I Support the Democratic Party, Not the Trolls

If you're a Democrat, you should be mad. I know I'm mad, even if I've refrained from using that word up to this point. I'm mad because of the inaccuracies. I'm mad because of the personal attacks. I'm mad because of the lies. I'm mad when I hear Hillary Clinton called a "Democratic whore," "corrupt," a "criminal," or any of the other personal attacks hurled at her. I'm mad because of the attacks hurled at the DNC Chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. I'm tired of hearing how our party is "stacking the deck," and the wild-eyed, crazy conspiracy theories about how the election is being stolen for Hillary Clinton. I'm also mad to hear how Planned Parenthood and other feminist groups are now some part of an "evil" establishment. In fact, i'm angry to even hear the depiction of the establishment from these people.

No, I'm not talking about the Trump supporters.

I've been active in Democratic politics since 2002. I've helped candidates of all different political stripes and types within our party. I know many of these electeds. I know many of these party leaders. I myself ran for the state Democratic committee and won a leadership post. I voted on our delegate selection plan in this state, and can tell you that zero thought went into "screwing" either Presidential candidate. I take this attack on our party personally.

The Democratic Party is not many of the things that the "Bernie or Bust" crowd has made it out to be. It's not a bunch of "whores." It's not a bunch of criminals. It's not corrupt. It's the party that created Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and more recently, the Affordable Care Act. It's the party that passed and defends the Violence Against Women Act, and fights to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals. It's the party of the Lilly Ledbetter Act. It's the party defending clean, air, water, soil, and food. The Democratic Party is why we have a minimum wage at all today. It's the party that defends most of the basic rights that our populace enjoys in this country.

I'm sorry that the "Bernie or Busters" on the internet don't think the Democratic Party and it's leadership are acceptable to them. Perhaps if we'd only listen to them and elect the only person acceptable to them, Congress would suddenly change their mind on immigration reform, raising the minimum wage, approving liberal judges, and universal background checks on gun purchases. If only. In the meanwhile, they're going to let us know repeatedly that they will NEVER support our candidate for President, but oh, by the way, we should give them their platform and change future primary rules to suit their desires. You know though, let those "Democratic Whores" know that even though they are the majority, they suck.

Yeah, i'm done with this rant. I'm not "Never Bernie," but i'm sure as hell "Never Bernie or Bust" crowd.

The Economy, Stupid

The United States of America has plenty of money. It has plenty of money to pay it's workers a living wage. It has plenty of money to build new infrastructure and repair the old infrastructure. We have the money to fund our schools and have health care. We have the money to do all that and still have a strong military.

We don't want to.

Now, I know that this sounds like something controversial to say, but it's really not. I'm not sure there's another way to view it. Mitt Romney got 47% of the vote specifically saying we can't. John Boehner and Paul Ryan have lead the House of Representatives for the last six years, saying we can't. Donald Trump just won the Republican nomination, probably with record vote numbers, saying we can't. The Republican Party has a record number of state legislative seats right now, mostly by saying we can't have these nice things. They say we have to accept a low or no minimum wage. They say we can't afford to better fund infrastructure or education. They say our economy would collapse if we raised the minimum wage. They win at least half the time too.

To be clear here, the American economy is not sustainable. Corporate profits are at record highs and minimum wage employment is not sustainable. The stock market has grown, by and large, for eight years, and most people haven't received accompanying wage increases. Americans are largely maintaining their standard of living off of credit again, and that will create a bubble that will eventually pop. Then when the bubble bursts, there will be another round of mass layoffs, and the responding recovery will once again be accompanied by lower wages than before the burst, and a round of hiring in the "Walmart" economy where wages are considerably lower, because the people working and their labor is easily replaced.

I'm not sure that we can afford to continue in the "pro growth" economy sometimes. I'd like to, because I believe in letting people "win" in the economy, but I just don't know anymore. If Apple makes billions of dollars in a quarter, but doesn't make enough billions, it's considered a loser. If a company makes a huge profit, but it's not bigger than last year's profit, it's a loser. Obviously supply and demand can't keep up with this need for corporate profit, so we see corporations maintain their profits the only ways they can- lay-offs, outsourcing, lower wage hires, de-unionization, ignoring environmental laws, and generally doing all the things that we collectively as a society wish they'd stop. If corporations have to make a bigger profit next year than they do this year, indefinitely, we can't expect that corporations aren't going to take every legal loophole they can to maximize their profits.

To be clear here, there is an extent to which this is a two way street. If you are a country that wants to maintain a high standard of living, you have create a highly skilled workforce that is worth that type of wage. While the United States is guilty on some level of failing at that, it is not as guilty as the pain being inflicted on the American worker suggests. The truth is that a lot of this is straight up corporate greed. While I'm not necessarily a Bernie Sanders super-fan, I do think he hit this nail on the head with a recent Facebook post:

Where I think this picture doesn't do itself justice is that it doesn't show how many people are being paid out of these two pots of money- 1.5 million workers make the minimum wage, while another 1.8 million make less per hour, together making up 4.3% of the work force. Meanwhile, Wall Street handed out $28.5 billion to 167,800- on just bonuses. The over-valuing of executive labor as compared to minimum-wage labor is too far out of control. I'm not a believer in wage caps for the rich, but the poor need to enjoy a better standard of living, without borrowing their way to it- they work at least as hard as Wall Street does. To be clear, compensation in the United States is not based on merit, nor is it at all reasonable.

Which leads me back to my point at the top- all I hear is how mad Americans are. I can see why, their wages aren't growing and they are falling further and further behind. I have trouble buying that they are really mad though. They don't vote like it. They vote mad about their guns, or transgender people in their bathroom, but they don't vote angry about their economic state. Many times, they vote for the people who put them there. A bunch of poor white people in the coal mountains of West Virginia voted for Donald Trump last week! Donald Trump is running around the country talking about how rich and successful he is, and super-poor people that work hard for close to nothing vote for him. Are they really mad?

No, I get it- they don't really understand the problem, and it's easier to blame Mexicans and Muslims than it is to say that maybe the economic benefits of being in a rich country should be wide spread. It's ignorance, not stupidity, to be clear with some liberals who don't get the difference, that these people just don't see the crimes being perpetrated on them for what they are. Walmart is paying you an inadequate minimum wage, without health benefits or a pension system, and then not paying taxes to fund the welfare programs- Food Stamps, Section 8 housing, WIC, etc.- which is pushing the burden of paying that on the middle class- because they don't have loopholes to avoid taxation. They've set up a rigged system where the middle-class have to pay for the poor, which makes the middle class hate the poor and vote for the elected government that is giving Walmart their plum deal in the first place. Resentment bares out more resentment.

It is, and always will be the economy, stupid. That's if you care to get out and vote smart. You may not love Hillary Clinton, but she's talking about good paying jobs, she's talking about raising the minimum wage, she's talking about corporate taxes. Sure, she has her flaws, and she's wrong about some stuff. She's still a far better option for you than Donald Trump, if you want a more equitable, more fair system. The last time a Clinton was in office, things weren't so bad, were they?

The State of the Race: Oregon and Kentucky

It's Mid-May, and we're still talking Presidential Primaries. That's not because the race is actually competitive or something, it's because Bernie Sanders hasn't dropped out yet. Tonight, Oregon and Kentucky are up for grabs in both parties, as Hillary Clinton aims to end the discussion and Donald Trump just looks to secure 103 more delegates.

On the Democratic side, this is the current delegate situation-

• Pledged (Elected Delegates, 2,026 needed to secure majority of 4,051)- Hillary Clinton 1,716 Bernie Sanders 1,433. Clinton up +283.
• Super Delegates (Party and Elected Leaders, 358 needed to secure majority of 714)- Hillary Clinton 524 Bernie Sanders 40. Clinton up +484
• Total Delegates (4,765 total, 2,383 needed to secure majority)- Hillary Clinton 2,240 Bernie Sanders 1,473. Clinton up +767.

That tells you the story of the race- it's not very close. In Kentucky tonight, 55 pledged delegates are on the line. In Oregon tonight, 61 are up for grabs. After tonight, the U.S. Virgin Islands (7), Puerto Rico (60), California (475), Montana (21), New Jersey (126), New Mexico (34), North Dakota (18), South Dakota (20), and Washington, DC (19) still remain for pledged delegates, totaling up to 780 remaining pledged delegates left, with a few odd state conventions still out there to add a couple of others, getting us to 786 remaining delegates. Clinton needs just 310 to win the majority of the elected delegates, or the will of the people. With 143 delegates, she will reach 2,383, including the super-delegates.

I'm assuming Bernie Sanders is a favorite in Kentucky. That's an unsafe assumption, given that there hasn't been a poll in close to a year. Yes, he won West Virginia big and took Indiana, but she won Ohio, Tennessee, and Illinois, all border states. I'm going to give him a 30-25 split as my pick. In Oregon, it's even harder to read. Sanders has won Washington and Idaho next door, but Clinton leads in the polls. I want to be as charitable as possible to him here, and give him a super-tight 31-30 split his way. He would pick up 61 delegates on the night, she would pick up 55, giving her a 1,771-1,494 lead in pledged delegates, and 2,295 total delegates to his 1,534. 

Even if Sanders does better, Clinton will both cross 2,026 pledged delegates (a majority) and 2,383 total delegates on June 7th, thanks to her strong lead in New Jersey and assured pick-up of 200 delegates in California alone. In other words, this comes back to what I've been saying- it's the MATH. Bernie Sanders can't possibly catch her. He would have to beat her by at least 40% in California. Let me know how that goes for him. Oh, and New Jersey's 126 are going to be lopsided for her.

On the Republican side, the race is boring. Donald Trump is the presumptive nominee, and he is just 103 delegates from clinching, and should get there with ease now that he has no opponents. Assuming wins like last week in West Virginia, Trump will also clinch the nomination on June 7th. If the "Never Trump" folks inside the GOP want to stop Trump from the Presidency, their options now are Hillary or some other brilliant idea they cook up fast.

You Can Use the Past Against Anyone

Yesterday, the internet was abuzz after it came out that Notorious B.I.G.'s song "I Got A Story To Tell" was about former New York Knicks player Anthony Mason, at least according to Fat Joe. Both guys are dead, and most of the public had probably forgotten about this song, but here it was. Years later, the answer to what this song was about is known.

This past weekend, Russell Wilson spoke at the University of Wisconsin's commencement. The speech was well received at the university where he played his final season of college football. It wasn't well received by everyone though. Some folks from N.C. State, where Wilson played his first three years of college ball, were not happy. Apparently his transfer from the Wolf Pack is still a sore subject.

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the past. Plenty of times as a young people, we do or say things that stick with other people for years. Unfortunately, these things never die. It takes just one person somewhere wanting to re-litigate the past, and people will want to do just that. Even when the people involved are on to new things, or in some cases even dead, we still end up right back at this.

End the Amateur Hour- End Most Caucuses, Close the Primaries, Reform the Super Delegates

This past weekend, Nevada held it's state Democratic Convention. It turned into a complete debacle- but one that ultimately preserved the will of the people. In February, Hillary Clinton won the Nevada Caucuses, but due to error, appeared to be losing after the counties held their conventions. On Saturday, a bunch of Sanders delegates showed up not registered as Democrats, a requirement to participate in a party convention, and were disqualified, giving Clinton back her narrow lead. This set off a bunch of ugliness. Fortunately, the person who won the actual caucuses ultimately won the convention, but everyone looked stupid for it.

Then there's the case of Maine, an equally ridiculous situation. Bernie Sanders won the state, and so his delegates took the extraordinary measure of trying to bound their state's future super-delegates to voting for the candidate who wins their state. Aside from the fact that this rule would not change the current Democratic race one iota (in fact, it would have already basically insured a Clinton nomination), it is also something that Maine's convention has zero authority to do. This power rests alone with the DNC, who sets the rules for it's own nomination contest. If the Maine Democratic Party pushes this issue, the likely outcome is that the DNC will just strip them of their super-delegates.

The fact of the matter is that Hillary Clinton is beating Bernie Sanders fair and square, by every single metric possible. Most of the anger about the process is caused by ignorance to the rules, the process, and the fact that this is a Democratic Party nomination. Even so, when you can't institute your own rules cleanly, without ugly incidents like we've seen so far, you leave a lot of people disappointed. The Democratic Party would be well-advised to clean up their process.

Here's my ideas for reform:

1. End almost every caucus- I'm only going to say "almost every" for a reason- Iowa manages to run their process without the kinds of chaotic scenes we're seeing in Nevada and Maine every four years, because they're not amateur caucusers. Caucuses in general are UnDemocratic, and reward the loudest, most fanatical supporters, over the "commoners" that make up most of the party. The closed time period around caucuses, the drawn-out process, the confusing rules, and the several steps in the process are clearly causing problems, anger, and results that don't match the overall will of the public. In Nebraska, Hillary Clinton lost the caucus by 14% with a much smaller turnout, then won the primary by over 20% with a much, much larger one. We want more people in the process, not less. I'd make every state but Iowa move to a primary system, or at least show major reforms to their caucus process to fix these issues.
2. Close the primaries- This is the Democratic Party's nomination, not the nomination for whoever feels like taking part. Different states have different rules about registering for a party primary, and that's fine, but it's not too much to ask that people who want to vote in the Democratic Party's nomination fight show some level of commitment to the Democratic Party. To be clear, this is not infringing on your democratic rights as a citizen- it's your choice whether or not to comply with registration rules, and you still get your November vote. People who actually commit to the party though don't tend to cause the kind of chaos that we saw in Las Vegas this past Saturday. They also had to take the time to know the rules, and be informed about the process they are complaining about.
3. Bind most of the super-delegates- I have no problem with the idea that we give members of Congress, Governors, Lt. Governors, and other party leaders an automatic vote at the convention, in fact I think it provides some order to the process. I do tend to agree with the people though who think that 700+ unbound delegates in a process of a little over 4,700 total delegates seems a bit chaotic. While it hasn't happened, what if the 700 plus super-delegates over-turned a narrow victory in the pledged delegates for a candidate they didn't like? I would bind the members of Congress to vote with their Congressional districts, and those who gain their status through a state party position to the will of their states. I'm not 100% sure this would bound every super-delegate, but it would at least nearly do so, and would insure the peoples' will is met. Mind you, even my rule would not give Bernie Sanders the nomination, and in fact would insure he didn't have a chance at this point. The "wild card" of free agent delegates wondering the floor is the only reason a candidate down by almost 300 pledged delegates at the 75% mark can even continue to run, so buyer beware of what i'm proposing.
4. Delegates Should Sign a Loyalty Oath- If you want to vote in our convention, for our nominee, commit to supporting our nominee in November. No "or bust," "PUMA," or any other childish threats from a group of delegates if they don't get their way. You're in or you're out. This is a party event, it's not a right of any random person, it's a privilege of leadership extended by the Democratic Party. Either agree to be on the team, or you can maintain your right of dissent by not going to the convention. This isn't asking too much.
5. Move to a "Winner Take Most" Delegate System- Prior to Jesse Jackson's Presidential campaigns in the 1980s, some Democratic Primaries were "Winner Take All" contests. This disenfranchised large groups within the party and marginalized many voters. In an effort to avoid that, the Democratic Party has moved to a virtually entire "proportional" system. This has allowed consecutive nominating processes to carry on long past the point they were decided. In 2008, it was at least mildly close, but in 2016 it's ridiculous. In future contests, I'd apportion a majority of the delegates from each state automatically to the winner of the state, then apportion the remainder proportionally to make sure all communities of interest are represented. It makes victories matter a lot more, and actually puts some teeth behind winning the close fights in states.

The different rules we have in every state right now cause confusion and chaos. Too many states have shown themselves incapable of cleanly running their process without confusion. Too many people are ignorant to the rules of the process, and that is because the process is different in each state. Some states pick between having a caucus or a primary based on the price of the event, or even dumber criteria, and that's just not acceptable. The DNC should standardize this process moving forward, right down to the number of debates, and avoid any future confusion for the voters. 

U-N-I-T-Y? Yeah, I Got That.

I've been around the Democratic Party for 14 years now. There has been more than one instance in which I've had to eat some crow at the end of an inner-party fight. I've been on the wrong end of races from local Mayorships to Presidential primaries. It happens to anyone who gets involved in politics on an organized level, because you can't command voters to support what you support. In general though, it's something that I take in stride. I chose to be an active member of the Democratic Party from the outset of my political involvement because I understood that I agreed with Democratic positions and actions more often than I agreed with Republican ones. I also understood that if you want a seat at the table, if you want to be an active part of solutions and have a voice in the discussions, you have to pick a team. If you think you can be politically active and not be in a party, you end up as the person yelling on street corners that no one listens to.

Recently, I was asked if I really believe in party unity, while campaigning hard against Senator Bernie Sanders candidacy for President. I was at least slightly amused. My record on party unity is beyond reproach- whether it was falling in line after President Obama became our 2008 nominee, Governor Wolf after he won the Gubernatorial primary in 2014, or now supporting Josh Shapiro after he won our Attorney General nomination. While I maintain there's a zero chance of it happening, if Bernie Sanders is the Democratic nominee in November's Presidential race, I will vote for him. I clearly know that while I have differences with the Senator from Vermont, I agree with him much more than Donald Trump. I've chosen to be in the Democratic Party, a decision that i'm quite comfortable with, even when things could be uncomfortable.

I believe UNITY is a one way street though. If you're on the team, your unity is to the person who wins the primary nomination for office, period. You don't get to negotiate, and there sure as hell ain't no "or bust" option. I do realize that most of the public isn't held to this standard, and that's fine- most of the public doesn't run for a seat on the Democratic State Committee. They don't hold a seat on the county committee. For that matter, the majority of Americans may not even vote. You choose your level of party loyalty, or lack there of, and you are then held to that standard. I am a committed, loyal Democrat- which is why I get to do things like vote on the Pennsylvania delegate selection plan for the convention, meet our candidates much earlier in the process and size them up, and vote for party endorsements. Not everyone has to make the level of commitment I do, but then not everyone also not everyone gets the privileges I get back (or even would want them, frankly).

The person who questioned me on unity did so because I have slammed the "Bernie or Bust" crowd, and at times Senator Sanders, and called for them to wrap things up. To be clear here, while I'd like Bernie Sanders himself to drop out and endorse our likely nominee at this point, I do agree that he has the right to run through the conclusion of this process as a candidate, whether that is June 14th or July 28th in his mind. Bernie is not the same as "Bernie or Bust" though. I am fine with Senator Sanders, if he somehow wins the nomination, and can live with him. I do not extend the same olive branch to people threatening to not support the nominee of the Democratic Party. Facing an actual white nationalist like Donald Trump, this is not acceptable behavior. Are there times where any decent person should oppose their own party in the interest of the country, regardless of their position in said party? Yes, I'd argue we're seeing that time play out right now for Republicans. We're not the party nominating Donald Trump though.

I'm not seeking to unify with a movement who will only unify with our party if they get the nominee of their choice. I'm definitely not seeking to unify with a movement where people are calling Hillary Clinton a "criminal," "corrupt," a "Democratic whore," or any of the other ridiculous things that have come out of some of the mouths of people who are voting in the Democratic Primaries, but assure us they won't support Hillary Clinton in November, no matter what. It is absolutely their right to pick who they vote for, I'm not going to negotiate that with them. If that's how they wish to behave though, there's nothing to unify around. There's no seat at the table to offer them. They don't get to be a part of the discussion about the party platform, or the future primary contests, because they aren't in the party. They are taking an absolutist position that leaves them absolutely outside of the tent. Some of us are prepared to vote for the party's nominee. Those that are not will be taken at their word.

As I said above, I always support unity. I supported unity when I collected signatures for both Presidential candidates AND their delegates from my county. I've supported unity in the past. I will support unity in the future. The unity will be on my terms, which are that I'm unifying with the people who agree with me about the direction of the country, that we need a Democratic President, and not with those that will demand their way at the end of the barrel of a gun. Unity doesn't work that way, whether you want it to badly enough or not.

Happy Tuesday

My 33 Favorite Rock Songs...

In honor of turning 33, I decided to revise my 33 favorite rock songs. Here's my updated list:

1. Aerosmith- Dream On
2. The Rolling Stones- Gimme Shelter
3. The Foo Fighters- Big Me
4. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band- Thunder Road
5. Aerosmith- Amazing
6. The Rolling Stones- Sympathy for the Devil
7. Live- I Alone
8. The Red Hot Chili Peppers- Under the Bridge
9. The Foo Fighters- Everlong
10. The Rolling Stones- You Can't Always Get What You Want
11. The Red Hot Chili Peppers- Californication
12. The Stone Temple Pilots- Big Bang Baby
13. The Red Hot Chili Peppers- Soul to Squeeze
14. The Foo Fighters- Rope
15. Aerosmith- Jaded
16. The Counting Crows- Mr. Jones
17. Nirvana- The Man Who Sold the World
18. The Red Hot Chili Peppers- Been Around the World
19. Pearl Jam- Faithful
20. The Foo Fighters- Learn to Fly
21. Aerosmith- Sweet Emotion
22. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band- The Rising
23. Live- Shit Towne
24. Green Day- Longview
25. The Stone Temple Pilots- Interstate Love Song
26. The Foo Fighters- Times Like These
27. The Rolling Stones- Jumpin' Jack Flash
28. The Counting Crows- Long December
29. Aerosmith- What it Takes
30. The Red Hot Chili Peppers- Scar Tissue
31. Green Day- When I Come Around
32. Live- All Over You
33. The Stone Temple Pilots- Revolution

What I Question About Bernie (And What I Don't)...

At some point between now and July 28th, Bernie Sanders will have to bow to reality- he won't be the nominee for President of the Democratic Party unless something truly amazing happens. He won't have as many pledged delegates, and the super-delegates will never switch to him, and he will finish in second place in this Democratic race. Senator Sanders will return to the U.S. Senate and presumably finish his career out in that, or some other role besides President. What will remain beyond him is the agenda that he has put forward, the vision for the country. Ultimately, this always mattered more than the person anyway.

I have never actually questioned the feasibility of what Bernie Sanders has proposed. "Medicare for all," free-college for all, breaking up the banks, getting money out of politics, expanding Social Security, raising the minimum wage, and even the accompanying tax breaks are all actually possible things, on paper. If you have the political will to pass these laws, the resources are there, you just have to make the accompanying values judgments to do them. If you're willing to spend less on Defense spending, if you're willing to uncap Payroll Taxes, if you're willing to cast the votes in Congress to defy the interest groups that would line up against all of these ideas, America could do them. I'm not passing judgment here on whether or not we should, but it's entirely possible.

Aside from whether or not these ideas are right, I've never believed we have the political will to actually do all the things Bernie is proposing. President Obama essentially lost Congress for three-fourths of his Presidency to pass the Affordable Care Act. Bernie's "revolution" is not going to suddenly spur a more conservative Congress to act on all of his big ideas, and the American people are not going to suddenly support his big actions to the levels to make Congress want to risk their jobs for him. If the Congress we had in 2009-2010 would not expand Medicare, Bernie isn't going to pass "Medicare for All." If the Congress we had in 2009-2010 gave us Dodd-Frank, Bernie isn't going to ride in like he's Teddy Roosevelt and destroy the banking system in America. To be fair, things like overturning Citizens United or at least raising the minimum wage somewhat are very possible in the next Presidency, and perhaps it's a good long-term goal to want free college and Medicare-for-all, but he's proposing an activist legislative agenda that is simply not going to happen in the next four years. To make it worse, nothing in Bernie's Congressional career suggests that he's the guy to make this happen.

I don't believe that Bernie Sanders is going to be the Democratic nominee, much less the next President of the United States, so really the question of what he can do is not that relevant really. The next President should be a Democrat, probably one that will preside over a divided Congress and have limited ability to pass legislation. My guess is that this next President, probably Hillary Clinton, will be able to pass a few choice items- a minimum wage increase of some kind, possibly immigration reform (if Paul Ryan is willing to let it see a vote), some sort of grand tax bargain that includes exchanges on corporate taxes and payroll taxes that both sides will have to accept, maybe some improvements on student loans, and possibly some improvements on infrastructure and energy. That is not nearly as exciting as the agenda that Bernie has put forward, but I think that's the reality we live in. Only a wildly effective President and legislature can structurally change Social Security's future path, short of an actual crisis arriving for the program, and things like free college for all and Medicare expansion for everyone are not going to be able to pass in this next term.

The real question is the long-term though, and whether or not some future progressive will be able to pick up Sanders' platform and run with it. I don't doubt that it is possible to do the things Sanders' proposes. I don't doubt that you can do the things he's proposing, but I do doubt their political viability. Can some currently nameless future candidate for President change the political dynamic and make passing free college tuition and single-payer health care possible? That is probably the more important question that comes out of this primary campaign, moving forward in progressive politics.

Ten Years After Moravian...

This past weekend was graduation day for the class of 2016 at Moravian College. This past Friday was the tenth anniversary of my graduation day as a Greyhound. That almost doesn't feel possible, but it is. On May 13th, 2006, I walked across that stage and was done with my undergraduate life after four long, interesting years. I think that after a decade, I can look back with a fair degree of honesty on my time.

I had a great run at Moravian. I served as the junior and senior class Vice-President of the Class of 2006. I joined Omicron Gamma Omega, where I made some great friends who are a part of my life to this day. I served as the "News Section" editor for the Comenian. I met people like Paul Begala, interned on lots of campaigns, got to know some amazing administrators, and really got my start in the political realm. I grew up both as a thinker and as a person thanks to some amazing professors. I can say to this day that my advisors and key professors in the political science, history, and economics departments got me through a period in my life where frankly, I could have screwed up. Moravian was beyond good to me, and prepared me for life.

There is hindsight to all decisions though, especially after a decade. I was not mature enough for a tough academic school at that time, and that certainly showed there. In fact, I wasn't really mature enough for college in general at that time, and in a smaller setting like that, that kind of character flaw shows up big-time. I was a total enigma to anyone around me at that time, capable of some really great things, and some really dumb things.

Moravian almost didn't happen for me. I did like the school, but it was an after thought yet when I got accepted in March of 2002. I was dead set on going to the University of Maryland, and had my acceptance letter, but my final overnight visit was terrible- I felt like a number, it was very hot, they put me with hosts that didn't want to really show me anything, and I actually was told bad things by people I knew there. Then Moravian felt warm, welcoming, personal, and like a family, and I was very into the professors I met, which made the final decision easier than I expected. Even after acceptance and admission though, I almost left during a terrible first semester where I got mono and quit playing sports. I socially struggled and considered transferring, most seriously looking at schools in New York City. I loved my time at Moravian, but it wasn't all roses.

Fortunately though, I stayed. My second semester was a little more fun and my sophomore and junior years were some of the most fun times I've ever had. I was introduced to influential alums like former Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan, trustees and leaders in the school, and influential leaders in my industry like Dee Dee Myers. From that, my future career path opened up. While I was a poor student at times, my professors stuck with my lack of effort, and actually turned me into a decent student by my final semester. I made professional connections, personal friendships, and learned life lessons that I would not have learned at any other school. I'd be really remiss if I didn't mention my affiliation as a brother in Omicron Gamma Omega here again, as it not only got me over the social awkwardness of being in a new place, but also was a huge factor in the fact that I got through school. The people I met in that brotherhood did a lot more for me at that time than I did for them. I could say that about my whole Moravian experience though, and many of the people I met there.

I'll always wonder what would have happened on a different path. By turning down the big state schools or four years inside of the Beltway, I took a far different path in life. While I have since lived in different places, I turned down an easy chance to try living somewhere different. While anyone can ask "what if" ten years later, I'm actually very comfortable with my choice. Moravian was exactly the kind of school that I needed as a young adult. It was exactly the kind of personalized atmosphere that someone like me had to have at that age. I got a great education, I met people that remain an important part of my life, and I feel still like I am at home there. It's entirely possible that if I went somewhere else, I'd be making hundreds of thousands of dollars right now. I do know this though- if I hadn't gone to Moravian, I'd be much more poor in many other ways. I definitely went to the right school for me.

Sorry America- LeBron is Still the Best

I get why America loves Steph Curry. He's nice. He's a good dad. He wasn't the #1 overall pick. He's really good at basketball. His team is the best team in the league, and has one of the best rosters of all time. He won a title.

LeBron James is still both better and more valuable than Curry.

I know, you hate LeBron James. So did I when he went to Miami. I hated the ESPN hype, the potential for "super-teams" to dominate for an indefinite period, and that he predicted seven titles. I wanted Dirk and the Mavs to beat them, I wanted Durant and Westbrook to beat them, I wanted the Spurs to beat them- both times. I was anti-LeBron, right up until last season's finals. Then, he made a fan of me.

LeBron James is not a better shooter than Curry. That's about it though. Better passer? LeBron. Better rebounder? LeBron. Better at running the point for his team? LeBron. Better defender? LeBron in a landslide. Very few players in the history of the game were as complete of a basketball player as the man who has lead his last five teams to the NBA Finals. LeBron does everything, and he does almost everything better than anyone else on the planet.

Steph Curry does deserve his MVP for this season. He had a record breaking season for a record breaking team. He causes nightmares for opposing teams. He is always there in the big spots to hit the shots for his team. In the manner that we currently vote for an MVP, Curry was the best candidate from the best team. He deserves his award.

He's on a team that had two other candidates though, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. He plays on a team who's fourth best player is Harrison Barnes, and who brings an All-MVP caliber defender named Andre Igoudala off of their bench. The Warriors have the best roster in basketball. They are an incredible team.

If Steph Curry had missed this season, the Warriors would have still contended for the title and been a top three seed in the Western Conference. If LeBron James had missed this season, the Cavaliers might have contended for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. LeBron plays a #1 assignment on the defensive end and leads his team on the offensive end. Curry is charitably average on defense. If we're talking purely about value here, LeBron James is simply the most valuable player in basketball. I don't know that his team will beat the Western Champions, nor do I think he should have won the MVP based on the criteria we typically use now. I'm just stating the simple truth- LeBron James is the best and most valuable player in basketball today.

Sorry to rain on the parade, America.

Fo' Real? Why the Best is Yet to Come for the Phillies

You almost have to pinch yourself to make sure it's real- the Phillies are 22-15, and one game out of first in second place. Last year, this team went 63-99, and to match that, they'd have to go 41-84 from here on out. How this team has managed to remain relevant into mid-May is kind of surprising, but also should give you hope for the future.

First off, let's recognize that the only guaranteed two future starters in the majors that are in this line-up are Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera. Beyond that, most of the highest rated prospects aren't playing in Philadelphia yet. J.P. Crawford is still in Reading and probably won't arrive until later this Summer. Nick Williams is playing decently well in AAA, but will likely also spend most of the Summer in the Lehigh Valley. Dylan Cozens and Roman Quinn are in Reading. Jason Knapp and Jorge Alfaro are both unlikely to catch many baseball games for the 2016 Phillies. Tommy Joseph's recent arrival can give some hope at first base, but he's hardly even the only first base possibility for the future. In other words, most of the best is still to come, which is very good for a team who is not winning for their offense.

The Phillies win by limiting offense, which is great for a team who has three of their young, promising arms already in the rotation. If there is one area where the Phillies are very close to having their team of the future, it is their rotation. Nola, Velasquez, and Eickhoff are all here already, while Appel, Eflin, and Thompson are in AAA, closing in on the major leagues. The Phillies have an over-abundance of young, MLB caliber pitching talent, and much of it is in the league now, or we'll see them this year. In other words, the early success might just be what the future looks like.

Of course, I have to mention the early success of this bullpen, and how Jeanmar Gomez is bidding to be the third closer the Phillies trade for prospects in a one year period of time with his MLB leading start. The Phillies could choose to build around their bullpen's successes, or liquidate the group for even more young assets. Neither option would be bad.

It is likely that by the end of the Summer, the Phillies have much of their future line-up and rotation in town, and even more prospects sitting around in the system to build with. While there is a faint hope that this group can continue to win at this pace, the payoffs of last year's moves to rebuild are already starting to come to fruition. If we happen to be talking about playoffs too, that's an added bonus.

33 Thoughts on Life at 33

Last Wednesday, May 11th, I turned 33. It's not a particularly significant age, so there's no big party, night out at the bar, new purchase that I couldn't make the day before, or anything like that. I worked, I visited my grandmother, and I had dinner with my family at Terry's (A great little Italian place down on 611, I strongly recommend it). I took the time out to respond to every Facebook "Happy Birthday" I got (which ended up topping 175), and otherwise just kicked back and enjoyed the day. It was one of those relaxing birthdays. It offered a lot of time for thought.

So, why not share some of those thoughts about our world, 33 years after May 11th, 1983.

1. How long ago was "Californication" now? Seriously, I'm starting to realize that most of the classic albums of the 1990s are now twenty years old, and I don't like it. Aerosmith's "Get a Grip" is a quarter century old, Tupac's almost been dead twenty years, and Britney Spears has been a star for almost 20 years. The Red Hot Chili Peppers iconic CD though, the album I most associate with the late 1990s, is almost 20 years old. Basically, I saw that tour in 1999, and that is more than half a lifetime ago now. Ouch.
2. At 18, I had a goal- to work in Hollywood, Wall Street, and the White House in my lifetime. I'm not sure any of them is my goal anymore, which amazes me. What you prioritize can change so much over 15 years, and I certainly now stand as living proof of that.
3. It's no secret that I love the beach, but it's just as interesting watching what beach you frequent change. As a child, Point Pleasant Beach was my spot. Then in high school, Ocean City, Maryland. Along came the college and early 20's, and it was Wildwood Crest. Now? I can't wait to get to Sandy Hook Beach, the Gateway National Park at the northern tip of the Jersey Shore. I like the relaxation and quiet there. At 40, what will be my beach of choice?
4. The Earth is approximately 4,543,000,000 years old, human time. I'm 33 years old. The oldest person in the world is 116. We are all just a blip in history. 
5. People like to think that we live in a special time in human history, basically all people at all times do this. I was recently listening to a 1962 speech by President John F. Kennedy, campaigning for Pennsylvania Democrats in Pittsburgh. What was he talking about? The role of government, the pain of companies outsourcing jobs, and how the industrial jobs of "yesterday" were going to need to be replace by something new. You could have stuck President Obama right in his place and given the same speech in Pittsburgh in 2016.
6. From the "how long ago was that" file: I wrestled my final match in 2001, 15 years ago this past February. I competed in my final competitive athletic event in May of 2002, 14 years ago this month. Again, basically half a life ago. While you never stop viewing yourself as a jock, clearly you aren't one at some point.
7. Some people don't exist for a relevant reason, they exist to be angry. The current Presidential election is proving that. In elections, someone wins and someone loses. Generally, if you're on the losing side, the smart thing to do is to join the team and work to make changes to the parts of the system you don't like from within. Most, probably over 85%, of the voters for losing primary candidates will back their party's nominee, because they know that's the smart thing to do. For a few though, they demonize those who they disagree with. Oh well, if you ask me.
8. Ballparks I want to get to this Summer- Lakewood, Camden Yards, Nationals Park, Citi Field, and Harrisburg. I have been to all of the MLB parks that I named, though it's been since the inaugural year of Camden Yards since I've been there. I have never been to Lakewood or Harrisburg, and I want to change that this Summer.
9. My high school wrestling coach, Steve Powell, just retired after coaching at Easton High School my entire life. He's one of the most successful wrestling coaches at any level in the history of the sport in America. He was a tough coach at times, but he made his teams better. I learned a lot of hard lessons during my time in his room, and for that i'm forever in his debt. I wish him well.
10. I could never vote for Donald Trump, and neither should you, if your family history in this country is anything but Native American. My elders came through Ellis Island, often faced not being wanted here, and worked their way to respectability. Donald Trump would now scapegoat immigrants of Latino and Middle-Eastern backgrounds in order to win an election. He's a vile, UnAmerican human-being.
11. Sometimes you wish they didn't speak- Billy Corgan, a 1990s rock god, a real genius, proves that again. He's apparently a real right-wing conspiracy theorist. He joins Mel Gibson off in the "great artists from crazyland" category.
12. I've largely forgone many of the "rituals of adulthood" as i've grown up, in an effort to forego the rat-race that follows them. I've found mixed results in that. I refuse to "keep up with the Joneses," and yet sometimes you can't stop yourself. Patience and modesty are good slogans, but there is a point where you wonder what you're giving up, in the name of not living the full-time stress life that your less-fun friends are living in constantly.
13. I've never been to California. Something is wrong with that. Everyone says they want to go to San Francisco, but give me the superficiality of Hollywood. 
14. I've never written anything nice about Donald Trump, and this will be the only time I do, but he has hopefully changed American politics with his nomination victory- hopefully we'll stop getting lame, boring, "perfect" background candidates with no history, no pass transgressions, and no personality. I do want a Presidential candidate who goes on Howard Stern and isn't afraid to use some "mean" words, I just don't want them to be Donald Trump.
15. I love Citizens Bank Park, and I don't want to say anything negative about it, but I miss Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. That old, concrete, circular dump was a hell-hole, but it was our hell-hole, and it was home. Again, we've had some great times in CBP already, and it's one of the most beautiful ballparks in baseball, but the Vet had a character that no other ballpark will ever replace.
16. Did my grandfather ever like the Philadelphia Athletics? I don't know. He's been dead ten years, and it didn't dawn on me until the last year or two that when he was a kid, the A's were good. He was born in 1930, and at least in my lifetime was a Phillies fan. In the 1930's though, the A's were good and the Phillies were garbage. Until the 1950's, the A's were still an option for a Philadelphia fan. I never thought to ask him while he was alive, but it dawned on me that maybe he was an A's fan back in the day.
17. The Moon Landing is real. Kurt Cobain did kill himself. Yes, Bernie Sanders is losing fair and square. Conspiracy theorists burn me up to no end. I have no use for their ignorance.
18. I recently lost an uncle at age 59, to cancer. It made me think a lot about the "quality" of my life. At 32, what if I have just 27 years left, or less? While I've always been a patient person, perhaps the time for patience is wearing out in my 30s.
19. People ask me what I didn't like about DC when I say how much I disliked it there, and I always answer with "the people." That's a real quagmire answer for someone with many friends in DC, which is something that is increasingly dawning on me. There are obviously lots of different types of people in DC, and broad-brushing them is not fair. As I age though, I'm pinpointing what it was that I didn't like. I hated the need for "importance," aka- the need for everyone to run around in their suits and tell you what their title was. I hated the disconnect with the rest of the world, as so many of the people I interacted with there were trust-fund babies that only knew the world from a theoretical glass, because they didn't have real world problems. I also just wanted a city where I could have a beer and talk about the ballgame with the person next to me- not tax policy. When I visit DC, I often times miss it, because there are some amazing things about it. I really don't know if I can live there in the future, or not.
20. There are a number of things that I really enjoy, but know nothing about. I know nothing about art, but I'm becoming a fan of paintings. I know very little about hockey, but I love watching games live. I know nothing about a lot of things, something I realize today, but did not realize as a younger blogger. I try not to write about those things, even though they interest me. No one wants to read some ignoramus tell them about things he has no experience with.
21. The common-thread between some Sanders and Trump supporters is an ignorance in understanding how hard it is to make change in the world. Trump's supporters, and the Tea Party for that matter, are angry at the GOP for not stopping the movement towards a multi-cultural world, for not going to Washington and burning it down, for not throwing a tirade when they don't get their way. The Sanders supporters largely believe President Obama did not make enough change. I would point to the ACA and the 2010 election, and their correlation, to understand how hard it is to change everything at once. Incremental change, realism, and compromise are not dirty words, they are not bad ideas. They're mature ones.
22. I grew up a huge Superman fan. I liked Batman, and read him too, but Superman was my favorite. Today? I'm a Batman guy. I like the gritty, real nature of him. He's not a good guy, which is what makes him good.
23. Dear Phillies fans- appreciate Ryan Howard. For real. I know, he's gone after this season (at the latest), and he's probably going to end up hitting like .185, but he deserves your respect. He gave you home run and RBI titles, something you didn't get much of post-Schmidt. He gave you an MVP, also something you hadn't seen since Schmidt. He gave you a World Series- you didn't have many of those. He gave you an NLCS MVP (please, don't ever turn into Curt Schilling). He's second in franchise history in homers. He gave up his body, busting up his legs for good, in the interest of trying to win. The guy is a competitor. I get it, he's not "Saint Chase" to some people, which I will never get, but Howard gave you his all. Appreciate him.
24. The year of 33 will be the year I finally get back under 200 pounds. I've been weighing in between 201 and 204 in recent weeks. I hope to get to 190 this year. Once I do, I may even run a 5k. Yeah, I know, that's over-promising.
25. I admire Hillary Clinton for bothering to run for President again. After all the Clintons have done for this country, she could have gone home after 2000, or 2008, or 2012, and said she's done. Instead she's subjecting herself to being called a "criminal," "corrupt," a "bitch," and all other forms of insult. For someone who has taken such a public beating from people who have had no positive impact on the world, i'm impressed she's willing to keep going.
26. Some of my "happy" places- Lookout Mountain by Lehigh, the Weehawken Dualing Grounds view of Manhattan, the Point Pleasant Beach at dawn, and Strawberry Fields in Central Park.
27. I have a "love/hate" relationship with identity politics. I get why some groups who face systemic oppression need them. I also see real evil in a nation who's politics are predictably divided along race, sex, sexuality, or religious grounds. 
28. My grandmother is 88 years old. I'm grateful that she's still with me at 33. She says and does some crazy stuff, but I don't know what i'd do without her.
29. The history of "the millennials" will be kind, in the end, but we deserve to get ripped for our pop-culture. Our television shows suck. The radio right now is an embarrassment. I'm never growing a beard. In short, I'd consider trading living under Nixon or Bush 41 to get their music.
30. When I was 25, I didn't want to get married because I didn't want to conform. When I'm 33, I don't want to get married because i'm not putting up with the expectations and demands of another person. Yet, sometimes, I do want to get married. The joys of adulthood are not joys at all. Maybe I can just have kids and not deal with the wife part? That's pretty hard.
31. Despite my firm support of Hillary Clinton, there are things I disagree with her on. I didn't agree with her Iraq vote. I would legalize marijuana. I would firmly support the Iran Deal that President Obama put into place. I would have a carbon tax to fight climate change. Support is not zealotry. Support is not for 100% of the agenda. Support is about supporting most of the policies, believing in the person to get things done, and believing they are a realist that is capable of compromise. I believe that about her.
32. One of the best decisions I didn't make was going to law school. I didn't belong there at 23. I'm not sure I'd belong there at 33. When I went to college, I was going straight to law school. While I might have a little more money by now if I had, I don't regret not doing that at all.
33. The only critic that counts is one's self. If you're doing things to make other people happy, you're dying. Don't die.

Happy Saturday

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