Looking Back

September 4, 2008

Watching the Republican convention last night, with it’s sea of white faces, men all dressed up in suits and ties, older (it seemed) woman with swish clothes, jewelry and puffy hair – and everyone in those cowboy hats; I couldn’t help from thinking that it’s increasingly becoming an anachronism. It’s a party of people completely out of touch with the changing demographics of the country – and more importantly, the world. It continues to be reactionary; with rhetoric continuing to rely on fear-mongering, nationalistic machismo and emphasis on homogeneity.

In just over 30 years, whites will be a minority in this country and the number of Spanish-speaking citizens will make up more than a quarter of the population. For those people embodied by Republicans who feel insulted by Spanish language signs and phone cues and advocate English as the official language; they better be careful what they wish for; the tables could someday be turned and Spanish might be the officially designated tongue. The great Republican re-alignment that was supposed to have taken place broke down with the fear-based immigration reform. Hispanics are now less likely to vote with the GOP and the demographics will only put them further behind.


Unfortunately, the fear and suspicion are completely misplaced, unnecessary and counterproductive. In fact the great strength of the U.S. has been it’s pliability; it’s capacity to absorb and adapt to new people and new influences – not resist them.

The Republicans still see the world in Cold-War terms, celebrating military bravery and national swagger; believing that that U.S. has a monopoly on morality, freedom (and in it’s most dark, recent forms, believes we have the right force our brand down the throats of others). And there is a continuing delusion that we enjoy a quality of life unmatched by other nations.

The truth is, the world is changing dramatically. Global competition is now economic – not military. Globalization is boosting the economic lives of people all over the world and their equality with us will transform our relationships.

9/11 Was Big - This Is Bigger

Washington Post
By David Rothkopf
Sunday, October 5, 2008

"Two September shocks will define the presidency of George W. Bush. Stunningly enough, it already seems clear that the second -- the financial crisis that has only begun to unfold -- may well have far greater and more lasting ramifications than the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001"........ Full Story

The implications of this observation are tremendous; with nothing short of a complete restructuring of the world order and, I'm afraid, some serious 'come to Jesus' reckoning in the U.S. that could likely generate massive social upheavals. Canada is looking better every day!