Abortion At Notre Dame (And It’s Not Even Football Season Yet)

Today President Obama will give the commencement address to Notre Dame’s class of 2009.   A day that should be  a celebration for Graduates, Faculty, Friends, and Family will be overshadowed by protesting Pro-Life advocates from across the country.

Personally, It’ sickening to me that this special day will be used as a political opportunity.  Instead of celebrating academic and personal accomplishment, we will be focusing on a divisive political issue that is best saved for a doctors office, a court room, a woman’s mind or a church.

To those who oppose abortion I say: fine, it is your right to disagree. But there’s a time and place for everything and  a commencement ceremony is not the place to display your personal/political point of view.

So just because Mr. Obama is pro-choice he should be lambasted for giving a commencement address, simply because it is a Catholic Institution? Hogwash!  He is the President of the United States and the Dean of this university invited him to speak because he is the president. Not because of this personal points of view. And I’d say that 99% of the Notre Dame community is honored he will be there,even those who are pro-life.

So to all those who will be there today to disrupt and protest the graduating class’ special day: well, I do hope that your next special event is interrupted by protests as well.  Perhaps Pro-Choice advocates should show up to Bob Jones’ commencement day and protest?  Perhaps, your child’s next birthday party should be interrupted by protests?  Nothing like picketers at Chuckie Cheese(and not because its the most horribly obnoxious place you may ever have to visit in your life). Or perhaps there should be NOW signs posted all over your wedding reception hall?

Yes, we all have the right to have beliefs; strong beliefs that cut across the American fabric; but we also have the responsibility as enlightened, intelligent human beings, to show a little tact and discretion.

No, the shame should not be on Obama, or on Notre Dame. The shame should be on those who will come and disrupt and violate Notre Dame’s celebration.

Jamie Dimon is Gunna’ Buy Me A Pony

Recently Elizabeth Warren,

Were only all lying to ourselves this much

Chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel for the TARP Program, sat down with Charlie Rose to discuss amongst other things the Treasury Stress Testing of Banks, and Credit Card Agreements.  I didn’t get to see the entire interview but if you’re curious please feel free to view a clip http://www.charlierose.com/view/clip/10296.

Despite everything that was said in the 20 minute interview, what struck me the most was Ms. Warren’s incredulous comments about “having a place at the table for the American family”.  The table being the discussion between banks, and what responsibilities they owe to the American people as a result of the massive amounts of bailout funds they have received over the past 18 months.   Now I’m not saying Ms. Warren is lying, or even being disingenuous herself, she could truly believe the lie she is telling. Two books, “The Two Income Trap” and “All Your Worth” would suggest her idealism is genuine.

It’s no mystery that in the 21^st century, finance has dominated the lives of almost every American.  It is near impossible to live your life without borrowing some money, from somewhere, at some point in time, whether it is to buy a home or a car, finance your education, pay for medical expenses, or simply bridge the gap from paycheck to paycheck and keep the lights on.

Saying however, that banks “owe “the American people and should adapt their policies and profiteering to better the average persons economic life is disingenuous.   Sure it’s a wonderful idea, but it’s about as plausible as Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt showing up to your front door in their underwear, professing their undying love for you, or most people under the age of 25 paying of their student loans by the time they are 30.

True, over the coming months, we will hear the same hyperbole from elected  and appointed officials, yelling to the media that oversight and accountability will rue the day, and they will make sure that financial products are developed in fair and equitable ways, but that would be ignoring the view of the banks, which will not change.

Make no mistake that banks do not and will not give two hoots about the American family. Make no mistake that the polyglot of debt instruments created over the past 40 years is specifically designed to keep people in debt for eternity. If you don’t believe me, take out a 500 dollar credit card, buy something, pay it off the same month, close the account, and watch your credit score drop.  Banks have no interest in people actually fulfilling their debt obligations.

How much money, how many donations, and how many promises of favors, will it take for them to simply side with the banks?   It is true, that we elect representatives to have our best interest in mind when they develop and execute their policies, but it doesn’t take a genius to realize that like everything else, there will be a fair amount of window dressing that’s proposed, and adopted, that will simply glaze over the underlying fact that everyone will still be paying their lives away to bank x, y, or z, until the day they die.

Welcome to A Typical American

Welcome to “A Typical American”.

Here you can read, and respond to, the point of view of a typical American.

I also intend to add photos, music, short films, works of fiction & non-fiction, and have the participation of guest writers/thinkers/artists. I want as much as possible, to create a community, that will grow overtime and eventually be self-sustaining.

If you would like to have your work posted on this blog, leave a comment with your email address and I will respond to you personally.

I open the discussion threads to any and all who wish to respond. However I do have two ground rules:
1) Hate Speech will NOT be tolerated under any circumstances, unless, it is in the manner of a quotation, and that quotation is cited, and is only used in demonstration of your argument. Also, if it is a character in a work of art, that is fine as well. I’m not a communist.
2) No Personal Attacks. Criticizing others P.O.V/line of thinking is absolutely acceptable. Criticizing others personally is not, and such comments will be deleted.

I hope you enjoy this blog/community and I look forward to hearing your comments!

Best to All,

Thomas Michalski