So long '08

2008 ends in a few hours.
What a year it has been. I have tried to reflect upon the events in both politics and baseball, but it is impossible to hit everything. I defy anyone to say they had both Barack Obama and the Tampa Rays marked for success in their office pool a year ago.
The names fly by: Barack, Palin, Hillary (and, of course, Bill), Guiliani, Huckebee, Biden, Manny, C.C., Texeria, Madonna (o.k. I will leave her to other blogs, but she is connected to baseball now).
There have been so many laughs and so many outrageous events. Many things changed, yet so many remained the same. The Middle East seems to be on the verge of all out war. Here at home a man walks into a house on Christmas Eve, dressed as Santa no less, and guns down nine people. Popular culture celebrates gratuitous violence and sociopathic behavior. The economy went into a tailspin. Not much to be happy about.
Then there are the things that continue to amaze. First and foremost in my mind is the transition of power we are about to witness. A President will give way to a President of a very different stripe and not a shot will be fired. The American transition of power is unlike any in the world and, even when it is not the one I voted for, always gives me goosebumps when I witness it. We should never underestimate the beauty in the way we do things.
There is the resiliency of the American people. Yes, times are tough, but nobody is panicking. There is a sense that we will get through it. We will.
Baseball will provide more memorable moments. Yes they are paid too much and ticket prices are getting too high, but a backup middle infielder will win a game with a home run and we will remember why we love it.
So while 2008 certainly leaves us with a lot to make us want to curl up in a corner and hide, we won't because we know we will miss something special in 2009.

The Yankees

Yesterday Mark Texeria agreed to a $180 million dollar, 8 year contract with the Yankees. Putting him in the same clubhouse with Alex Rodriguez and C.C. Sabathia, not to mention A.J. Burnett, now means that the guy who guards the clubhouse and protects the players wallets during games has the most dangerous job in the world.
The Yankees were not known to be in the running until about two days ago. Why did they sign Texeria? First, because they can. Second, to make sure Boston did not.
A 28 year old switch hitting, Gold Glove first baseman is something any team can use, so the deal makes sense from a baseball standpoint. The Yankees let Jason Giambi leave, so they needed a first baseman. Texeria and A-Rod make that a truly scary middle part of the order.
While it seems as though this deal continues baseball down the path of the rich getting richer, that does not necessarily mean New Yorkers should make World Series plans. The Yankees had the highest payroll in 2007 and finished third in the East. The team that won their division had a payroll roughly equal to the Yankees bullpen.
Baseball remains a sport where there are truly few individual difference makers. Yes, two nights a week the Yankees will have better pitching with Sabathia and Burnett, but what about the other three nights? Also, I am fairly certain those two will not win every time out. In the case of Burnett it is not even certain he will take the mound for all of his scheduled starts.
Texeria will go oh for four some nights. A-Rod will fail to hit in some games, even some that do not take place in October.
Baseball games are often won by the unexpected: the backup infielder who singles in a run in the 9th, the spot starter who tosses a shutout. Over the course of a season, success depends more on what you do not expect to happen than what you do. Did anyone think the young Tampa Bay Rays would suddenly grow up in 2007? In March did anyone expect Manny to be in a Dodger uniform by August? Did anybody expect the Cubs to collapse at the end...o.k. we all expected that.
Over the course of a 162 game season, it is the unexpected that makes the difference.
Will the Yankees three, four and five starters win enough games to put them in contention? Will Mariano Rivera avoid the aging process for another year? Will someone besides Texeria get a key hit to win a ballgame? That is what will determine the Yankees' success in 2009. Believe it or not, they are still going to play the games.
So, it is easy to assume that the Yankees will win the East but the expectations and the reality may be very different.

Culture of corruption

In 2006 and 2008, the Democrats ran effective campaigns against the "Republican culture of corruption". Now we have the Blago scandal in Illinois, and not a Republican in sight. Republicans are now talking about the Democrats' culture of corruption.
The reality is that the entire political system has become a culture of corruption. Corruption is not limited to Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives. So called conservatives certainly loved their earmarks. So called liberals, espousing their empathy for the common man, certainly did not mind living in high style.
The system has become one of insiders. House and Senate members are regularly re-elected. We hear of so called "safe seats" that the parties do not even bother to contest.
What is more interesting is what happens when an incumbent decides not to run, dies or is forced from office: we see an array of insiders lining up for the seat. In many instances, especially in cases of death or term limits (which I think are one in the same in the minds of some politicians) we get spouses, sons and or daughters as the candidate. Some of these are fine people, and some have actually built a legislative records, but what was really their qualification other than a family name?
If there are no family members, we get the musical chair playing office holders. This has become especially prevalent here in California due to term limits. The view used to be: City Hall to Sacramento to Washington. Now, we have former legislators coming back to run for County Boards, City Council and other former "lesser" offices. Heaven forbid they actually go out and work in private industry.
If the former officeholders don't want the job, then staff members will step up and run. Again, these are people, on both sides of the aisle, who have grown up in government and never worked outside of it. One of my biggest objections to the election of Barack Obama was the fact that I did not see any work in anything other than government. I get worried about people whose entire focus from the moment they got out of school was getting elected.
The pool of applicants for these jobs are shrinking and that is to our detriment. Most people do not have the inside connections to mount a campaign for office. Yes, we have party primaries, but the cigar smoke filled rooms still exist for picking candidates. If you are not a part of the party apparatus, good luck.
Public service is noble, but I do not believe the Founding Fathers intended it to be a permanent career. It may not be the time to pick on Ted Kennedy, but 46 years in the U.S. Senate? The man has really never held any other job in his adult life. How can he possibly have any perspective on the challenges faced by a small business owner? How does he gain any understanding of the concerns of people over crime in the streets? Does he really live under the laws he imposes? Does he gain any understanding of their effect? He, and many like him on both sides of the aisle have lived in a bubble and we are the worse for it.
We are in a time that calls for leadership and innovation. We need new ideas and perspectives. You won't get that with the same people. That is the change we need.

Mamas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys, but a pitcher, that's just fine

In my next life I am going to be a pitcher. I am not asking that I be returned to Earth as a superstar. I don't need to be Nolan Ryan I will settle for Gil Meche.
Who is Gil Meche? Well, he lives in Kansas City and makes $11 million a year. In 2008 he won 14 games, his career average is 12. $11 million a year.
I don't mean to pick on Gil Meche. He is a solid major league starting pitcher. My pitching career ended at age 9 when I gave up a three run homer to the 13th batter in the order, so Gil Meche clearly can do things that I cannot. But, $11 million a year?
This year however, baseball blew the doors off of pitchers' contracts. C.C. Sabathia signs in New York for over $160 million. To keep him company in the high rent district, the Yankees added A.J. Burnett to the tune of $80 million. That is almost a quarter of a billion on the first 2/5 of the rotation. And I thought Congress threw money around!
There are other reasons to be a pitcher. Jamie Moyer just re-signed with the Phillies for two years. O.K. that is not a long commitment, except that Moyer is 46! He has a contract to pitch in the major leagues past the age of 48. He is his own Social Security benefit.
If you are left handed and have gotten a major league batter out in the past 20 years, you will have no trouble finding work. The situational lefthanders (that means they come in to get one batter out, then head for the showers) pull down $3-5 million a year and keep doing it well into their 40s. I think, but I am not certain, that Jesse Orosco finally retired.
People often ask what Babe Ruth would be worth as a player: could he hit as many homers facing modern day pitching? I say the premise of the question is completely off base. Ruth came into baseball as a left-handed pitcher and he was a good one. Today, Babe Ruth would never have been moved off the mound. He would have had a long career as a left handed starter, followed by five or six years out of the bullpen. He would have made hundreds of millions of dollars. If he stayed in the modern American league he never would have swung the bat.
In my next life, give me the ball and let me take the mound.

So you want to be a Senator?

The U.S. Senate has been in the news and not for good reasons. The presidential election and subsequent Obama cabinet appointments have set off struggles to replace Senators in two major states: Illinois and New York. It is no secret that both of these states have previously produced Presidents and that U.S. Senators like to think of themselves as Presidents in waiting. Thus, either of these seats is a real plum.
First, Illinois: I had to take a break from typing to laugh whenever I think about this. The good Governor of Illinois, according to the feds, allegedly was not satisfied with merely finding a suitable replacement for Barack Obama. No, he felt he had a valuable commodity (and let's face it, with the stock market the way it has been, a Senate seat may be a good investment). Allegedly, according to the feds, the gratitude of the President of the United States wasn't going to cut it (would a couple of nights in the Lincoln bedroom have sealed the deal?). The charges further allege that the the Governor was more interested in a new job for himself or his wife.
(Because I have tried to talk about both baseball and politics on this blog, I am always delighted when there is an overlap and, according to the feds, the Governor threatened to stymie the sale of Wrigley Field unless the Tribune Company fired some unfriendly editors and writers. Thank you Governor for tying together the posts on this blog.)
There are allegations of negotiations with at least one potential candidate. The Governor also, allegedly, is heard using language we wouldn't permit in the Illinois schools.
The best part is, he remains in office with the power to appoint the next Senator. By the time you read this he might have done it. I have to think however, that the job would be a little less of a plum. On the other hand, the price has probably gone down.
In New York it is dynasty vs. dynasty. Rumor has it that Caroline Kennedy is interested in the seat. On the other side is Andrew Cuomo, son of the former Governor and a former Clinton Cabinet member. Although I am sure Caroline Kennedy is an intelligent lady and would be dedicated to serving the public, the rational for appointing her seems to be some little known Constitutional requirement that the U.S. Senate always have a Kennedy. Cuomo might have technically fulfilled that requirement, but his divorce from Robert Kennedy's daughter trimmed him off of the family tree. Apparently the Kennedy-Cuomo divorce decree did not specify which side of the family had the rights to any open U.S. Senate seats.
And of course, making the selection is the Governor of New York who took office when the former Governor resigned due to a scandal. My head is starting to hurt...
With great humility therefore, I offer both Governors my recommendations for the U.S. Senate.
For Illinois: Oprah. She is from the state, good on television and known to the public. She has helped the auto industry ("you get a car! you get a car!) and I would love hearing her scream on the Senate floor: "You get a bailout, you get a bailout...".
For New York: Alex Rodriguez. Let's face it, Madonna on the Washington cocktail party circuit would be a kick. Also, Senate business might keep him occupied in October so no more playoff meltdowns. He certainly knows how to handle big money.
Oprah and A-Rod in the U.S. Senate. That's a seat worth paying for.

Why couldn't I pitch like that?

Greg Maddux is set to retire on Monday. Given his last two years it is probably a good idea. While still effective at times, he is no longer the consistent 15-20 game winner of his prime.
Maddux should retire as an inspiration to all of us wanna bees and never weres. He looks like an accountant or a vice principal. His fastball rarely exceeds 85 mph. He doesn't have any colorful characteristics or mannerisms on the mound. He looks like someone they grabbed in the ticket line and handed the ball to.
But he was so much more. 355 wins. Say that again: 355 wins. To get there you have to average 15 wins for 23 years. He did that. He won 4 Cy Young Awards. That the Hall of Fame will call as soon as he is eligible is not in doubt.
No scandals. No angry former trainers talking to the tabloids. Maddux bounced around amongst a few teams (Dodgers, Padres and Cubs) at the end of his career because teams not only wanted him to keep pitching, but also wanted his presence in the clubhouse. He was a mentor and teacher for younger pitchers.
How did he do it? I am not sure. When he joined the Dodgers I tried to figure out how this guy throwing 82 m.p.h. could make hitters look so feeble. He just had the ability to throw the ball exactly where he wanted it and where it either could not be hit, or could not be hit hard. He induced tons of ground balls. He did not put people on base with walks. He simply stymied the opponents' offense. Watching Greg Maddux on his game was like watching a great painter at work (actually I have never watched a great painter at work, so it was just great to watch Greg Maddux at work).
All too often money causes the great ones to hang on too long. Remember the great Steve Carlton pitching middle relief for the White Sox or Willie Mays with the Mets? Well, Maddux was 8-13 this year and his E.R.A. has been creeping up, so now is a good time. Still, with the state of pitching today, Maddux easily could have secured another 5-6 million dollars to pitch in 2009. I am glad he recognized it was time, I did not want to see him mopping up for the Rangers, Nationals or Royals.
Maybe when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame he will tell us how he did it. Until then, we will just have to appreciate how a guy that looked like all of us pitched so much better than all of them.

W

Many Americans are counting the days until George W. Bush leaves office. I have to admit, in some ways it will be a relief. History will ultimately decide where he falls in the pantheon of American Presidents. I suspect the top couple of tiers are out, but I do not buy into the "worst ever" argument.
I voted for George W. Bush twice. I do not regret either vote. I felt George W. Bush was the right man for the time in 2000 and 2004.
Am I disappointed? Sure. I am disappointed at the explosion of government spending in the Bush years. I am shocked that a Republican President with a Republican Congress did not shrink the size of the federal government. I watched in dismay as new entitlement programs were created. All in all, it was not the type of Republican governance I expected. Yes, Congress was out of control, but the President had a veto pen, he just refused to use it. He should have, many times.
The real legacy of George W. Bush however is 9/11 and the aftermath. One thing leaps out to me: America has not been attacked on our shores since 9/11. I do not believe for a moment that there have not been plots, but we have stayed safe. George W. Bush did something right.
Iraq? I believe going in to Iraq was the right thing to do. When the world changed on 9/11, we no longer had the luxury of simply engaging in proportional responses to attacks after the fact. It simply became unacceptable to risk losing thousands of civilian lives, or even an American city.
Much has been said about our "standing in the world" and the need to restore it. I think George W. Bush viewed himself as the American President and was not concerned with whether he was popular in the streets of Paris. In 2004 John Kerry spoke of the "global test" before we protected our interests. George W. Bush looked to protect American interests first and world popularity second. To me, there is nothing wrong with that.
Many on the left also look for sinister motives in things such as the Patriot Act. The blogosphere dreams of some sort of criminal trial of George W. Bush. There have even been books written on that very idea. To those I ask: what would have been the motive? George W. Bush did not enrich himself with the Patriot Act. As his term winds down, he is not trying to take extraordinary powers and stay in office. In his judgment the government needed certain tools to protect the American people. We can debate the value of those tools and the balancing of the freedoms lost, but please spare me the criminal theories or the "spying on innocent" Americans drivel.
Many never viewed George W. Bush as a "legitmate" President. Dad's famous name, Florida 2000 and some even argue Ohio 2004. In the minds of almost half the country, he was not a legitmate President. That is sad. In January a President will be sworn in. I did not vote for him, and in all likelihood will not vote for him in 2012. Still, he is a legitimate President. He is my President just as George W. Bush was my President.
As the end nears, I view George W. Bush as a decent man, who loves his country and tried to do what he thought was best to protect it. Was he always right? No. Still, I think history will be more fair than the passions of the moment.

My favorite team

It's not the Dodgers, although they qualify as my favorite baseball team. It's the Clintons.
Let's go back a ways. 1992 blond bombshell shows up, says she had an affair with the Governor of Arkansas, Hillary jumps to his defense, finishes the New Hampshire primary as the comeback kid.
1998, affair with an intern producing the most memorable sound bite of that Administration ("I did not have..." I think you know the rest). Hillary jumps to his defense ("vast right wing conspiracy"). Stays in office, survives the scandal.
2000, getting ready to move out of the White House, faced with the prospect of losing power, Hillary, with help from Bill wins a Senate seat from New York establishing a new power base.
2008, Hillary loses the Democratic nomination, seemingly ending the Clinton dynasty. Barack Obama now appears to be ready to name her Secretary of State.
Is there anything that can stop these people? They are the indestructible force of American politics. Two Bushes have come and gone, yet the Clintons remain. Al Gore is making movies, yet the Clintons remain. Johnny Carson was hosting the Tonight Show when the Clintons first arrived on the national scene, Conan O'Brien takes over next year, the Clintons outlasted Jay Leno!
I do not agree with a lot of their politics, but I have to hand it to the Clintons: they have an amazing capacity for staying relevant and staying in power. As Secretary of State, Hillary will be on the world stage. Bill will globe trot at her side. They will be in our living rooms for another four years. America's longest running soap opera continues.
Think about it. The Adams' presidencies were 2o years apart. The Roosevelts were gone after twelve plus years. The Clintons have played a leading role in American politics for 16 years and it will be 20 by the next campaign. Also, I don't believe for a moment that Hillary has given up on being President, those "Hillary 2016" bumper stickers are in boxes somewhere.
They are America's longest running drama and possibly its most fascinating. I tip my hat to them.

Bailout

When I was in college I had a part time job. Nothing unusual about that, lots of people do that.
Occasionally I would go out for pizza with some buddies. Inevitably someone would be short on cash and ask me to cover their portion of the bill, usually saying "you have a job, you've got money coming in" as he shoved the last piece of pizza into his perfectly able body.
The proposed bailout of the auto companies feels a little like my college days. I have a job, I have money coming in so hand it over. In this case it is not even to help those who have lost jobs, it is to prevent the loss of jobs in companies that can no longer compete. Worse yet, the money will go to support pension and health benefits guaranteed by these companies to their unions. We, the taxpayers, have money coming in, they don't, so hand it over.
I hope Congress says no, but I fear they won't.
What will happen if there is no bailout? There will not suddenly be hundreds of thousands of people on the streets without jobs. The companies may file for bankruptcy. Through bankruptcy they will reorganize and downsize. They will be relieved of some of the more onerous terms of the contracts the signed with the unions.
Yes, jobs will be lost, but that is a fact of life. I am sorry for the people who will lose their jobs, but the American taxpayer should not become the guarantor of job security in failing industries. People can retrain, or relocate. These are people with skills, and there will always be a market for that.
Will they make the same amount of money and have the same benefits? No, but the American taxpayer cannot become the guarantor of employee wage and benefit levels.
The world is changing. We just elected a President on that very theme. If the world is changing, why are we going to spend billions of dollars trying to keep everything the same? The automobile companies have not changed, their unions have not backed down and now, to quote the President elect's former minister totally out of context: their "chickens are coming home to roost".
The only things for sure in life are death, taxes and the Cubs never winning the World Series. Everything else changes and evolves. Why are we spending billions to try and stop evolution?
Under what circumstances might a loan to the auto industry be acceptable? If it came with a strict requirement that none of the money would go to management or union compensation. If the money was used solely for research and development to design and build cars that people want i.e. fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. Before the money would be doled out, the automakers would have to show a business plan, tell us where they want to go before we invest. Under those limited circumstances I might support a loan to the automakers.
But to just keep doing what they have been doing? Sorry, I'm not going out for that pizza.

Winter Ball

Now that we have gotten through the Election, it is time to focus on what really matters: the winter moves of our favorite teams.
Here in LA the big story is Manny Ramirez. Will he be back? It is not looking good. The Dodgers made a two year offer, but Manny's agent seems to want six. Manny is 36 years old and already defensively challenged. While I do not doubt that Manny can hit into his 40s, the thought of a 42 year old Manny Ramirez trying to catch up to a ball hit towards the gap in left field ought to frighten any current or future Dodger pitcher. I say three years for Manny with maybe an option for a fourth, otherwise it was fun and enjoy New York.
The other big free agent is C.C. Sabathia with the Dodgers, Angels, Yankees and a few others supposedly having interest. The price tag is rumored to be in the 6 year $120 million range. I just don't get that. Yes, pitching wins championships, but the reality is a good starting pitchers only take the mound 35 times a year. 20 game winners are becoming a thing of the past, so the best produce 15-20 wins. Even that requires timely hitting and a good bullpen in the era of the six inning "quality start".
Also, does anyone honestly believe C.C. Sabathia will not have an injury in the next six years? I remember the Dodgers giving Kevin Brown a $100 million contract at age 34 and proudly bragging that he had never been on the disabled list, so they had no concerns about paying him through age 41. Brown promptly spent much of the next seven years on the disabled list.
A $100 million dollar investment in a pitcher just makes no sense unless you can get Congress to appropriate the funds (which they likely would do...oops overlapping topics again!).
As the winter progresses we will enjoy the game of musical chairs played by our favorite players. Someone will lose out on a free agent that they want and try to make up for it by giving a second tier free agent first tier money (hello, Brad Penny, Derek Lowe). We will hear some player say he had to change teams because the $50 million he was offered by his former team was not enough and he has to "take care of my family". Someone else will announce that it is "not about the money, but about getting to the World Series", probably as he signs with the Texas Rangers.
Yes, winter ball is here.

Reality Setting In

It's over. Two years and a few hundred million dollars later, Barack Obama is the President-elect of the United States. The Democratic Party will have large majorities in the House and Senate.
I cannot say that I am surprised. I do not want to diminish the Democrats win, but I cannot help but think the country really fired the Republican Party.
So where does everyone go from here?
For the Democrats it will be absolute control. With absolute control will come accountability. I am sure there will be Democrats who will try to blame any failures at home and abroad over the next couple of years on the Bush Administration, but I do not think they will find a willing audience. The country will look to the Democrats to solve problems, not explain why they cannot. As Bill Clinton found in the early 90s and George W. Bush found in this decade, sometimes one party governance is not all you hoped for.
For the Republicans it will be the wilderness years. The Party has gone into the wilderness before and emerged stronger. I believe it can happen again, but it will take some doing. Already the recriminations are starting. McCain team vs. Palin team. Moderates vs. conservatives. Social conservatives vs. social moderates. On it will go.
For Barack Obama, he becomes the 44th President of the United States. He will take office in a time of unprecedent uncertainty, domestic and international turmoil. He must demonstrate strength and confidence. If he blinks, he becomes Jimmy Carter.
For John McCain, a return to the United States Senate. I believe he will still have power in the Senate as the rational middleman between the two parties. He may even become an asset to President Obama in terms of confirmation of appointees and judges as well as certain legisltive priorities. The problem for McCain is that not many Republicans are likely to follow his lead on many issues. To them, he's yesterday. Like Bob Dole before him, we admire the person, thank him for his service and move on.
For Joe Biden it's trips to funerals and fundraisers. As he replaces the most influential vice president in our history (good or bad, no denying Cheney carried a lot of weight), he likely assumes a more traditional VP role. It does not appear that he is really close to Obama or part of the inner circle. He was not a particulary great asset in the campaign and he did not deliver any states or voting blocs critical to Obama's winning, so there is no debt there. Age seems to rule out another Biden candidacy in eight years, so he cannot even be considered the Democratic Party's heir apparent.
Finally, Sarah Palin. Personally I do not think we have heard the last of the Governor of Alaska. Some believe she is going to be consigned to William Miller status (quick, who was on the top of that ticket?), but I don't see it. If she can effectively govern her state and win re-election, I think she is in play for 2012. The media may not like the folksy charm, but the crowds seemed to respond to it. Her turn on Saturday Night Live demonstrated an ability to laugh at herself and not take herself to seriously.
Yet, she must get the voters to take her seriously. Continuing to speak out on energy issues seems to be a natural fit and she was quite comfortable with it during the campaign. She likely needs to do a few more Sunday talk shows and stay off of Saturday Night Live for awhile. I think those that underestimate her appeal and political skill do so at their own peril.
So American democracy marches in. A new Administration readies itself, a political party tries to find itself and it will all begin again before we know it.

Today is the Day

Election Day has finally arrived. It seems as though this campaign started the day after George Bush was re-elected in 2004. It has been particularly intense for two years, By any measure it has been the longest campaign in many decades, possibly ever. Today it ends.
When we take a step back, we realize it is an amazing process. No shots are fired. There are no riots in the streets. It is a peaceful transition of power. Next week we will see a picture of the incoming President shaking hands with the outgoing President. It will not matter which party wins, they will work together on the transition. The 43rd President will give way to the 44th in January and the republic will march on.
Once again, on Election Day, the true winners are the Founding Fathers. We may have hit some bumps along the way, but they got it right.

What Will They Do?

If Barack Obama is elected on Tuesday, there is one segment of the economy whose future I am very concerned about: liberal commentators and pseudo-journalists of the left.
Think about it: they have had a foil for eight years in George W. Bush. They could go on night after night and rail about the Iraq War, Katrina, and Gitmo. They mock his speech patterns and syntax. When they were done with him, they had Dick Cheney.
Will they mock Obama? Or will Keith Olbermann and Jon Stewart spend their shows like new parents with a brand new baby: adoring every move and every sound?
Will there be verbal slips by Obama that will be repackaged, cut up and taken out of context for comedy purposes or will they just be getting, as Chris Matthews said, a "tingle" down their leg whenever he speaks?
Will their be books suggesting sinister machinations behind the scenes at the White House from disgruntled staffers? Of course there will. Will those authors find themselves welcome to promote their books on The Daily Show, Countdown or Hardball or will they suddenly be authors whose credibility is to be questioned?
The left wing media has worked awfully hard for this moment. They trashed Hillary Clinton. John McCain used to be their favorite Republican until he emerged as Obama's opponent, then he stood in the way of the coronation so they trashed him. They can taste victory.
But what will they do when George W. is really gone?

Yes, they played the World Series

When you look at clips of Word Series games, pre 1980 you notice on thing: daylight. Sunshine, blue sky all the wonderful settings that baseball was mean to be played in.
When I look back at the 2008 Phillies-Rays World Series (not that I really ever will) I will see a white dome or mud and rain. This was the Series that attempted to prove the justification for domed stadiums. That is, if you accept the premise that the World Series should be played at night in late October.
The final game's conclusion was delayed two days. The Rays tied it on Monday and lost it on Wednesday. The image that sticks in my head is B.J. Upton hydroplaning across home plate to tie the score on Tuesday.
Truth be told, I did not see the last four innings on Wednesday. Bad timing. I promised to go out to dinner with the family.
The World Series has ceased to be much of an event. The Super Bowl is almost a national holiday, but the penultimate event for the national past time is almost an afterthought. If your home team is not in it, then who cares? My hometown does not even have an NFL team, yet I will watch the Super Bowl.
I am a baseball die hard so I try to catch some of the World Series, but it just is not something you schedule around.
So what does baseball need to do? I am glad you asked Mr. Commissioner.
First, shorten the playoffs. Cut out the off days when the teams are not traveling. Try to avoid, if at all possible, late October weather on the East Coast. Run, snow and mud make football compelling to watch, but make baseball comical.
Second, throw in a couple of day games. Let's see baseball in the sunshine. Maybe someone will lose a fly ball in the sun rather than the lights. More importantly, kids will get a chance to watch. 8:30 starts on the East Coast mean all of those kids are in bed by game time (or at least the first inning) and most kids on the West Coast can't stay up until the end of the game.
Day baseball in early to mid-October, maybe it will be a Fall Classic again.

Oh, They're Playing the World Series?

With all the meltdowns, breakdowns and verbal smack downs of the campaign, baseball slipped into the background. Well, that and the fact that the World Series everyone wanted to see, the Red Sox against the Dodgers, bringing Manny back to Boston for four nights, won't happen.
This series, Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay does have some interesting elements to it. First, the franchises play in crucial swing states, so good luck getting either candidate to announce a favorite!
Second, they represent a bygone era in baseball: two teams largely built from within without heavy reliance on free agency. The Phillies boast three NL MVPs on the infield. The Rays have several number one picks in the draft (losing and losing a lot, year after year will do that).
Both teams are fairly young and seem poised to contend for several years. Neither however, seemed likely to still be playing baseball in late October of this year. The Phillies emerged from the National League East which seemed as though it would be the Mets domain. The Rays, even more amazingly, won the American League East beating the Yankees and the Red Sox. The Rays' entire payroll is equal to the salaries of left side of the Yankee infield (and maybe a middle reliever).
Unfortunately there is not much national interest in this match up. I must confess I have trouble remembering that the Series is going on. I have managed to catch the last couple of innings of Games 1 and 2, but it is not an event that I, or probably many people outside of Tampa and Philadelphia, are blocking out time for. Fox may have to figure out a way to incorporate American Idol into the games to raise viewership. Maybe have Randy, Paula and Simon umpire? Maybe force the pitcher to be critiqued by the Judges after each inning? I can hear Simon now "that 2-2 slider was an appalling choice of pitches and you deserve to go home after tonight".
So, while these are two interesting young teams who have been built the right way, it seems that nobody really cares. We like drama and a storyline. The World Series is more interesting when the Yankees are there. We thought this might be the year of the Cubs. Manny vs. the Red Sox.
The World Series is often not what we want and normally a painful remeinder of the failed season that just ended (or if you're a Cubs fan, the failed 100 seasons). The two teams playing this year are worth a look and deserve our admiration for beating back the Goliaths from New York and Boston. Still, it might take an incomprehensible Paula commentary in the broadcast booth the get many of us to watch.

Obama's "I'm winning Speech"

With the polls showing Obama pulling ahead, I was wondering if he might be starting to feel comfortable with the idea of winning. What if he used that airtime he has bought on all the networks (delaying a World Series game, really?) to say something like this:

"My fellow Americans, the polls are showing that I am going to win. We are pulling ahead in many places and I have Acorn out there working where it is tight, so we should pick up enough votes to get by. Let's face it, I'm booking hotels for family and friends on Inauguration Day.
So I thought I might tell you what America will be like under my Administration.
First, we are not changing the name. When I was over in France and Germany, I heard a lot about how they don't like America, but the seem to like me, so I think we're o.k. keeping the name as long as I am President.
Second, much has been said about my desire to meet with foreign leaders, including some dictators who want to blow up our friends and allies. For guidance, I look back on my experience at the Harvard Law Review. Sometimes we were not sure about publishing something, so we would sit down over some coffee and talk it out. We always ended up reaching a consensus. I think the same approach can be made to these so called rogue dictators. I can persuade them through the rationality of my arguments that they really do not want to exterminate us or our allies and that it really would be bad for them to have nuclear weapons.
Also, a lot has been said about my inexperience on foreign policy. That's why I picked Joe Biden to be my Vice President and all of you bought it. I can promise you this, when I am in the White House and that phone rings at 3:00 a.m., we will, sometime the next day, or maybe the day after that, call Joe Biden and let him know the phone rang. He'll be invaluable to me.
I have said 95% of you will get a tax cut. Now my opponent points out that 30% of those people don't pay any taxes at all. He is right, but those folks will just get a check from the government. I would hope they will use it to pay rent or buy food, but there are some pretty good deals out there on flat screen TVs. If you blow it on a flat screen, don't worry, we'll give you another check the next year.
As to those of you whose taxes are going up, let's face it you make too much money. I had a fundraiser out in LA and some of you paid literally thousands of dollars to hear me speak and Barbara Streisand sing. That is truly disposable income and if you have that kind of disposable income, I need it. Hope and change isn't free, but if you have the money for Streisand tickets, you can afford buy some hope and change.
By the way, my tax plan actually does give you a credit for buying Streisand tickets so you really get a tax break. It's those suckers that buy the expensive seats at Big N Rich concerts and NASCAR races that are going to pay through the nose.
Once I have your money what am I going to do with it? I want you to know that your money will be managed carefully and practically. Any government benefit program will have strict application procedures and guidelines. We will be very careful to make sure that anyone who benefits from the government thinks the way we want them to think, acts the way we want them to act, employs the people we want them to employ and says only what we think should be said.
What do I hope to accomplish with my plans and new programs? I want to remove personal choice and responsibility from the equation. People will not have to be burdened with the consequences of their actions. Your government, and that rich 5%, will bear those burdens for you.
So, to those of you who are going to vote for me, I thank you. To those of you who don't exist, yet were registered to vote for me, I thank you as well. I look forward to being your President for the next four years, don't worry about a thing, I am going to take care of everything."

Ah, the thrill of victory.

The Powell Doctrine

Colin Powell came out with his much rumored endorsement of Barack Obama. I am quite sure the media will trumpet this as a major victory for Obama.
While Colin Powell is a significant figure in American public life, is his crossing party lines any more significant than the 2000 vice presidential nominee of the Democratic Party endorsing John McCain? In the end, I say it is not.
I am not sure Colin Powell moves that many votes into the Obama column. African-American voters? Largely already there. Republicans? Those that are going over to Obama are already there. Military or retired military? Interesting question. John McCain is a true war hero. I do not think that Powell moves enough of those votes to make a difference.
So in the end, the medial will bray about the endorsement. Powell will do a few more television interviews and not much will change.
In making the endorsement however, Powell did say some things that the Republican Party needs to take heed of. He talked about the tone of the campaign and the whisper campaign about Obama being a Muslim. He is not. We all saw the lady at the rally who, before McCain could wrest away the microphone, said she was afraid of Obama because "he's an Arab". He is not. Powell indicated that he was bothered by the tone of the campaign. He is right.
Many Republicans say they are "afraid" of Barack Obama. The Republican Party needs to move beyond the politics of making voters afraid. Ronald Reagan did not make us afraid of the other candidate, he just told us why his ideas were better. The modern Republican Party has been more "anti" things than "for"things. That has to change.
I am not one who says the party needs to alter its view on social issues and become more "moderate". The party of Ronald Reagan was pro-life and likely opposed gay marriage (although I do not really recall it coming up back then), but it is all too easy to speak loudly about what you are against rather than what you are for.
Being for things is difficult. People may not agree with you. There may be other ideas out there competing with yours. You may lose. Being for something however, is how change happens. Reagan was for radically transforming our tax system. He was for strengthening our defenses to confront the Soviet Union and win the Cold War. Ronald Reagan was for reclaiming that shining city on a hill.
Colin Powell is right that the tone is too negative. People are tuning out. Even Barack Obama acknowledged that the Republican Party was the party of ideas over the past 25 years. We have not run out, we just have to remember the ideas we are for.

Joe the Plumber and Al Smith

The debate drew a lot of the attention, but the two big topics at the end of the week are a sort of plumber from Ohio and a dinner in honor of a long ago Governor of New York. Both Joe the Plumber and Al Smith may have an impact on the homestretch of this race.
First Joe the Plumber. Yes, McCain mentioned him something like 722 times in the debate the other night. Too bad there is not another vice presidential debate, I wonder what the over and under would be on Sarah Palin's use of "Joe the Plumber" and "maverick" in the same sentence? Joe the Plumber however, may have served to crystallize the debate in this campaign.
When he confronted Barack Obama on his tax plan, Obama said we needed to "spread the wealth around". Bingo. There it is. Redistribution of income. Policies that punish work and reward rest. I am stunned that Obama came out and said it.
His economic plan is built on the idea that we must take from the so-called rich and "spread it around". When was this what America was about?
The difference is equality of opportunity vs. equality of outcome. As a conservative I believe in equality of opportunity. Nobody should be denied an education and the chance to be whatever they can be. BUT, we do not always get to be or have whatever we want. I wanted to be the second baseman for the Dodgers, not pecking away on the computer writing some blog that nobody reads. I had the opportunity to play ball in Little League, High School and even college, but I was not good enough for the Dodgers. Nothing conspired against me (other than lack of height, speed and talent). I just did not make it.
Now maybe playing second base for the Dodgers should be wealth that we "spread around". It seems that liberals believe that even though I clearly was not good enough, I should still have gotten to play second base at Dodger Stadium. Aren't we all better off if everyone gets a chance to play for the Dodgers? With the major league minimum salary around $400,000 per year, we would surely be "spreading the wealth around".
But I was not good enough. I have gone on to have a decent life. I availed myself of other opportunities. People in America do that every day.
If we replace equality of opportunity with equality of outcome, we have undercut what makes this country great. It is not that we all get a trophy at the end, it is that we all get a chance. Joe the Plumber wants an opportunity to make his own wealth, not an outcome where he gets some of the droppings of someone else's wealth.
Now Al Smith. Both candidates delivered good stand up comedy routines at the annual Al Smith dinner. It was a show of humanity that we do not see in the course of campaigns. Yes, others wrote the lines, but to see our future President (whichever one of them it is) laugh and smile is healthy for the country. We have had two years of hearing how bad things are and seeing their grim faces. It was nice to see them laugh. Maybe we will all be o.k. after all.
So thanks to Joe the Plumber and Al Smith, maybe we now better understand the choice and have a little faith that, either way, the Republic will survive.

League Championship Time

Bailouts, meltdowns and debates have kept me off the baseball topic for awhile. Also, I was wrong on 3 of the four division series. The only one I got right was the Phillies over the Brewers. Now we are left with Dodgers-Phillies and Red Sox-Rays.
As I write this the Dodgers are down 2-0. I have written them off many times and been wrong, so I am not going to do it again. They are coming back to Dodger Stadium. In Game one they played well enough to win. It was one of those nights where an error and a couple of bad pitches was all it took to turn the game the wrong way. Yesterday, Chad Billingsley just did not have it for the first time in about three months. Every starter has an off day, it is magnified when one happens in October.
In the American League, the Red Sox got off to a good start. I thought the Rays inexperience would hurt them against the White Sox and I was wrong, so I won't count them out now, but you have to think Boston has the advantage here. Remember the days when Boston had not won in 86 years? Now they have become a dominant franchise contending year after year. So much for the Curse.
The World Series that everyone wants to see is Red Sox vs. the Dodgers. Manny Ramirez back in Fenway Park as a visiting player on the world's biggest stage. Also don't forget Derek Lowe and Nomar Garciaparra and their Boston ties and the parting did not end well.
It is the Series we want, but it may not be the one we get...oops, there I go writing them off again!

Debate Round 2: the price of Government

Last night was Round 2 and no damage was done. Both candidates stuck to talking points. The only thing different was they occasionally strolled over towards the questioner. I did notice little lines on the floor, was that a zone of personal space? Does the ghost of Al Gore live on in these debates?
The conventional wisdom was that McCain needed a game changer and, if he did, he did not get it last night. After he came roaring out of the convention, I am left to wonder where the campaign is going. His big announcement last night was that he was going to spend $300 billion to buy up home mortgages. A noble idea perhaps, but how do you turn around and paint your opponent as a big spender when you opened up the federal treasury first?
He went out of his way to mention his friendships with Joe Lieberman and Ted Kennedy. People who like Ted Kennedy are not voting for John McCain. Joe Lieberman is not too popular with many Democrats and if you believe what you hear, the Republican Party was going to revolt if McCain tried to make him his running mate. So, what do you gain by touting your relationship with them?
Obama was more of the same. Lots of eloquence, lots of promises and a good fitting suit. He is never forced to explain anything or address the inconsistencies in his votes and his proposals. try it and you hear "that's the old politics".
So what should McCain have done or said? What follows is one person's humble and not very valuable, opinion on what a McCain closing statement should be:

"My fellow Americans, these are times like we have never seen before. Two wars and a financial system in turmoil. September 11 represented failures of government to protect us. Katrina represented failures of government to assist those in need. The financial meltdown represents a failure of government to ensure that Wall Street played by the rules. Three massive failures of government.
My opponent wants to blame a single party, a single President or even a single Senator from Arizona for these failures, but he is wrong. These are failures of our government as an insitution stretching across administrations and to both sides of the aisle. It is a world where lobbyists wrote the bills and unions strong armed the votes. The American people were expected to simply pay the tab.
My opponent's answer to these massive failures in government is: let's make the government bigger. Let's create more agencies. Let's let lobbyists and unions craft more bills. Let expand the tax code. Let's continue to feed this monster we call government and "hope" it "changes".
My friends, enough is enough. Government does not need to be bigger to work better. We need to reduce government spending. We need to prioritize. DNA studies on bears and overhead projectors for museums in Chicago will not be on that list of priorities. What will be on that list are programs that protect the American people from those that would do us harm; programs that are there to assist when disasters strike; programs that ensure Wall Street plays by the rules.
We tried the bargain with big government and we paid handsomely for it, yet the war on poverty did not end poverty, the department of energy has not brought us energy independence and the department of education has spent more money while more kids fail to graduate from high school or, if they do, cannot read at grade level. To all of this my opponent says, let's spend more. Trust us to get it right this time. What has government done to earn your trust and more importantly, more of your money?
Only when government is forced to live like the rest of us, will it work for us. Every day you have to prove yourselves to your boss, your family and your community. Shouldn't government have to do the same? This is supposed to be government of the people, by the people and for the people. It is time to say enough is enough. Government must live within its means, reduce its size and prove it can work for the American people. As President that is what I will demand. As voters that is what you should expect."

McCain has not articulated what I feel is a clear "government is the problem" argument. Ronald Reagan made that argument in 1980 and he was right. Unfortunately subsequent Administrations mislead themselves into believing they could control and grow government.

Right now John McCain is feeling a lot more like Bob Dole 1996: hero, good man, would be a good President, but likely will not get that chance. Maybe he can summon the ghost of Reagan in these last weeks. John McCain needs Reagan voters because he is never going to get Kennedy or Lieberman voters. Time to sound the call Senator McCain or plan on spending Inauguration Day sitting in the cheap seats.

Veep Night

The one we have been waiting for took place Thursday night. Biden vs. Palin. The blowhard vs. the lightweight, the senior senator vs. the reform governor, Mars vs. Venus. Apparently 70 million of us tuned in for the show.
In the end it was a solid performance for both. Palin showed what those of us who support her believe: she is smart, in touch and has lived a life more like most of ours than the three Senators.
It took awhile, but Biden actually displayed a touch of humanity. He choked up when talking about his family and the tragic loss of his wife and daughter. For a moment there was a real person there, it is a shame that so many decades in Washington layer over that.
Biden clearly had his technical issues down. Palin stuck to her themes. I am not sure Biden's explaining the nuances of a Senate procedural vote was particularly riveting for the viewers and Palin was effective with her "you voted for it before you were against it" retort.
It would have been interesting however, if at about an hour in, Palin had been told she could not steer her answer to any question into energy policy. Also, at about 45 minutes into the debate I would have liked it if she had been told she had used her quota of the word "maverick" and would have points deducted if she did it again.
Biden seemed to forget at times that he was actually running for Vice President and only mentioned his running mate's name, the guy who would be President, offhandedly. I kept waiting for him to say "I and whats-his-name will..."
Both running mates demonstrated how they shore up their partner's weaknesses. Biden demonstrated substance and experience, something Obama is a little thin on. Palin showed charisma and charm, things McCain is short on.
Neither candidate did any damage to their campaigns. Palin probably helped by exceeding expectations and Biden at least maintained status quo. The debate was not a train wreck but also not truly memorable as a discussion of public policy. Then again, when it comes to public policy, are Vice Presidents ever truly memorable?

Playoff Time

With all the politics, debates and bailouts of the last week, it has been easy to forget the really important event of this week: the start of October baseball.
In the National League we have the Dodgers vs. the Cubs and the Phillies squaring off with the Brewers. Over in the American League it is the Angels vs. the Red Sox and the White Sox vs the Rays (can't call them the Devil Rays). The Yankees play the...oh, wait, that's right, they missed the playoffs this year.
My Dodgers take on the nation's sentimental favorite: the Cubs. Yes, it has been 100 years since they last won the World Series. Yes, Wrigley field is a venerable old ballpark and it would be great to see a World Series played there, but enough already. Why do I have to be sentimental about a team that has been losing for 100 years? If they lose this year I suppose Congress will step in with a bailout (again, my effort to mix the topics of this blog). The Cubs have just been bad for 100 years, that's not my problem.
My problem is that they have been pretty good this year. Best record in the National League. Solid pitching. Home field advantage. The Dodgers played lights out in September, but the fact remains they got there with 85 wins, mostly due to the collapse of everyone else in the National League West. I have to pick the Cubs here.
The Brewers represent another strange journey to the playoffs. The midseason pick up of C.C. Sabathia was dramatic in its effect. More intriguing was the decision to fire their manager two weeks before the end of the season. That seemed insane, but it paid off.
The Phillies however seem to have every National League MVP of the last 10 years on their infield. I have to pick them to take out the Brewers.
In the American League we have the Angels, who clinched the division in the third week of April. They have played remarkably well for a team that has not played a meaningful game in months. Still, it is hard to flip the switch and Boston seems to have their number in October. This is not the same Boston team however. Manny is gone and David Ortiz has not had a huge year. This time I think the Angels get by.
The White Sox clinched two days after the end of the season. The best part of that is more Ozzie Guillen interviews. They are facing the renamed Rays (change your team name and start winning? The Royals might want to consider that). The Rays boast great young talent that will challenge in the East for several years, or at least until their players can become free agents and the Yankees and Red Sox sign them. The White Sox won a world series three years ago and have been here before, and the Rays have not, so I am picking the White Sox.
I am going to defer analyzing the League Championship Series because if my picks are wrong, do you really care about my predictions for a series that is not going to happen?
After 6 months, 162 games and some big trades, the postseason is finally here. It's October so let's get ready for some baseball.

Debate Round One

This was one of the strangest weeks ever in American politics. We have the financial markets melting down and the government stepping in. A presidential nominee suspends his campaign to return to Washington. Both candidates wind up sitting at the same table at a White House meeting with the current President (although it took a wide angle lens to get all three of them in the same picture!).
There was a debate Friday night that was in doubt until Friday afternoon. If you love political theatre, this was your week.
As to the debate, nothing earth shattering occurred. I think McCain was well prepared, forceful and knowledgeable. He certainly knows the world and all of the players on the world stage. He showed that we would be getting a President who will not need to learn the ins and outs of foreign policy, but will be ready to go to work on January 20.
Obama was sharp in his critique of the mistakes in Iraq and the need to focus on Afghanistan. He does not appear that he and McCain really disagree much here, so I do not see how much ground he gained.
I think it was effective when, in response to McCain's talking up the surge in Iraq and criticizing Obama's opposition to it Obama suggested that McCain talks like the war began in 2007.
McCain missed an opening on the discussion of Iran. Obama has said he would meet with the President of Iran without pre-conditions. He backs away from that now, but he said it. McCain pointed out that Iran's leader has sworn the destruction of Israel (as well as a few other choice comments about Israel). Here was the opening: Obama has refused to say that an attack on Iran against Israel would bring retaliation from the U.S. Obama should be put on the spot on this and asked whether he would intervene on Israel's behalf or not.
Although the pundits seem to feel Obama won the discussion on the economy, I thought McCain was effective. He was actually able to identify spending that would be cut and/or frozen, Obama could not. McCain hit Obama hard on earmarks and Obama really had no response. His answer that he has stopped asking for earmarks was countered by McCain pointing out that he only did so after he started running for President.
I did feel McCain was borderline condescending at times. His campaign is trying to establish his experience versus Obama's lack thereof, but the "Senator Obama does not understand..." opening to many questions grew tiresome. I think McCain can remind people that his has been part of the Vietnam war, the Cold War, the first Gulf War and other momentous word events over the past 30 years and that gives him a range of understanding and experience. It is not what Obama understands or does not understand, Obama is a bright man, it is just that McCain understands it better. An example: it was effective when McCain described his personal travels to Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan and the understanding of the region and personalities that he has derived from that. Obama had no answer for that type of experience. McCain runs the risk of looking small when he appears condescending towards Obama. I suggest he leave that at home for the next debate.
If you woke up Friday morning and were for McCain, or Obama, you probably have not changed as you wake up this morning. If you still do not know, there is some time, two debates. and a lot more political theatre. before Election Day.

Could it be?

The Dodgers are up by three with five to go, could they really do it?
Last year they collapsed in the last two weeks of the season, so I still have this nagging feeling. The odds however, are getting better and better.
Last night Chad Billingsley won his 16th game. It has been a breakout year for him. What I love is that Billingsley is a product of the old Dodger way. He came up through the organization, got his feet wet in the majors with some spot starts and relief appearances, then settled in to the rotation and has become a permanent fixture. Back in the 80s (it is really hard for me to refer to the years of my youth as "back in...") Orel Hershiser came along the same way.
Billingsley has the look of a guy that will be here for the next 10 years. He is big and sturdy and should not break down. The Dodgers deserve credit for being patient with him as he developed. All too often teams (including the Dodgers) panic when their young players do not produce big numbers on the day they arrive in the majors.
Some of that is probably due to money. When you pay an eighteen year old 2 or 3 million dollars right after the draft, you want a quick return when they reach the majors 3 years later. In some cases that works out, but in others it may take time. All of us hit bumps in the road early in our careers, we just were not given a seven figure paycheck before we ever started.
Billingsley however,looks like he has arrived. Coming right behind him is Clayton Kershaw. The two of them could form a homegrown 1-2, lefty-righty combination that the Dodgers have not seen since a couple of kids named Koufax and Drysdale came along. That may be an over the top comparison, but if you told me a year ago Joe Torre would be managing the Dodgers and Manny Ramirez would be batting fourth and the division title would be in reach...well. anything can happen in baseball.

Is it that hard to understand?

There has been lots of talk the last few days about finances, budgets and the markets. Wall Street melted down, then rose again. Here in California we had a budget 80 days late, then the Governor was going to veto it, then he didn't.
What seems to run through all of these issues is how little common sense has applied to financial matters in both the public and private sector.
Let's start with the private sector. I don't pretend to understand all of the ins and outs of the mortgage crisis. What seems clear however is a lot of people borrowed more money than they could ever pay back and a lot of banks lent money to people they should have known were not going to be able to pay them back.
If you are a borrower, does it really make sense to believe you can afford a loan for ten times your annual income? Sure the payments were low at first, but the reckoning was in the fine print. If it sounds too good to be true: it is.
If you are a lender, what are you thinking? When the rate adjusts the payments are going to be equal to the borrower's monthly income. How will they sustain that?
Where was the common sense in all of this: you do not borrow for more than you can afford.
Well, maybe they got the idea from the government. We hear a lot about deficits. California has a whopper: approximately $15 billion. Our government has funded programs, projects, and agencies without ever asking: can we afford it? Once a program, project or agency is opened, it seems as though it can never be stopped. We simply reduce the amount of the increase in spending every year. Wanting to cut a program means you favor reducing its growth to 5% rather than 10%.
Then they wake up one day and the money to support the spending isn't there. Sound familiar?
It seems so simple: if you can't afford it, don't buy it. If you are still behind, cut back more. We don't need to form committees, commissions or panels to figure this out, we just need to use common sense.

Back to Baseball and Manny

When last I wrote of the Dodgers they were fading fast, now the lead the division by 4 1/2 games at the beginning of play today (they lost today so that may have changed).
What happened? Well, it helps when your rival loses six in a row and otherwise goes into the tank, but the Dodgers have kicked it in to high gear.
This year will be remembered as "The Year of Manny". Actually it is a little less than half a year, but what a time it has been. Manny Ramirez has completely turned things around for the Dodgers. His bat in the middle of the lineup changes the way pitchers approach the Dodgers. It impacts the pitches seen by the guys batting in front of and behind him.
You stop what you are doing to watch his at bats.
What is more fun however is Manny the character. He wears his hair way too long. He selected a bizarre uniform number. Any ball hit towards him in left field is an adventure. Yet, he always seems to have a smile on his face and be enjoying himself.
As professional sports has gone more and more "corporate", Manny is a breath of fresh air. Yes, he cares a lot about the money, but he admits it. Yet, he is not the cold, efficient type a la Alex Rodriguez. He does not appear to be the standoffish type like Barry Bonds. He just seems to show up, play and have fun.
Make no mistake though, he is deadly serious with a bat in his hands. Watch him work a count and then hit a two strike pitch over the right field wall. It is as if he got the pitcher exactly where he wanted him with the two strike count instead of vice versa. The man knows what he is doing. It is obvious he studies, learns and takes advantage. He is a true pro.
Will Manny take the Dodgers to the World Series? We'll see. Will he be a Dodger in 2009? Who knows. For two months however, he has given us plenty of thrills. Thanks Manny, it's fun.

9/11

Seven years has gone by like the blink of an eye, still it seems like yesterday. They don't show the planes hitting the towers on TV anymore, but we remember.
Today is a day to remember. On that day we saw the worst the world has to offer and the best America has to offer. People giving their lives to help others. Incredible bravery. We remember.
I can remember going to bed that night wondering what would happen the next day. I still look at airplanes and think of the horror that must have existed inside as those planes became flying missiles, yet people were calm enough to call loved ones. I dropped my son off at school today and thought of the school field trip aboard one of the flights. I sit at my desk and think of the workers in the office towers sitting at theirs that morning. Yes, we remember.
There were the passengers of Flight 93 who took it upon themselves to save the U.S. Capitol building and crash the plane in a field. We remember.
Firefighters rushed into burning buildings and helped people come out, but many of them did not. We remember. Police officers and soldiers trying to save lives before their own life was lost. We remember.
There will come a day when nobody living has an independent remembrance of 9/11. Nobody remains from Gettysburg. Their are fewer and fewer from Pearl Harbor. Like those events, 9/11 will be a part of history recalled only through pictures, films and books. Like those events however, America must always remember.
If you have not thought today about how luck you are to live in this country, remember. If you have not hugged a loved one today remember to. On this solemn day, remember.

Is Lack of Experience a Bad Thing?

So why do I like Sarah Palin and hope she is the next Vice President of the United States?
It is because she has lived a life outside of politics. She has raised children, been involved in their activities and schools, helped with the family business. She has shopped for groceries and filled her tank with gas.
Why is this so important? Nowadays it seems all of our candidates (and I include both parties in this) have come from "political candidate training school". They go to elite schools, major in political science (full disclosure: as did I) and immediately set out on a political career. Decisions on where to live are based on opportunities to run for office. Churches are selected based on who attends that church. Potential spouses are evaluated for their potential as a political spouse.
They often migrate to political or government jobs. Many go to work for officeholders and make plans to be the boss' successor.
A lifetime of public service can be admirable, but it also can be confining. The political class talks to each other, not the rest of us. Often they are at political events and miss out on the conversations on the sidelines of soccer games or the parking lot at school. They don't hear what it is the rest of us really care about. Government work tends to provide more job security and better benefits (granted, at a lesser salary) than the private sector , so they do not really worry about losing a job or the financial implications of seeing an out of network health provider.
They end up making laws because that is what they do, whether or not it is what we need. They decide it is in our best interests to ban fast food or hair salons from the community, despite the evident need and desire for both. Why not? When lobbyists buy your lunch and you get your hair cut by a fancy stylists you don't really worry about what other people want to eat or where they want to get their hair cut.
In short, the political class loses touch with reality.
Public service is noble, but the Founding Fathers never intended it to be a permanent career. George Washington recognized that it was time to go and let others serve. We did not need term limits to tell people it was time to move on.
Sarah Palin has served masters other than her own political career. That "lack of experience" works for me.

Life Imitates Art

For seven years "The West Wing" ran on NBC. The show followed the ups and downs of a Democratic White House. We know it was fiction because the President (played Martin Sheen) was a pro-life (he got the Democratic nomination how?) northeastern liberal. NBC's talking car has a better chance of being real.
Somehow though, the producers came eerily close to reality. In the last two seasons they developed a storyline about the election to succeed Martin Sheen's character. Here is where it gets weird: the Democratic nominee was a young Latino (read "I don't look like the other Presidents", played by Jimmy Smits) with little legislative experience. He defeated more established party figures for the nomination (in the show it was a sitting Vice President, in 2008 it was the Clintons). To buttress his credentials he picked an experienced political type with tons of Washington experience as a running mate. Leo McGary (played by the late John Spencer) had an Irish Catholic, blue collar streak to him (sound like another running mate we all know?).
There is more. On the Republican side, a long time Senator, who often clashed with his party wins the nomination. Arnold Vinnick (played by Alan Alda) has to calm concerns within the right wing of the party so he selects a young conservative Governor for a running mate (he was male, the writers where not that prescient!). Sound like a Republican ticket we are all familiar with?
Both candidates want to keep the debate on a higher plan, but traditional methods of campaigning take over.
Those of you who are fans of Obama will like how it turned out: the Jimmy Smits character wins the election (although he promptly names Alan Alda Secretary of State).
Before you get too excited, remember the show was still based on the premise that a northeastern, pro-life liberal could serve eight years in the White House. Art does not always imitate life, but if I see a talking car in the parking lot today McCain is in trouble.

A hero for a President

It wasn't stirring, it wasn't electrifying and there were not any lines that will be quoted in future acceptance speeches.
It was, however, effective. John McCain reminded us that he has served a cause larger than himself, larger than any of us. He reminded us of the importance of service, of seeing beyond ourselves.
He did not come across as the self appointed "chosen one", here to rescue us from all of our ills. Instead he told us that he would try to create opportunities so we could rescue ourselves.
He did not tell us he would make nice with other world leaders so as to restore our "standing". Instead he told us he would defend America and in doing so, earn the respect of our friends and foes.
He did not promise big things, he merely promised to fight for us.
He made no guarantees, but he did promise change.
Big speeches are not his strong suit. McCain works better in the "town hall" setting, so this speech was more of an obligation than an opportunity. In reality, after Sarah Palin's speech Wednesday night, one could have hardly blamed him if he came down with the flu, skipped the last night and hit the campaign trail.
But he got through it and in the process showed courage, dignity and honor. It may not be hope and change, but it may be what we are looking for in a President.

A Game and a Half?

I lament the status of the Dodgers and they go on a five game winning streak! Suddenly they are a game and half back of Arizona with a three game set against them over the weekend. By Sunday the Dodgers could be in first place.
So I take it all back...for now.

Take that media! Take that Obama!

Take that media! Take that Obama! Governor Palin came out swinging last night and it was terrific.
She did what know one has really been willing to do all year: seriously question Obama's qualifications and motives. Obama's friends in the media have not explored his "experience". While they have hammered away at Palin's, little attention is paid to the fact that Obama simply voted "present" in the Illinois legislature over a hundred times. The media doesn't talk about how this well educated man (Harvard, remember?) said that the question of when life begins was "above my pay grade".
Governor Palin was the first to come out and really state the case (although Bill Clinton gave it a pretty good shot in the primaries).
More importantly, I think Governor Palin showed herself to be a bold leader. Her speech may not have caused angels to sing and the animals to stop and listen, but it did serve notice that she will be a force in this campaign and in a McCain White House.
She talked about her experience: raising a family, running a business and eventually getting into public service. What I like is that her whole life has not been geared towards getting elected. She did not pick a place to live based on the retirement plans of local officeholders. She did not join a particular church to bolster her "street cred" with a certain voting bloc. She has lived a life like so many of us: trying to raise kids, pay the bills and help out in the community.
Her daughter? That happens in even the best of American families. They are up front about it and real. They are, as a family, taking responsibility.
What we saw last night was an American story. This was the way things were meant to be: people live their lives, take care of their families and, when called to serve, they do. What has happened all too often in recent years is people who emerge from political science departments at elite universities, go to work as a political staffer or "community organizer", wait for an office to open up and run for it. For the first time in a while, we have someone on a national ticket whose life has not entirely revolved around a political career and last night showed that that just might be right for the times.

Opening Day

Today is my children's first day of school. The first day of school is a lot like Opening Day of the baseball season. The stadium is cleaned up and fresh, so is the school. We see old friends whom we have been missing for several months. Hope and optimism abounds for the year ahead (except in Kansas City...where the Royals have no hope, not their schools).
The kids are like the players. My oldest is starting his third year at the school. He is a veteran, although not yet a long time veteran. He knows his way around, knows how things work and sees many familiar faces.
My youngest is starting kindergarten. He is a rookie. It is all brand new. His eyes will be wide and there will certainly be a few butterflies. He will need guidance and will have to get used to the rigors of a longer season i.e. school five days a week.
The school year evolves much like a baseball season. It is long and there are unexpected developments along the way. The kids have "slumps" e.g. a bad test result or a behavior issue and they hit for the cycle (a big red "100%" across the top of the test). People come and go much as baseball players are traded or released. There are special events and the dog days. As the year winds down everyone looks forward to a break, but also starts to think about next year.
The school year, like a great baseball season, also produces many memories that stay with us forever. We all remember that special teacher or our friends from those days much as we remember the great moments of seasons past.
Sometimes there is adversity: a difficult teacher or a bully on the playground, but we learn to overcome it and move forward. Some seasons your team or star player just doesn't have it, but you play the games anyway. Remember, next year will be better.
So today is Opening Day. The players/kids are nervous but ready. The fans/parents are optimistic and hopeful. The grass is freshly cut and the paint touched up. Play ball!

Down on the Farm

We love the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Today is their last game of the year (barring a playoff appearance and I really do not understand how that would occur).
The Quakes are the Class A minor league affiliate of the Angels. Most of the players are in their second or third year of pro ball. It is a long way from the bright lights of the big leagues.
Yet, it is not too far from our home. The tickets are more than reasonably priced. Every seat is close to the action. The mascot keeps the kids laughing and most nights that we go, there is a fireworks show after the game. Three hours of great family entertainment.
The quality of baseball is good too. What I love is that the game moves along. The batters stay in the box and the pitchers stay on the mound. None of the interminable walk arounds between every pitch of a major league game. They run out ground balls and popups and the fielders dive for the ball (even though there is about no chance that they play will end up on ESPN's web gems).
If it is major league ballplayers you need, they occasionally come to visit. Angel players recovering from injuries will come down and play three or four games to test their health and get their timing back.
We have been going for enough years that we are starting to see some former Quakes cracking the Show in Anaheim. The kids are thrilled seeing guys who they saw up close now playing in the big leagues. They feel like they helped them get there.
So if you find yourself on the 15 Freeway some night between April and August, just follow the lights to the Epicenter and, for a fraction of the big league price, watch the future and enjoy the fun.

So You Want to be Vice President?

The job comes with a nice title, a house, a ride to work (with a police escort), and use of a plane. The downside is that your fate is in someone else's hands and if it does not go well you end up as a trivia question answer or potential contestant on "Dancing with the Stars".
There is much talk about the Vice Presidency these days. Barack Obama picked a long time Washington veteran, John McCain picked a relative unknown, but made history with the first female Republican nominee. The late night comics still speculate that Dick Cheney lives in a cave and secretly rules the world. Al Gore travels the country telling us to turn out our lights and get out of our cars (usually speaking in well lit auditoriums after arriving in a three car motorcade before returning to his home that uses as much electricity as a football stadium). And yes, the producers of Dancing with the Stars apparently tried to get Dan Quayle as a contestant.
The interesting thing about the Quayle story is that a former Vice President would be defined as a "star". John Nance Garner, a former Vice President, once described the job as not being worth a bucket of warm spit. John Adams, our first Vice President probably described it best: "I am nothing, but I may be everything".
Vice Presidents have become President with varying results. Teddy Roosevelt became a beloved President after succeeding to the presidency. Likewise, history reflects well on Harry Truman. Lyndon Johnson and Gerald Ford faced tougher circumstances.
The vice presidency is often the product of the political equivalent of an arranged marriage. Do not believe any candidate who says they are looking for the "best person to assume the presidency". These guys think they are immortal. They are looking for the "best person to help me win the election". Johnson helped Kennedy win Texas. George Bush helped Reagan pull the party together. Al Gore reinforced Bill Clinton's message of change and youth. Dan Quayle, Spiro Agnew...well, I'm still working on those, but their bosses did win.
After January 20th, the Vice President Palin or Biden will move into the big house. We will see them on TV sitting behind the President at the State of the Union (where he or she will have to try and make small talk with Nancy Pelosi...maybe the job is tough!) and otherwise we will not hear much from them. In reality, we do not want to hear much, we do not want them to become "everything".
Still, a house, a car and a plane? It seems like a good gig.

The Home Stretch Part 2: The Dodgers

I have been a Dodger fan as long as I can remember. Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey are four words I remember from my childhood. Hershiser, Gibson, Piazza and now Loney, Kemp and Martin.
But, it has been 20 years since they won a world series (notice I don't say since "we won", as soon as the give me a uniform and put my name in the lineup I earn the right to say "we").
This year does not look any different. They stayed close, got Manny Ramirez from Boston and were looking poised to make a run in a division where nobody seems to want to get too far over .500.
Then, an eight game losing streak. Now, when you are trying to win a division, I do not recommend losing eight in a row in late August!
What happened? Well, I would love to blame it on Andruw Jones, the $18 million dollar a year buck fifty hitting centerfielder who has been a flop of Ishtar proportions, but he is playing first base at Triple A Las Vegas (another long story). I would love to blame it on the $16 million dollar ace of the staff Jason Schmidt, but he has not pitched since before the McCain's campaign collapse of 2007 (like how I can tie the posts together? Politics and baseball).
Can I blame it on the manager? Well, he did win a World Series or four in his prior job, so he probably knows what he is doing.
How about the owner? He does charge too much for parking, but I cannot really connect that to the performance on the field.
Maybe it is just another one of those years: they come close enough to keep me interested, but disappoint in the end. The problem is the Dodgers do not have the lovableness of the Cubs. They are expected to win, they should win and yet, year after year they do not.
What is missing is a heart and soul. That one guy that everyone looks to. The guy that everyone wants to get behind. In 1988 it was Kirk Gibson.
Now? Maybe Russell Martin, but it does not seem that way. Until the Dodgers find real leadership, it seems they will be stuck in this pattern of 86 wins, 3rd place and "wait til next year". I'm still waiting.