Roosevelt

So my job with the Roosevelt Institution is keeping me busy, or also known as "on the phone." A lot. Yikes, about two hours today. It's totally worth it, my chapters really do love me and they actually follow up when I ask them to, shocking.

So I can't post much right now because oh hey: I have work because I am a full time college student in senior year with lots of "stuff" to do!

However, I am going to post links to Roosevelt news stories here, and when I have time, write about some cool new developments in more detail. Today's update: The healthcare journal "Roosevelt Rx" was launched in the Senate Hart building in DC. About sixty people showed up including legislative assistants and of course the Kennedy Office loves us and took some of our other publications back to their office. I'd love to say it was me that did this, but really it was the national organization (and maybe me talking it up a bit in a few conversations). We're also going to be mentioned in the American Public Health Association's next publication (I am pretty sure) and so that's awesome. Our next journal "Think International" is going to be launched on October 17th at Columbia University (and I'm heading down that same weekend for the national staff retreat which will be awesome).

So here's the recent news link and more to come on exciting Roosevelt events and developments. Also, I know I included US politics in the title and I haven't forgotten. It's just that between everything going on here at Midd and being away on a leadership retreat, I haven't had time to analyze how I feel about the news. So, that aside, I hope to do some more election coverage this week. You'll have to make do with Roosevelt for now.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/campaign-americas-future-co-director-roger/story.aspx?guid=%7B15A9FE13-22C4-4E94-8A92-4DFAC2704498%7D&dist=hppr

The publication mentioned in the article can be seen below:

http://newprogressivevoices.org/

Stress

Oh hey so here's something funny...

I am not particularly stressed, frustrated, and rather unimpressed at times, but not stressed. Frustrations? With most of the culture at Middlebury that somehow trains us to be too self-important. Not necessarily boosting our esteem, but really, just giving us this impression that we are (maybe it's true) the cream of the crop and therefore we're allowed to self-obsess and talk about ourselves until we bore people to tears. That would be in the unimpressed part of the above. Me, entirely unimpressed by that constant yapping. Okay and here I continue, realizing how utterly snobby and self-important I am now going to sound....ready set action.

It is surprising how much people here can talk without saying anything new or exciting. It is amazing how little I truly care about what's being said. It is also amazing how long my London attitude of "dude I like having a life" has lasted into this school year. I mean seriously :)

I am not overtired, I am somehow not overworked, I am just me. Do I have every page read for classes, well yes mostly I do. Is Roosevelt busy and manageable? Yes it is. Can I watch movies from time to time and go out for drinks on the weekend? Yes....
Am I still mentoring, of course....will Irish be taking up a little sunday time, yes....for sure.

So, the stress level might change when I no longer have weekends as free to stay caught up. But If I can continue to buckle down and get shit done, and continue to be inspired and bring a healthy attitude towards my own choices, well who knows.

On the flip side, between the job hunt, and a weekend thing coming up in Burlington and a weekend in NYC in October, and papers and midterms and job fairs, and winter internship applications and research/senior project planning, okay I'm not stressing. I swear. And it's back to work.

This election

is scaring the shit out of me; period. Holy crap, if moderate white women and independents actually vote for the mccain palin ticket because they're pissed at democrats about hillary, that's the most short-sighted, pathetic reasoning I've ever heard of and I'll seriously consider undergoing a sex change. Oops, no wait, I'm not a white woman....never mind...moving on.

So yesterday, I spent six hours plowing through reading, today will be finishing up reading for this week, doing some economics reading notes and then starting to go back over some of Monday and Tuesday's stuff to do some reading notes on that (think of it as a second pass). If I have time and energy tonight, I'm going to get started on my search topic, as in a thesis topic of some sort (which will probably entail time using the library, oh horrors). Actually, after LSE, I have learned a bit more about the usefulness of libraries. So there's that to consider as well.

Hurricane Ike is raising havoc with my weather patterns up here in VT....and life goes on. Not much else to report for the moment.

Cheers,
T

Day 2

I really will come up with more original headings for these entries eventually. So today, got up, had some food, went to my first class. International Politics of Humanitarian Action. Professor is young and really nice; pregnant too. She's front loading the course so that it'll be less material while we're gearing up for finals. Not complaining. After last year, the workload (while not easy because it's Middlebury), is pretty straightforward for that class. One thing LSE did was actually remind me that learning can be fun instead of a huge strain. I am grateful for that, granted some of last year's reading bored me to tears - read "this is a absolutely irrelevant piece," or "economic huh what?" However, I picked out (beyond the essentials) what I was interested in - and let me tell you, that hands off approach was nice enough once I adjusted. Now being back here is just challenging. I mean it's nice to have something set to work off of because oh hey I'm a creature of habit. Logic on the other hand begs me to remember how nice it was to read about what you wanted to read about. Not sure exactly.

Feeling a little removed from people I know still, but this goes away over time, or so I'm told. Roosevelt stuff is about to start keeping me very very busy, thank goodness. Irish dance rehersals are on Sunday from 1-3 (only school related thing I'm doing on Sundays). Goal is work butt off on Saturday and have much relaxation and liberty time on Sunday (GREs only), until Midterms are right around the corner. Most of my papers for previously mentioned class are response ones, horray!

Economics, micro to be precise, oh gag me. Math, lots of math = tarsi so screeeeeeeeeewed. Prays to the Gods for help. Lots and lots of help. sniffles and sniffles.

American Presidency tomorrow with Matt Dickinson, makes me so happy, what a class (and then some). Then a senior seminar with advisor's husband. Okay so that's midd stuff (and some Roosevelt stuff)...more on that to come.

What's left? Oh election stuff, unfortunately for tonight, not much as my 20 minute "study break" is rapidly drawing to a close. I will say McCain's pick for a VP has me (and like half the nation) worried. She's got appeal I will grant you (all conservatives you) that. I would just like to encourage McCain to stop criticizing Obama's inexperience, if he dies (and he's old and you know has had health problems) she's in charge...and at the mercy of those who've been in power the last eight years. Just F****** great. Okay and now I've really got to go back to work.

First day back

Well, I'm back at Middlebury. It's kind of crazy.
I don't really know people here, mostly because I've been away for so long. Also, I've moved into Ross Commons, and moved into a suite. My roommate is awesome though, I love her. I've unpacked, eaten at the Grille, been down to Carol's cafe. And so on, a whole at Midd with little work...except for an email (that I got on my blackberry at 9AM on a Sunday of all things), from my poli sci professor (whose approval I crave), saying "welcome back, I want to dive right in as it is an exciting year - election - to be studying the presidency. Therefore read all of 13 days before class. thanks." More or less. I was like, okay I read it over the summer, hahahah. But I did re-read it today, with a few reading notes on the side.

I judge people here, lots of people just kind of annoy me, but my friends make me happy. I just got so used to hanging out on my own in London - now it's a bit of a challenge to be back in such a tight knit community because I'm so overwhelemed by the constant socializing. I'm trying to balance things so I can get the best of both worlds. Then of course Roosevelt Institution life will be prominent, and the Irish club, and Xenia house events and mentoring. Busy. Kind of not sure how to think about it. Basically I need instant mac and cheese and a bottle of white wine in the fridge and wine glasses. I'll be good to go.

Time for beddy bye night night. Going for a run every day.

Voting

Okay, so to be honest, I really meant to update sooner. However, Condi is going to have to wait a bit I'm afraid because other shorter comments (I think) are demanding attention.

Today's commentary is in regards to a lovely (accurate) article by the NYT (New York Times)...link is below and the title is "Influx of Voters Likely to Test New Machines."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/us/21voting.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

My first response - a candid one - is "no kidding," or if you prefer, "really, you don't say?"

Okay so beyond that. There are several very concerning points raised in the article.

1) Millions of new voters + many new (and untried) machines = problem. Now I'm not a math person, really ask anyone who knows me, but that's a fairly straightforward and concerning equation. New voters, a very good thing indeed, and new machines are not necessarily bad, but there are so many possible areas where a significant meltdown could occur that I'm skeptical. It is also true I'm not always an optimist, but even optimists should probably admit there is some potential for real concern.

2) 11 states will use new machines, 55% of voters will use the paper ballot and optical scan as opposed to touch screens, a national shift is occuring here. I see the problem with touch screens certainly, but aren't paper ballots sometimes confusing?

3) Poll workers, or as you're probably already thinking "lack thereof." Yes, a major issue, but as far as resolving it. Forgive me for being "radical" here, yes radical, make ELECTION DAY a frekin' national holiday. God forbid, I mean we have it to celebrate famous people. Okay, so some stores are open, very true, what about just half a day open or close. In fact it could be a county level, a city level or something as such.
For example, Martin Luther King...the man had "a dream" and if honored appropriately we could all go vote :) at some point.
Fancy that...I mean actually having time to go vote. The argument against, people would go fishing instead, commune with nature, spend time with the kids (not a bad thing).

4) Another problem raised, having enough ballots. Now that is a problem, because if you don't have enough ballots, then people can't vote. Pretty concerning. There's not a whole lot to say on this problem, just at least they realize there are more people registering to vote. The question "will the system work for each voter....and can the system handle the load of voters." It varies by state of course, and polling station. While it is exciting for lots of new voters to be out and about, it's good to pre-empt them, if you know what I mean. Yeah it's called planning ahead, something that some aspects of our government don't do a fairly impressive job of. cough cough*

5) Voter identification, will all new registered voters be on the lists and in databases? One thing you or any voting citizen should do, (or shouldn't) is wait until the last minute to check up on things. I'm going to try and be a responsible citizen and make sure my paperwork (absentee) is all set before school. Maybe that's an obvious choice of action, but it is my first presidential election and I'm so excited already that I can barely stand it. I won't get to the convention in August in Denver (sadly I have other committments, ones that I'm equally excited about). But if this was a Star Trek universe I would be going back and forth believe me.

The bottom line is that already Americans are ready to turn out and vote. Maybe in some states, your vote is not the deciding one, in fact collective action offers reasons why people won't vote. However, it's not always about that, if you can, why not participate in a democracy? We're far from perfect, but there are many people (including friends of mine in London) who remember times in their own countries where voting was not really present, or if it is, it's far from legitimate. For others, at home women can't vote. Shame on us women if we don't go vote. Sort of, I mean there is no rule that you have to vote, and there shouldn't be. There should be no voting incentives either. It is a choice, and when I say that I mean it. If you don't want to you are exercising a democratic right NOT to vote (but do it anyway :)

It's a historic election, and I sincerely hope I will get/keep my act together this fall to create my own personal online commentary that I will have years later remembering (and I will post mini Midd updates also as excuses for why I can't post every day :)

Until next time....

Condi's New Realism

Condi Rice is a smart woman, for all that I disagree with her politics or hate that she works for a man I truly lack any sort of respect for. I cannot deny she sees things as they are, although sometimes I think she might be optimistic, or unwilling to see more than one side, she is still pragmatic. Her recent essay in Foreign Affairs provides a great deal to chew on and thus as we reach a time where transitions to a new way of American life are potentially arriving, it is worth considering what an article in the economist from mid march concluded: American Foreign Policy cannot do a 180 even if Obama takes the presidency, it just won't happen. There is too much at stake, so while it may bring about a change in attitude from the rest of the world, that hope shouldn't be squandered.

So moving on to, Condi's piece. To agree, or disagree, that is the question?


First she starts off by discussing power and distribution noting logically that globalization has created even greater divisions and left weaker states struggling. They are also at the mercy of the larger ones who have a greater voice of power in the international arena. Therefore she states it is our national interest to make sure that states can follow through with their own sovereign responsibilities and thus concludes with the importance of democratic nation building. While there is logic here, I would like to note briefly from what I've learned: the gaps in globalization and the creation of instability within some state economies is largely the result of new liberalism, trade policies pushed by the IMF where the US is a key player and decision maker in strategies used. Joseph Stiglitz calls it "western hypocrisy" and he's right; if we continue to push policies that countries are not prepared to handle(and I am not an econ person so specifics are beyond me, but essentially rapidly opening borders for trade weakens a country's ability to control flows of capital and if investors leave in a hurry the economy can collapse - more or less - I think), then how can we remove ourself from blame entirely and simply use it to justify pushing for democracy?

Marriage of realism and idealism, the strength of our values, those which MUST continue to guide us. Some of her own perceptions, and they are shared within the US mindset. Well, unfortunately we don't share them so mundanely with the rest of the world, they see the horrors of our bullying, the suspicion of our true end-game and many question our workaholic and power driven policies. It is true perhaps that we are not necessarily devilish in nature, rather we are - as my advisor and others write - an empire of the willing. We want to spread our values and our beliefs, we believe we have that right, but do others?

Condi distinguishes between common values and common interests. Russia and China are connected to us more through common interests than values. This point was highlighted recently by the new Russian president as he called for an end to American dominance, no matter how much common interest we share with Russia, I can't imagine how "well" that went over in the White House. How dare Russia assume our era of dominance is ending? Well in truth, maybe it is not, and Russia is still struggling to maintain their own stability economically, but they have oil. We'll still share common interests with them, even as we shake our head and criticize their so called democracy. With China it is the same thing, we have values, but we have interests and more often than not they seem to overlap.

Whew, okay I'm tired of thinking and typing so part II of Condi critique will be up soon enough. Oh and I recommend www.electoral-vote.com for those of you interested in keeping up to date about the electoral breakdown for '08.

Cheers

Post London

So I will be posting more pictures and stories from my european travels on the london blog and as well as some post london thoughts. However, into the fall, I'll be doing mostly random commentary on political events, and world events of course, as they occur. I'll put some tidbits about life at Middlebury in as well and from those you can tell how vastly different my lives are (england and US...).
Happy summer.