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The Knoxville Sentinel promised us a storm like the "blizzard" of 93. This morning they explained why it didn't come. (The eye went farther north.) Nevertheless there is a winter storm watch for another few hours and it will be cold tonight. And I'm still thinking about Barack Obama and his not so loyal opposition.East Tennesseans get very excited about the big ones. in 1993 we had a Big One, but it wasn't a blizzard, which requires whirling wind. That time there was a straight wind and lots of snow and I had to decide on whether to clear a snowbank from the front or back door. In 2010 all I had to do was make sure I was prepared in case the lights went out. As I worked at the kitchen sink the night before, I listened to the love fest between the president and the Republicans. I didn't turn around to see who was speaking. I'm guessing it might have been Pence from Indiana. What he said stuck in memory, and still it doesn't compute. Talking to the president of the United States, he complained because Nancy Pelosi didn't give them enough time to offer alternative amendments.
Whereever had I heard such talk? It had to be in the 2006 campaign when Dubya Bush kept advising his crowd that if they didn't get out the vote they'd look at Nancy Pelosi as the possible next president. The man speaking on TV must have been permanently marked from the days of Tom DeLay. Dare I mention the Texas mafia? ( Remember which state the current president comes from, so let's not get carried away.) Regardless, whether Congresspersons get enough recognition from their side of the aisle, that is not the reason I wanted to communicate with OEN readers. Do others get the same discombobulated feeling which I have?
Especially after the State of the Union speech, it seems like there is a steady stream of "issues" to address. I learned--as the press explained it during Reagan's administration--that the public could only think about, at the most, four problems at a time. I think that idea probably came out of an MBA textbook.
One thing is for sure. Barack Obama has a different style. He sends military supplies to Taiwan. And goes to Florida for, I assume, some old-fashioned politicking. Medical insurance reform is still on his table. And he's bringing troops home from Iraq while studiously sending more to Afghanistan. All the while he has to worry about the economy, not least Treasury's bottom line. Oh, by the way! The very most important thing to do now is to see that people get jobs. And don't forget that means changing the way the nation does education.
I do not disparage President Obama's style of management. Even though he didn't give full credence in his book to Saul Alinsky , I think he may have read Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals." You can't always fight City Hall. Sometimes you head for the Big Time. Like taking into account the Senate, which does not manage by ordinary rules.
Well, the traffic is still pretty slow and I have quite forgotten how I had my own little tussle with the elements. I started to write a cogent essay on public administration early this morning. Unlike my usual routine. I sat down at the HP and hoped to clear the mailbox and various alerts before starting coffee. Then when I went to the sink, turning on the water to wash my hands, the all-electric apartment went dark. Fortunately, I had opened the blinds enough to take account of snow light on the hill. So I crept back to bed, hoping to find some inspiration for this sad tale. After an hour it was daylight and the lights went on. It would have been just as good to be in the dark.
I haven't learned a thing except I still don't think they should pick on Nancy Pelosi.
