You know, “We the People” has an unclear antecedent in it

Have y’all heard of a prebuttal? It’s a preemptive rebuttal. Yesterday morning, the White House Blog published a prebuttal at 6 a.m. to Rep. Boehner’s speech he was scheduled to give starting at 8 a.m. in Cleveland.


I’ll break it down, in case that’s confusing:


Monday:
--DNC had a press conference about the speech
--GOP responds to the DNC’s pre-reaction of the speech-to-be-given


Tuesday:
--3:16 a.m.: LA Times breaks prebuttal story
--5:54 a.m.: LA Times updates story
--6 a.m.: WH posts blog prebuttal to speech Boehner hadn’t gave yet
--8 a.m. Boehner gave "the" speech.
--9 a.m./ the rest of the day: everyone else gives their two cents, including a sarcastic quip from VP Biden.


My friend Mike (who works as a reporter for The Hill) thinks the fact that the WH is so rancid towards Boehner is because they see him as a real threat. This type of politics makes the whole process so silly. It's not looking at the actual issues or questions, but rather belittling, misrepresenting, dismissing or attacking them.


For example, the WH Blog said/ prebuttal'd:
“Today, Ohioans will hear the Minority Leader’s support for the same old failed economic policies that steered our economy into the ditch that we’re just now beginning to climb out of. We cannot afford a return to the past. These failed economic policies haven’t changed, and they won’t bring the change American families need.”


If there is one pet peeve of mine, it’s the use of “we”-- because whom exactly is this author speaking of? Here, I presume, it could be presumed to reference all Americans. But later, the author seems to be separating the WH from Boehner, while still using the preposition “we”. I think this probes the bigger question of political polarization.


The WH is currently concerned with the President’s public image. His poll numbers are down, and as The New Yorker recently acknowledged, 55 percent of Americans think he is a socialist. Well, he supports universal healthcare. He’s for wealth distribution, taxing the rich and commented on LeBron James’ move to Florida, saying he has enough money. I’m fairly sure that’s socialism. If he really believed in democracy, he would stop pushing bills through without Republican support, because each of those members represents a portion of the American people.


Take Americans for Prosperity, a grassroots organization, and one of many recent target of the President’s criticism:





So who are “we the people”? – because it’s not just those who support or protest the President, or the Tea Partiers, or the Silent Majority or the special interest groups. It’s every citizen. No matter which side of the fence a person sits, we’re all on the same land. We all want our life, our liberties and a chance to achieve happiness. It might not work out, but by God, at least a person can try.


I’m back from the fourth budget meeting (it got re-scheduled from last week). I sat next to an intern from Planned Parenthood. She loves it. The lady on my other side asked me about my computer and if I like my Mac. I said it gets the job done. I kept myself amused by seeing how long I can type without looking at the keyboard. I’m quite pleased that I am rather accurate, even though I can only go for a few lines. The key is not to think about it and just do it. That meeting went for a little under four hours. Note to self: take a snack. No lunch made my stomach rumble!


To close:


“God addresses our freedom” by Saint Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510), laywoman and mystic


God prompts man to rise up from his sins... The more swiftly a man acknowledges his wretchedness, the more swiftly, too, he humbles himself and abandons himself to God knowing that the work of converting him belongs to God alone. He becomes aware of it by degrees through the constant inspirations God sends him and, noticing this work and the benefits he gains from it, he says to himself: “It honestly seems to me that God has nothing else to do but take care of me. How sweet and loving God's working is on our behalf!”...


Already in this life the service of God is truly to reign. When God frees man from the sin that holds him captive, he looses him from all bondage and sets him in true liberty. Otherwise man is always going from one desire to another without finding rest; the more he has the more he wants; seeking satisfaction for himself, he is never content. Indeed, whoever desires is possessed by that desire; he is sold over to the thing he loves; seeking his own liberty, offending God by following his own appetites, he endlessly becomes its slave.


Therefore consider what is the strength and power of our free will, which contains within itself two such opposed and contrary things: eternal life or eternal death. It cannot be forced by any creature if we do not want it to be; which is why, so much as in your power, you should ponder well and be careful what you do.


Happy Wednesday!

My Top 10 Reasons For Loving July 10, 2009

10. I got to listen to Dr. Moreno talk this morning and there were donuts. (His talk was really good too. I'll most likely blog about for HF later.)

9. Dr. Carlton agreed to be my thesis adviser! He's teaching at Hillsdale right now; Dr. Schlueter recommended I ask him, since my topic is right in his field (did not know that--now I do!). My thesis is going to be on the degradation of the family in the 21st century with the expansion of government programs. If you have any material, feel free to pass it on to me!

8. I had a really great talk with the managing editor of Editorial. He told me this story about how this president in the Philippines tried to have him killed because he exposed corruption back in 2003. The article is on his wall and everything--I mean how cool is that?! Also, when he came in this morning, he said "good morning, sunshine!" to me. I said it to him yesterday, and was happy to hear it today.

7. Emilia sent me this NRO blurb that features an excerpt from Reps. Boehner and McCotter responding to the Pope's latest encyclical. Many critics say it's political, but it's really not at all, and I'm glad they came out and made a public statement defending it. Read here. It's really great. This is important that they made a public statement, especially with cafeteria Catholics in America approving of Obama and in light of the Obamas meeting with the Pope today.

6. Since today is today, that means tomorrow is tomorrow. And tomorrow, Matt and I go to the White House for a tour and Hunter gets back from Italia!

5. Tonight I am cooking chicken and eating beer. Yes, at the same time. Cooking and drinking always go hand-in-hand. It will be my first night "in" all week. Excitement abounds!

4. Even though I was suppose to go to IHOP with Aaron (I forgot, like a bad friend), I still highly enjoyed eating my lunch today. It wasn't anything fancy: just a sandwich and raisons. There is still something very comforting about my work area.

3. My editor left early and said I could leave early too, so now I can go hear Fred Thompson speak at the Kirby Center this afternoon! I also get to see Amanda again :)

2. My book review has been approved; it shall be printed on July 19, 2009 in TWT. I'm now starting my second book!

and my biggest reason for completely loving today?...

1. It's Friday!! TGIF, indeed.