One Day in Time

Every now and again it strikes me that since each of us is made up of such specific stuff, which is special and unique in so many ways, why can't we just all just accept the beauty of our fellow human beings and get on with the process of living and dying, and get rid of all of the strife, the violence, and the killing of each other's dreams?

I know this sounds hopelessly naive.

But I'm having one of those days. One of those days I've always had since I was young. A bit of free time opens up, time slows down, my mind begins to wander, and I revisit thoughts that have recurred over and over throughout my lifetime.

At moments like this one, everything stands out crisp and shiny, as if sunlight beams played the role of yellow highlighters in a book you were studying for class.

Human by human. We proceed through this life knowing people. They come and go. Some are kind to us and others rip us off. Some we become intimate with; most not. But when you sit back and think about them, peoples' voices and expressions and gestures return to you, even of at times you cannot recall their names.

I should personalize all of this. Today I took my car into the mechanic's shop for a tuneup. I walked back through the Mission to my house, and then later retraced the route to pick it up.

Along the way I passed many people, men and women, young and old, mainly Latino, but also some white, black or Asian. I spoke to no one and no one spoke to me. None of us know anything whatsoever about one another.

From appearances, who are any of us to draw conclusions or issue judgements?

I know in the eyes of anyone who may have noticed me today that I am an elderly white man, who now walks slightly bent, not quite as erect as even a few years back, a little uncertain at corners, worried about traffic, and ever so slightly disoriented as to where I am.

This is largely the product of living alone for too long, without a partner, or anyone to help me navigate through life. Although I think I am still strong, self-sufficient, and competent, I also know the pressures of life are getting to me, and self-doubt has crept into my world to an extent I never knew until now.

I have become cautious in the city.

Naturally, I wonder which struggles lie behind all of those other faces as we pass one another like ships in the dark sea. Are they like me? What are the stories that none of them ever will tell?

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When Your Kids Grow Up, You have To Too

Walked with my high school senior to a nearby cafe this morning, bought him a latte, and left him with my laptop to write an essay about Obamacare.

You never can tell what types of subjects will interest your child, no matter how well you think you know him.

My son has become intrigued by policy issues, government and economics this fall, partly due to an excellent course by an excellent teacher.

Thus, there he was, on a sunny day off from school, due to it being a federal holiday, quite contented to be doing research and writing a fairly long essay.

I returned home and when he showed up a couple hours later, he asked if I would like to read what he had written.

You bet!

I'm well-informed enough about the Affordable Health Care Act to have a few opinions. What surprised me about his essay, researched and written so quickly, was how he seemed to have captured all of the essentials of this exceedingly complex and controversial piece of legislation so succinctly and accurately.

He also gave a nod to the main Republican criticisms of the Act, noting their logic and essential simplicity, as opposed to the complexity of the system now in place.

Frankly, as a journalist, what he did and how quickly he did it, at his young age, stunned me. I didn't see this side of him coming -- a young man able to intellectually digest and analyze complex information about a public policy question so impressively.

Maybe he is ready for college!

Parents often underestimate their kids during transition moments. Lately, I've wondered how ready he is for the next stage of life he is about to enter.

Today, I realized my doubts are probably more about my ability to let him go, than his to move on.

As a long-time college professor myself, the paper he wrote today in my class wouldn't only be an A in high school, but an A in college as well.

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Competition

Watching my daughter play defense tonight, as our weather suddenly turned into the local version of freezing (wind chill in the low 50s, probably), I continued to appreciate what a competitor she is.

Several times she made clean tackles, using her size and strength to send opponents to the ground. In one case, the girl on the ground tried to kick her repeatedly -- an illegal move.

The referee didn't see it, but her teammates did.

One of her friends said afterward, "That made me so angry."

"Did she actually kick your legs?" I asked Julia.

"I have no idea," she answered. "I didn't feel a thing."

This girl has bruises up and down her legs, from soccer.

But as all competitive athletes know, after a physical game like today's, none of that matters.

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Why Obama Won

What I am about to write will not be startling to anyone who monitors the responsible national media, but it may come to a shock to those caught up in the echo chamber of the radical right.

Despite a lousy economy, which normally dooms an incumbent President, Obama won largely because Americans as a whole like him and trust him.

Part of the reason they like and trust him is he is bi-racial. Never forget he is the first non-white President.

Romney, meanwhile, looks, sounds and acts like every other President before Obama. We are, as a people, just tired of that same-old. (That's why I didn't run. :) I don't look right.)

This is not trivial. This is a diverse nation, teeming with people of all races, nationalities, sexual orientations, religions, lifestyles, and hopes for the future.

The Republican Party and its ticket were completely oriented to the past. They looked like the past. They talked from the past.

It's not that minorities and women and gay people or those of us who sympathize with those demographic segments want to vote for people who look or act like them -- far from it.

We just don't want to vote for people who don't get what this is all about.

White men, in fact, have a major positive role in this new coalition, but not if they are the type who tacitly support those idiots who tolerate or rationalize rape, racism, or are so poorly educated they don't know a socialist from a centrist.

Obama won because he is the most appropriate leader for the U.S., circa 2012.

This is an electorate trending toward same sex marriage, legalizing pot (personally, I'm ambivalent on that one), and embracing diversity.

We do not have romantic notions of how hard it will be to build a new America, one that reflects and celebrates our many origins and orientations. We know there is a tribal instinct where people of one stripe tend to hang together.

But we also know our future depends on getting along with one another and recognizing our common humanity.

Finally, we know that climate change is real, and we were grateful the President mentioned it last night, now he has been re-elected.

This, not "socialism," is the great common threat we face. Obama may now be able to do something about that. I hope so. That is the one of the main reasons he got my vote, which I cast on behalf of my 11 children and grandchildren.

Let's get moving on climate change, Mr. President!

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New Voters

Young people helped re-elect President Obama tonight, which was the right choice for America.

Despite all of the slurs, the racism, and the ridiculous rhetoric about "socialism," this centrist, moderate political leader is the best leader for this country in these times.

My 18-year-old voted for him, and I trust in my son's judgement. After all, the future is much more important to him than it is to me, as he will be here for it and I will not be.

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The Last Speech

Barack Obama gave one of the greatest closing speeches I've ever witnessed in Iowa tonight. It was inspirational. It will echo across America, I believe.

What is touching is that, win or lose, this was his last political speech. Way too soon, win or lose, his career as a politician is now over.

That's what politics in America has come to. A few years on the national stage. Then over and out.

That is how we treat our brightest hopes. All I can say to my relatives and supposed friends who oppose Obama, is 'Shame on you!'

Obama will win. Those of you who opposed him need to re-examine your true values. What is it, exactly, that you believe in?

Please let me know, because I am very, very disappointed in you, so much so I don't think you can honestly call me your relative from now on without a true, honest explanation.

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Pre-Election Trending

I'm excited that my 18-year-old can vote tomorrow.

Here is my latest analysis of polling data and trends.

In the Senate, I'd assumed the Democrats would lose a seat or two or even three, but now I predict they will maintain their current 53-47 seat advantage.

(One of the better sites to evaluate the Senate races is this one.)

I've not done any detailed analysis of the House races because simple math dictates that only with a massive sweep at the top of the ticket, which is not going to happen, could the Democrats take back the House from the GOP.

So I doubt my local Congressperson, Nancy Pelosi, is going to once again become Speaker of the House.

Perhaps in 2014, however, given how the right is trending.

On to the Presidency.

Here is a site that reveals just how close the race may be.

Probably the best journalistic assessment on how tomorrow's electoral map will turn out is here, and that indicates Obama within 27 electoral votes of a victory.

To accomplish that, he has 89 in play. The largest prize is Florida. If Obama wins there, this election is over.

But he can lose that and still prevail, which is why his campaign has largely ceded Florida to Romney.

The odd thing is, when I look at this closely, is the demographics of Florida are such that Obama could easily win the state tomorrow, mainly on the strength of Latino votes.

His campaign may sense that also.

This brings up a scenario no one is talking about anywhere on the political web or social media that I have been able to locate.

What if Obama wins in a landslide tomorrow?

If Latinos carry Florida for the Democrats, Obama will also win most of the other states in play, and beat Romney by as much as 332 to 206.

The popular vote would still be close but a good guess of that would be 52-48 Obama, which is my best guess as of now.

I have to get out my calculator, monitor more polls, and study more history before I can finalize these predictions.

But tonight I sense we are on the verge of some sort of big surprise, and that it is not the one Romney supporters may be wishing for...

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