Vigilant Musings

The Two Party System

2010-06-15T16:23:00.006-05:00

Over the past few days, there has been an emerging conflict from a Democratic primary loser for the nomination to run against the current Republican Senator from South Carolina, James Demint. The story goes that the winner of the democratic nomination is a virtual unknown, and is claimed to be both mentally unstable and may be "unfit" for office. The presumptive "winner" was a four term incumbent holding another office, and had a sizable campaign war chest. Apparently, he believed that this money and name would be enough for him to win. He did little advertising or campaigning. The winner of this event was the first name on the ballot, and he apparently won by a sizable margin.

Not surprisingly, the power elite are now crying conspiracy. They are demanding an investigation, and will be doing everything they can to disqualify the winner of this democratically elected nominee.

This story further supports the notion that the two party system in our country has become too powerful, too complacent, and downright scary. The results will always be ok as long as "their" candidates win.

I can't say that I'm completely sold on everything the growing "tea" party stands for, with the important distinction of appreciating the move to something as an alternative to two powerful political parties. The blind faith that the American electorate has placed in this system is what has our country in the mess that it now is.

Perhaps our country in the past has done ok with this model. Politicians today have taken the word "partisan" to a new and dangerous level. Our officials seem not to be doing what is right or what the American people want, but are focused on being sure that one side wins, the other side loses, and damn the American People.

I'm not sure what the answer is going to be. I hope that this election in South Carolina sends a clear message that the American People are not afraid to thumb their nose at the establishment. I hope that the tea party will be the catalyst to create newer and better parties of people that are focused on doing what is right for our country, as opposed to spending so much time spewing about how their opposition is wrong.

The Aftermath of my letter to the editor on Sean Penn and the Oscars

2009-02-28T10:26:00.002-06:00

As some of you know, on Friday, March 27th, a letter that I wrote was published in the Chicago Tribune's Voice of the People. Based on the responses that I have received from both friends as well as those that have never met me, my position certainly leans in the minority. I'd say that at least 80% of those I don't know not only disagree with my position, but vehemently so. With regard to my friends, its about a 50/50 split. Accordingly, although it's a small subset of people who responded, the overwhelming sentiment thus far is:

1. If I don't like what people are saying, I should turn it off.
2. I should get a DVR and fast forward through that stuff and commercials.
3. Sean Penn should be my moral compass and that everything that he said was appropriate and relevant given the award he received.
4. I am bigoted.
5. I believe in censorship.
6. The Oscars are an appropriate venue given its size and scope to deliver any message that an actor or actress sees fit.

I was somewhat surprised by the overall sentiment. I've also realized that perception is reality, and that the intent of what I wrote may not have been completely realized. Overall, it thus far has been a very good learning experience for me.

The Oscars as a Political Platform?

2009-02-23T19:27:00.004-06:00

I never requested nor do I desire for Sean Penn to be my moral compass. I respect his work as an actor, and I'm sure he is deserving for his award for best actor. However, what I don't like or appreciate is when any actor or actress, for any reason, chooses to use their acceptance speech as a political platform.

When I go to the movies, I like to do so for a couple hours of entertainment. Sean Penn and others have done a great job providing that for me over the years. I like them as actors and performers. However, what their political opinions are or are not is immaterial to me. I don't care. I don't want to know about it. I don't want to hear about it when one wins an award for something that is unrelated. Stick to the basics: discuss your appreciation for the role, what it has done for you as an actor or actress, and thank whomever helped you achieve it. I don't care about what your views are about anything in this venue. Keep your comments on these matters to yourself.

The Oscars have been pandering to actors and actresses with their pet causes, and have allowed them to use this venue as their bully pulpit. Clint Eastwood got shut out of the Oscars and nominations not because of the merits with "Gran Torino," but rather because his moral compass and political beliefs are not commensurate with that of Hollywood. This is completely unacceptable.

The Academy of Arts and Sciences should take a quick, swift, and unwavering approach to anyone in the future that attempts to do this: The moment one word comes out of any ones mouth that is unrelated to the award, the mic goes off, the broadcast goes to commercial, and the actor or actress is escorted off stage. This garbage needs to stop.

Some may critique my position and say this is a free speech issue. Anyone should be able to say anything at anytime. Here is my response: If I am receiving a business award for salesperson of the year, I'm not going to give a presentation about my experiences as a graduate student writing a masters thesis about riding along with the police. The context is off. It's not relevant. Simply put, it's wrong.

Musical musings

2009-02-01T15:28:00.003-06:00

1. I became a fan of Johnny Cash after he died. I regret that I never took the time to see him in concert.

2. I became a fan of Chet Atkins after he died. Again, I regret that I never took the time to see him in concert. What is wrong with me?

3. The new Journey, as much as they try, are nothing like the Journey with Steve Perry.

4. Learning to play the acoustic guitar first will make you a better guitar player, even if you plan to play electric guitar.

5. I've become a fan of live, local music more that I ever have before.

6. Napster is the best value in musical download services. For $14.95 per month, you can use it on 3 computers and 3 mp3 portable players and have access to millions of songs? You have an Ipod why?

7. Contrary to the majority of Van Halen fans, I equally enjoyed Sammy Hagar to David Lee Roth, and thought OU812 was a great album. "Right Now" is a great video.

8. My son, Jacob, and I went to the Earth, Wind, and Fire concert in Chicago in the summer of 2008. He is a band magnet. He got both the guitar pick from the lead guitarist, and the drum sticks from the percussionist. Are you kidding me?

9. My guitar teacher inspires me to practice.

10. One of the best instrumental bands of all time is The Rippingtons.

Yet another Illinois debacle

2009-02-01T15:21:00.001-06:00

As I trust I don't have to tell any of you, Illinois is in a fiscal crisis. Part of this was caused by the waste of $480,000 in the Tollway signs that has our former governors name on it.

Today, I read that $15,000 per sign will be spent on every tollboth in the state to cover our former governor's name. Are you kidding me?

I have two solutions to this issue that can either cost our state nothing, or allow the state to generate some income as opposed to spending it with money we don't have.

The first solution is to allow advertisers to post their logo on some portion of the new sign. Something like "This sign is brought to you by......" I have a sneaking suspicion that firms would be lining up to purchase an opportunity as such. I would also bet that the money they would pay would far surpass the $15,000 each that the signs would cost to retrofit.

The other option is to just leave the signs alone, and focus on other more pressing issues with the state. This is such a waste of money, I just can't believe it.

Oh, and I'm just wondering on this one...but wasn't the original intent of the toll system to pay for construction of the road and then go away?

Given irresponsible spending like this, I now understand why tolls are still here.

Carpe Diem

2009-01-08T18:34:00.005-06:00

So yesterday evening, I'm sitting around in the living room and watching some TV. More frequently that I should, I looked at my Blackberry and saw the red light flashing. I then look at my e-mail and see in the subject line the name of someone. I knew it was not good news. It was the name of a neighbor of mine who, in his mid 30's, had succumbed to cancer. He leaves behind a wonderful and young family who hardly had spent enough time together on this earth.

I was especially moved by the following words from one of the family members: "My heart is heavy, my heart broken, my world shattered, but again am overcome by the kindness and thoughtfulness of the outpouring of support. Tonight hug your spouses a little harder, hug your children a little more."

Nearly a year ago, I know that I wrote something about living for today. This story, yet again, reminds us that we are all on borrowed time. It just doesn't matter who you are, how old you are, how good you are, how bad you are, etc. etc. Life throws so many curve balls that you just don't know what the day will bring.

I remember many many years ago, some of the advice my wife and I received from a relative about married life: "Always give your spouse a kiss at night before bed, tell them that you love them, and never go to bed angry at them." I'd be lying if I said that I have been able to do that all the time. However, I can tell you that I will be more sensitive about doing this will all members of my family.

It's awesome to have such a great family. I appreciate them more each day, and especially am blessed to have had them for as long as I have. It's also been very warm to the heart to see the sense of community and how it comes together when people are at their most vulnerable.

Random Thoughts

2009-01-01T09:52:00.003-06:00

1. Happy New Year!

2. Quality is always better than quantity.

3. I have a beautiful wife, both inside and out.

4. I have great children that are growing up too fast.

5. I need to spend more time learning guitar chords.

6. Novi's beef in Berwyn, IL is the best in Chicagoland.

7. The Northwest Suburbs of Chicago cannot figure out how to make a Pizza.

8. I need to appreciate the things that I have now, and not worry about replacing them with something better.

9. High definition television is addictive.

10. Music is the passageway to the soul.

The State Of Professional Sports

2008-02-04T05:48:00.000-06:00

Before I say another word about this, I'll admit that I'm fired up on this issue. I'm a big fan of many professional sports, especially football. However, I'm so disgusted with many elements of the game and the apologists out there.

Most mornings, when I take my kids to school, I listen to Mike and Mike in the morning on ESPN radio. There are two issues that they have talked about recently and many times that have proliferated professional sports. The first is the use of steriods, and the second is cheating.

There was one comment the Mike and Mike show said that made me laugh out loud: that somehow the gambling that Pete Rose did on baseball was worse by a long shot over professional athletes that use steroids. I'd like them to tell that to the parents of a child that died from the use of steroids to compete with the cheaters. I'd like them to tell that to the player whose professional career was cut short because they were cut but the steriod cheater was retained. I'm not excusing what Pete Rose did.....but it pales in comparison to the use of steriods in professional sports. In addition, if Rose bet on his team in baseball to win, I'm not sure that his gambling changed how he coached the game. The last time I checked was for the coach to put forth a game winning plan.

Another issue that makes me cringe is when any professional athlete (including Golic) states that they would not turn in a fellow player if they new they were using steriods. The over riding belief by this show, and others in the sporting community, is that the penalties imposed on players for using steriods by sports teams is sufficient. Not me. Simply put, there should be zero tolerance. If an athlete chooses to use, and gets caught once and it is confirmed, the penalty is a lifetime ban. It's time the sport gets cleaned up. This is the only way to do it.

Recently, there has been discussions around something in professional football called "Spygate." This has involved the New England Patriots having been caught taping another team's (New York Jets) play calls. It gives the team that does it a competitive advantage against others by knowing what are the best plays to call against certain play calls. Again, the apologists from the Mike and Mike show claim that opening up further investigations on this matter (allegedly there is more evidence that the Patriots cheated on more games than originally thought) is overboard and a waste of time. They are not sure what the point is. I'll try to break this one down. The loss of the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl brought a smile to my face in breaking their "perfect" season. This team cheated against an inferior New York Jets team earlier this season, and was penalized inappropriately for it. The powers that be should have done the following: the game should have been forfeited by the Patriots, and all fans that wanted a refund for attending a game that had cheaters should have been given a refund by the New England Patriots. The bottom line is that the tickets sold were done so under false pretenses: had some fans known that cheating was going to take place prior to the game, they may have chosen not to go.

An interesting discussion took place recently with the Mike and Mike team and Senator Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania. Specter has a request out to have additional discussions with the commissioner of football regarding possible additional cheating in football. Again, the Mike and Mike team minimized this request by saying it was foolish. When pressed by the radio men, Specter said that using the excuse it has been "going on for a long time" would be the same as saying "so has the theft of automobiles," neither one being right and both should be stopped. Mike and Mike then said that to use that analogy was off base. Here is my response: cheating in professional sports that results in one team given an unfair advantage can have significant impact: If in a Super Bowl, it could mean tens of thousands of dollars difference between each player on the winning versus losing team. It could mean a better contract for a player. Ultimately, it means more money in the pocket of the winning, and possibly cheating team. If this request for a meeting by Specter results in one less cheating scandal or exposure of just one that we did not know about, it is well worth it.

This brings me to the end and final thoughts on this long diatribe. We as fans and a society are the reasons why professional sports are out of control. We have an insatiable appetite for it, and we let the teams and management get away with it. It's a supply and demand issue: As long as we continue to pay the prices that continue to rise, continue to tune it in when these sports are littered with steriod use and cheating, we ultimately have no one to blame but ourselves for the outcome. If we want $5,000 per seat Super Bowl tickets to be a thing of the past and reclaim fair sportsmanship, it's time to tune out and stop paying.

Grim Realities and Living For Today

2008-01-30T19:29:00.000-06:00

This past January 24th, the Chicago Media, his hometown of Crystal Lake, IL, and most importantly his family and friends lost a one of a kind in longtime news anchor Randy Salerno. While I had only met Randy one time, and frankly did not watch him very much on the television, his death has impacted me more than I would have thought it would. There were some similarities between Randy and myself. We are close in age, started at Illinois Wesleyan University and ended up graduating from Illinois State University, have children that are close in age, and even have one child with the same name.

What struck me the most, though, is how much life is a gift that we all eventually will have to give back. We never know how long we get to keep that gift, and when it is time to give it back. The amount of people that it affects directly or indirectly is amazing.

I've been a bit melancholy this past week. At the same time, I have a much deeper appreciation for my wife, my children, my friends, and all the relationships that I have. I truly feel gifted more now than in the past for every day that I wake up and am alive. I also realize that I have to work even harder and make that one extra family event, one extra hug from my kids, one extra kiss from my wife, one extra toast with my friends the highest priority in my life.

From what I heard about Randy Salerno, he did this from the beginning. I've done it some, but from his inspiration, I will do more.

America First

2008-01-24T20:11:00.000-06:00

When I was in high school, I remember doing a project for my Sociology class. It consisted of a poster board that was divided into four squares. On the left side top there were starving people in Africa. On the right side top there were many of the American perfomers from the Live Aid concert. On the left side down there were the homeless people in America. On the right side down the square was left blank. The top center of this poster contained the phrase "Which Side Are They On?"

Reflecting back, I find that much of what I believed then I continue to believe today. With that said, I believe that there are performers in America that have supported the American Homeless. I should have perhaps included 10 performers on the Africa side, and 1 on the American side. However, I also believe that there has been and continues to be more focus on what is going on outside our country and helping (and sometimes meddling with) other countries when we have plenty of issues and problems in our own country that could use more of our help. My perception is that we need to be just a tad more selfish.

The bashing of America by both people from foreign countries and people from within our own country is utterly appaling to me. The very same people that graciously accept our aid and money in their time of need are the same that accuse America of being the personification of the Anti-Christ. We also have many in our own country that do the same thing about their own country. Is our country perfect? Heck no! Can we improve in many areas! Heck yes! However, why is it that we can't take the approach of "America is great, and we can get better....here's how:" instead of "America is terrible, and I'm embarrassed to be here until we do the following:" Both statements call for change, but one does it in a positive manner while the other does it with negative overtones. What ever happened to being proud of what we accomplished, recognizing that we can and will improve?

Questions That I Would Like Answers To

2008-01-23T18:17:00.000-06:00

1. Why is a bad television show or movie the best thing ever when you know you have to go to work?

2. Why are you less tired when you wake up and realize that you don't have work or school?

3. Why are there more red lights and traffic when you are running late?

4. Why does your pager, door bell, cell phone, and home phone ring within 1 minute of one another but then stay silent for an hour or more?

Hollywood "Values"

2008-01-22T20:06:00.000-06:00

It seems like every other day there is some star that winds up dead, drugged out, divorced after a couple of weeks, etc. I just don't understand it. Besides the entertainment value that most of those in Hollywood provide, how can any of us take them seriously outside of the big screen? I know that there are exceptions to the rule of conduct that I just outlined. Can someone explain to me why the rules just don't apply to those in Hollywood? Why do we as parents allow our children to let so many of these people be role models?

Relationships

2008-01-21T18:15:00.000-06:00

I've had a revelation, although I don't think that it is one that is all that mind blowing. In fact, it may very well be a maturation process that took me this many years to figure out. There will be people in your life that are meant to be there for specified periods of time (and some will be all of time.) The great question to answer, and never ending battle, is knowing which relationships are meant for each time frame.

Perhaps the best way to answer that question is based on the evolution of that relationship. For example, relationships that result because of the neighborhood one moves into seem to remain as such as long as people remain in that neighborhood. When one leaves that neighborhood, as much as you would like to believe that the relationship will remain strong, distance diminishes it. Thus, the strongest relationships that are neighborhood based are destined to be challenging at best when one leaves it. I would hypothesize that if the move out of the neighborhood was one mile or one thousand, they are likely to diminish equally for no other reason.

Relationships that begin early in ones life, no matter what they are (child to parent, friend to friend, sibling to sibling) have to mutually evolve or they are destined to failure. For example, if a parent treats one of their children like they are a perpetual adolescent, the child may not appreciate being treated in that manner in their adult years. Both sides need to evolve, or the relationship will be miserable all the time, or it will simply cease. If one or both sides choose not to let the relationship evolve, I would say that the relationship has reached the end of its useful life.

My belief is that relationships continue over time as long as both parties respect each other and recognize when it is time to change the approach to it. However, instead of letting the relationship go with animosity or grief, it seems to me that the sage approach is to look at the relationship for what is gave to you at that particular moment in time and glean the positives from it. If there were negatives, use those negatives as a learning experience for what you can do in the future to be better at your current or next relationship.

The Great Balancing Act

2008-01-20T19:34:00.000-06:00

I've been watching ads for a story that NBC 5 Chicago is going to show on their newscast. It is from a real life medium that talks about how her experiences with the dead indicate that their common communication to her is that they wished that they spent more time with their family. One example is a father playing catch with their son more instead of working.

I'll admit that the balance between work and family has been one that I've struggled with, especially since I opened my own company. There is that "freedom" from not working for the "man," but also the reality that income is only derived from what you are doing to generate it. I think that there is a time in the evolution of ones business where you don't have to work as long as when you first started to generate income, since a substantial part of the time is finding that first client. Nevertheless, even if it is not work that keeps you away from your kids or family, your own personal interests or spending needless time surfing the internet can take away from good quality family time.

One of the solutions that I've found to this dilemma is just simple time management. Setting hard start and stop times for work and individual interests and spending the balance of the time with my family has worked well when I stick to it. In addition, family time with me does not always mean that I'm going to be with my entire family at all times. My wife and I make it a point to have the equivalent of a "date" at least once a week. We've found this to be a contributing factor to our continued love for one another after 16 years. We starting dating in high school, and each of us have evolved into different people. However, we evolved into the people that we are together. My love for her is stronger now than it ever has been. One on one time with our children has also contributed to a deeper and more meaningful relationship with them.

The net of my thoughts here is that I believe it is God/Family/Work all the way, and in that order. Time management and properly performing all the different roles we have in life is the most simple to do in theory, but most difficult to achieve in practice.

Kids, Toys, and Electronics

2008-01-19T19:07:00.000-06:00

I'd like to think that the rule that I've established for my kids is a fairly straightforward one and easy to follow. The rhetorical answer to that question is best answered from Jack Nicholson's character in "A Few Good Men." "Don't I feel like the fu**ing a***ole." I have this warped sense of reality that just because my rule appears to be sensible, it will be followed, and items acquired will live in perpetuity. My family has adopted many electronics and gadgets that I somewhat force feed on them initially, but they wind up loving them as much as I do. We have Xbox 360, Ipod, portable DVD players, and more games than time to play them. The problem is that although they are somewhat industrial strength in some respects, scratching a disc or not having the charger or connection cables renders these things useless. It is not like I scimp on the cases or "add ons" that often are part of the purchase. My kids come up with some of the most unique excuses for not putting things away after they mysteriously become "lost." It is never their fault. The conversation usually goes "Dad, I can't find this xxx, and the last time I saw it was when you were doing something to it for me." Needless to say, it is 99.9% of the time a bunch of bunk because I'll find it under the chair they were in the very time they were explaining that it was something that I did that caused its disappearance. Ultimately if the adults don't find them, most of the time they remain in the abyss. I've tried to institute all sorts of ideas or punishments to prevent future loss or destruction. Nothing seems to work.

Hold onto that thought. My phone is ringing and I'm expecting a very important call. The cordless phone charging base is right next to me. Never mind, I can't answer it because the phone isn't there. What a shocker.....

Is there a magical solution to this dilemma, or am I just looking for an electronics utopia that will never materialize?

Team Spirit

2008-01-18T22:02:00.000-06:00

I don't understand why there is so much hatred between Cubs and White Sox fans. As a native of the Chicago area, I am primarily a White Sox fan. What that means is that no matter who the White Sox play, I want them to win. The same is true of the Cubs, unless they are playing the White Sox. I have a real hard time understanding why one would root for anyone other than their home team. There are many fans that are Sox fans that want the Cubs to lose to everyone, and vice-versa. I wholeheartedly disagree. I think that fans from a particular town should root for their home town team.

On another note, and boy I expect to get some grief by saying this as a Chicago Bears fan. I am a rabid Bears fan...I want them to win all the time. However, my second favorite team is the Packers! To me, it is almost the same thing as my Cubs/Sox argument. I want the Packers to win every time unless it is against the Bears, or it puts the Bears in a worse position to have home field throughout the playoffs. What makes me laugh is that many people that are Bears fans, that hope the Packers lose at all costs, are the same that go north of the boarder into Wisconsin to vacation in Lake Geneva, The Dells, or other parts of Wisconsin. I also find it somewhat laughable for some that live in common vacation areas of Wisconsin that loathe people from Illinois by calling them things like "FIBS" (F***king Illinois B***ards). I can't imagine what would happen to the Wisconsin economy if the FIBS stayed home.

The Housing Crisis

2008-01-17T18:56:00.000-06:00

I'd like to think that I have a somewhat unique perspective on the housing bubble. I've sold foreclosures properties for banks for many years. There is no doubt that things are not all that great right now. However, part of the problem that we have is the media. Gloom and doom is all that we see. It is at the forefront of just about every publication and tv station that one turns on. Frankly, it scares people. Some qualified buyers that really want to buy a home sit on the sidelines because of the news. Many bottom feeders come out and take the concept of buy low to new and dangerous levels. I really believe that these factors have compounded the problem and made them worse than they need to be. There are really great deals out there. Smart buyers and investors will buy now. Let's all remember that shelter is a universal.

Turning 40, Passage of Time, and Health

2008-01-17T18:20:00.000-06:00

I've heard that turning 40 was a big deal. I didn't really believe it. Every other birthday that I had was relatively uneventful. There were no notable changes in how I felt. This birthday for me was notably different. Literally from the day that I turned 40, parts of my body that never ached before do now. It's not life altering, but it's one of those "why is this hurting, I didn't do anything to strain that part of my body the day before." This really sucks! The other thing that I noticed is the passage of time. I spoke to a colleague of mine that just had this eventful birthday as well. We lamented about how when we were in high school in class, time seemed to stand still. The best way I can describe the passage of time today is akin to a 2x speed on a DVD player. Sunday night comes, and I wonder where Friday night went. Even during the work week, Monday comes and then it is Thursday night. There is one universal that has been the case, though, for me since work life began: late Sunday night to Monday after work are without a doubt the worst 18-24 hours of the week.

Six Year Old Diet and Behavior

2008-01-16T20:09:00.000-06:00

We have a six year old boy that unfortunately inherited some of our poor adult diet choices. He often enjoyed an over abundance of sugar and carbs. Recently, my wife has tried him on a gluten free diet. The results thus far have been remarkable. His temperment has been much more balanced and is markedly more well behaved and listens better. So far, so good!

Things That Drive Me Nuts

2008-01-15T07:46:00.000-06:00

Going to bed, getting comfortable, but then getting stabbed in the back by a crumb.

First Post

2008-01-14T21:04:00.000-06:00

I've never been told that I have a hard time expressing myself. What a great place to do it. Great and thoughtful banter is always welcomed here. I hope that we will all have a chance to start some lively debate!

Over the past few weeks, I've tried to spend some time listening to both sides debate for the Democratic and Republican nominations. There is so much repetition and spin, it is really quite humorous. So much focus and time is spent trying to trip up one another and take things out of context, it is amazing that people take this stuff seriously. The inability to directly answer a question makes me tend to agree with Laura Ingraham's belief that the race is for the next "American Idol" President. Creating a sense of balance and determining what is best for our country needs to be the focus. I've been largely unimpressed with the balance of all the candidates, and I'm not convinced that any of our choices will create anything but an altered bureaucracy that trade one set of problems for another. In some respects, replacing all with no political party affiliation may be the only way to get anything done. Unfortunately, that will never happen.

I do have one question that I can't possibly understand why is never answered and is in all of our best interests. Why are candidates for one public office allowed to remain in their current office while campaigning for that new position. How about this for campaign finance reform: you must resign your current office if you run for another. I fail to see how one can concentrate on your current job when you are trying to get another. I can't think of too many employers that would be open to an employee going on an 18 month+ interview for a position that isn't currently helping its constituency. Taxpayer financed job interviewing. It's appalling.

Here are some thoughts on Barack Obama. So many times I have heard that Barack, unlike the balance of the candidates, is the best hope for creating non-partisan politics...that somehow Barack is our hope to bridge the great divide between Democrats and Republicans. I'm having a real hard time buying that. As an Illinois resident, a brief history lesson on Barack may be appropriate. Mr. Obama is the freshman senator from Illinois that has spent nearly as much time campaigning for his new role as he did working on the federal level for our state. His dear friend and fellow Illinois Senator Dick Durbin (about as left of center as they come) was a main catalyst for him to run. He comes from a state that has been so left of center and democratically controlled, that many of his experiences and counsel have come from a very liberally biased side. With that said, I'm not suggesting that Mr. Obama cannot grow into the role that can bring the parties together. I'm just saying that I'd like to see some thoughtful and juicy long term examples of it before I'm going to buy into that rhetoric.