the trouble, coming out too hard or too soft, filled with ice crystals, and other stuff that still made it not worth my time.

That has all changed with Jeni Britton Bauer's incredible technique to make homemade ice cream a heavenly treat. With some work (it takes three bowls and a little dexterity), you can wow your friends and family and make your tummy happy. Trust me, it works. Ingredients are supermarket friendly (at least the ice cream base is). Here is her recipe for the Darkest Chocolate Ice Cream In The World. And it's no lie. Can't wait to make the Roasted Pistachio.

The real American Idol

About ten years ago, a dear friend convinced me to get off my ass and get out and play my music. With him. So, as part of a duo (with our voices, guitars, harmonica, and a few other instruments over the years) I began playing. Mostly we did an Open Mike Night at Mad Anthony's Brewery in Fort Wayne, IN. That's where I learned where the real American Idol happens.  No Simon or Steve, no Paula or Jennifer.  No voting. Just folks playing for folks.  The audience usually doesn't even know that they will have music with their drinks and food and often talk louder to hear themselves.  Often, most of the audience consists of the other folks who came to play. What really sets this apart from American Idol is the sense of community.  Anyone who has the guts to get up and perform deserves the applause.  It really doesn't matter who "wins" and we all appreciate the efforts.  It's not perfect and sometime it can be downright painful.  It's the joy of performing we all share that creates a bond.  We may not end up on a big stage, but we are the real American Idol.  Here's a link to my web site where I have some Open Mike Night performances from the Rusty Nail here in New Orleans, complete with crowd noise galore.

Can A Yankee Make Gumbo?

Last night I made Chicken and Sausage Gumbo for dinner. Made the stock from chicken wing tips, chicken backbones (cut from whole chickens that were headed for the grill) and whatever was on the bottom of the vegetable drawer.  I stood and stirred the roux till it was a chestnut brown.  Added the stock and already-grill/smoked chicken, parsley from the garden and the ubiquitous bay leaf.  Cooked for a good two hours, thickened up just right.  Served over rice with some green onions.  That's it.  But did I make real gumbo? Do you have to be raised in the food culture of the dish you are preparing for it to be authentic? I make a chicken soup that would be considered European Jewish that is as different from Campbell's as it is different from Pho Ga. But they are all chicken soup, even last night's gumbo. The basic ingredients are the same: chicken, water, celery plus whatever. The cooking techniques themselves (roux or not, dill or parsley or both) and the resulting taste(s) are culturally bounded, but anyone can partake of the dish and enjoy. So, I don't know if someone from Lafayette would call what I made "gumbo," but it sure tasted good.

Living in Jindalland

When I moved from Indiana to New Orleans, I was prepared for the changes that would bring.  Heat and humidity all year round, jazz funerals, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, the Saints, you know the drill. Politically, I was moving from the heart of a Red State (which voted for Obama in 2008) to one of the reddest states in the land.  What I didn't really get was how I exchanged one conservative governor who, as W's budget director, helped lead us to our financial nightmare to a more conservative governor (depending on who he is talking to) who wants to take us even further down that road.  And why?  So he can be reelected.  Our Bobby Jindal personifies the 21st Century GOP:  party over nation, personal advancement over public service and a total unwillingness to understand the consequences of his actions. Jindal focuses on creationism, abortion restrictions, voter fraud and anything that will appeal to the ignorant and the frightened, while Louisiana needs education, jobs and leadership.  The only job Jindal is interested in his own, and, god-forbid, national office.  Where are the voices of reason and light? Not in Baton Rouge, that's for sure.

Starting From Scratch

There are so many folks out there blogging away like mad that I must be mad myself to start one now.  I guess if I was intending to get rich and famous, that train left the station a long time ago.  This blog is place for me, an old retired college professor, to rant and rave and advice and moan and comment on all those things that run through my head.  Politics, sports, music, food, history and whatever else strikes my fancy. That's what this blog will be about and I hope you will join me on occasion to read what I have to say and to respond.  Just like in the old days when we actually conversed with one another.  I don't really have much expectation, but you folks can make a believer out of me. Come back soon and you will be surprised.