Whistling Past the Trade Deadline/Graveyard

The good news for Washington sports fans is the Nationals did not trade Adam Dunn.  Sure, the Nats aren't going to make a run at the wild card this season, but Dunn is a nice guy to have around while you rebuild your franchise and fan base.

Not only does he practically guarantee 35 to 40 homers every season, which is quite a luxury to have, but he appears to be a good club house guy, too.  Two great reasons to keep Dunn around.

And unlike the deals that dealt Matt Capps to the Twins and Christian Guzman (finally, the last of Jim Bowden's mistakes is erased) to the Rangers, trading Dunn would have demoralized an already demoralized fan base.

So Nats fans mad it past the trade deadline.

In Greece, things aren't as good.  I assume Greeks and Greek labor unions thought that they could whistle past the economic graveyard during this summer's tourist season.  I think every Greek hoped that despite all the negative economic news of the spring tourists would still visit the cradle of civilization this summer.  

But as usual, Greece is trying to slit its own throat.  First, the country saw massive and violent street protests in June over budget and spending cuts.  The nadir came when anarchists firebombed a bank and three employees died as a result.

The Greek public's disgust at the three deaths effectively stopped street protests.

However, some labor unions continue to take a razor to their country's neck.  First, in early July, dock workers in Pireas went on strike to protest new work rules and increased hours.  The strike lasted so long that Princess Cruise Lines decided to move their Mediterranean base from Greece to . . .  Istanbul.  Losing tourism jobs is bad enough, especially for a country that needs all the hard currency it can generate, but to lose it to Turkey?  Terrible.

Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there.  This week, fuel truck drivers have gone on strike, crippling bus and plane service throughout the country.  The travel gridlock further damages Greece's tourism industry.  The strike lasted so long that today the Greek government authorized the police and army to seize fuel trucks in the national interest and deliver the fuel.

Labor has the right to strike, but do it wisely - not during tourist season and NOT when the country is broke.  Striking Greek workers remind me of the right wingers here in the U.S. - both groups assume someone is lying to them, and have trouble with fact-based reality.  When the Greek government says they are broke the unions don't believe them, or when Obama show his birth certificate or cuts taxes for 90% of Americans our right-wing boobs assume the media is colluding with the White House to fool the public.

Everyone's Got a Plan . . .

Until they get punched in the mouth.

That quote from my favorite contemporary philosopher, Mike Tyson, sums up the Obama Administration - at least since the special election of Scott Brown.

It's hard not to be too cynical about the way the White House has governed lately.  Any time they get hit in the mouth they seemingly give up. That is a bit harsh since they did get health care over the finish line and passed some pretty meaningful financial reform legislation this summer.  

But even those victories display a certain lack of fight. There was no public option in the health care bill, let alone a single-payer system.  And on financial reform there is still chance for the White House to blow it by NOT naming someone like Elizabeth Warren to lead the new consumer advocacy board.

The state of contemporary politics is neatly summed up on page 2 of today’s “Week in Review” of The New York Times. 

Actually the entire section is pretty good, but especially the quote from Al Sharpton in the article about Shirley Sherrod.  Sharpton laments the Administration getting spooked by the Tea Party and ‘arguing with people carrying signs.”

But as this editorial cartoon points out, the Obama White House is spending too little time inspiring and activating the coalition of liberals, minorities and young people who elected him, and way too much time fretting and hand wringing about what the crack pots on Fox News are saying.

“Yes We Can” has been replaced with ‘Maybe We Shouldn’t.’

And I’m not quoting the Tea Party.  That’s from the White House.

Jim Webb and affirmative action

I don't know why Senator Jim Webb's oped in the Wall Street Journal prompted me to blog on the topic of affirmative action.  Perhaps it's the fact that when Webb was running for Senate everyone on the left swooned for him - a former Reaganite who was disgusted with the modern Republican party, opposed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, charismatic enough to wipe George Allen off the face of American politics and win in a deep-red state like Virginia.

How deep was the leftist swoon? Ariana Huffington attended his inauguration party in January 2007.

But as a Senator, this guy has been a major disappointment. He's pro-coal, pro-offshore drilling, and whines that "WASP elites have fallen by the wayside and a plethora of government-enforced diversity policies have marginalized many white workers."

A couple of thoughts - one serious and one snarky - on that quote in particular and his general opposition to affirmative action.

My personal bias is the fewer Protestants in the U.S. the better (and this isn't even the snarky response!).  But you can make a credible argument that Protestantism, with it's decentralized structure and grassroots organization, helped nurture American democracy in the 18th and 19th centuries.  When you compare Protestant nations to Catholic or Orthodox ones (hierarchical and undemocratic churches to say the least), nations that were dominated by decentralized religions developed stronger democratic institutions (elections, press, courts, etc.).  

But where Protestantism - and decentralization - was complimentary in the 18th and 19th centuries, it has not been as beneficial to the modern nation state of the 20th and 21st centuries, centuries where America became larger, more diverse, and a strong and more active central government became a necessity.  Like it or not, America needed a strong central government to do everything from winning World War II and rebuilding Japan and Europe in our image, ending Jim Crow, establishing Social Security, building the interstate highways and the existing transportation infrastructure, electrifying rural areas, wiping out diseases like small pox and polio, establishing national parks, passing food safety laws, ad infinitum.

So I think the era of WASP domination and WASP ideology - decentralized government with little influence or significance - has thankfully run it's course, a fact that angers Sen. Webb and others (the Tea Baggers, for instance).  Interesting to note that the notion of a weak national government started to ebb during the Civil War.  Not only did the size of the federal government swell to fight that war, but coincidentally a war fought by an army made up largely of immigrants, the U.S. army, fought and defeated an army of WASPs, the Confederacy.

Of course, the Confederacy was primarily fighting to preserve slavery and by extension white supremacy.  And that notion of white supremacy fostered and perpetuated WASP elites.  Until World War II and government programs like the G.I. Bill started leveling a variety of playing fields, there was little competition for WASPs in business, government or higher education.  All the way back to the 1840s with anti-Irish and anti-Catholic laws, the so-called WASP elites restricted the activities and aspiration of non-WASPs.  Jim Crow laws, personal discrimination, immigration quotas, housing covenants, race riots, internment camps, and other un-American indignities plagued every non-WASP group in the United States: Jews, Chinese, Africans, Japanese, Mexicans, Greeks, Italians, Native Americans - everyone who was not a white, male, Protestant. 

Not to mention slavery and wiping out Native Americans.

I guess having a Supreme Court made up entirely of Catholics and Jews is proof that WASP elites have fallen by the wayside, but I say good riddance.  All hale modern America, a nation still striving - and getting better and better, I'll add; witness our African-American president, the Supreme Court, our female Italian-American Speaker of the House who represents America's gayest city, our Mormon Senate Majority Leader, Oprah, Bobby Jindal, etc. - to fulfill the promise of it's creed, the best creed ever written.  Ironically written by a slave-owning WASP; got to love history!

Now for the snarky response regarding 'marginalized white workers.'  As you know, I am biased towards immigrants.  It's laughable to claim white workers are marginalized.  But perhaps they feel that way because they have to compete in a new, open America - and they often lose.  Immigrants simply work harder, and they work harder because they believe and validate our national myths - that this is THE land of opportunity and if you work hard - or study hard - you'll get ahead.*

Immigrants chose America, and do not take it for granted.  I think WASPs do, and fail to take advantage of the opportunities America affords.  That's why most small businesses seem to be started by immigrants, professional schools are full of non-WASPs, etc.

* The exception to 'work hard and you'll get ahead' is the African-American experience.  No group has been in America longer and worked harder - as slaves and free people under Jim Crow - for little compensation than African Americans. And until Obama's election their experience also mocked another Americanism: anyone can become President in America. 

That cynical experience is precisely why we still need affirmative action.  It's certainly not a panacea to the problems that persist in black America, but it IS an appropriate response to the world the lamented WASP elites of Jim Webb created, a world and it thankfully eroding.

Vacation and oil spills

Got back last week from our family road trip vacation to Chicago.  Don't know whether vacation and the oil spill has kept me from blogging.  But those two events came right after - or in the case of the spill, intensified after - the US lost in the World Cup AND the Nats stopped hitting.  Those four events contributed to an even quieter blog than usual.

A few random notes to get me back in the swing, on a variety of topics:

• If you are in Chicago - a great town anyway you look at it, but especially for it's excellent public spaces and art - make sure to visit Hot Doug's, one of America's funkiest and coolest sausage places. They serve a variety of hot dogs and sausages, including antelope, rattlesnake, and alligator.  I was provincial, and had a gyro sausage with artichoke spread and haloumi cheese (from Cyprus).
• The other highlights of Chitown included: a 4th of July Cubs game at Wrigley.  We sat in the Bartman Section and watched the Reds dismantle the Cubbies 14-3. Third time we've seen the impressive Reds in person - they can hit.  Wrigleyville is also a blast - even for a traditional loser the North Side fans treat each game like a festival; dinner at my excellent cousin's house in Naperville; and walking on the glass sky walk/balcony off the top floor of the Sears Tower - you know you are walking on solid glass but that first step onto the clear platform is freaky as you look straight down to the street from the 101st floor.
• On the way back to DC we stopped at a fabulous ice cream place, Tom's Ice Cream Bowl, in Zanesville, OH (reportedly named after famed western writer Zane Grey).  It's an old timey ice cream parlor with good food and fantastic ice cream, complete with bow-tie wearing soda jerks.  
• We found Tom's on Yelp, the best iPhone App (at least on this trip).  We also found the outstanding 11th Street Diner in Chicago via Yelp, and great diner near the museums on the Chicago water front.
• Finally, Primanti Brothers and Pamela's P&G Diner, both in the Strip District of underrated Pittsburgh.  Primanti Brothers is famous for stuffing their sandwiches with french fries and cole slaw between two slices of thick cut Italian bread, served on wax paper.  It's sounds cheesy and contrived and etcetera, but it tastes fantastic.  And the crepe pancakes at Pamela's were fantastic.
• Of the three cities we visited the saddest was Cleveland.  Unlike Chicago, which was vibrant all day every day, and downtown and the Strip District of Pittsburgh - both districts full of thriving locally owned businesses and people and sporting goods stores - Cleveland was empty.  So three cities that were industrial giants built near transportation hubs but Cleveland, much more aligned with the Detroit auto industry, has not made the transition very well.
• But Cleveland does has the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is worth a visit to the Cleve. At the Hall of Fame, Ariadne purchased a vinyl Aretha Franklin album, they had a small but interesting display on Joy Division and New Order, and an excellent but temporary exhibit/retrospective on Bruce Springsteen.  The HOF also does a great job acknowledging the contributions of non-rock music - blues, soul and country - and there are lots of displays devoted to Johnny Cash, James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, etc.
• I was also reminded how much crappy rock music has been made in the last 50 years.  There were quite a few exhibits devoted to Queen, Ted Nugent, Pink Floyd, and other non-punk rock dreck.  For instance, the guest that day was one of the guitarists from Molly Hatchet. 
• We were in Ohio the night LeBron James stiffed the Buckeye State.  No one begrudges moving on via free agency - but DO NOT hold an hour-long narcissism festival to stiff your home town team.  And I question joining someone else's team - in this case Dwayne Wade's and Pat Riley's Miami Heat, (two folks I dislike; Wade is a soccer player-style poseur always preening, and Riley is a right-wing asshole who learned coaching from a racist) rather than proving you are THE MAN with Cleveland.  Is LeBron a star, as he claims, or a complimentary player following in Wade's wake?  
• The good news is Cleveland has FINALLY made room for Danny Green at the 2 spot.  Green and Wayne Ellington had nice runs at the recently completed NBA Summer League.  Ellington averaged 16 points a game, Green 12.   
• Greek-American Kosta Koufos also averaged 12 points a game.  And he wasn't the only Greek in Las Vegas.  Sofoklis Schortsianitis, aka Baby Shaq/Greek Shaq/Big Sofo, made his LA Clippers debut 7 years after he was drafted.  Baby Shaq, born in Greece to a Greek father and Cameroonian mother, is most famous for dominating Dwight Howard in the second half of Greece's upset of the US in the 2006 World Championship final four.

That's enough for now.  Look for a depressing Nats blog soon!