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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Crazy Days


Photo: Crazy car on I 45 heading towards Galveston.
Crazy days. Yesterday I was in Pearland giving an estimate -- and saw a sea of blue roofs still left from IKE. Almost every roof had one in the nice neighborhood I went to.

Then a friend locked the keys in her car and my schedule went out the window. I found myself in Kingwood, climbing on a roof as rain started to fall and thunder was rolling in -- to put down a blue tarp. My friend had discovered a growing stain on the wall caused by a poorly patched hole left over from a tree hitting the roof during IKE. I had to borrow a pair of her tennis shoes to keep from sliding off. With the help of a neighbor we got it nailed down --and us off the roof -- before the lightning and hard rain came down. I was soaking wet. It was time for a glass of wine and call it a day.

This morning I was at a Seabrook Rotary breakfast when Pat Lykos, running for District Attorney, spoke. Suddenly, some people got mad because they thought the Democrat should also be there. It was right after I asked her "If elected, would you prosecute Republicans who step over the line the same as Democrats?" She gave an answer but I don't recall her saying "yes." So I went up and gave her another cahnce after the meeting broke up. I was just looking for a simple "Yes." I got an answer but didn't hear "yes." Let's hope whoever gets it does a fair job of prosecuting anyone stepping over the legal line, regardless of party affiliation. The image today in Houston is that only the opposite side gets prosecuted. No one in the party went after the former DA Rosenthal for sexual harrassment or racist remarks up to the day he resigned. If a Democrat is elected, he needs to go after Democrats as well as Republicans who violate the law. THAT is what the job is all about.

It shows that things are getting tense, even at nonpolitical meetings like Rotary.

I decided to join Rotary because it is doing so many great projects around Houston, around America and around the world. They are even stepping in as "Second Responders" trying to help rebuild after the first responders do their thing.

I agree with the author of the attached article, Nicolas Kristoff - that the U.S. needs a "rebranding" in the world - to show that we are more than what people think we are -- after 8 years of the world seeing an American President condone torture and exhibit arrogance, while failing to show respect or listen to others outside his small circle of same-limited-thinking advisors.

Arrogance that proves wrong (like the missing WMD's in Iraq) is worse than being arrogant and right!

Electing someone who shows respect, listens instead of always talking, and can think outside the box would be a huge advantage in getting the United States back into a respected global leadership role.

I'd like to see Americans with a global strategy as well. We'll need it now that we are an additional $5 trillion in the hole after the last 8 years -- while countries like China have nearly a $2 trillion SURPLUS.

No great country has been able to maintain its military leadership without the economic base to support it.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mike Fjetland (fet-land) - u suck captain -- worse than when you ran against Tom DeLay!

Youre a closet Dem - just admit it.

Global American said...

I am the Opposite of Tom DeLay, whose out of control spending, short-sightedness, religious extremism and unethical behavior was a big part of the current mess.

If that makes me a Democrat, who cares more about the middle class instead of the top 2% then who needs a closet - I'm a Democrat and not a narrow minded clone or DeLay or W. The GOP is going to get its butt kicked this election because people across this great country are --including my 80 year old mother in Iowa - are sick of attitudes like his dominating the GOP.

I am a Centrist who thinks America needs competent intelligence running the government -- our only chance to dig us out of $5 trillion hole created in last eight years that led to a financial train wreck for all Americans.

I also know this: More 'trickle down' economics won't help us any more than it has the last 8 years.

It's a Tsunami wave of change coming. You can thank your hero DeLay and W for it. What goes around, comes around....