what if?

Racism is Alive and Well In America

No, I'm not talking about whites who hang on to bigoted beliefs that the many others dropped five, ten, twenty-five years ago or more.

I'm talking about the persistent belief of some - white and black - who hold that race is paramount over every other issue of the day.  These same people seem to subscribe to the belief that white racism is horrific - but its sister, reverse racism, is not only OK, but is to be expected.

Let me explain.

In today's column, Eugene Robinson wonders if "white America will elect Obama?"

Where to begin?  Robinson clearly plots out that if Obama doesn't win the upcoming presidency, that it can only be attributed to white racism.  He muses about the polls showing that Obama doesn't have all black votes locked up.  Can you just imagine if people were concerned that a white candidate didn't have all the white votes secured?  Wouldn't it be racist to assume that all blacks will vote for Obama, merely because of the color of his skin?

Surely Robinson appreciates that there are people of every hue who are conservative, or libertarian - or even Democrats of a more conservative variety, like Joe Lieberman.  If some of these people, irrespective of their race, don't vote for Obama, ought they immediately be tarred as racists?

People - talented, hard-working, very smart, very capable people - attempt to get the nomination for president, and after getting it, sometimes fail to win the election.  Many, many factors go into why they do not get elected.

I would be the last to deny that there are still some out there who would not - under any circumstances - vote for Obama because he is a black man.  Nevertheless, if Obama is not elected our next president, no one can possibly conclude that primarily racism was the underlying reason.

This column is filled with racism - and my guess is that many would agree with Robinson and be incapable of appreciating it.

Ain't Gonna Happen

Experience is the best teacher. Ralph Peters' experience as a child with the threat of foreclosure allows him a compassionate window into what pain is created when you lose a home.  And today's unscrupulous lending practices cause him to suggest this:

So here's my simple proposal: Pass a law that makes the lending officer who approves a mortgage personally liable for a $ 10,000 fine if the borrower defaults within five years. In plain English, if you set folks up to fail, you pay.

Surely in some respects, not the worst idea in the world.  Some lenders do "set up" borrowers into situations where only a true moron would not appreciate that the borrower had good odds to go into default down the road.  It would be nice if lenders had some moral responsibility to caution their clients away from such scenarios.

Yet, certainly in some foreclosure stuations, The End comes not because of poor lending practices, but because of irresponsibility on the part of the borrower.  Many possibilities of this, all with the bottom line that the borrower knowingly put himself at higher risk than he should have done.

As a Realtor, I feel a tremendous responsibility to give my clients good and accurate advice.  I do my best to caution them into not taking actions that could cause them harm.

Yet ultimately, it is the client's life and the client's decision to make.

Still.  We all know that some professionals care only about that fat paycheck, and nothing more.  If not a crime in our judicial system, it surely is one in the moral scheme of things.

Count Me Out

Nashville is still my home for another few days, and I am still battling away at the bridge tables.  Today, I compete in the final sessions of the "Mixed Board a Match" teams - an event where two partnerships consisting of one man and one woman play other similar teams.  My partner is Tadashi Teramoto, a wonderful young gentleman from Japan who plays my system and plays anything well.  Definitely a fine combination!

In the meantime, though, I have kept my eye (at least a little) on what is happening in other parts of the world.  In bridge, you must count hands out, over and over; nothing overrules the laws of logic.

The same is true for the world at large.  Markets cannot be overturned by politicians - and this column about health care explains why.

Politicians like Hillary Clinton are on board; Michael Moore's new documentary, "Sicko," celebrates the virtues of Canada's socialized health care; the National Coalition on Health Care, which includes big businesses like AT&T, recently endorsed a scheme to centralize major health decisions to a government committee; and big unions are questioning the tenets of employer-sponsored health insurance.

One often-heard argument, voiced by the New York Times' Paul Krugman and others, is that America lags behind other countries in crude health outcomes. But such outcomes reflect a mosaic of factors, such as diet, lifestyle, drug use and cultural values. It pains me as a doctor to say this, but health care is just one factor in health.

Americans live 75.3 years on average, fewer than Canadians (77.3) or the French (76.6) or the citizens of any Western European nation save Portugal. Health care influences life expectancy, of course. But a life can end because of a murder, a fall or a car accident. Such factors aren't academic — homicide rates in the U.S. are much higher than in other countries.

In The Business of Health, Robert Ohsfeldt and John Schneider factor out intentional and unintentional injuries from life-expectancy statistics and find that Americans who don't die in car crashes or homicides outlive people in any other Western country.

And if we measure a health care system by how well it serves its sick citizens, American medicine excels. Five-year cancer survival rates bear this out. For leukemia, the American survival rate is almost 50%; the European rate is just 35%. Esophageal carcinoma: 12% in the U.S., 6% in Europe. The survival rate for prostate cancer is 81.2% here, yet 61.7% in France and down to 44.3% in England — a striking variation.

If you're looking for socialized medicine - count me out.

This Democrat Gets It

Not surprisingly, between bridge at the highest levels and some real estate work when not competing, my time for blogging is exceptionally limited, to say the least.  ($13.95 a day to get on the Internet doesn't help much, either!)

But - today I'm on.  Here is an excellent column from a Democrat who preaches The Way It Is.

Wrong-O

John Stossel on Michael Moore and health care.

The Ultimate Compliment

My national tournament in Nashville has begun.  My team is slightly below average - but, we have an entire evening to go.

In bridge, many aspects are distinct from poker.  You are not allowed to "bluff" at bridge.  It is against the rules and proprieties.  It is permissible, however, to do something non-standard, as long as you are up front with your opponents about all your agreements and standard practices.

Today, I did something quite odd, and it worked.  My opponent paid me the ultimate compliment.

"Nice lead, sneaky bitch!"

He said it with a smile on his face.  Thank you!

Who Are You?

My friend Professor Keith Burgess-Jackson poses a number of penetrating questions to his readers.  I find them compelling, and would like to answer.

Just not right now.

It's a little after 1AM.  I am leaving this afternoon to attend a national (really international) bridge tournament in Nashville.

I also have tons of real estate work to do.  Unfortunately, I'm overstimulated.

Although bridge is my pleasure and my passion (at least, on my good days!) - my commitment to my clients must come first.  When I undertake to represent people as their Realtor, I cannot put my own needs prior to theirs.  Ultimately, I find that I myself do better when I act this way.  But - be that as it may, my bottom line has to be:  meet your clients' needs.

Because of this belief, Professor (is it a conservative one?  progressive?), my blogging has suffered.

Not to worry too much, though!  It is a most unusual real estate market that is busy in Minnesota come November!  I'm sure my schedule will lighten.  Then, my ability to inform myself and be utterly profound should improve!

Competition

For the good professor:  a competition.

Group Hug

Truth is stranger than fiction?  This story is surely one example of that adage.

A grand feast of marinated steaks and jumbo shrimp was winding down, and a group of friends was sitting on the back patio of a Capitol Hill home, sipping red wine. Suddenly, a hooded man slid in through an open gate and put the barrel of a handgun to the head of a 14-year-old guest.

"Give me your money, or I'll start shooting," he demanded, according to D.C. police and witness accounts.

The five other guests, including the girls' parents, froze -- and then one spoke.

"We were just finishing dinner," Cristina "Cha Cha" Rowan, 43, blurted out. "Why don't you have a glass of wine with us?"

The intruder took a sip of their Chateau Malescot St-Exupéry and said, "Damn, that's good wine."

The girl's father, Michael Rabdau, 51, who described the harrowing evening in an interview, told the intruder, described as being in his 20s, to take the whole glass. Rowan offered him the bottle. The would-be robber, his hood now down, took another sip and had a bite of Camembert cheese that was on the table.

Then he tucked the gun into the pocket of his nylon sweatpants.

"I think I may have come to the wrong house," he said, looking around the patio of the home in the 1300 block of Constitution Avenue NE.

"I'm sorry," he told the group. "Can I get a hug?"

Rowan, who lives in Falls Church and works part time at her children's school, stood up and wrapped her arms around him. Then it was Rabdau's turn. Then his wife's. The other two guests complied.

"That's really good wine," the man said, taking another sip. He had a final request: "Can we have a group hug?"

The five adults surrounded him, arms out.

Confluence

A friend, bridge colleague and investment guru of mine has begun a new blog.  It melds election data, polling, information and opinion with what is happening in the financial world, too.  Not sure if there are any bridge links yet, but, if not, just wait!

For those always hungry about more election info, please check out Election Stocks!

Appalling - and Frightening

Would the venerable BBC purposely lie and misrepresent the truth?

You bet that it would!

The almost unbelievable details.

And to think that the BBC is supported with taxpayer dollars!

Tag; You're It

Between hospital stays, frightening falls from ladders to a concrete floor and med muddles, I've been worried about my friends at Our House!  Apparently things are improving, though - and in the middle of it all, Margaret has tagged me!  So - here goes.

Eight Random Facts about Me

1. Like Margaret, I have scars on my wrists that suspiciously look as if I attempted suicide.  I did not.  While trying to escape a dreaded babysitter when I was about 7, I made a mad dash for the screen door with my hands outstretched.  Unfortunately for me, the screens were out and the glass was in.  I got out the door all right - by sticking my hands through all the glass.  Brownie the babysitter sent me up to my room as punishment (yes, bleeding like a stuck pig).  Fortunately for all you what if? readers, my dad came home early to play golf, and instead whisked me to the doctor.  Nothing major had been severed, so a few stiches and I was good as new.  Yes; that was the last time Brownie darkened our doorstep.  (And sorry; I bet I am not supposed to be writing War and Peace with these random facts!)
2. My best friend from grammar school has the same birthday as I do and both of our mom's are named Claire.
3. It's possible I am the worst gardener in the Western hemisphere.  (I adore gardens; hate gardening.  Plants cower in fear at the nursery when they see me coming.)
4. At age 6, I was proficient with Morse Code.
5. While asleep in bed at my Aunt Rosy's house, I came within about two inches of being hit by a car.  No, I am not making this one up!
6. I studied philosophy for years in college and grad school.  Had I not won a lottery to enter a philosophy class, however, I might never have taken even one class in that discipline.
7. I can easily touch my tongue to my nose and to the bottom of my chin.
8. So-called "light" Haagen-Dazs Blueberry Cheesecake ice cream is a recent favorite of mine.  One serving is "only" 230 calories.  Though - why do they bother with this "serving" stuff?  The times I am able to consume less than the entire ice cream pint at one sitting are few and far between....

And now - all my secrets are out!  Well, at least the critical ones are....

Pain Reliever

Tonight I'm battling a fierce headache.  I doubted I could do any serious blogging; nevertheless, I did glance at my email throughout the evening.  Some interesting stuff, but as I said:  my brain is not up to snuff.

Fortunately for me, however, my friend Professor Keith Burgess-Jackson is on the job!  Keith apparently read the same opinion piece I did, and his reaction mirrored my first instincts.  Rather than blather on in my diminished state, I'll simply let The Professor take over. 

Thanks for the relief, Keith!

Highs and Lows

Bridge players know all about highs and lows.  We can be brilliant one moment; an utter fool courting disaster the next.  Ultimately, we will be judged by the sum total of all our good and bad deeds.

So it is with presidents.

Ben Stein has chronicled some of George W. Bush's failings.  Here Stein admires a recent act worthy of applause; saving Sooter Libby from going behind bars.

Enter George W Bush. Desperately wounded by the Iraq War, basically friendless in Washington, D.C., he was not expected to risk one iota of his dwindling political piggy bank to rescue Scooter -- who had, of course, been chief of staff for Bush's Vice President, the cordially disliked Dick Cheney. Why should he? He has enough troubles.

But Mr. Bush saw a basic wrong. A man who should never have seen the inside of a courtroom as a defendant had been pilloried for no good reason and then sentenced to a Stalinist sentence. His basic decency overrode political and PR considerations. He simply did the right thing. He let an innocent man breathe the air of freedom. He used the power of his office to say "enough" to an out of control prosecutor, an out of control grand jury, and an out of control judge and jury. In a simple phrase, once again, he did the right thing regardless of cost.

I am not sure if this was his finest hour, but it was a fine hour.

Personal Passions

A real estate magazine, Lore, recently did an article on a Realtor who follows her passion.  Yes indeed - that Realtor would be yours truly!

One of the photos in the article is surely within the top five worst of all shots ever taken of me.  And, all the lines about what a tower of strength I am, utterly lacking in emotion and frailty, are hogwash.  I could tell you tales without end about my own personal horror stories at the bridge table.  All those words are about reaching for goals; not about what is actually achieved.

Still, fun to be featured, and even more fun to see my favorite game get the highlighting it deserves!  A personal passion, for sure.

For Freedom

On today's holiday, I am indulging in one of my favorite pastimes:  bridge.  On the edge of beautiful downtown Des Moines, I've been playing tournament bridge from roughly 9AM until 11PM - and shall through Sunday, though I rate to be on the road by about 5:30PM the final day.  Some may think it nuts to sit at a card table, calculating the odds of distribution, and weighing the idiosyncratic preferences of bridge players from around the nation.  I, however, would rather be few other places.

It is my good fortune to have a career that allows me the freedom to take off occasionally for such pursuits.  And it is my further good fortune to be living in a nation that has a wealth of opportunities for all - if they only appreciate it.

How did we all get so lucky?  See here.

IN 1776, 56 men pledged their ' lives," their " fortunes," and their "sacred honor" to the cause of American Independence. They also pledged the lives of 200,000 other Americans as well -- men of the Continental Army who volunteered to serve in one of longest and costliest wars in US history.

More than 25,000 soldiers died during the war. In proportion to the US population today, that number equates to more than 3 million dead. The number of soldiers wounded between 1775 and 1783 can only be guessed at, but it is certain that their numbers exceeded greatly the number of deaths. Soldiers who fought for our independence endured terrible hardships. Valley Forge is the most infamous purgatory, but there were many Valley Forges. It was a near miracle that this tattered, ill-fed and often neglected army was able to defeat Great Britain, the world's greatest super power.

All of us who have enjoyed the fruits of this great nation owe these soldiers a debt of gratitude.  Thank you to them - and happy Fourth of July to all!

Civil Liberties

Do not believe that they can be threatened by a few methods only.

The inimitable Victor David Hanson has the details.

It is stereotypically easy to identify authoritarians who seek restrict civil liberties during war in the name of "national security." But it is much harder to take on crusading special interest groups, district attorneys, court justices, and liberal Senators who ignore, twist, or subvert our constitutional freedoms under the liberal clarion call of helping minorities, stopping the war, or championing the underclass.

If we are to lose our civil liberties, it won't be all of sudden due to Patriot-Act zealots in sunglasses and flattops, but rather insidiously and incrementally by egalitarian professors, moral crusaders, muckraking journalists, and government utopians all unhappy that constitutional justice is too little and too late for their ever impatient desire to ensure heaven on earth.