The Politics of Baseball, or: What the Nitty-Gritty Will Be Tomorrow

Dearest All,

Good friend, fellow free-thinker, and nominal reverse-double inlaw Minter (our siblings are married) is enjoying the win of (I'm assuming his) Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. Knowing full well his passion burns brightest for his hapless Flyers, I don't doubt for a moment that he'd rather see Lord Stanley making his way down Broad Street rather than the World Series trophy. But, as he said in his own post, "in difficult economic times, a championship can buoy spirits."

The Rays-Phils series has been dissected and in the flaming passions that is November college football, most likely, has already been forgotten unless you are among the lucky few who recognize the missing street name: Chesnut-Walnut-BLANK-Spruce-Pine. As a lifer Cubs fan, I can only imagine how long I'd preserve the final out on my Tivo, so I gotta give them their due. And so I do not choose to rehash the particulars. Although, let me summarize one soul's hope for the 2009 baseball season and television viewing: "Double headers on Sunday with discounted tickets for families. Post-season games that start at 6 or 630pm Eastern Time so that the juicy at-bats fall in prime time. Mandatory 12pm Saturday World Series game start because there's only crappy college games on then. Less Tim McCarver. Less Jeanne Zelasko. Less Fox Sports in general (the TBS model looks great, obtw...). A World Series that maintains home fields and fans, so no neutral site, you nimrods. But finish before the winter hits. The end." So congrats, Phillies and Philadelphia. Cubs in '09!

No, what I really want to do today is make some final thoughts on the quickly concluding National Election. By this time tomorrow, I will be making martinis with my friends from Austin T3 and his darling wife (who will enjoy non-alcoholic alternatives), Irish roommate Brother Euge (fresh back from Brazil), and of course, fellow Cubs fan and Louisiana Catholic Democrat Mr. One-Time. We may go out as well. I'd like to think that we will be able to celebrate the selection of Senator Obama, but I'm too gunshy to plan that parade quite yet.

This past weekend, I was in Pittsburgh and points west, often called "Pennsyltucky." It is McCain country and I'm certain that several of my cousins and their families will cast an honest ballot for McCain-Palin. They have their issues and their reasons and as family members, all the discussions have been friendly if spirited. But I bought the Obama book "The Audacity of Hope" for the plane ride, thinking that it would be nice to, unlike so many Obamaniacs, actually know how he thinks and where he stands on the fault-lines of American politics. I doubted that reading it would make me question my allegiance and vote. What I didn't fully expect was how uplifting and motivational it was in tone.

The American political theatre has wrongly painted the two main camps. Liberals are social activists and moral relativists. They are eager to forgive and forget and appear to coddle those elements of society most likely to bring ill upon it. Or so the conservatives would say. Meanwhile, conservatives are, to the liberal "elites", anti-intellectual, backwoods, wrongheaded religious dingbat nutjob bigots. But what's funny is that both seem to champion the same set of presidents. The GOP traces its roots to Lincoln, just as the Democratic Party today finds its genetic code in the way Lincoln viewed the world. McCain touted Teddy Roosevelt. Progressive Democrats do the same. And having read the TR biography and a few other well-aged portraits particularly relating to his love of the outdoors, I can see how both parties love the man. I think his inclusion on Mt. Rushmore is wholly appropriate. But, as so vividly exemplified by my varied views of my many cousins, the truth is that there are little differences that separate my Democratic-leaning cousins from my Republican-leaning cousins.

The problem is that the party machines seek to get a wedge in those little differences, exploit them, and gain power. It's clearly evident in the campaigns this season. Republicans are working out an agenda of protectionism, xenophobia, absolutism, and the need for American might both militarily and economically. And that only they can safely steer the country past the rocks (hence the hideous and laughable smears of communist Obama, socialist Obama, Muslim Obama, etc. ad nauseum). Democrats, with the fodder available to them from the detritus of the Bush presidency, are linking McCain'08 to Bush (something that I doubt would occur in a McCain Presidency, given the capacity of Congress to learn from their mistakes, the wave of discontent amongst the voters, and most tellingly, the absence of Bush on the McCain campaign trail). Now, I've mentioned previously that I think McCain has sold his soul and his good name pandering to the Republican base so that he could win their primary, and that the McCain who ran in 2000 would be a much more solid nominee than Obama today. But who plays games of "What if?" anyway?

But both party machines have it wrong. And it was in reading Obama's words and then later having them reinforced by the New York Times' conservative commentator David Brooks (full disclosure: I like the guy. He writes intelligently and unlike the blathering masses I often catch on sites like DailyKos, I don't think he's a water-carrier, partisan hack, or sycophant). Anyhow, he mentioned that the vision and potential of the United States was a society based on social mobility (note: I can't find the clip from the Charlie Rose, but apparently Mr. Brooks has long found life in this idea. That the country would find greatness in the ability of its people to move upward economically and socially. That mobility would find its shape in volunteerism and charity and education and community support. As he writes, "The larger story is the one Lincoln defined over a century ago, the idea that this nation should provide an open field and a fair chance so that all can compete in the race of life." Writ large, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln were champions of the common man and proponents of a society that fostered social mobility and the greatness that would flow from the simple idea that anyone could do anything and that it was society and government's role to provide those opportunities. The Republicans have certainly walked away from this ideal (the complete abandonment of inner cities; school vouchers; blanket hatred of affirmative action programs; the closing of borders and the demonizing of new immigrants, be they legal, illegal, permanent, temporary, skilled, unskilled, educated, young or old, but especially if they're a minority; the perpetuation of lies and distortions on inheritance taxes; and the rise of protectionism on their "way" of life). Democrats aren't much better, given their blanket disregard for the role and strength of community and religious-based services. But Senator Obama recognizes the value of the socially mobile society and the good that comes from it.

Having read the majority of Obama's book by now (one chapter remains on Election Eve), I see that Lincoln's vision, Martin Luther King Jr's dream, our founding fathers' simple declaration on the rights of man has taken root and found form in Senator Obama, his motivations, and his words and actions. Whatever it may have been in Senator McCain, I do not know, unhinged as his campaign has become. And so, to me, this election is as much a celebration and endorsement of equality, social mobility, the balance of selfless volunteerism and rugged individualism, and the indomitable and irrepressible American spirit (as exemplified in the words and deeds of Jefferson, Hamilton, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy, King and others) as it is anything else. I plan to take to task (and hope others do the same) those politicians who would continue to work the differences between me and my cousins for their benefit. I personally believe that at the very least, the Republican party needs to be taken out back to the woodshed and beaten for its bad policies, worse politics, and lingering national hangover that may not go away for quite a while. They have traded in the ideals of social mobility and equality for a country based on exclusionary fear tactics that is antithetical to the wisdom of our founding fathers and poison to those freedoms and rights we hold most dear, including freedom of speech and assembly, unreasonable search and seizure, access to education and valuable socially-lifting services, while engaging in vicious, overt voter suppression, gerrymandering, and corruption based on a need to maintain political power.

I do not believe for a minute that McCain is another Bush, but his party has invalidated their claim to leadership until they sort themselves out. If they want to be the party of the Moral Majority, then they need to behave that way and respect the will of the voters who would disavow those views and vote as such. Until then, I find comfort in following an individual who recognizes the plural nature of our country and the inherent heartbeat that resonates when you hear "all men are created equal", regardless of religious fervor, socioeconomic situation, family size and makeup. I find goodness in the idea that our country works best when anyone can become anything. And I think somewhere, somehow or another, the idea that Senator Obama sits on the verge of history makes Presidents Lincoln and T.Roosevelt happy.

And pretty please, let's not make a mess of the voting process tomorrow.

--goose

shout-outs and the world's ills solved (briefly):

A shout-out to my brother the good Dr. and fam. Awesome to see you and the brood in Pittsburgh this past weekend. While I admit I was initially skeptical of your moving there for work next summer, I think it's going to be totally great now. We have lots of family (and therefore excuses) to keep the clan tight. And my tour of downtown Pittsburgh on Sunday alleviated some of my fears, although to be sure, it hasn't completely made me not see the shadow of Cincinnati (aka "most awful town after 5pm in the United States").

12+ Shout-outs to the gathered family over the weekend for the baptism. It's been a while since I've seen most of my cousins and especially my aunts and uncles (as they are if only slowly beginning to show the years). good times and great food. nowhere else but in my mom's family can you eat a 12 course, 2-seating meal that is entirely made of dessert options. And i hope everyone got a chance to meet and be dazzled by Ariel.

Solving Election Day: Move it to Veteran's Day on Nov.11. Make it a holiday. Open polling on Saturday and let it remain open through Monday. Based on what I've seen about poll lines and waits to vote, we need to do something. I'd like to blame suppression efforts aimed at disenfranchising inner city voters, but the reality is that we should always be prepared to handle 200,000,000 votes for President. If only 100,000,000 show, great. Less of a line. But it's embarassing. Emma Lazarus might have never written "The New Colossus" had she seen the mess.

Solving the World Series, Part II: Aside of recognizing that early college football games are crappy and so it makes sense for a day game on Saturday, the current idea that "Prime Time" is best (mainly because of advertising dollars) needs to be put to rest, having been so discredited. Fans will watch no matter what, but can and will be thinned by options in prime time hours (including sleep). So cater to the fans. This means: early start times, regular-season-length half-inning switches, no tv shots of the cast of "Lost" or whatever (although, my biases do allow the "Always Sunny" cast), singing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" in the 7th inning (if you MUST sing "God Bless America", do it at the beginning of the game. But seriously, what happens when/if the Cubs and their original 7th inning tradition or the Toronto Blue Jays make the series?), more replays of close plays at full speed without talking us through it "Look right here!" (we are looking right there, you idiot. Let us play umpire for a second...), no dugout interviews during the game (they're inane), more shots of the hot chicks wearing some player's jersey, more shots of cute little kids cheering or teary-eyed but not of them nodding off, get rid of the "plate-cam", more look backs at great historical moments, add the local commentators for an inning or two (especially if it's the radio broadcast) and for all that is holy, get rid of the cameraman who gets to run around the bases with a guy after a homerun. that must look stupid and besides which, it's a much greater shot to see the crowd going bonkers with a wide shot. It's not rocket science.

Solving Election Day, Part II: 3 parts Polish vodka, chilled and strained. Add olives. Repeat as necessary.

Yet Another "My Boy Is Talented!" Shout-out to: my good friend, excellent human being, canine lover, rock climber, free spirit, and intelligent voice Lech N. of Oakland, Ca. Your flickr shots is now permanently linked from here.