Two Short Videos—The Creative And The Practical Are One In The Same And Draw Meaning And Substance From One Another

1. While politics and democracy are sometimes called the “art of the possible”, I feel these things are at core acts of creativity and imagination.

2. In political life, and in the larger sphere of our democratic freedoms and responsibilities, something is imagined as a desirable outcome and steps are planned to reach that goal.

3. Thought comes before action.

4. Also, in my view of politics and democracy, all people have the ability to understand complex things. People have more ability than they realize.

5. It is, of course, not a given that people will make the effort to try and understand complex things or that outcomes in a democracy will be positive outcomes. Believing in democracy can require a measure of nihilism.

6. What you can do about possible bad outcomes in society is do your best to be a part of society and the democracy.

7. With our minds, with effort and self-discipline, and with technology that is accessible to many, we can convey our beliefs in both a creative and practical manner. There is no contradiction between the creative and the practical.

8. There are few contradiction of any kind. Though to say this does not imply that we cannot hold strong beliefs.

9. At the top of this post are two short videos that I filmed in Houston. In each video I list a few points I’ve observed about democracy. It would not take you more than two minutes total watch both videos.

10. I made the videos with my little Flip Camera and have posted them on my blog that I get for free from WordPress.

The things we need are around us and they are accessible with effort and self-discipline. Every time is the right time to talk about freedom and democracy. All people can understand complex things and all places have value and meaning.  Good outcomes are never a given and people are often brutal. The creative and the practical are one in the same and draw meaning and substance from one another.

My Views On Abortion

I’ve been wanting to do a post on the issue of abortion. I’ve just not found the right way to express myself on the matter. 

A few days ago I read the views on this question of Democratic U.S. Representative David Obey of Wisconsin. I’m going to let him speak for me—

“While I detest abortion and agree with Catholic teaching that in most instances it is morally wrong, I decline to force my views into laws that, if adopted, would be unenforceable and would tear this society apart.”

Though I’m not Catholic or a follower of any religion, I go here with Mr. Obey. I feel a deep wariness of abortion is the stance most consistent with my opposition to the death penalty, my opposition to unnecessary war and obscene amounts of defense spending, and my support of an activist government that helps meet the needs of individuals in society.

I feel this society will kill any anytime it gets the chance. This whether it be high rates of murder or a barbaric affinity for the death penalty, Afghan or Iraqi civilians at the wrong place at the wrong time when our drones and airplanes come around, or poor people who are in essence left to die because they can’t afford the basic needs of our society.         

I support a woman’s right to choose. Not because I assume a good choice will be made, but because of the mix of abstract reasoning, optimism, and nihilism that makes my support for democracy personally tenable. 

If you don’t like nihilism, than how about a strong sense of the absurd.

People must be able to choose the course they will follow in life. ( As long as they pay their taxes. You can’t have a society without taxes.) This ability to choose is essential in a society that would see itself as free.

Birth control, access to affordable day care, and the prospect of decent-paying jobs for hard working people might lower the abortion rate in our country. But politicians absurdly identified as “pro-life” don’t do much to encourage these things. Instead, they often work diligently to make life even more difficult for young families, single mothers and children of all ages.

Congressman Obey represents much of rural northwestern Wisconsin. The largest city in his district is Wausau. Why rural voters keep voting Republican when they get little in return, just as Democrats often use city voters, is something of a mystery. 

Rep. Obey seems in many respects close to my own views. Mr. Obey advocates government mandated universal health care, and a government with a role in job creation and in the economy as a whole. At the same time, he seems hesitant about libertine personal behavior, but without race-baiting or gay-baiting. He favors stem cell research. 

Please click here an account of many of Mr. Obey’s votes and positions. Mr. Obey is 69 and has been a member of the House since 1969.