Miscellany: 8/31/12

Quote of the Day 
We become 
just by performing just actions, 
temperate by performing temperate actions, 
brave by performing brave actions. 
Aristotle

Reflections on the GOP National Convention Day 3:
Part 2

Mitt Romney showed a sense of humor. In Wednesday's post, I noted Paul Ryan's teasing Romney about his tastes in music. So Mitt, after paying tribute to his running mate, said, "But Paul, I still like the playlist on my iPod better than yours."

Some excerpts (my edits):

• When [the 2008] election was over Americans were eager to go back to work, to live our lives the way Americans always have – optimistic and positive and confident in the future. That very optimism is uniquely American. It is what brought us to America. We are a nation of immigrants, ones who wanted a better life, the driven ones, the ones who woke up at night hearing that voice telling them that life in that place called America could be better. They came not just in pursuit of the riches of this world but for the richness of this life. Freedom. Freedom to build a life. And yes, freedom to build a business. With their own hands. This is the essence of the American experience. We Americans have always felt a special kinship with the future.  In America [immigrants] could build a better life, that in America their children would be more blessed than they.

Wow, this is great stuff, absolutely spot on. I mention in my March essay on if I were President: "Yes, when I dream of what it would be like to be President, I don't think of grand state dinners or giving the State of the Union Address, of saluting the troops, sitting in the Oval Office or boarding Air Force One. I think of something different, a Fourth of July on Ellis Island, of meeting and greeting the people I work for,  newly minted American citizens of every race, religion and tongue. I would assure them that the promise of America sometimes is difficult to see, but it never has left. It is still there for those of us whom want it and believe. Yes, dreams still do come true in America, and her beacon of liberty has never dimmed (we just don't look high enough): it's still the best place on earth, and we have been the lucky ones to inherit her promise. Yes, I love the America we see: her land, her people, her flag and tradition. But I love even more the America we don't see: her enduring ideas and promise."

I would like to think that Romney is sending out a message to all immigrants, including hard-working, honest Latinos whom have made and continue to make a positive contribution to our economy. 

I would probably tweak things a bit: I would be trying to suggest that some are casting a shadow over our unalienable rights of liberty, property, and pursuit of happiness. They seek to set paternalistic rules and regulations that intrude on our economic rights and other basic liberties, even the right to be left alone. They have faith in government coercion, not in the American people. They sap the economy of its vitality and obstruct its innovation; they encourage dependence on government, in place of self-reliance.

• I wish President Obama had succeeded because I want America to succeed. But today, four years from the excitement of the last election,  the hope and change America voted for  have given way to disappointment and division. For the first time, the majority of Americans now doubt what we were promised:  a better future for ourselves and our children, our businesses, and our nation, by paying down the national debt and rolling back those massive deficits. 

I had to heavily edit the text because it comes across as muddled in my judgment and focusing on college graduates and small businesses seems to be unduly restrictive. I would include 'college graduates' under 'children' and make a distinction between the troubled present (ourselves) and our dubious future (children).

Nice touch to say things like 'I wish Obama had succeeded' and 'Obama is a decent man with a beautiful family', etc. I've said similar things. To paraphrase: 'it's government; it's not personal'.

• Now is the moment when we can stand up and say, "I'm an American. I make my destiny. And we deserve better! My children deserve better! My family deserves better. My country deserves better!

I remember when I heard this I thought it was his McCain-like "stand up and fight" moment. I probably would have tweaked it a bit, something like this: my family is worse off than 4 years ago: we should have done better, we can do better, and we must do better. Together, we will do better.

• To be an American was to assume that all things were possible. Like all Americans we went to bed [on the day Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon] knowing we lived in the greatest country in the history of the world. Neil Armstrong's spirit is still with us: that unique blend of optimism, humility and the utter confidence that when the world needs someone to do the really big stuff, you need an American. [My dad] had big dreams.My mom and dad gave their kids the greatest gift of all – the gift of unconditional love. They cared deeply about who we would BE, and much less about what we would DO.

Mitt Romney here is attempting to explain the values and principles that have been behind his personal and professional success. He's doing at least two important things  First, he's refuting (by his discussion of unconditional love and those positive qualities: optimism, humility, and confidence) that Democratic robotic-like caricature of him. Second, he's smartly contrasting himself to Obama: he's telling people: "Look, I'm not going to talk down the economy like Obama did in his first few months in office; "I'm not going to bitch for 4 years about what a lousy economy I inherited. I'm up to this job and its challenges; I'll take responsibility for my decisions, and I'm optimistic about America's future."

• Mom and Dad were married 64 years. And if you wondered what their secret was, you could have asked the local florist – because every day Dad gave Mom a rose, which he put on her bedside table. That's how she found out what happened on the day my father died – she went looking for him because that morning, there was no rose.

GREAT STORY. It's sweet; it's romantic; you can tell that he has the same relationship with Ann. The fact that he shared that personal story tells me about his priorities in life. Romney is connecting with social conservatives and underscoring his faith in and the importance of enduring marriage; and I think that the story connects with women.

• When my mom ran for the Senate, my dad was there for her every step of the way. I can still hear her saying in her beautiful voice, "Why should women have any less say than men, about the great decisions facing our nation?" I wish she could have been here at the convention and heard leaders like Governor Mary Fallin, Governor Nikki Haley, Governor Susana Martinez, Senator Kelly Ayotte and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. As Governor of Massachusetts, I chose a woman Lt. Governor, a woman chief of staff, half of my cabinet and senior officials were women, and in business, I mentored and supported great women leaders who went on to run great companies.

I believe that this is Romney's way of reaching out to women in general, especially suburban moms and young women. There's a part of me that recoils from defensive political correctness, e.g., "some of my best friends are XXXXX". I would avoid giving laundry lists of (in this case) women in business and government. "I've sought out, listened to and have benefited from the insights, criticisms and advice from the women in my life: my wife, mother, friends, and colleagues. Some of the best executives, professionals, and public servants that I've known, worked with or mentored have been women, I value their inputs and contributions to public policy, and they will be an integral part of my administration."

•  The strength and power and goodness of America has always been based on the strength and power and goodness of our communities, our families, our faiths.

I would like to think one of the reasons that he's raising this is to rely less on central planning from the federal government and more on the volunteers, churches and charities of the private sector and/or decentralization of any necessary public responsibility, authority and policy to the local/state government.

Due to time constraints, I'll continue my commentary on Mitt Romney's speech and/or other convention details in tomorrow's post.

Follow-Up Odds and Ends

• Miscellany: 8/30/12: Reflections on GOP Convention Day 3: Part 1. I excerpted part of mother Pam Finlayson's story about how years ago Mitt Romney came to visit her and then premature Kate, whom she briefly noted passed away as a young woman in late 2010. While I was on Youtube, I ran across a tribute family video, which I infer was uploaded by Kate's younger brother. I've slightly edited the video liner notes below. I found the tribute incredibly moving. What a beautiful, loving family; what a precious gift from God. As a Catholic from a large family, I honor Mormon families, and the Mormons I've met are good, loving, virtuous people (well, except for one control freak client DBA whom spent most of his time trying to convert me). 

Around the end of my academic career in the early 1990's, I did go on an unsuccessful campus visit to a Protestant-affiliated university (which ended in a bizarre way); I think I had to stay over a Saturday for flight purposes and got to explore downtown Salt Lake City (the walk signals had seagull sounds, very cool). I explored around; the LDS has a temple complex, a genealogy center, etc.  

I also served as a temporary DBA project resource at a Springville, UT company, Flowserve. I got invited to the company family picnic while I was there, and I don't think I've ever seen so many blonds in one place in my life--with all these little kids laughing and running around. I used to work late hours (sometimes past midnight), but I recall that restaurants close early in nearby Provo (compared to elsewhere: like by 8PM or so). I think I was told it was because early evenings are family at home time for Mormons. There were 3 places I knew about that were open near my hotel: one was an all-night diner near the main highway, a Wendy's (but I think that closed at midnight), and a Taco Bell that I think was open until 1 or 2 AM. (Yeah, I know: after 11.5 years, I can still remember where I ate. I guess it must be my muscle fat memory...)

Back to Kate:

Kathryn "Kate" Finlayson passed away on November 27, 2010, following a long battle with complications of hydrocephalus. She was 26 years old. Kate was born severely prematurely in Boston, Massachusetts, and suffered a major stroke with multiple other complications from which she was not expected to survive. She overcame her early illnesses, however, to enjoy a lively and happy childhood with her brothers Peter and Sam. Although she at first took up swimming to strengthen muscles that had been weakened by her neonatal stroke, with time, wonderful coaching, hard work and determination she developed into a surprisingly strong competitor. Some of the records she set still stand 18 years later. After moving to Tokyo with her family, Kate attended upper elementary and middle school with her brothers at the American School in Japan. She enjoyed studying Japanese, learning to play the Koto, performing in a memorable play, dancing, singing, swimming, doing volunteer projects with a wonderful church group, and making new friends from all over the world. 

While in Japan, Kate's medical condition began to decline, requiring multiple emergency surgeries. Kate reluctantly left Japan to move with her family again, this time to Alamo, California, where she swam with the Del Amigo Swim Team and briefly attended the San Ramon Valley High School, before declining health required her to complete high school through an independent study program at the Venture School in San Ramon, supplemented with coursework at Diablo Valley College. Despite some deficits and increasing illness, Kate worked extremely hard and graduated with an outstanding academic record; she was admitted to the Bachelor's of Nursing program at St. Mary's College and attended classes initially on a full-time basis, later shifting to part-time as her medical challenges grew.

Kate spent the final 16 months of her life in Phoenix, Arizona, receiving treatment at the Barrow Neurological Institute. Kate's rare and complex problems caused her great suffering and ultimately proved to be impossible to cure, but it was meaningful to Kate to know that her treatment inspired the invention of new shunt technology that has already been used to save other patients. Kate met her deepening medical challenges with remarkable courage and grace. After a stroke took away most movement on her left side, she worked with diligence and positive spirit and eventually was delighted to be able to recover the ability to sit unaided, to walk under her own power, and even to participate again in some volunteer service -- before overwhelming complications finally made further treatment impossible. Through all her adversity, Kate continued to seek and find joy in every moment. She never lost her characteristic patience, good humor, love of life, or sense of gratitude for the many people who blessed her life.  Kate was known for her pure heart, courage, determination, great capacity for love and sympathy, and kindness toward all Kate will be greatly missed by her family: parents Pam and Grant, older brother Peter and sister-in-law Nina, younger brother Sam, three grandparents, 15 aunts and uncles, 15 cousins, and her devoted dog, Wags.

To learn more about the fight against Hydrocephalus Kate inspired and supported, visit www.teamhydro.org.

Political Humor

A man in Florida has been arrested for wearing a President Obama mask while robbing a McDonald's. To show you how good this guy's disguise was, instead of a holdup note he was reading from a teleprompter. - Jay Leno

[He also demanded McDonald's campaign contribution in small, unmarked bills.]

This Obama robber made some pretty scary threats to the McDonald's employees. He said, "Give me your money, or else my economic plan will have you working here for the rest of your life." - Jay Leno

["Just wait until I tell Michelle what you're serving to the kids!"]

Musical Interlude: My Favorite Groups

Janis Joplin/Big Brother & the Holding Company, "Me and Bobby McGee". This is the end of this brief Joplin series; the next group will be Cheap Trick.