We can do better

Come on, Missouri.  We can do better.
I'm worried that society is slipping into the fringe. People are coming unhinged, and it's playing out in movie theatres, grocery stores and behind closed doors in our homes. Faced with an uncertain future and shrinking resources, people are checking out rather than buckling down. Let's not go out this way.
Times may be tough, but we control the outcomes. We can do better.
One place  you see the frustration is in our public discourse. Everything is super-partisan now. Wages are falling? It's because our socialist president has the wrong policies. Health-care cost going up? Must be Obamacare. It's never the result of our own actions, or inaction, if you will. Don't look for a logical explanation - just listen to what that candidate says, who promises roses if you just elect him.
You see it in the policies of the right. Voter ID. Obviously a plan to suppress the vote, by making it harder for poor and old people to vote. You see, minorities are more likely to vote for Democrats. And even though GOP leaders in other states have admitted as much, our own politicians hold on to the charade that we have to solve a problem that doesn't exist.
They'll try and cut the budget, too, but not for the super-wealthy, who pad their campaign coffers. The rich already "pay their fair share," as if the size of our contribution is all that matters.
And in the name of Jesus, no less.
GOP voters in a recent primary voted to alter our constitution to "protect" the right to pray. Not that it needed protecting. We'll see if it holds up to legal scrutiny. Most likely not.
We got another look this weekend. The Missouri candidate for senate let this beauty fly this weekend. He opposes abortion in all cases, including rape, because women's bodies have a magical way of shutting down pregnancy when it's "legitimate" rape.
I love Missouri, and I'm proud of my heritage. But it seems we're letting our common sense slip away for the comfort of delusion. I pray that we find it again.

nowledge

Fall is approaching - it's back to school time in Missouri. Republicans will try and school us in all the evils that we must guard against. Obamacare is going to raise the cost of pizza by 11 cents! We have to protect the voting process by making it tougher to vote! There's a great article in the KC Star this week making the point again that the promoted solution fixes a problem that doesn't exist. Just like they say we must make cuts to social security and medicare because of a debt problem - caused by wars, prescriptions, TARP and the Bush Tax cuts that they voted for.
I wonder if we don't need to be taken to school. Maybe our public education system has failed us if we can't discern fear from common sense, or need from equality. Here's a thoughtful article from Sharon on the value of education.

when the lights go out

While a coalition in Missouri is trying to jump start the next wave in nuclear energy (here's a look at the technology suggested for an addition to Callaway), a third of the citizens of a major country in another part of the world experienced power outages. Officials in India were too baffled to explain the problem - too much demand for too little supply.
You might think that would never happen here, but beliebe me, never say never.