A Response to Janeane Garofalo

I was all set to blast Janeane Garofalo unmercifully after her latest ridiculous rant. As much as I try to live by the Rule of Respect, Garofalo has challenged my patience and tolerance. Too many people substitute weakness and silence for authentic tolerance and compassion. I really felt it was my duty to speak up even at the risk of lowering myself to Garofalo's level and calling her hideous names including bitch, (Yup, that one did come to mind!), bigot, ignoramus and intolerant dolt.

I decided not to go there.

After all, Ms. Garofalo is entitled to her opinion. I'd prefer to debate her point by point.

In one of her recent tirades she said that everyone who attended the Tea Party protests were racists, that the protests were not about the economy but were obviously a bunch of "rednecks" who were "all about hating a black man in the White House."

I wanted to tell Ms. Garofalo that I voted for Jesse Jackson when her mother was still dumping poop from her Pampers. Of course, in the spirit of refraining from juvenile retorts, I decided to find out how old she is. To my surprise, these uninformed childish remarks come from someone who is only 4 years my junior. My mistake, I took Garofalo for much younger. I did in fact vote for Jesse Jackson for President; I don't know if Ms. Garofalo was still wearing diapers at the time.

The fact is that like many who attended the Tea Party protests, my issue has nothing to do with race. This seems to be a prominent theme in Garofalo's life. She also openly expresses hatred for attractive women and athletes. Strange perspective from someone whose looks have certainly not shut any doors in her career, but who am I to judge the depths of her insecurities? Oh, the race thing…I forgot that in the Janeane Garofalo world view you're only considered a racist if you're white; my mistake. I suppose the words redneck and cracker are terms of endearment, silly me to be offended.

By the way Janeane my neck is a rather bland beige color sometimes turning mocha brown in the summer. It is not red despite the fact that I often wear white socks and have enjoyed the occasional Blue Ribbon beer.

Next she goes off about how none of the people who attended the Tea Parties know anything about American history. To give her credit where credit is due, she did graduate with degrees in history and American studies from Providence College (Let's Go Friars!) so she must know something about the original Tea Party. She may have a point here; the original Tea Party was an illegal protest by English citizens in direct violation of several laws regarding assembly and the destruction of private property. If we really wanted to be authentic, we probably shouldn't have drawn permits for our events, should have destroyed someone's property and polluted some waterways. We really could have lived up to Garofalo's distorted accusations by disguising ourselves as Native Americans. That would not only have been racist, but we all could have hidden our true identities from the media who of course do nothing but promote right-wing causes. Oops! I forgot; at least at the event I attended the media never showed up!

Finally, Garofalo says that this protest is not about economics. If it were, she asks, where we were when the Bush administration was spending us into debt. Like many others I opposed the original TARP package. I questioned policies that were creating derivative financial products and extending credit without diligence. Janeane, most of us were speaking out then as now, though it was and remains a difficult struggle to be heard. We were respectful in our debate then as now which also makes it difficult to attract attention to our cause; obviously name calling and hatred attract more media exposure.

The real irony is that the political machinations that created these conditions were remarkably bi-partisan. Republicans allowed spending to go on unchecked and lost any fiscal high-ground as they joined Democrats in creating the policies that allowed the housing and credit bubbles to first inflate and then burst. Democrats jumped into bed with the "evil" big businesses that they'd been railing against for years; many of them own these business. Career politicians from both parties curried favors, lined their pockets and sold out the American taxpayer to preserve their power and increase their personal fortunes.

Of course most of us do not enjoy the public platform that Garofalo and other celebrities can use to blow their political horns. Pardon us if we were busy at our local Chambers of Commerce, attending town meetings and trying to get the ears of our state and federal representatives, many of whom have long ago forgotten that they work for us.

Here's the deal Janeane. I am very concerned that America is devolving at an increasing rate into a society where initiative is destroyed, personal responsibility cast aside and people who contribute to society are robbed by those who do not. We do not lack compassion as you accuse; we're committed to helping those with authentic need and those who appreciate and leverage our generosity to improve their lives. We're sick of those who take what we give and demand more and those who can and should contribute but instead condemn themselves to a never-ending cycle of dependency.

Most of all I'm sick of elite voices thumping chests and spouting rhetoric about tightening our belts and putting our "skin in the game." We've been skinned and our hides have been sold to keep lousy business afloat, to support foreign banks and to support politicians that pander to the same interests they publicly denounce. Our hard-earned supports illegal immigrants, deadbeats and people who refuse to do anything to take care of their own health.

Until recently we watched as our personal liberties were threatened and as our fundamental rights became the subject of political debate and judicial discretion. We've seen our treasure plundered and redistributed by so-called experts who cannot provide solutions but have the power to rob us of our property.

The Rights expressed in our Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution are not granted by our government. These are the natural rights of mankind that our founders, for the first time, rightfully protected from the abuse of any government. Many Americans have surrendered these rights for the sake of convenience. Many more of us have not.

The vast majority of the people who attended Tea Parties are those who still value the rights of the individual, the sole entitlement of opportunity and the fundamental principal that our government was created to serve and protect the individual, not to be a patriarchal provider to a society of dependents.

Janeane, to be blunt you're one of those elite voices. If you want to really find the heart of the American people I invite you to a delicious bar-b-cue and respectful debate on July 4^th weekend. If you're willing, I'll even take you to a Tea Party event so you can actually meet the people you so openly condemn.

You're a self-professed pessimist. You once said, "I guess I just prefer to see the dark side of things. The glass is always half empty. And cracked. And I just cut my lip on it. And chipped a tooth."¹ I know you're a comedienne and to be honest, that is kind of funny in context, but it's also kind of sad in a way.

I'm a self-professed optimist. Despite a few chipped teeth, a dozen or so concussions, a pound of metal in my leg and times when my wallet and my heart were empty I remain optimistic for my future and the future of our country. Let's visit for a few hours; maybe I can cheer you up!

On second thought, I'd rather just enjoy my weekend.

Click here for Ms. Garofalo's complete exchange with bloggers in Boston.

1. Wikipedia contributors, "Janeane Garofalo," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia,
   http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Janeane_Garofalo&oldid=289665592 (accessed May 13, 2009).

Jim Bouchard is America's Black Belt POWERVATOR...Speaker, coach and author of Dynamic Components of Personal POWER! Click here for more information on Jim or to book him for your next corporate event, meeting or conference!

Jim also serves on the Governement Liaison Committee at the Southern Midcoast Maine Chamber of Commerce where is active in working with business people and legislators to create sensible policy for Maine and America. We could not find any such affiliations for Ms. Garofalo....DCPP Staff.

Not my candidate; now my President

First I have to say, "Thank God it's over!" This has been a long, contentious campaign. From the primaries through the Presidential race this election cycle has been at times bitter, even juvenile. It's been difficult to sort out fact from fiction on all sides and I must say that even in the closing days of the campaign both parties seemed hesitant to offer direct, detailed plans to the American people. Let's hope that as we move forward our leaders will trust that we can handle the details.

I say once again, and I hope for the last time: "In the spirit of full disclosure…" I did not support Senator Obama; I slowly came to support Senator McCain. I was disappointed in both candidates' response to the banking crises; why was no voice raised to find and hold accountable the thieves that robbed us blind? I have always been registered as an Independent but as the petty and bitter race continued I grew tired of the rhetoric from both parties, if not from the candidates themselves consistently from their surrogates. I found myself looking seriously at registering as a Libertarian.

I ended up voting for John McCain. I do not think that Barack Obama is a bad man; I simply could not hear the voice I was looking for in his eloquent speeches. I do not favor single-payer health insurance. I do believe friends returning from Iraq who understand the real and imminent dangers they're fighting against. I do not favor an advancement of more socialist policies including re-distributing wealth or taxing successful people at higher rates.

As I heard both men speak, Senator McCain in concession and President-elect Obama in acceptance I could not help but be impressed with the grace, eloquence and directness in both men's addresses. Both speeches were among the best political addresses in American history. My prayer is that the words are authentic. It is time to put aside differences and work together; some of us have been demanding that course of action for a long time. It is time for partisan politics to be subjugated and the will of the people to take full precedence in shaping the future of our nation.

Will this happen? To paraphrase our new President-elect: "Yes, it can!" I do hope so.

Most important it's time for all of us as Americans to move beyond the petty political bickering. Because your opinion is different than your neighbor's does not make him a fascist, a racist, an idiot, a redneck, a communist, or any other of the litany of juvenile name-calling you care to note. We're Americans. Our differences do not make us strong; our ability to work together despite our differences is what makes us strong. We've got to return to a culture of civility; that's what allows us to work together.

You may have supported President-elect Obama, or like me you may have voted against him. He is soon to be our President. He deserves the chance to see if his ideas and policies will deliver. He deserves our respect and our support as President. If you differ with his policies, you should oppose them. Maybe we can start with a clean slate and separate our political differences from personal hatred.

One great step toward healing the divide we've felt is to recognize the sincere efforts of our current President George Bush. You may not agree with his policies; that does not make him an evil person. He does not deserve to be the object of personal hatred and vilification. He served as our President during incredibly difficult times. I cannot imagine a more difficult position than that of President of the United States. How many of us would accept this responsibility? How many of us would be willing to make decisions that cannot help but cost lives or live with information that would freeze most of us in our tracks? Could you start each day full of hope knowing that you must make decisions that will inevitably make you the target of hatred so intense that your life is in constant danger?

No matter what your political allegiance you should be incredibly moved by the historic importance of the election President Barack Obama. It is a completion of a long struggle to elect a black man to the presidency. It is significant that he comes from mixed heritage, as do most of us. It is remarkable that he came from such a humble origin to become President of the United States. He is representative of the contemporary American. His assent to the highest office in our nation should be a symbol of what our founders may not have been able, in context, to fully envision as government of and by the people. This moment should forever complete our definition of "American People."

A moment should also be taken to recognize that had Senator McCain been elected, we would also have elected Governor Sarah Palin as the potential first woman President as well. This campaign was destined for historic significance no matter what the outcome. Within only a couple of percentage points in popular vote we've expressed that race and gender are not in themselves determining factors when it comes to American leadership.

Now a healthy dose of perspective: We elected a President, not a savior. I am not making a joke; I'm making a statement. No President can save the country; that's our job. President Kennedy said that most poetically; I won't make an attempt. You are entitled to support the decisions that fit your values and oppose those decisions that are antithetical to your values. Our new President deserves the opportunity to fulfill the promises he's made. We've entitled him to this opportunity through our incredible electoral process; not perfect but always open to the possibility of continual perfection. This process of perfecting our American process and perfecting ourselves as Americans is our own responsibility.

We have a unique system of elected representative leadership; this leadership is reflective of our will. It's up to us to lead. Our leadership is a daily responsibility. Our leadership is expressed in the way we treat one another, the way we disagree and the way we resolve our disagreements. The time to lead is now and always.

Enjoy this remarkable, historical moment.

Jim Bouchard is America's Black Belt Powervator: Speaker, coach and author of Dynamic Components of Personal POWER…and part-time self-appointed political pundit! Visit JimBouchard.org.

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Are You Sick of it Now?

Here’s how today’s headlines should read: “Congress Devolves into Name-Calling, Hair-Pulling Clutch of Petulant Children.” Of course, that might not be too far off the mark on any day in Congress.

I’m not picking sides; they’re all making me completely sick. We’ve got to try to figure out what the impact of the banking meltdown is going to have on our own businesses and on our neighbors. As someone who prides myself on being a student of politics and current events I have to admit painfully that I throw up my arms in frustration and disgust.

Hourly I’ve listened to partisan pundits blame the other side for current conditions, or brag about the heroic efforts their side is making to bring this wildfire under control. For the record, I’m a registered Independent and this is why. I’m absolutely sick to death of the constant petty partisan bickering, name-calling and accusation that is in fact the root cause of this entire debacle.

I’m sorry to shatter any illusions, but in legislative bodies legislation is not created in a spirit of bi-partisan interest in the American public. Articulate arguments and well-crafted oratory are not what seduces members of one side of the isle to the other. The fact is that on a national and state level, our laws and regulations are the result of a vestigial and wasteful quagmire of constant deal brokering, vote exchanges, earmarking and pork trading. Let’s throw in a healthy dose of nepotism and insider favoritism and we’ve got the system that has devolved to our current state of affairs.

The greater fact is that nearly everyone we’ve elected to office is complicit in this criminal abuse of our trust. There are some who claim they didn’t create the regulation or de-regulation that led to this crisis or those who did or didn’t carve out personal deals on loans, under the table compensation and favors and campaign contributions. Shame on you for not keeping your eyes on the ball; shame on you for keeping quiet when you smelled the leaking gas and didn’t warn those of us who put you in office and most of all, shame on you for not trusting us to understand this problem. Stop your selfish squabbling, stop your foolish CYA maneuvering and tell us what the hell happened, in plain English with names and addresses attached.

I have one more finger to point: To everyone of you who has said at one time or another that your vote doesn’t count, that the government is going to do whatever it wants anyway, that you don’t have time to get involved, that you don’t read the papers or watch the news; shame on every single one of you.

A single vote is not statistically significant when dealing with the vast numbers associated with a national election. When you do not exercise this responsibility the lack of your single vote resonates across the country. Your single vote may not decide an election; however by refusing to participate you surrender the one power guaranteed to you that makes you different than the citizens of most of the world. You surrender your voice; the voice that gave birth to our nation.

America is facing pressing problems. There are many issues on your state and local ballots that can make the difference between prosperity or bust in your communities; and in these elections a single vote just might be the difference. Vote your conscious; I don’t care if you agree or disagree with me. If you responsibly vote your conscious and your position is different than mine so be it; I respect your point of view and we have a basis for discussion. If you don’t vote, I don’t want to hear it!

I have faith that we will persevere and we will prosper, but only if you participate. It’s your responsibility to vote. It’s your obligation to learn as much as you can so you can vote responsibly. I know that’s difficult, but let’s do the best we can.

This November if nothing else let’s take back what’s rightfully ours: government by the people.

Jim Bouchard is America's Black Belt Powervator: speaker, coach and author of Dynamic Components of Personal POWER. Learn more about Dynamic Components and Jim at JimBouchard.org!