One of the trademark phrases of Emeril Lagasse, the famous TV chef, is “take it up a notch.”  When Emeril “takes it up a notch,” he is adding a little something extra to one of his culinary creations to make it spicier and more flavorful, something to make it go “BAM!”  Politicians all over the nation are adding a little something extra to their campaigns as well, but in a way for which Mr. Lagasse undoubtedly wants no credit.  In order, perhaps, to capture our fleeting 21st century attention spans, politicians at all levels are attacking their opponents in some alarming ways and, as a result, making the climate in your neighborhood and mine much “spicier” than should be.  As a result, it will be incumbent upon all of us to ensure we “take it down a notch” after this election is over.

In every election cycle, campaigns “go negative,” but this cycle feels decidedly different.  It is unfortunately commonplace for politicians to employ nasty rhetoric about the policies or even the character of their political opponents.  However, I cannot recall an election during which so many candidates at all levels have so openly “taken it up a notch,” essentially accusing their opponents of criminal behavior.  This year, there have been a troubling number of politicians selecting “un-American” or “anti-American” as their slur du jour.  More troubling, however, is the carelessness with which the “anti-American” label is applied, its definition widened to include the expected disagreements between candidates on issues like foreign policy and economic philosophy.  Does advocating for a particular tax policy position, any tax policy position, really make someone “anti-American?”  When a candidate calls another candidate “anti-American,” that candidate is in fact leveling a charge of treason, a crime, may I remind you, which is punishable by death if convicted.  The worst part of these accusations is not the resultant decline in the level of political discourse between politicians, but its negative impact on the rest of us.  If a politician is “anti-American,” then the logical progression is that we will view his or her supporters, our neighbors, with contempt and hate.  This is the “spice” that is starting to give me heartburn.

If you are like me, you are already seeing this “spicier” environment in your community.  A friend of my wife’s, an otherwise kind and reasonable woman, claimed recently in mixed company that Barack Obama was “the anti-Christ.”  Huh?  Another neighbor claims on our community’s online message board that she intends to “sue the HOA” for the right to plant a political sign in her front yard against current HOA policy.  Her first reaction was to converse with her lawyer rather than her neighbor.  I don’t believe our neighbors truly believe Senator Obama is the devil or that they will actually sue over a sign.  However, both situations speak to the degree that, at the behest of our “leaders,” we are beginning to our national politics as a struggle between good and evil rather than one between thoughtful people with honest disagreements.

To extent that we have love for our neighbors, we feel that way for a reason.  They are kind friends, good parents, and caregivers to our children when we need them in a pinch.  They are a part of what’s right with our communities regardless of the party they support.  Republicans, Democrats and Independents teach our children, put out our fires, heal our sick and heroically defend our country in times of war.  Holding and expressing a different political view does not make a person evil. It makes them American.  As Americans, we have always been secure enough as a people to tolerate and even invite dissent between citizens.  This dissent makes us stronger.  So let’s not define “good” so narrowly as to exclude half the population.  To do so would truly be “un-American.” 

In less than a week, either John McCain or Barack Obama will be elected president.  The President elect will undoubtedly ask us all to answer history’s call to solve our 21st century challenges.  However, if we are to answer this call victoriously, we will first have to work to restore an environment that welcomes political disagreement rather than demonizing it.  For the common good and unlike too many of our leaders, each of us will have to check our rhetoric and “take it down a notch.”

Starting weight (8/24/08) - 230 pounds

Current weight (9/22/08) - 212 pounds

Total weight loss - 18 pounds

Total weight loss percentage - 7.8%

I come before you today to announce my retirement as a world-class weight gainer and weight retainer.  I have been dedicated to this sport for more than half of my life so, as you may imagine, I have not come to this decision lightly.  However, it has become clear to me that my passion for the sport has waned to the point where I am no longer the weight gainer and weight retainer I used to be.  I have always promised myself that I would ...

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Barack Obama has been criticized during this election cycle for not being "tough enough."  Some have suggested that he can win the general election, even if her manages to win the Democratic Party one, because he is not enough of a "fighter" to withstand a Republican Party onslaught.  I applaud Obama attempt to stay above fray.  We, as the voting electorate, cannot decry negative campaigning and then reward it with our votes at the same time.  Negative campaigning will exists as long as it works and in 2008, sadly, it still works.  Unless... we decided we are not taking the ...<< MORE >>

I applaud Barack Obama decision to stay above the fray in the Pennsylvania debate on Wednesday.  Nearly half of the debate was about questions that make great headlines but no difference to the well-being of the American voter and he was getting most of them.  Hillary Clinton was happy to dive in and draw connections between every inane topic and one's (particularly Obama's) fitness to be President.  However, when Barack was given the chance to bury her for her repeatedly "mis-speaking" about her trip to Bosnia as first lady, he refused to take the bait.  The pundits called his performance ...<< MORE >>

I really like Alicia Keys!  The Alicia Keys I know is beautiful, talented, self-aware and politically active.  Some of her some songs are some of my favorites of all-time.  And then I heard that she went crazy, allegedly. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,350916,00.html

Alicia Keys, allegedly, in an interview for a Blender magazine article, said that gangsta rap was created by the U.S. government to motivate Black people to kill each other.  Huh?  If she did make such a comment, I'm not sure who should be insulted the most by it.  Is it the "pawn-of the-government" rappers who recorded music meant to kill their own ...<< MORE >>

BET founder Bob Johnson has put himself in the middle of the Democratic primary with another one of his "observations."  http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/15/cafferty-bet-founder-brings-race-back-into-the-race/  Johnson suggested that being Black is an advantage for Barack Obama in his effort to become the Democratic nominee and that suggestion angered me.  The reason for my anger, however, may not be what you expect it to be.

I will not kill Johnson for supporting Clinton.  Blacks expecting all other Blacks to support Obama is no different morally than other races expecting all Blacks to eat fried chicken and watermelon.  As free people, we all have the right to ...<< MORE >>

    In a normal year, I would be deep in the midst of National Football League withdrawal.  This is the “dead period” in sports, the time between the end of the professional football season and the start of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.  However, this year, I have not missed the NFL at all.  Another spectator sport has me completely captivated, the U.S. Presidential race.  As Dallas Cowboy wide receiver Terrell Owens would say, “getcha popcorn ready.”  It’s going to be one heck of a show.

    Two days after the Super Bowl, February 5th, Super Tuesday took place.  Some experts believed that Super Tuesday, the day on which 20+ states had their primaries and caucuses, would signal the end of each party’s nomination process.  It turns out that the experts don’t know any more than the rest of us.  The presumptive Democratic nominee, New York senator Hillary Clinton, was now in the fight of her life with the upstart, Illinois senator Barack Obama.  The Republican candidate that was left for dead politically only a few months ago, Arizona senator John McCain, is now all but certain to earn his party’s nomination despite the protests of the most conservative members of his party.  The path to the Final Four (Clinton, Obama, McCain and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee) has had as many twists and turns as any NFL season I can remember.  Maybe that explains why I took ESPN’s Sports Reporters off of my TiVo season pass and replaced it with ABC’s This Week.  

    Obviously the “game” being played between the Presidential candidates is no game at all.  The most significant of real issues are being discussed.  “Cut-and-run” versus the “100-year war.”  “Amnesty for illegal aliens” versus “a path to citizenship for undocumented workers.”  “Big government” versus “Small government.”  A major course correction versus a tweak here and there.  The holy ghost of Ronald Reagan versus the holy ghost of John F. Kennedy.  People all across the county are more engaged than ever.  Good thing!  The decisions to be made have seldom been more critical to the future of the nation.  Concerning thing!

    One thing is certain.  I will not be able to take my eyes off of the race until November.  Maybe you feel the same way.  If so, you’d better “getcha popcorn ready!”