American Greatness?

The sun filters through the dense tree cover deep within the Sunken Forest on Fire Island. Dan took this photo just a few days ago.

Bush's approval ratings have fallen to 26 percent. He's now down in Nixon territory. Congress' ratings are even worse. The severe damage done to America by Bush both at home and abroad was facilitated by six years of a Republican controlled Congress, and recently a Democratic controlled Congress unable to reign in Bush and Cheney. How serious is the damage? Conservative blogger Andrew Sullivan weighs in:

America has exchanged some if its basic freedoms for the patina of phony
security - and so easily. The Republican party, to its historic shame, has been
the main vehicle for the replacement of doubt, empiricism and calm judgment with
certainty, fundamentalism and raw force. We have terrible enemies abroad,
seeking to destroy our way of life. But this truth should never blind us to the
danger within as well. Al Qaeda can only give us death. It is up to us to
surrender the liberty they despise. In so many ways, we already have.

Yet merrily we roll along with our diversions and distractions and with a dozen or so would be presidents running to succeed Bush who represent more of the same with their outright support of the war in Iraq, etc. What hope is there for a return to American greatness?

Jim

Bloomberg: Will He or Won't He?

We take a lot of walks in the "Sunken Forest," a fantastic holly tree forest that is a part of the Fire Island National Seashore park. The forest is located about 20 minutes west of Cherry Grove by foot and features a wooden walkway that winds its way from bay to mid island. Dan took this photo of me and Bradley a few days ago.

Think of it: Michael Bloomberg could be the only candidate running for president besides Kucinich who supports gay marriage, if, that is, he decides to run. It sure does look as it he is seriously considering running. If he enters the race that will shake things up for certain. He has enough money to pay his own way, and he's a smart, successful businessman with a proven track record.

I would enjoy seeing a Bloomberg independent candidacy. I really hate the two party political monopoly, which for the most part renders mediocre candidates and no real choice for voters. I hope he decides to run. I could support an anti-war, pro-gay-marriage Bloomberg assuming he doesn't abandon his socially liberal positions. He would probably team up with Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, a fierce Bush and Iraq war critic. That worries me a little, because Hagel is a social conservative. Let's see how it plays out. Pundits are suggesting that Bloomberg would most likely make the call as to whether or not to run early next year. If he does run that might mean that voters would have three choices in November, 2008, but all of them from New York state!

Jim