Some folks from out of state have asked "What is wrong with you people in Iowa?" How can you support (Bachmann/Cain/Gingerich/Romney) in other words, take your pick of which ever character you want. So I need to explain, that while Iowa is fairly evenly balanced between registered Republicans and Democrats, the pollsters are only asking registered Republicans who say they plan to attend the caucus. They aren't asking independents, Democrats or even Republicans who don't think they will make it to the caucus what they think.
While the caucuses are touted as examples of participatory democracy, the way they are held make them rather undemocratic. For example, the caucus usually starts at 7:00 pm. If you have to work you can't be there. If your kid has a basketball game or a wrestling match, you might choose to go to that instead. It isn't like a primary where the polls are open from 7 am to 8 pm and you can stop in before or after work and in a small town, be in and out in 15-20 minutes. On the other hand the caucus is going to take at least an hour and more likely 2 to 3 hours.
This means the most devoted (rabid? fanatic?) folks go to the caucus. It will be the true believers who bother to go out on what can be a cold, snowy miserable night, when it might be more tempting to stay home and this year, watch the Sugar Bowl. In the case of Iowa these true believers are among the most conservative of Republicans. While I can't hope to explain why they are thinking the way they do, there does seem to be a rabid fear of President Obama and his policies. This seems to have more to do with what he represents than with most of his policies.
What does he represent? President Obama represents multiculturalism (I discovered this is a bad word in some circles)globalization, the immigrants moving to Iowa from Mexico, Central America, Sudan, Serbia, and other places, and in general, change. These changes seem to be coming faster and faster, which causes much of the fear.
When hearing from some of these folks I hear them say they want to see "traditional values restored," and they want to choose someone who can beat President Obama. The latest poll in the Des Moines Register asked if they thought this was a year "a core conservative can win, or will it take someone more moderate." The majority of folks said they think a core conservative could win. So it seems while Romney and Huntsman more or less ignore the state, the rest clamor to be the most conservative and talk the toughest. Another way of saying this is that there aren't many moderate Republicans left in Iowa and the few that exist won't be playing a big role in the caucus.
In the past couple of months we saw an infatuation with Perry, a lusting after Bachmann, an interest in Cain, and now Newt Gingrich. Success in the Iowa caucus depends a lot on organization and in getting your supporters to the gathering. From what I understand Cain and Gingrich don't have that strong of organization in spite of their poll numbers. Ron Paul probably has the most devoted followers and a decent organization so he may do better than people expect. The other dark horse is Santorum who has people organizing in every county, plus he is spending a lot of time in the state. Romney is still a Mormon which, like it or not, disqualifies him for many of those Republican caucus goers. And Newt, well, he is going to have a hard time explaining his marriages and his lobbying. Plus, I like to think the true believers are principled enough that they won't be able to overlook Gringrich's foibles.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 06, 2011
Mark Twain and Tom Sawyer
I was asked to write something to go in the program for the school play, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
This is what I wrote
“My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.” Mark Twain
Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain (1835-1910), lived during the formative years of the United States. During his lifetime the country expanded, industrialized, fought a war with Mexico, suffered through a Civil War, ended slavery, and forced Native Americans onto reservations. After war with Spain, Twain saw his country on the verge of becoming a world power. Twain’s interest in technology, history, politics, religion and culture, coupled with his powers of observation, sense of humor and numerous writings, make him one of the first major popular culture figures in the country. Twain carried on an extensive speaking schedule often because he needed the money. In doing so he paved the way for today’s stand-up comedians and social satirists such as Jon Stewart and Stephan Colbert.
In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain presents what many might idealize as a typical small town in the American Midwest. St. Petersburg, Missouri provides the setting for the antics of Tom, Huck, Joe and the other children. It is easy to remember Tom’s strategy to get the fence painted or his sneaking in to watch his own funeral. You might even remember the murder in the cemetery or Tom and Huck’s fear of Injun Joe, but with the word “adventure” in the title, there has to be some action and drama to provide a bit of suspense.
This is where the book takes on a deeper meaning. When the politicians traversing our state tell us they will return the country to traditional American values it is easy to think of the innocence of Tom’s infatuation with Becky, the love of Aunt Polly, and the protective father, Judge Thatcher. It is more difficult to remember the darker side of American history. In Tom Sawyer we see the social exclusion and animosity expressed towards Native Americans in the person of Injun Joe, slavery, the alcoholism of several characters and the benign neglect of a child such as Huck Finn. Twain’s observation, “We have the best government that money can buy,” or that “There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress,” speak for themselves. Not all that much has changed. The past is not as neat and tidy as we usually want to remember.
After writing Tom Sawyer, Twain went on to write the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper, Innocents Abroad, plus many essays and articles. Twain was not reluctant to share his views on the social issues of his time, nor was he afraid of changing his mind, as he did with his views of Native Americans and the issue of imperialism. After supporting American expansion, Twain became an active anti-Imperialist, arguing the colonization of the Philippines violated American values. Accused by his critics of being un-American, Twain provided his definition of a patriot as, “Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.” It is a definition worth remembering.
Some of Twain’s more controversial writings, primarily those relating to religion were not published until after his death. The best-known of these is “The War Prayer,” where Twain presents a stinging critique of the American church’s willingness to bless violence and militarism, in the name of the Lord. Twain’s comment “It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand,” sum up the contradictions of Christianity in America. “Turn the other cheek, or give your coat to the man who has none,” are rather plain statements, easy to understand but hard to practice. Instead we distract ourselves as we prefer to argue and fuss about issues which require no change in behavior or attitude.
In Tom Sawyer, Twain celebrates youth, optimism, and orneriness, characteristics which might also be used to describe the United States. Twain also presents the darker side of human nature, and with it, the darker side of United States history, contradictions we live and deal with today.
Marcus Miller
This is what I wrote
“My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.” Mark Twain
Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain (1835-1910), lived during the formative years of the United States. During his lifetime the country expanded, industrialized, fought a war with Mexico, suffered through a Civil War, ended slavery, and forced Native Americans onto reservations. After war with Spain, Twain saw his country on the verge of becoming a world power. Twain’s interest in technology, history, politics, religion and culture, coupled with his powers of observation, sense of humor and numerous writings, make him one of the first major popular culture figures in the country. Twain carried on an extensive speaking schedule often because he needed the money. In doing so he paved the way for today’s stand-up comedians and social satirists such as Jon Stewart and Stephan Colbert.
In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain presents what many might idealize as a typical small town in the American Midwest. St. Petersburg, Missouri provides the setting for the antics of Tom, Huck, Joe and the other children. It is easy to remember Tom’s strategy to get the fence painted or his sneaking in to watch his own funeral. You might even remember the murder in the cemetery or Tom and Huck’s fear of Injun Joe, but with the word “adventure” in the title, there has to be some action and drama to provide a bit of suspense.
This is where the book takes on a deeper meaning. When the politicians traversing our state tell us they will return the country to traditional American values it is easy to think of the innocence of Tom’s infatuation with Becky, the love of Aunt Polly, and the protective father, Judge Thatcher. It is more difficult to remember the darker side of American history. In Tom Sawyer we see the social exclusion and animosity expressed towards Native Americans in the person of Injun Joe, slavery, the alcoholism of several characters and the benign neglect of a child such as Huck Finn. Twain’s observation, “We have the best government that money can buy,” or that “There is no distinctly American criminal class - except Congress,” speak for themselves. Not all that much has changed. The past is not as neat and tidy as we usually want to remember.
After writing Tom Sawyer, Twain went on to write the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper, Innocents Abroad, plus many essays and articles. Twain was not reluctant to share his views on the social issues of his time, nor was he afraid of changing his mind, as he did with his views of Native Americans and the issue of imperialism. After supporting American expansion, Twain became an active anti-Imperialist, arguing the colonization of the Philippines violated American values. Accused by his critics of being un-American, Twain provided his definition of a patriot as, “Patriot: the person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about.” It is a definition worth remembering.
Some of Twain’s more controversial writings, primarily those relating to religion were not published until after his death. The best-known of these is “The War Prayer,” where Twain presents a stinging critique of the American church’s willingness to bless violence and militarism, in the name of the Lord. Twain’s comment “It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand,” sum up the contradictions of Christianity in America. “Turn the other cheek, or give your coat to the man who has none,” are rather plain statements, easy to understand but hard to practice. Instead we distract ourselves as we prefer to argue and fuss about issues which require no change in behavior or attitude.
In Tom Sawyer, Twain celebrates youth, optimism, and orneriness, characteristics which might also be used to describe the United States. Twain also presents the darker side of human nature, and with it, the darker side of United States history, contradictions we live and deal with today.
Marcus Miller
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