Robert Pacilio's Blog, page 12

It's a 35 year Throwback! Rock of Ages at Mt. Carmel: 35th Anniversary!

Well,  Gang: we are all a bit older but in March of 1982 we did the unimaginable--an original musical with a live band, dancers,and a history story-line about rock and roll with killer music and images. I was reminded of this when I was talking to Marc Attinasi (our freshman drummer and my neighbor) yesterday.

So for all of you out there in Blogger land (or on Facebook) here is something to show your friends, kids, grandkids, and anyone else who doubts you were ever a 'star.' Thanks to Linda Englund's direction and Les Gripkey's band leadership, as well as Eugia Edwards, choreography. Norm Testa's family made a video/ cd of the show in its dress rehearsal (no audience) so ask me about it--or ask Norm.

Please spread the word on FB and/ or follow my blogs. As for me, the author, teacher, and such--I'm retired for last 6 years, written three novels, seen my Readers Theaters performed by other directors, which includes "Whitewash" (four times) and "Rock of Ages" in Long Beach (once by a teacher / alumni who saw the show way back when and asked for the script).

To find out about my novels, go to www.robertpacilio.net ...and yes, I still 'perform' for classes and at conventions.

One last thing, Megan Murray/ McPherson called me one day to tell me there is a FB page called "Mr. Pacilio made a difference in my life." I was blown away, and I still am when I meet folks I taught --even back when I had hair. You can reach me on FB or email me at robertpacilio@gmail.com

I'm celebrating my 32 year of marriage to Pam and I have two adult 'kids'--working in SF and DC. (A proud Dad...)

Thanks for all the memories and all the chances you took on this crazy teacher who always wanted the 'Big Dance Number!"

A Rebuttal to the President's Paris Accord Withdrawal...

So how does one respond to Mr. Trump's speech made in the Rose Garden on why he is pulling out of the Paris Accord? 
Here is my rebuttal (this is for folks on the fence regarding this issue, or they might have been persuaded by Trump's speech):
First, let me start with the most important, undeniable fact. If we ignore the rising climate fueled by man-made fossil fuel use then Stephen Hawking's recent statement that the planet will be uninhabitable in 100 years is unavoidable. So as time passes, our children will see the first effects, but their children will see the full impact. Fresh water will be the most valuable resource. Forget about diamonds, oil, and Teslas. It will be about the inability to sustain life via food, drink, and land, not occupied by salt water. This argument 'trumps' all the points Trump has made. Yes, there is a cost in billions involved. Yes, we have to help other nations develop renewable energy. Yes, the Chinese will still burn coal (it is #1 in coal burning now, but read below). Yes, the Paris Accords have little formal enforcement. Yes, the Accords could have demanded even greater reductions in carbon emissions. But none of this matters when compared to the fact that there is no sustainable planet within the lifetime of our children and their offspring. There is no Planet B.
Second, Trump is both toothless in his remarks and misleading. Toothless because his administration by law is committed to this Accord for three years, period. Then it will take another year to officially opt out. So ironically, the day AFTER the next Presidential election in 2020, a new president (hopefully) will be nominated. Maybe she/he will be a moderate Republican, Democrat or Independent. But it is my optimism that leads me to believe it will be someone who is not a climate denier. Mind you, only 38% of Americans agree with Trump's decision on the Paris Accords.
Now, let's discuss  the President's specifics. 
1. He claimed this will make coal companies happy and prosperous (and open three new coal plants, too). Not true. Coal companies favored the Paris Accords. (Check out my FB page on two articles that concur with this point.) No one in the energy business believes for one minute that the coal industry is making any type of significant rebound. Why? It is not profitable. Besides, if coal workers could build solar panels or turbines, wouldn’t they prefer that to getting Black Lung Disease? Seriously.
2. Renewable energies are all about increasing jobs. It is now, and it will be the future. Exxon knows it. GE knows it. Disney, Facebook, and almost every major industry in the Fortune 500 know this. Rex Tillerson (the Secretary of State and former Exxon/ Mobile president) knows this. So who is pulling on Trump's ear? Fracking billionaires for one. They put out information from "PragerU" (which is not an accredited 'university' at all) but rather the Mr. Prager, radio showman, funded by Big Fracking. They see Paris Accords as a threat to their earthquake inducing Oklahoma business (not to mention the water contaminated by gasses in Pennsylvania that comes out of faucets as fire!). Mr. Trump implies that the Chinese will be taking our coal jobs because we regulate them out of business. No. They are out of business here and they will be phased out over this century in China, too.
3. Yes, the Obama's administration has spent one billion already (of the three billion committed to developing countries). But Mr. Trump's claim America alone will spend 100 billion on a 'Green Fund' is untrue. Much of that money is private--from banks, etc. Other nations are committed as well to the total sum. And this is a four year commitment. Again, remember, money matters a lot less when the state of the planet is at stake. California is a model of what to do. Yes, it costs Californians,  but look at the sky and how less polluted it is in LA. Look at the beaches, no oil rigs. Look at the economy of California--2.3 million jobs since the "Great Recession," according to Jerry Brown’s speech today 6/1/2018.
4. Trump seemed to think China is laughing at us (and the rest of the world, as well.)  No. China is ahead of schedule on carbon reductions. They are key. So is India. Both nations see that pollution will destroy any chance for their economic growth. But here is the rub. Trump's speech means America does not hold the reins on environmental regulations. We will not lead. We will not call the shots. We are giving that authority to China. Yes, the world is laugh at Mr. Trump’s attitude, and leaders are embarrassed by his boorish behavior. No American president, in my lifetime, has had this disrespect to other leaders who are our allies!
5. The President says he serves America First. Experts argue bailing out of the Accords makes America Last. Frankly, the individual states and cities within, along with the major industries will not abide by this "existential threat to humanity," according to Governor Jerry Brown. Elon Musk has already dropped out of the council of business leaders Mr. Trump formed. So did the CEO of Disney. American public opinion is overwhelmingly behind the Paris Accords (68%).
Let's remember, our President is "The Leader of the Free World"--in addition to our American leader. It was so in 1943. When President Franklin Roosevelt saw Hitler attack Europe and Great Britain and then expand to North Africa and the 'Eastern Front'--did Roosevelt say, "Well, it would cost too much and why should we sacrifice for these other nations? Let them defend themselves. What's so bad about Hitler. Heck, he is a great leader. I admire him. After all, we can’t get involved, I need to look after US interests.”
And so to paraphrase FDR: "We have nothing to fear but Trump himself."
*****
President Obama released a statement after Trump withdrew the US from the Paris climate agreement that showed America what real vision and leadership look like. President Obama said: "A year and a half ago, the world came together in Paris around the first-ever global agreement to set the world on a low-carbon course and protect the world we leave to our children.It was steady, principled American leadership on the world stage that made that achievement possible. It was bold American ambition that encouraged dozens of other nations to set their sights higher as well. And what made that leadership and ambition possible was America’s private innovation and public investment in growing industries like wind and solar – industries that created some of the fastest new streams of good-paying jobs in recent years, and contributed to the longest streak of job creation in our history.Simply put, the private sector already chose a low-carbon future. And for the nations that committed themselves to that future, the Paris Agreement opened the floodgates for businesses, scientists, and engineers to unleash high-tech, low-carbon investment and innovation on an unprecedented scale.The nations that remain in the Paris Agreement will be the nations that reap the benefits in jobs and industries created. I believe the United States of America should be at the front of the pack. But even in the absence of American leadership; even as this Administration joins a small handful of nations that reject the future; I’m confident that our states, cities, and businesses will step up and do even more to lead the way, and help protect for future generations the one planet we’ve got."

"The Bob Show-LIVE from the "Metaphor Cafe" musical guest Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

This is part 1 of "The Bob Show" that I 'performed' for Teach for America candidates at National University.




They were a wonderful group. I cover some of the basics of teaching in the first 20 minutes with my theme: "Teaching and Inspiring are NOT Mutually Exclusive!" I open the show with Bruce Springsteen's song "We Take Care of Our Own" and ,eventually, on to how to speak TO students not AT them. It is funny, I hope, and also inspiring. 





Here I cover the real 'four standards' and I speak about the power of thinking. This is fundamental. But first, kids must know reading never, ever going out of style (it is not 'trending'); then speaking and listening is under emphasized (students and teachers both need this skill); the ability to write also is so critical to all students and teachers must put in the time to read their students' work carefully (even if it is a science lab report or a math problem that shows their work!). Finally, without the ability to think, creatively and logically--well, what's the point of education? We cannot memorize our way to a better, more knowledgeable citizenry. Teaching is about answering the questions HOW? and WHY? See Part 2 in the next exciting episode of "The Bob Show-LIVE" for more exciting thrills and classroom chills. BTW, I go to schools and speak to teachers and students--and, of course, my YA novel "Meetings at the Metaphor Cafe" has the fictional Mr. Buscotti's lessons seen through the eyes of four wonderful students.
Go to www.robertpacilio.net for more information.

I have seen the future of the 49th Congressional District and its name is Mike Levin !

(Okay, two notes: 1. I did steal Time Magazines's 'Bruce Springsteen cover' title, and 2. this is my 50th blog posting; however, none could be more important.

The good news is that today I saw Mike Levin, an environmental attorney from coastal Orange County. He has decided that he has had enough of Congressman Darrell Issa and his petty, backward, callous voting record. I encourage all of you in the 49th District (Encinitas is part of the Southern California coastal district) to support him. Mr. Levin is smart and well spoken. He understands the energy industry and its impact on global warming. He thoroughly researched Mr. Issa's voting record and knows his dirty secrets. For example, he wants a Texas firm to dispose of the nuclear waste from the San Onofre power plant. This firm has already been fined twice for improper disposal of nuclear waste.This same company is connected to Rick Perry, another Republican climate denier and big fossil fuel cheerleader. But that is not all of Mr. Issa's dirty laundry.

For 16 years, Darrell Issa has wasted time and money in Congress denying climate change, holding needless hearings concerning Hillary Clinton, and voting to repeal Obamacare 57 times. As the most wealthy member of Congress, and with a gerrymandered district, he has been untouchable until last year when he retained his seat by a mere 1,621 votes (normally he wins by 20+ thousand votes). Unfortunately, the Democratic challenger, Doug Applegate, had too much 'baggage' in his personal life, which Issa used to malign him.

The most impressive quality that Levin displayed is his temperament. He calmly explained how a disastrous house bill that has no Congressional Budget Office score was passed with the deciding vote attributed to Issa--vote 216. This bill has no cost estimate yet, will knock 20+ million people off insurance,and allows insurance companies to weasel out of covering some people with pre-existing conditions.

Mike Levin has an impeccable resume. He is forward thinking and knows the Trump agenda that Mr. Issa embraces with glee, despite the evidence that renewable energy is America's future; that Obamacare is more popular than ever; and that a 20+ billion dollar wall between the USA and Mexico (that America will pay for !) is not supported by the majority of voters or legislators on the border.

Mike Levin sees the future in a world that author Tom Friedman argues is accelerating rapidly. That makes Mike Levin a political rock star...if we are wise enough to listen to him.


GO to   mikelevin.org   for more information. 



p.s. California’s 49th Congressional District includes coastal northern San Diego County, including Oceanside, Vista, Carlsbad, and Camp Pendleton, as well as San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano in southern Orange County.

Jimmy Kimmel got it right: others don't get it at all

Mr. Shapiro wrote an article for the "Daily News" (whatever that is), and said Jimmy Kimmel was wrong in saying that Obamacare didn't save his child because the hospital he was served at was a private one paid by charities. He continued by saying that if you are not willing to pay for insurance when you are healthy, well, that's on you.

Shapiro ignores the point of Kimmel's speech: what happens when YOU ARE BORN WITH PRECONDITIONS. Without an ACA mandate that insurance companies cover that person you will be either denied or the cost will be so horrendous with premiums and deductibles that bankrupt the person. He also assumes that insurance companies 'go bankrupt' covering folks with preconditions and the ACA (Obamacare) is to blame. Here is the reality according to the LA Times' Michael Hiltzik::" The higher costs faced by insurers in the ACA market demonstrate how much medical care was being foregone by Americans who couldn’t get insurance in the past. A cancer patient who was uninsurable in the past is now eligible for care.


In the words of Charles Gaba, whose tracking of ACA enrollments is an indispensable resource, “Without the ACA, they'd be utterly screwed and would very likely go bankrupt trying to pay the full price for treatment, or die without it … Now multiply that person by several million others with similar horrible ailments, and the question is no longer purely about ‘how much will it cost’ but also ‘how many lives can we save’ and ‘how much pain/agony can we relieve?’” Tell these people that Obamacare isn’t working."So again, Shapiro does not get it. Some(one/organization) must pay for the extra coverage. True. That is why reform and NOT reject the ACA is the answer. The best reform is to increase the cost and mandate that the younger low-risk folks pay more and to keep a clear eye on the profit margins and risk analysis of the insurance companies. They are not in the medical care business--they are in the make-a-profit business. When you see the top executives in these industries and Big Pharma losing a few million in bonuses, then we are working together. See below:


Note: the ''losses were in the hundreds of thousands for United Health Care (one of the biggest) in a quarter of 2015. They didn't like that...so they took their business and ran away. But just try to find out how much the top dogs get paid and you'll see just how the company is suffering! Oh, look...I did it for you. How do these 'guys' sleep at night? How indeed.

There is never a 'free ride' but there is greed. And greed is the order of the day.

To My Friends on the Other Side of the Aisle--Part 2

I was asked by the smart people at SMART (Social Media Approaches for Resisting Trump) how I communicate with Trump supporters. In Part 1 of my blog, I cautioned folks about the “Blow it all up! Brigade, a camp made up of mostly family. My advice: Stay Calm and Listen on…then walk away. This group has no intention of opening their minds, and in the end, they will cause heartbreak.  
So that brings us to the Republicans whom you can have a positive discussion. These friends have the sense to not discuss politics unless it comes up naturally in conversation. They are not going to threaten their cherished friendship with you over the latest Trump tweet. They will diplomatically say: “I can’t stand Trump-he’s an idiot, but I can’t vote for Hillary so I voted for McCain”; “I have friends who are legal Mexicans and they don’t favor the Mexicans coming here ignoring our immigration laws”; “Let’s give him a chance”; “I’m concerned with his climate change policy, but on jobs, he understands business and government over-regulations.” Now with these folks, you can share some food for thought.
First, Tom Friedman’s newest book Thank You for Being Late is spot on. Some of his best arguments remind us how Americans really do believe in the idea that ours is the finest government, still far from a “more perfect union.” Here is an excerpt (I hope he does not sue me):
“The G.O.P. used to be an incredibly rich polyculture. It gave us ideas as diverse as our national parks (under Theodore Roosevelt), the Environmental Protection Agency and Clean Air and Water Acts (under Richard Nixon), radial nuclear arms control and the Montreal Protocol to close the ozone layer (under Ronald Reagan), cap-and-trade to curb acid rain (under George H.W. Bush), and market-based health care reform (under Mitt Romney)….And for decades the party itself was a pluralistic amalgam of northern liberal Republicans and southern and western conservatives.” 
Knowing this information will make you grow in the eyes of the folks who are life-long Republicans and, well, it’s the truth. However, in the next sentence (pg. 321), Friedman puts the pedal to the political metal.
“But in recent years the Tea Party and other hyperconservative forces, also funded in large part by fossil fuel companies and oil billionaires, have tried to wipe out the Republican Party’s once rich polyculture and turn it into a monoculture that’s enormously susceptible to diseased ideas: climate change is a hoax;….All this weakened the G.O.P’s foundation and opened the way for an invasive species such as Donald Trump to make deep inroads into the garden.”
Perhaps sharing Friedman’s history lessons may help in communicating to moderate, fair minded friends. I will usually admit both political parties have their corruptions, and I agree that what is best for the country matters, not what is best for a politicians’ future. You can remind them that Obamacare votes by Democrat congress-folk cost them their jobs, but 20 million un-insured people finally got a break and improving the ACA is best course of action. Why? The premiums without the ACA would rise anyway, and the insurance industry is not interested in your preconditions or accepting ‘no lifetime maximums’. Remind friends that President H.W. Bush’s actions in Operation Desert Storm (by not invading Iraq) hurt his re-election chances, but history showed he was on right side, and a man of honor. (Avoid mentioning his son’s invasion of Iraq years later.)
Second, you need to reach common, respectful ground. One of my friends served admirably in Vietnam and is pro-military and pro-Trump. He has seen death and destruction. Normally, GI’s know how war is senseless, and he will agree, but he will argue we need a big stick and ‘wield’ it. He fears ISIS. Again, respect is due to folks like him. ISIS, and other violent groups, like American racists, are a plague on all humanity, I say. However, a refugee fleeing from that same evil is not a terrorist; they are terrorized. Also, I find that issues like global warming and healthcare to be areas that we can agree. In in that way, a bridge is formed.
The same is true of people who have been displaced by corporations via outsourcing or even worse, making their severance contingent on training their replacement! All of us can see how bitter and angry they become. They turn to Rush, etc. who will scream that this was all Mr. Obama’s fault, despite the reality that the business follows one mantra: keep the shareholders happy and the profits soaring.
Finally, on immigration, which can be a tough subject to broach, here is something to ask others (or yourself). If we cast a net 11 million people wide, how will we know who is legal or illegal? Should those with brown faces wear a large, scarlet A on their chest to signal that they are ‘aliens’? Or are any of us comfortable going up to these people asking them to “show me your papers.”
I don’t know if the gardener, hotel worker, farm worker, child caregiver are legal or not. The construction worker, roofer, or neighbor on my block—I would never ask them to prove to ME that they belong here, legally. Would your moderate friends “on the other side of the aisle” be willing to do that? And if they are illegally here, would they call ICE and have them arrested and torn from their families, many of which are blended since some are US citizens. Here, in California, this is an issue on every block, every town, every part of a state that depends on these workers daily.
                   *****                                   *****                                   *****                                  
Last week I sat in the gallery of the United States’ Senate and watched the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. What struck me was that three senators spoke: McCain, Hatch and Durbin, but when they did, not one senator stayed to hear the other’s plea. They just walked out. Oh, there was the obligatory “my friend on the other side of the aisle” opening; then a nod or a smile, depending on party loyalty, and then they turned and left. No one listened that day, just ‘we the people’ of the gallery. Then, one by one, senators came in to vote up or down. Smiles on one side, frowns on the other.
The rules had to be broken because consensus could not be reached. I felt sorry for the one man caught in the political clash of ill will. His name is Merrick Garland. His flaw. He was a centrist. He was President Obama’s choice as The Constitution demands.
Let us not emulate this behavior. Let’s be SMART in our conversations with friends on either side of the aisle.

“To My Friends on the Other Side of the Aisle” Part 1

I was asked by the smart people at SMART (Social Media Approaches for Resisting Trump) to put in my two cents on how to communicate with the folks who support the Trump “agenda” (if there is one that is not changing dramatically each day), and since I am a “professional communicator” of sorts, and I have lived and worked among some folks ‘on the other side of the aisle’-- I have taken up this daunting challenge…it is not for the faint of heart. This is Part 1 of 2.
First, know your audience. There are two distinct camps, your relatives make up this tribe. Your friends hang out at the other campsite. (More on them in Part 2.) I would label family the “Blow it all up!” brigade.  This clan used to only follow the Tea Party’s Grover Norquist ideology that government is the enemy of the people, and it should be choked to death in a bathtub. Their rallying cry is Reagan’s ironically unpatriotic slogan:"I’m from the government and I’m here to help!” (which really was a punchline for a joke, rather than his political agenda). After all, he was a president who did actually reach across the aisle as he did with 1986 Tax Reform Bill fought for by senators Bill Bradley (D) and Bob Packwood (R) and a bipartisangroup of congressmen.  Oh, those were the days!
The “Blow it all up!” brigade, incited by the Rush, Sean, and No-Spin/No Job Bill crowd, are unlikely to listen to you. But Trump put a new wrinkle on the ‘no government gang’: “End Globalization-- America First! Nationalism is here to stay!” This has been the dry wood that burns the hottest and fastest. Trump tapped into this firestorm. It is red meat to people who are starving, and I do mean starving, for someone to care about their poverty, their loss of jobs, their sagging opportunities, their outsourced jobs and shuttered factories. Trump’s actions have little to do with their plight, but that truly is beside the point.
That’s what you’re dealing with when it comes to the “Blow it up’ brigade. They are pissed. They see the elites in DC and on the two coasts not understanding what is happening in the ‘fly over states—the rust belt…well, Bernie Sanders did, but he was a “comrade” in Trump’s world.
My advice, if you are brave enough (or caught in holiday crossfire) is ...just listen, and calmly walk away. The more you argue, the worst it gets. It will usually climax with a relative spewing out remarks like these I have heard: “Obama never did a day’s work, all he did was community organizing”; Hillary is the most corrupt politician ever!”; “All I want is government to give me a military and build my roads”; “Trump will bring back jobs taken by the illegals!”; “Obama was a pussy!”;”Hillary is evil!”. And as a topper, Pew research in 2016 reported that only 15% of conservative Republicans believe that the planet is warming, and man made causes are the major culprit. Why? “It’s a hoax created by China!”

If you are ready for that vitriol—good luck. But don’t let it escalate to that. Really nobody on either side of the family aisle really wants that dialogue to occur. Cooler heads might prevail…hopefully. But more likely family will be fractured, and trust will be lost. Best put your toe in that camp’s waters and jump back from the icy cold. Listen and learn. It will serve you well when dealing with the other camp—your friends and their spouses. Stay tuned for that in Part 2.

“To My Friends on the Other Side of the Aisle…”

I was asked by the smart people at SMART (Social Media Approaches for Resisting Trump) to put in my two cents on how to communicate with the folks who support the Trump “agenda” (if there is one that is not changing dramatically each day), and since I am a “professional communicator” of sorts, I have taken up this daunting challenge.

That was two weeks ago. I am still undaunted, but I must say that speaking to those on the “other side of the aisle” is not for the faint of heart. However, to quote Oprah: “Here is what I know for sure.”
First, know your audience. There are two distinct camps. My guess is you know one of them. I would label them the “Blow it all up!” brigade. They are your relatives, most likely. Your friends, if you still communicate with them, are in the other campsite. More on that in a minute. The “Blow it all up!” tribe follow the Tea Party’s Grover Norquist ideology that government is the enemy of the people, and it should be choked to death in a bathtub, yadda, yadda. Their rallying cry is Reagan’s ironically unpatriotic slogan:"I’m from the government and I’m here to help” (which really was a punchline for a joke he used rather than his political agenda; after all, he was a big spender, a military activist, and not at all popular with the air traffic controllers.)
So these folks, incited by the Rush, Sean, No-Spin/No Job Bill and Alex Jones crowd, are unlikely to listen to you. My advice, if you are brave enough (or have just been caught in a holiday crossfire) is ...just listen. The more you argue, the worst it gets. It will usually end with the ‘friends on the other side of the aisle’ spewing out remarks like these I have heard: “Obama never did a day’s work since all he did was community organizing”; “Obama was a pussy!”; Hillary is the most corrupt politician...ever!”; “All I want is government to give me a military and build my roads”; “Trump is a businessman, and he will bring back jobs taken by the illegals.”And as a topper, Pew research in 2016 reported that only 15% of conservative Republicans believe that the planet is warming, and man made causes are the major culprit.
If you are ready for that vitriol—good luck. But don’t let it escalate to that. Really nobody (on either side of the aisle really wants that discourse to occur. Cooler heads will prevail…hopefully. Best to put your toe in that camp’s waters and discover that the temperature is icy cold. Listen and learn. That’s how I heard each of these virulent words. (That’s right, I’m not writing fiction here.)
So that group probably makes up 30% of the electorate. Those numbers will shrink as the weeks go by (and already are: see Trump’s unpopularity among Republicans). Once they realize coal ain’t coming back because it is not cost effective (what really matters); jobs are being automated or obsolete (the real problem); and Trump has contradicted himself into a corner with Russia, China, and NATO allies (making himself look foolish, ignorant, or lazy)—well, by then, that group will not be so in your face
So that brings us to the Republicans whom you can speak with and have a solid conversation. These are friends who usually have the sense to not discuss politics unless it comes up naturally in conversation. They are not going to threaten their cherished friendship with you over the latest Sean Spicer gaff or Trump ‘whiplash’ change in what he will do on “day one of my administration.” They will diplomatically say things like this: “I can’t stand Trump-he’s an idiot, but I couldn’t possibly vote for Hillary so I voted for McCain”; “I have friends who are legal Mexicans and they don’t favor the illegal Mexicans coming here ignoring our immigration laws”; “I didn’t want to vote for Trump, but I have had enough of the Clintons—we needed change”; “Let’s give him a chance”; “Well, I am very concerned with his climate change policy, but on other things like jobs, he understands business and government over-regulations.” Now these people you can have a conversation with, and hopefully give them food for thought.


Let me give you some advice, first. Tom Friedman’s newest book Thank You for Being Late is quite an eye opener—and I heartily recommend it. Some of his best arguments illustrate how the vast number of Americans really do believe in the idea that ours is the finest government the world has ever seen, regardless of the fact we are still far from a “more perfect union.” Here is an excerpt that I hope he does not sue me over:
“The G.O.P. used to be an incredibly rich polyculture. It gave us ideas as diverse as our national
parks (under Theodore Roosevelt), the Environmental Protection Agency and Clean Air and Water Acts (under Richard Nixon), radial nuclear arms control and the Montreal Protocol to close the ozone layer (under Ronald Reagan), cap-and-trade to curb acid rain (under George H.W. Bush), and market-based health care reform (under Mitt Romney)….And for decades the party itself was a pluralistic amalgam of northern liberal Republicans and southern and western conservatives.” 
Pretty amazing, huh? In other words, President Obama would be one of the gang.


However, in the very next sentence (on pg. 321), Friedman puts the pedal to the political metal.
“But in recent years the Tea Party and other hyperconservative forces, also funded in large part by fossil fuel companies and oil billionaires, have tried to wipe out the Republican Party’s once rich polyculture and turn it into a monoculture that’s enormously susceptible to diseased ideas: climate change is a hoax; evolution never happened; we don’t need immigration reform. All this weakened the G.O.P’s foundation and opened the way for an invasive species such as Donald Trump to make deep inroads into the garden.”
And what is the effect? America has a Republican Party that cannot govern because the two camps cannot agree—and that they cannot agree on, say, Obamacare, is a good thing because the “Blow it all up” gang wants to privatize everything, which means if you can afford it, you are just fine. If not, well, that’s the Natural Law of life. Only the strong survive. They will not be ‘Thy Brother’s Keeper.” Mind you, they espouse Christian values. No Christians I know believe this.


Perhaps sharing Friedman’s history lesson and his understanding of the Tea Party may help in communicating to moderate, fair minded friends “on the other side of the aisle.”
Finally, on immigration, which can be a tough subject to broach, here is something to ask others (or yourself). If we cast a net 11 million people wide, how will we know who is legal or illegal? Should those with brown faces wear a large, scarlet A on their chest to signal that they are ‘aliens’ to our nation? Or are any of us comfortable going up to these people asking them to “show me your papers.”
I don’t know if the gardener, hotel worker, farm worker, child caregiver are legal or not. The construction worker, roofer, or neighbor on my block—I would never ask them to prove to ME that they belong here, legally. Would your moderate friends “on the other side of the aisle” be willing to do that? And if they are illegally here, would they call the police, have them arrested and torn from their families, many of which are blended because some of the family are US citizens. I’ve been with these people. Language seems to be the barrier to legal citizenship, that and the dreadful time table it takes, or the fact that America has one standard for ‘highly educated foreigners’ and a different one for ‘labors.’ Here in California, this is an issue on every block, every town, every part of a state that depends on these workers on a daily basis.
                   *****                                   *****                                   *****                                   
Last week I sat in the gallery of the United States’ Senate and watched the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. What struck me was that three senators spoke: McCain, Hatch and Durbin, but when they did, not one senator stayed to hear the other’s plea. They just walked out. Oh, there was the obligatory “my friend on the other side of the aisle” opening; then a nod or a smile, depending on party loyalty, and then they turned and left. No one listened that day, just ‘we the people’ of the gallery. Then, one by one, senators came in to vote up or down. Smiles on one side, frowns on the other.
The rules had to be broken because consensus could not be reached. I felt sorry for the one man caught in the political clash of ill will. His name is Merrick Garland. His flaw. He was a centrist. He was President Obama’s choice as The Constitution demands.
Let us not emulate this behavior. Let’s be SMART in our conversations with friends on eitherside of the aisle.
Robert Pacilio
April 19, 2017