Donde Esta Anne y Drew

Drew and Anne have been way busy--we know. Classes have begun in earnest again and we pretty much work, read and write papers. Well ok we also write lesson plans, keep up the web site, go to professional development seminars and the like--but seriously that is it. Well now that you press I still go to the gym :). I deadlifted 345 yesterday! So it is official we need to have some fun.

We are really looking forward to the break in 11 days--who is counting--when we get a week off from school and lessons. We are also looking forward to the following; a party at our friends stacey and howards, the visit of Bob and Robbin to New York (my brother in law and his signifigant other), the wedding of my friend Eric Lorson in May, Stacey and Howards Wedding in July, seeing Washington and our friends in August -- and did I mention always looking forward to sleep!

In the news:

My brothers house is coming along well--my dad has been helping him ad cool things like a built in bookcase, fireplace, new kitchen, painting and the like--seriously it looks like a model home. Way to go Eric!

My Dad finally got his new olympus digital camera. He also was elected president of the Italian American Club of Somers. Let the off color Mobster jokes begin :)!

My Mom is looking forward to another great year as chief big wig at New Rochelle Schools. She is looking forward to the trip with my dad to Spain in February! Bon Voyage!

Gus says hi--you know the dog!

Peace people!

Rice presses Russia on democratic reform, praises Poland. 06/02/2005. ABC News Online

Rice presses Russia on democratic reform, praises Poland. 06/02/2005. ABC News Online

While encouraging democracy makes sense -- telling a country -- any country -- that it is doing the wrong thing when it is already realing from its loss of world stature is unwise. I support the idea of encouraging democracy in every country. I like almost all Americans think it is the best system of government. Yet I also believe in national sovereigty.

That being said encouraging ties, and creating economic reasons for the former USSR to like us makes more sense than making them feel like some axis of evil. After all we won the cold war by outspending them. Our economic system was better and could better withstand the spemding on military hardware and persons during the cold war.

Following that fatefull day on 9/11 the rest of the world had good feelings for the United States. We need to think about how the policies of the last four years have changed that. Then we should adjust our bravado and speeches accordingly. Are you listening Miss Rice!?

This chart gives us some insight as to the real cause of our budget woes in the United States. 

Iraq and 1776

Imagine if you will the day when an Iraqi will take it into his head to write about these elections this past Sunday -- the date on which the people of Iraq -- against threat of personal and family injury -- commenced to form their day of independence. It reminds me of what John Adams wrote about that steamy July day in 1776 when the Continental Congress adopted a resolution on American independence?

"I am apt to believe," Adams exulted in a letter from Philadelphia to his wife Abigail in Massachusetts, "that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance. . . . It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forevermore."

Who would think of greeting Iraqi elections with such jubilation? After all, as the papers and the TV talking heads keep instructing us, Iraq is beset by problems. Sovereignty or no sovereignty, insurgents' bombs daily claim new victims, hospitals are desperately short of medicine, power blackouts last for hours, oil production has been crippled by sabotage, and terrorists cross the border with impunity. So why would January 31, 2005 be anything to celebrate?

Well, why was July 4, 1776, anything to celebrate? Declaration of Independence or no Declaration of Independence, the American colonies were a mess. American troops were ill-trained and poorly equipped, they were fighting a military superpower, the economy was a shambles, inflation was about to worsen into hyperinflation, and thousands of colonials loyal to the enemy -- Tories -- were taking up arms and committing sabotage in order to undermine the American cause.

Sixteen months after George Washington took command of the Continental Army, things were far worse in America than in Iraq. American forces were experiencing "a series of traumatic defeats. They'd lost every single battle since the Declaration of Independence, and had depleted 90 percent of their military strength in heavy fighting. Most of the remaining soldiers declared they were going to go home when their enlistments expired, and in many parts of the new nation, citizens were pledging fresh oaths of allegiance to the tyrant King George."

So was Adams simply deluded, to be rhapsodizing about "the great anniversary festival" that should be celebrated "from this time forward forevermore?" Did he really not understand just how dire the American predicament was?

He understood.

"You will think me transported with enthusiasm, but I am not," his letter to Abigail continued. "I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means, and that posterity will triumph in that day's transaction."

Posterity did indeed triumph in the "transaction" of July 4, 1776. With luck and hard work -- and with some of the faith and fervor that sustained John Adams -- the posterity of today's newly liberated Iraqis will likewise triumph in the election of January 30, 2005.