Barackface

Friday, August 20, 2010

An Empire State Of Mind: The Final Countdown

During April 2006 I was holed up. I went to hang out with some friends from Nepal one evening, but other than that I was just holed up. I was zoned out. I was in a very different state of mind. I wanted no human contact. I felt detached from basic bodily functions like eating and sleeping. By the time I emerged, I had lost weight for someone who did not need to lose weight, I needed glasses.

What Reshma is doing now is much bigger in its long term implications than what I did in April 2006. But I can relate to her state of mind. This is the final stretch. This is the final countdown. This is it. It is a state of mind.

I don't think she will get less busy after her victory party on September 14 - I can totally see her going national right after; so chances are she will get even more busy - but these final weeks before September 14 are special. They are to be savored.

Barack Obama Just Endorsed Reshma Saujani
Sep 15 - Oct 31: Obama-Reshma Should Crisscross The Country

There are two kinds of people, people who will have known Reshma - either in person or by name - before September 14, and people who will get to know her after September 14. Which kind are you?

I relate to Reshma's current state of mind from my personal experience in April 2006 when Nepal went through a French Revolution.

April 2006: Nepal

Dismantle The Two Armies
To: The Kathmandu Media
Chitralekha Yadav: Speaker
Zimpundit: Zimbabwe
Undercurrents Of A Counter-Revolution
Maoist Posturing
Madhav Nepal
डा. कटक मल्ल: सुन्दर, शान्त र शिष्ट नेपालको निर्माणका लागि
The Revolution Is Very Much On
Victory
Reciprocate The Maoist Ceasefire Immediately
Army Under Parliament, Now
Mero Sansar Video Clips 7
Declare Constituent Assembly On First Day Of Parliament
Maoist Reaction To Democratic Victory: Not Right
Madhesi Rights: Total Equality
ितमीले देखाइ िदयौ
18 Days Of April Revolution: Victory
Kiran Nepal
Cobb To Leahy
Protests
Kiran Nepal, Dinesh Wagle
Brian Cobb: Savagery On The Roof Of The World
Nepal Has Hit The World Headlines
Home Minister: Bamdev Gautam
King Of India
My Most Controversial Blog Post To Date: On Madhesi Issue
Protests
King's Address: Old Wine, Old Bottle
Dinesh Wagle, Kiran Nepal In Town
House Revival Through Supreme Court Decision
कर्फ्यु तोड्न आह्वान गर्नेले
Could Girija Be President?
Sanjaya Parajuli In Brooklyn
Checkmate
Protests
Madhav Nepal Out In Open
Solidarity Rally DC
Smugglers, Sadists, Sycophants Have Infiltrated This Regime
Why The International Community Needs To Get Behind This Revolution
April 20: March Onto The Palace, End The Monarchy
Constituent Assembly: Still The Meeting Point
जाउलो खाएर क्रान्ित गर
Chand, Marich Man, Pashupati, Thapa, All Panches
Protests
The Art Of War, Bruce Lee
Mero Sansar Video Clips 6
End Of Ceausescu
30 Minutes With Amrit Bohra
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Irrelevant
जनआन्दोलनको कार्यक्रम
Monarchy's End: A Few Scenarios
Video Blogging
Aire Gaire Natthu Khaire Pahadis
क्रान्ितलाई नबुझ्नु, बुझ पचाउनु
Protests
Henry Shepherd: Open Source
Baburam Bhattarai: Lokatantric Ganatantra Ko Prasab Bedana
Gongabu Massacre
Get The Police On Our Side
Brian Cobb, Brave Man
Hamro Nepal, Latest
Interim President: Madhav Nepal
UN Rally
First ANTA NYC Event, Times Square Marriott
No Room For Monarchy In The 21st Century: King
Protests
Zero Tolerance Policy Towards Monarchy
Nepali Congress Or Praja Parishad
Protests
Friday Rally
INSEC Report
Malaria, Polio, Monarchy
Hamro Nepal: Draft Constitution
Alliance Is Mad At You
Mike Veer: Has Nepal's Orange Revolution Begun?
The King Set To Declare Date For Elections
Protests
Nepali Mandir
ये तो क्रान्ित है
Mero Sansar Video Clips 5
Happy New Year 2063
Interim Constitution, Revolutionary Parliament
Shoot At Sight Order: Dead End For The King
Protests
Constituent Assembly: 300 Seats Of Roughly Equal Population
Crime, Organized Crime, Terrorism, State Terrorism
The Police, The Army Need To Stop Following Illegitimate Orders
April 8: New Year
BBC Calls
NYC Rally Photos: Arnico Panday
April 9
April Revolution: Document Every Atrocity
Protests
The Fascists In Kathmandu
Final Act: Disobey The Curfew
Himal Survey
April 6,7,8,9, April 16,17,18,19, April 26,27,28,29
Even If The Worst Fears About The Maoists Are True
Write To Bush, Condi Before Possible Clampdown
Leahy Amendment Says No Arms To Nepal
यो सडक ितम्र्ो हो
Kamal Thapa Is A Nazi

Baruch Plus Radio Plus NY1 Could Work

Image via WikipediaCarolyn Maloney's Newest Lie
Finally A Debate? Is A Non Debate A Debate?
Debating Is Not About Media Attention To Reshma Saujani
Maloney Refuses Debate Yet Again
Carolyn Maloney: Chicken
We Will Debate An Empty Podium If We Have To
First Debate August 26, Thank You Baruch College

New York Observer: Reshma Camp Hasn't Accepted Debate Invite: "We need a debate that will be seen by voters in the district," said Saujani campaign spokesman James Allen.... they are still looking to find out what the details are, including how long the Q and A session with audience listeners will last and whether or not there will be television cameras present.... Saujani's campaign noted that the pair have received four invitations to debate—from NY1, from the League of Women Voters, from Baruch College and from a TV station in Queens—and would like to do any of those in addition the WWRL debate.... They also note that they are still trying to discuss the matter with the Maloney campaign. "We have not had any conversations with her campaign. Our campaign left multiple messages this afternoon for Matt Tepper, Maloney's campaign manager, and our calls were not returned."

I have not talked to anybody on the campaign staff or anything like that, so I am not speaking on behalf of the campaign or anything like that, but this would be my stand. Reshma 2010 will accept the radio debate invite for September 7 if Maloney will accept the Baruch College debate invite.

Presidential candidates have debated at Baruch College. Maloney is never going to run for president, but this would be her last chance to debate in such an august setting.

Who does Carolyn Maloney think she is?

The best thing would be to accept all four debate invites. It is about democracy.

In The News

NBC New York: Rep. Maloney Agrees to Debate Primary Opponent -- on Radio:For the first time in 18 years, Maloney faces a serious challenge in her "Silk Stocking District" ..... calls Maloney "a mediocre but reliable Democrat." ..... accused Maloney of "not telling the truth" in her interview with NBCNewYork when she said the two campaign staffs were in talks about debate plans. ...... But with the debate on radio and not open to TV cameras, voters won't get the full debate experience, which includes body language .... Some may conclude that by refusing to debate on camera, Maloney avoids giving TV air time to her attractive, younger opponent.
New York Observer: Maloney to Reshma: We're On:This is something of a risky move for Maloney, since letting your opponent onto a debate stage has a tendency to elevate them in the public's mind. Plus, it increases the chances that a favorite may say something she regrets—something Maloney is known for.... her campaign figured that Saujani's criticisms were weighing down Maloney's chances. That, or, her team just got tired of hearing about it
New York Observer: Saujani Taking It To The People: The first on, scheduled for August 23rd at the 14 Street Y, looks like it will be the most star-studded affair, or what passes for star-studded when talking about neighborhood town halls. There, Saujani will be joined by Ronnie Cho, who achieved some buzz for appearing in a documentary about the Obama campaign in his boxer shorts; Dodge Landesman, who ran for the City Council while still in high school and was profiled in the New Yorker, and Arthur Schwartz, a lawyer for ACORN.
The Associated Press: Mosque Debate Divides Democrats, Especially In NY: Democrats control both Senate seats and 27 of the state's 29 Congressional districts, but analysts believe as many as eight House Democrats in the state may be headed to defeat this year..... House Democrats have been opposing the construction of a $100 million Islamic center two blocks from the World Trade Center site. ..... Developers of the planned Islamic center known as Park51 have plans for a 13-story structure featuring a pool, gym and 500-seat auditorium, as well as a mosque and Sept. 11 memorial..... Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler, who faces only token opposition as he seeks his 10th term, has been one of the most outspoken advocates of the project. Nadler's district includes the World Trade Center site..... Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who faces a feisty primary challenge from attorney Reshma Saujani, announced her support for the Islamic Center two weeks ago but is being pushed by Saujani to speak out more forcefully. The primary is Sept. 14. "This is a major debate unfolding in our city and country, and our leaders ... are weighing in with lukewarm statements," said Saujani, who strongly supports the project.
Salon: The Politics Of Sore Loserdom: In an extraordinary display of gracelessness, Artur Davis, the Alabama congressman who was badly defeated in his party's gubernatorial primary in June, has penned an Op-Ed attacking the man who beat him, Ron Sparks. ... displaying unusually poor post-primary behavior .... When he was elected to the House in '02, some heralded him as an up-and-comer who might someday be the country's first black president. ..... When the 42-year-old Davis began his campaign, he was seen as a shoo-in for the Democratic nomination, making the final outcome that much more startling ...... Davis’ 24-point drubbing came from his aloof campaign style ..... Davis largely eschewed the roll-up-your-sleeves, stand-on-the-back-of-a-rusty-pickup politicking that is still imperative for Southern candidates ..... many of the black churches Davis ignored. ..... Davis’ misdirected anger well reflects the sense of entitlement not uncommon to incumbents everywhere, many of whom routinely neglect their bases
Washington Examiner: John Legend Talks Politics On The Red Carpet:Legend told us that in addition to Patrick, whom he supports because of the governor’s focus on education, he endorses his friend and congressional candidate from New York, Reshma Saujani. So who else does Legend back? President Obama.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

My Progressive Political Religion

Image via WikipediaReshma Saujani Loves America

I am a political animal. I have looked in the direction of tech entrepreneurship since my personal Obama 08 fiasco, but volunteering for Reshma 2010 has brought back spring to my steps. And with a green card at least a year away, there is nothing to do in tech entrepreneurship in the first place.

Even in tech entrepreneurship I kept thinking in terms of internet access as the voting right for this 21st century. Well, how about the actual voting right itself? How about the mission of a universal spread of democracy? We are only half way there.

Personal money will be made. All it would take is one Nobel Peace Prize and I could be asking for speaking fees forever after that. When my tech blog did 3,000 page hits for a day several weeks back, I remember thinking, this alone could be a full time income. It is possible to become a six figure blogger.

I like to keep things simple for me personally. For example, freehand exercise is more appealing than working the machines. When you keep things materially simple, you get to become voracious about mindfood. Words, music, movies, people, conversations, concepts, ideas, places.

Broadband meets most of my needs.

Which is more appealing? The concept of universal broadband, or the concept of universal democracy? It does not even compare. Of course democracy. Universal broadband will necessarily follow universal democracy. Although broadband will help the democratic cause like few other technologies. And with democracy I have a track record. What I did for Nepal, I could do all over again for Iran. I don't seem to give a f___ about China's size. I could do it for China. I want the town where the Burmese dictator lives bombed according to the Bush doctrine. That still would fit my concept of nonviolent militancy. A lot of people think nonviolence is about putting up with evil. The truth is Gandhi said he'd rather people resisted injustice nonviolently, but if it is between inaction and violent resistance, he would go for violence. (Reshma Is Gujarati Like Gandhi, I Am Bihari Like Laloo)

I keep thinking in terms of being able to engineer the pouring of a trillion dollars into microfinance globally. That might be more possible from the political arena than from tech entrepreneurship.

My progressive political religion is like a religion to me. I sure put way more time into my progressive political religion than I do into my religion of birth Hinduism, or my second adopted religion Buddhism, or my religions of curiosity Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

And there are people I think of as coreligionists. It is like Barack Obama is a Jew. Bill Clinton is a Jew. Hillary is a Jew. I am Jewish. We are coreligionists. We all belong to the same progressive political religion. (Please Fund My Work For Iran Democracy: Email)

I love Barack Obama like a brother. (The First Time I Heard The Obama Name, Extrapolations To Reshma 2016, Sep 15 - Oct 31: Obama-Reshma Should Crisscross The Country) Obama 08 was personal therapy to me, until it was no longer so. (Obama, Reshma, Charlie Rangel: Motherfucker)

Barack Obama leads the church for now. He is the top guy. His FDR aura is felt far and wide.

Bill Clinton and I know each other like serial killers know each other. We don't have to meet. We seem to be able to recognize each other's moves. (Rangel Has Gone Radioactive) I followed the 92 race through Time and Newsweek magazines in Kathmandu. It was my final year at high school.

When the Monica Lewinsky thing erupted I was sitting in front of a computer after dinner in Kentucky. I was up all night trying to track down any new development on the story, and instead I ended up watching that hug video clip countless times. My first, middle and last thought on the topic was the guy did it for his wife. He got sick and tired of what Ken Starr was doing to his wife and so he did what he could.

I had been watching the Ken Starr drama in pain. I had been in disbelief the entire time. In a country like where I grew up, Ken Starr would have disappeared the day after he pointed his finger at a Hillary figure. The queen of Nepal showed up at some remote police station unannounced, and the police constable was not able to recognize, and the dude lost his job. He could have lost more. And here was a guy who was supposed to be the most powerful man on earth, and he could not even protect his wife! This was a strange country. All the allegations were proven false. Starr spent taxpayers' money. He spent more money than Bill Clinton spent running for president. And he hounded everyone Bill Clinton had ever said hello to in Arkansas. It felt bizarre.

As early as 92, Hillary became my idea of a strong, smart woman. I hoped some day I could meet a woman like her. A partner in the truest sense of the word.

Ken Starr was not Hillary's fault. He was Bill Clinton's fault. So the dude authorizes him and then takes him on a personal tour of the White House. Talk about blind spots. That is taking optimism a little too far.

So Bill Clinton is on a three way with his wife Hillary, and his aide George Stephanopoulos. Hillary is saying do not authorize the investigation, there is nothing to investigate, it is all political. Boy George/Judas argues otherwise and Bill Clinton makes the mistake of his life and he goes for the Boy George/Judas line of action.

And Bill Clinton's Boy George mistake went a few years before that. In the fall of 91 Boy George shows up in Arkansas. And Bill Clinton is changing his pants. And he is like, it's okay, stay. We can keep talking. That scene led to the three way call a few years later and that resulted in the biggest pain on Clinton's family life.

Granted he was a desperate southern Governor in 91, but never make a political aide feel like they are co-family, because it is false, that just is not the case. Staffers can be fired. It is a professional relationship.

Hillary has always been a better judge of character than Bill Clinton. She earned better grades at Yale than Bill Clinton. I do feel like Hillary is a woman who was not able to reach her full potential. Monica Lewinsky contaminated her life, and at some level Hillary never really recovered. Here was a power couple that took for granted that the woman was going to have a career, and then suddenly the whole thing felt like one grand illusion.

Hillary is a wronged woman. She deserved her revenge. It was not about sex - there was not much sex - it was about the sexism. It was like Bill Clinton threw her Beijing speech right out the window.

"I wanted to wring his neck."

The First Time I Heard The Obama Name
Extrapolations To Reshma 2016
Sep 15 - Oct 31: Obama-Reshma Should Crisscross The Country
Obama, Reshma
Charlie Rangel: Motherfucker
Rangel Has Gone Radioactive

I know Hilary is passionate about microfinance, and that is all the racial hint I really need.

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