Where Have You Gone Joe DiMaggio ?

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio,
Our nation turns it's lonely eyes to you.
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson.
Jolting Joe has left and gone away,
Hey hey hey.

Simon and Garfunkel provided the song "Mrs. Robinson" for the 1967 movie The Graduate. Both the movie and the song were immediate hits then and remain popular today. Supposedly Joe DiMaggio was somewhat displeased by his name being included in the lyrics ;but after it was explained that it was not an insult but a compliment, he was satisfied. I think of the song's lyrics today because as I view our current cast of presidential hopefuls, elected congress men and women, senators and various Obama staffers and appointees I too wonder where have all the Joe DiMaggio's gone?

When one considers that the office of President was once held by men like Franklin D. Roosevelt for four terms as he kept this county together during World War II, it is unbelievable to realize that Gov. Rick Perry is a serious candidate. Harry Truman followed Roosevelt and then came Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was the supreme allied commander of WWII, and now we have the likes of Newt the grump & Mitt the flip flopper. John Kennedy may have had his personal flaws but at least he surrounded himself with the best and the brightest this country had to offer. Barrack Obama having promised  and offered so much hope has surrounded himself with far too many that caused our current problems or have done little to solve the problems. What has Atty. General Eric Holder done since becoming Atty. General? Why do we have the likes of Timothy Geithner as Secretary of the Treasury? One of the best and the brightest in the Obama camp was Elizabeth Warren and she was given walking papers at the behest of Geithner.

We have a year to go and our national government is in a state of grid lock. We are still wasting lives and money in the Bush/Cheney/ Rumsfeld mid-east wars. The GOP is protecting their elite job creators who have created jobs overseas at the expense of American workers. Main Street has been ignored because Wall Street and the Big Banks were too big to fail. Unemployment is still too high, foreclosures continue and our national debt is on auto pilot. With so many Republicans having pledged allegiance to Grover Norquist and having turned their backs on doing what is good for the country it is going to be a difficult 2012.  

  

It seems at this time that Joltin' Joe has truly left and gone away. Joe DiMaggio was described by many as a man of grace, pride, dignity and having class. A classy person would probably be discreet, honest and reliable. We would also expect a classy person to be sincere, respectful and trustworthy. No doubt President Obama is a person of class as he displays many of these qualities. Unfortunately for many Republicans it is difficult for them to accept a multi-racial, intelligent Democrat as President even if he displays these qualities. Their stated goal since Obama took office is to see that Obama is a one term president regardless of the collateral damage done to this country and its citizens.

If you happen to watch any of the remaining Republican debates think of Joe DiMaggio as you watch and listen to these Republican hopefuls. Like Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy who were all men of grace, pride, dignity and class try to fit the GOP candidates into this mold. Collectively they are a losing team and individually most lack the qualities one would hope to see in a president. It is remarkable that Michele Bachman sits on the Congressional Intelligence Committee. Yes, you read that correctly. She is a member of the Intelligence Committee. The long serving Governor of Texas, Rick Perry, doesn't know the voting age is eighteen.

If Obama wasn't seeking a second term I don't know who the Democrats would put forth. It seems that rather than raising the  qualifications bar for presidential candidates we have lowered it. We deserve better, we should expect better and we most definitely are in need of better candidates.

"What's Going On ... What's Happening Brother"

Marvin Gaye released this song in 1971 and it is worth listening to. Just Google the song title and you can watch and listen to Marvin sing. It was calming to hear the nine minute version tonight after watching the last Obama/McCain Debate. Considering recent events the song title is very appropriate. However; I would change the wording to "What the Hell is Going On / Just What the Hell is Happening".

The daily events play out like a poorly written mini series. We have President Bush doing his imitation of a ground hog as he steps outside the safety of The White House to tell us the sky is not falling and then quickly run back inside lest he get hit on the head. Yesterday, the stock market was up over 700 points and today it was down over 700. Anderson Cooper continues to identify the Culprits responsible for the Collapse and we have been treated each night to these culprits explaining their innocence or justifying their mega million salaries and bonuses. Watching these crooks is enough to gag a maggot.

In his inaugural Address in 1961 John Kennedy stated, "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." How things have changed. Wall Street Executives and Bank Officials have followed instead the Gordon Gekko business model in that "Greed is Good". Their problem is now our problem and must be fixed with our money not their money. We have a rogues gallery of characters offering and explaining the latest version of the bail out/recovery plan. The problem is that for most middle class Americans we are still not sure exactly who or what is being bailed out. Home buyers can not buy, home sellers can not sell, 401K's are tanking, and cost for the basics is climbing.

The candidates' answer to this mess is to buy our vote. Both Obama and McCain are offering how they would implement the federal bail out plan and what additional perks Americans would receive if one or the other is elected. We are being tempted with Medical Premium help, college tuition assistance, reduced capital gains tax, reduced 401 early withdraw penalty, foreclosure moratorium, and much more. We don't have to ask what our country will do for us -- they are telling us. All we have to do is vote.

Virgil in the Aeneid wrote "Do not trust the horse, Trojans. Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks even when they bear gifts." Of course many of us know the story. The Trojans accepted the gift not knowing that Greek soldiers where hidden inside the huge horse. Under cover of night the Greek soldiers exited the horse and opened the gates of Troy to the Greek Army. Troy was defeated.

We must be wary of the candidates, all politicians, anyone connected with the U.S.Treasury and the Federal Reserve and of course anyone speaking for the current administration. Even bearing gifts these characters are not to be trusted. The gifts being offered come with a price tag. We have been spending money lavishly, foolishly,and carelessly both domestically and on misguided foreign ventures for too long. The result is that we are billions, if not trillions, in debt. Maybe it is time to ask what all of us we can do for our country. And the first group that should respond to this question are those who have profited the most. Wall Street and Bank Executives are you listening?

What's going on ... What has happened here? Who can we trust?

The "PLAN" ........

In September was the Plan.

- And then came the Assumptions.

- And the Assumptions were without form.

- And the Plan was without substance.

- And darkness was upon the face of the citizens.

- And they spoke among themselves, saying, "It is a crock of sh-t, and it stinkith"

- And the citizens went unto their Congressmen and said, "It is a pail of dung, and we cannot abide the smell."

- And the Congressmen went unto their Leaders, saying "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it."

- And the Leaders went unto their Senate, saying, "It is a vessel of fertilizer and none may abide its strength."

- And the Senate spoke among themselves, saying to one another, "It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."

- And the Senate went to the Candidates, saying unto them, "It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."

- And the Candidates went to the President, saying unto him, "This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigor of the company with powerful effects"

- And the President looked upon the Plan and saw that it was good.

- And the Plan became Policy.

- And that, my friends, is how sh-t happens.