My President........

In 1980 there was no one who campaigned harder for the re-election of President Jimmy Carter.  I went to DC for the summer and then to the convention on my own dime to support him.  His re-election was the only thing that mattered to me and I thought if he was not re-elected the nation would fail.  President Carter was our President, the President and he was my President.

President Carter lost

I opposed everything President Ronald Reagan stood for and opposed every one of his proposals but he was elected President and therefore he was our President and I always referred to him as The President and always called him President Reagan.

I campaigned my ass off for Walter Mondale in 1984 - He lost - President Ronald Reagan remained our President and Nancy remained our First Lady.

1988 - I supported Dukakis and Poppy Bush won - During his presidency I referred to George Herbert Walker Bush as our President, the President and President Bush.

1992 - A candidate I voted for becomes President so of course I referred to William Jefferson Clinton as our President, the President, President Clinton and My President.

Eight years later a man wins the presidency but not the popular vote.   He won because he won the Electoral College

None the less I referred to George W. Bush as President Bush, our President and the President.

Our, My, The President Barack Obama was elected in 2008.

So, given this history it would seem to be logical that I will refer to Donald Trump as our President, the President and President Trump.

I can't

And, I am bothered by this

But, I just can't

It is not because he lost the popular vote by 3 million votes (GWB lost it by less then 300, 000)
It is not because he is shallow
It is not because he is thin skinned
It is not because he is petty
It is not because he has small hands
It is not because I am opposed to everything he stands for
It is not because he is vulgar
It is not because he is violating the Constitution by gaining wealth from foreign governments

It is because he mocked a man with a physical disability, his clear history of disrespect for women
and because he led the birther movement. 

The birther movement sought to discredit and nullify the first non-white President. A black man was elected President and Donald Trump spent eight (8) years leading a movement to call this man a foreigner and an illegal President.  It was the darkest and most vile movement in American politics since the Joe McCarthy era.

My not supporting Donald Trump does not mean I want this nation to fail and it does not mean I do not love this great republic. 

I have clearly been respectful of President I thought were wrong on every issues. But, they were not racists who attempted to deny a citizen his right to the Presidency

Trump is the legally elected President of the United States so he is this country's President

I will never refer to him as the President
I will never refer to him as President Trump
I will never refer to him as our President

And, he will never ever be my President.......... A vulgar racist will never be my President


++++ NOTE:
Barack Obama won with far more popular votes and electoral votes then Donald Trump and attendance at his inaugural was bigger - much much bigger as are his hands

Senator Baucus Going To China

It appears the President will announce that longtime Montana Senator Max Baucus will be his choice to serve as Ambassador to China.  Mr. Baucus who has served in the senate for over 35 years will be resigning his Senate seat.


Senator Baucus is not beloved by the media nor is he beloved by the more liberal wing of the Democratic Party but he is respected, admired and generally liked by the Washington establishment. Which is important when assuming a position as important as Ambassador to a country like China.

Mr. Baucus was a crucial ally to the President and was very important in passing The Affordable Care Act. So, the message sent to the Chinese is that the President is sending someone he is very close to and has confidence in to be his representative.

The appointment of Senator Baucus also gets him out of the way and the country for the 2014 Senate race in Montana. Polling suggests that Mr. Baucus has out lasted his welcome and the voters are ready for a new face.  The Democratic Governor is likely to appoint his Lt. Governor to the position with the hope that it will give the Democrats an advantage in the 2014 election.

What Happened Between 2008 & 2009

After one full year in office President George W Bush requested congressional approval for an increase in the debt ceiling he went on to seek debt ceiling increase in every year following except for 2005.

In 2002 31 Republican Senators did the right thing and voted to increase the debt ceiling so the government could continue to pay its bills and expenses.

In 2003 50 Republican Senators voted yes.

In 2004 50 Republican Senators voted yes.

In 2006 51 Republican Senators voted yes.

In 2007 as many Republican Senators were concerned about primary opposition 26 still voted to increase the debt ceiling.

In 2008 there were two votes to increase the debt ceiling the first vote 34 members of the GOP Senate caucus voted yes.  Because the first vote was not actually large enough to meet the needs a second increase was needed and 33 Republican Senators voted to do the responsible thing.

In 2009 still working under the Bush spending plan only 2 Republicans voted yes and a second increase was needed in 2009 and 1 patriotic Republican voted yes.

In 2011 not a single Republican Senator voted in the best interest of their country – not a single one!

What happened between 2008 and 2009?  Barack Obama.

When Mitt Romney criticizes this President for not being bi-partisan enough to govern effectively; I know he is full of shit, you know he is full of shit and we all know he knows he is full of shit.

If Romney wins I hope he is not naive enough to think the Democrats in the Senate are not going to extract their pound of flesh to get revenge. 

Please don’t ever forget that when Congress is in session there are no adults in the room. 

Reasons Why I Am Voting To Re-Elect The President - Part 5

On October 15, 2012 Astronaut, Senator and American hero John Glenn said this:

“You learn to size up a person by their character.  He stood firm against doubters and saved the auto industry.  He’s taken on big corporations and foreign powers when they’ve threatened out jobs, our freedom and our way of life.

And you know he means what he says.

Barack Obama has earned my vote and my trust.”

I don't think one famous Democrat endorsing another Democrat is news or significant, in fact it really pisses me of when news organizations treat such endorsements as news.  It would be news if John Glenn would have endorsed Gary Johnson or Jill Stein. The mere thought that someone like John Glenn would even consider endorsing someone like Willard Mitt Romney almost makes me double over in laughter.  

I am sharing Senator Glenn's endorsement with you because I think it is an eloquent summation of why we should be supporting this President's re-election.

What They Are Saying About The President

Below is a not complete list of poster, pin or tee shirt sayings seen at Tea Party events.

Obama’s Plan White Slavery

The American Taxpayers are the Jews for Obama’s ovens

Our tax $$ are given to Hamas to kill Christians, Jews and Americans

Obama what you talkin bout Willis! Spend my money

No Taxes / Obama loves taxes bankrupt USA / Loves baby Killing

A picture of The President stabbing Uncle Sam with word CHANGE below it

Barack Obama supports Abortion, Sodomy and Socialism and The New World Order (so did Bill Clinton and George W Bush)

A picture of Obama bent over sticking his tongue out and a Saudi Prince holding his hand out with money in it  “He was not bowing he was sucking the Saudi JEWELS

Hey Hussein Quit “Dixie Chickin” our nation Go back to Kenya

Obama’s Plan White Slavery

Cap Congress and Trade Obama back to Kenya

Iman Obama wants to ban pork

Obama – Half Breed Muslim

Go Back to Kenya

Obama Nomics – Monkey see monkey spend

Put the White back in the White House (tee shirt seen at recent Romney rally)

A photo of Obama kneeling before Sarah Palin shining her shoes

If Obama wins will it still be the White House (this one is from 4 years ago)

I know that everyone who opposes this President is not a racist.

Who Knew Gay GOP Was So Desperate

This is an ad placed by the Broward Log Cabin Republicans.  The gay ones.
There is so much wrong with this piece of crap I'm not sure I can capture my outrage in print.  When you see my guy ask him.

• They show a picture of the corpse of the recently killed Ambassador - Disgusting on so many levels
• They have outed the Ambassador Stevens - Something they oppose
• They accused the President of deliberately allowing the Ambassador to be killed - Really?
• They accuse the President of not protecting the United States from Shariah Law - This nation is under threat from Shariah law?  Really?  No Really?
•  They are "unified in their support of Equality of Rights in the State of Israel" - What does that have to do with any of the above? I guess they think they are appealing to the Jewish retirees from NY.  I don't get the last line at all...at all.

This is one of the lowest most disgusting ads I have seen in a very long time and it is done in support of a guy who hates the sponsors of the ad.  I don't get it. They are willing to stoop to this disgusting level to support someone who wants to reimpose DADT and opposes equality for them.  

Who knew people were so desperate to remain second class citizens.

Reasons Why I Am Voting To Re-Elect The President - Part 4

I am a man of great faith and strong beliefs.  I am someone who tries to live his convictions daily. But, I am not so steadfast in my ways to not accept compromise when it comes to political decisions.

I never voted for former Governor Bob Casey, I never voted Bob Casey Jr until he ran against Little Ricky Santorum. But, I had to compromise my values in order to drive a man as detestable as Rich Santorum out of office.

"I can't wait to see how crushed these Obama true believers react when he is forced to compromise once he is elected." "Will they stick with him or with the slump off in disappointment?"  I said this 4 years ago (much to the horror of my guy) to someone who I came to find out was an Obama True Believer.

Odd, how I (Barack Obama was my 5th choice during the 2008 primary) have become a more steadfast supporter of this President than many of those who came to me with quivering voices and tears in their eyes asking me to support him during the 2008 primaries.  Many of these folks were incredulous that I was supporting Hillary because my guy is black they just assumed that I (we) would just naturally just support the black guy running for President.  We didn't in the spring but we certainly did come the fall.

It has been painful for me to watch many of these True Believers sit on their hands during the last 3 years as this President fought against an economic tsunami, racist foes and the Republican's willingness to let this country fail rather than allow any Obama initiative that would move this country forward pass. I hear many of the True Believer's say "Well, he just didn't do what he said" or "Well, he promised hope and change and he just didn't deliver." 

Perhaps I have been in and around politics for so long that I have become cynical and jaded and perhaps my expectations of what any President can really accomplish is so low, that I have not been all that disappointed in Barack Obama.

This President in the face of birthers, tea baggers, subtle and not so subtle racism and Republican unity in wanting him to fail at any cost; saved wall street, saved the American auto industry, ended the Iraq war, is drawing down the Afghanistan war, reversed the economic downward spiral, gave us meaningful health care reform, facilitated the end of the Gaddafi reign of terrorism, encouraged the Arab Spring and authorized the killing of Osama Bin Laden and many of his top aides around the world.

Was I always happy with the way Barack Obama has managed his Presidency?  No, read back to some of last summer posts.  But, I am a realist and being one I realize that he is the best President we can expect for these times and given what he has been up against he has done a pretty damn good job.

Barack Obama has earned a second term and to the folks who were with him 4 years ago and are wavering now I say BUCK UP, PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL/BOY PANTS and ask yourself; do you really want Mitt Romney to be President and the Republican's to control both houses of Congress ?

The First Debate - Keep Calm and Carry On

Keep Calm and Carry On

In 1939 the British Government plastered this slogan on posters all over London to help keep the spirits of the British people high during some of the darkest days of WWII.

Attention liberals and other supporters of our President; to you I say "Keep Calm and Carry On"  "Stay Fired Up!"

There is no question that our President was clearly not the winner of the first debate and I suspect some money poured into the Romney campaign as a result and the Democrats are going to have focus a little harder on some of the swing states.  But, one debate is not a game changer especially since there was no smack down by Romney.  

The former Governor was simply more on his game than was the President.

Romney may have won the night but Barack Obama won the day after.

• The fact checkers were out in full force yesterday and to a person they debunked much of what Romney said
• Even conservatives noted that Romney positions Wednesday differed greatly from his positions he has taken over the last 18 months
• Romney was called rude, a bully and overbearing by many in the chattering class
• There was almost as much post debate discussion about the moderator as there was the debate itself 
• Romney was roundly mocked for wanting to fire Big Bird as an example of how he will solve our nation's massive debt problems.  For the record PBS receives no direct funding from the federal government.  The money goes directly to the local stations and the amount of the budget that will be saved by cutting this subsidy is 0.012%.  Not much of an impact is it?  Of all the things Romney could think of to cut spending the best he could do was PBS?
• The President was greeted by 30,000 people at his rally in Madison yesterday
• There are two more debates to come and this President is famous for his 4th quarter come back skills

If the President stood there Wednesday and just responded to Romney misstatements and lies would he have looked defensive?   Would he have looked angry?  Barack Obama has spent his entire political career trying not to be "the angry black man" because he knows that "the angry black man" will never be elected President  in this country.  So, his handlers chose to coach him to look calm, reserved and Presidential but, they over coached him and he looked bored, unfocused and ill prepared.

Keep Calm and Carry On people one debate will not win this race for Romney and one debate will not lose this race for Obama and one debate will not lose this race for the future of this country.

Reason Why I Am Voting To Re-Elect The President - Part 3

Some of the new government spending that the Republican’s complain about includes

• ·          $1.4 billion  to fund the improvement in services to veterans at the VA
• ·         $4.6 billion to pay for more mental health professionals within the VA
• ·         Supported and signed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, which made more money available for veterans medical care
• ·         Ensured there was enough funding to provide active troops with better boy armor – Remember during the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld started wars when family members had to spend their own money to ensure their loved ones had proper body armor.

The First Lady and Dr. Biden have dedicated much of their activity to speaking out on behalf of the military families at home and ensuring the returning troops are treated as the they deserved to be treated; patriot’s and hero’s.

The President supported and was prepared to sign the Veteran’s Job Bill; it was fully paid for and had mostly bipartisan support.  This bill would have lowered unemployment among veterans, giving grants to federal, state and local agencies to hire veterans; giving priority to those who served on or after 9/11.  Sen. Mitch McConnell and his party of chicken hawks forced a cloture vote which means the Senate had to vote on whether they were going to vote on the bill.  This way the Republicans could not really be accused of voting against the bill they just voted against voting on the bill.  60 votes are needed in cloture votes and this failed to pass because on 58 Senators voted yes. Only in the American Senate does legislation get 58 yes votes and 40 no votes and still not pass. 

 Not very democratic if you ask me.

Reasons Why I Am Voting To Re-Elect The President - Part 2

• When President Obama took office this nation was in its worst recession in 75 years, during his first year in office economists declared the recession over.
• When he took office there were 13 straight months of private sector job loss, the private sector has been adding more jobs than it has been shedding every month since February 2010.  That is over 4.5 million new private sector jobs. 
• The unemployment rate has continued to drop (except for the first few months) every month since the President took office. The reason the jobs numbers are not showing this growth as clearly because Federal, State and Local governments have been laying off people as a result of economic constraints and Republican austerity programs.
• The Dow Jones Index was running around 8,000 when the Republican’s left the White House; the stock index is now hovering around 13,000.
• Under Republican spending we had a $1.4 trillion deficit and despite GOP claims to the contrary the federal deficit is now $1.3 trillion.
• In February of 2012 GM posted record profits only 2 years after the President wisely supported their bail out.  Chrysler soon followed and Ford is stronger today than it was in 2009.
• New spending programs under President Obama totals up to $1.44 trillion.  Under the last Republican administration new program spending totaled $5.07 trillion.  Who are the big spenders?  Congressman Ryan supported each one of these new GOP programs and referred to them as economic stimulus. So even if this President doubles the new government spending in his next term it will still be less the Republicans spending.

Things are not as good as any of us want them to be but when the Republican’s ask is the country better off than it was 4 years ago the answer is YES. 

Reasons Why I Am Voting To Re-Elect The President - Part 1

• Through his leadership DADT was repealed and he proudly signed the law.  He did not sign it off the radar he held a grand and elaborate ceremony.  He said he would and he kept his promise.  He did it the right way through an act of Congress.  Thank you sir.
• He has voiced support for Marriage Equality.  It has taken him awhile but he has voiced his support.  It's called evolving, it's called growth.  At the same time he has ordered the Justice Department to stop defending DOMA in the courts.  His reason...discrimination is wrong.  We are all American's and we all are entitled to equal rights and protection under the law 
• He supported hospital visitation rights for LGBT patients.  It is now the law. 
• He has spoken out forcefully against bullying 
• He created a "It gets Better" video and shared it on Youtube
• He supports work place protections for all citizens
• He is married to the very awesome Michelle!  (More on this later) 

Many more to come........Please feel free to share your reasons for re-electing our President.

Or your reasons why not - but remember please be polite and not offensive...I will blacklist your ass in a heartbeat if you are rude or disrespectful. 

All This Talk of War

Why are Republicans beating the drums of war again and not just one war but two?

Is this a Déjà Vue of the last decade? Have these old men forgotten their decade old march of folly? (Apologies to the great Barbara Tuchman) Do they think starting a war will ensure their victory in the fall? Do they think this talk of bombing Syria and Iran will embarrass the President and make him look weak? Are they trying to foment crisis in the Middle East to raise the price of oil and thus the price of gas here in this country in order to stifle the economy and improve their chances in November?

The answer to all of those is yes. Each war monger has his own motive and some of them have multiple motives but trust me none of them are pure and none of them have the best interest of this country truly at heart.

There are some Republican war mongers who claim that we should attack Iran to protect Israel and accuse the President of abandoning Israel. Think about how many of these war mongers are also conservative Christians who believe that only the anointed ones will get into heaven during the end times. Israel plays a key part in the end time story as the savior of the world will lead his battle to install the kingdom of heaven on earth via Israel. They neglect to tell the rest of the story; the Jews will all go to hell when the Prince of Peace comes back to do battle with Satan but until then Israel (the Jewish homeland) is very useful to them.

There is a theory that wars are started by old men who are in the twilight of their lives and resentful of the youthful vitality of the younger generation. These old men start wars so they can send the young off to die and they get to keep their power a little longer and remove the obstacle to younger women. John McCain & Joe Lieberman come quickly to mind here.

Three of the four remaining GOP candidates for President fall into this category:

Chicken Hawk – As defined by Wikipedia

Chickenhawk (also chicken hawk and chicken-hawk) is a political epithet used in the United States to criticize a politician, bureaucrat, or commentator who strongly supports a war or other military action (i.e., a War Hawk), yet who actively avoided military service when of age.

Newt Gingrich – Never served in the military and requested more than 1 deferment

Rick Santorum – Never did anything other than politics

Ron Paul – Served

Mitt Romney – Received a couple of deferments so he could fulfill in Mormon missionary requirement in Paris France not Texas. In 2008 when reminded of his pro-Vietnam war activities as a young man and pro-Iraq and Afghanistan war as a current candidate he was asked if any of his sons have served their country in the military. He responded that his sons were serving their country by working to elect him President.

Barack Obama - never served and neither did Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton but they understand that this nation does not go to war or use its mighty military force unless it is attacked, or in our role as the indispensable nation without the support of the community of nations.

The President Should Call Me

DonaldFladjr Donald Flad Jr

I wonder if I can go all day without watching or reading current event/news/politics? I am worn the "F" out & disgusted

I tweeted this Thursday during a break at work.

When 5:00 rolled around I asked my guy to turn off Chris Matthews, we didn’t watch the local news and instead of watching Brian Williams we watched Curb Appeal. Thursday was so successful that I continued the little challenge into Friday and when that went well I tried into Saturday. I did watch a little CNN Saturday before work but there was so little actual news I don’t believe I cheated.

The only news I received was from my Twitter feed. If I depended on that for news I would think that Barack Obama would be King of the World and all the Republican candidates are off the wall crack pots. Well, half of that is true; Obama is not King of the World.

What caused my frustration and disgust? What made me turn my back on Chris, Brian, Anderson and Mika? Who made me avoid reading Arianna, Joan, Maureen, Frank and Tina?

Barack H. Obama.

Yes the man I have spent the last 3+ years defending, supporting, explaining, encouraging patience for and believing that he will make a difference.

I explained that he was following the rules set out by the constitution in his approach to overturning DADT & DOMA.

I defended the no drama Obama, not an angry black man approach to his opponents.

I supported his ramping up operations in Afghanistan and thought his approach to Libya was smart.

I justified his compromises on health care reform.

I knew he could not be the first President to allow the nation to default.

I accused his opponents of being racists and called out their hypocrisy when they criticized him for doing the same things his predecessor(s) have done.

And, I will continue to come to his defense but I am tired and this week after all the months of seemingly rudderless leadership, listless public appearances and cold and emotional appeals to national unity he had a chance to slam dunk the Republicans.

Eric Cantor, an earthquake and a hurricane gave the President and his party a chance to really win the week and begin to bring the debate back around to our terms. Democrats are the party that believes government can make a difference and improve people’s lives. FEMA was continuing to get high marks; Secretary Napolitano was all over the media and handling the various crises with professionalism and care. The King Memorial was opening and the media was discussing how far we have come, we were getting ready for the 10^th anniversary of 9-11 which was surely to bring the nation together for a brief moment and Rick Perry, Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman under the guidance of Rush Limbaugh were stepping all over each other to be more extreme and people were beginning to the think that one of these loons may become President and getting a little concerned.

And, what did the smartest person in the room do? He started a pissing match by asking to have yet another speech to the nation scheduled at the same time as a Republican debate. He looked small, he looked petty and he looked like just any other grandstanding politician. On top of all that he lost the pissing match and once again had to back down.

Why? What was the point of this? What was the purpose? What were they thinking? Where is the person in the room who says “Snap out of it!”? I thought Bill Daley was supposed to solve all these problems and bring order, discipline and maturity to the inner workings of the White House. Apparently I was misinformed.

I am available Mr. President please call me, I am willing to trade in one dead end job for another.

I am tired and I am disgusted and I am not sure how much more enthusiastic support I can muster up.

But, I will continue to try but please Mr. President you have to meet me half way.

Leading Republicans Criticize The President

I am not one who subscribes to the belief that a President cannot be criticized during a time crisis but Republicans do or they believed it during the Bush administration. It appears they do not believe it when there is a Democrat in the White House or at least some of their superstars don’t. To be fair most of the congressional leadership has stood with the President as our nation finds the best way to respond, assist, and manage the current turmoil in North Africa and the Middle East.

Sarah Palin has used her vast knowledge of world affairs, her extensive experience on the global stage and her years of studying the history of the region to form her well thought out criticism of the President’s handling of the events. Well, actually all she knows is that if the President says something she is supposed to criticize him. She does this in deep and thought provoking Tweets and Facebook postings and in responses to the hard hitting questions from her fellow employees of Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes. I think Sister Sarah is about to hit the wall with the American people. She looked really bad in the days and weeks after the Tucson shootings and made herself look uniformed with her response to what is happening in Egypt. Pity.

TV superstar Glenn Beck has completely gone off the rails. He now admits that President Obama may be a Christian albeit an odd version of a Christian (this from a man who converted to the Mormon version of Christianity as an adult). Beck also claims that the President is an Islamist sympathizer and is working with both President Bush’s and others on the left to form a Caliphate that will allow Islam world domination. How much do you think Liberals like me have in common with the radical Islamsts let alone George W. Bush? Mr. Beck’s eccentric behavior as of late is a direct result of the fact that fewer and fewer people are buying into his way of thinking, his ratings are dropping and he is clearly desperate for attention. I fully expect Glenn Beck to use the ancient art of Self Immolation as a last gasp attempt to get/keep everyone’s attention.

Failed TV star but radio superstar Rush Limbaugh or as I like to call him The Drug Addicted, Oft Married Radio Top Talker is another one of the GOP leaders willing to ignore the fact that he questioned the patriotism of any Democrat or Liberal who criticized George Bush in Iraq or Afghanistan. I truly believe that Rush just says stuff to keep his ratings up. Above all else Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Though even Rush has gone a bit to the extreme lately but he’s Rush so whatever.

Sean Hannity is an even lighter weight than Sarah Palin, she at least entered the arena and ran for office and tried her hand at public service. Sean has done nothing but spout predictable opinions. Whenever I watch or listen to Sean Hannity I know exactly what he is going to say before he even says it.

Newt Gingrich is a very smart man and his opinions were often very well thought out and based on the history and or facts as he understood them. Note, I said were. Since Barack Obama was elected President he has become increasingly shrill and he seems to be in an intellectual footrace with Anne Coulter to say the most ridiculous and outrageous thing in order to get higher speakers fees and sell more books. Seeing this new Newt actually makes me a little sad, I mean he was Speaker of the House. Maybe a personal life led in hypocrisy has had an impact on his ability to think clearly.

Michelle Bachman………. I just can’t go there, sorry.

If Hillary Clinton, Bill Richardson or Joe Biden were President I wonder if these leaders of the intellectual wing of the Republican Party would be as critical.

The President Speaks To The People Of Tucson And The Nation

These are the prepared remarks by President Barack Obama for the Memorial Service for the Victims of the Shooting in Tucson, Arizona. The President often strayed from his remarks but this is what was written in advance.

"To the families of those we've lost; to all who called them friends; to the students of this university, the public servants gathered tonight, and the people of Tucson and Arizona: I have come here tonight as an American who, like all Americans, kneels to pray with you today, and will stand by you tomorrow.

There is nothing I can say that will fill the sudden hole torn in your hearts. But know this: the hopes of a nation are here tonight. We mourn with you for the fallen. We join you in your grief. And we add our faith to yours that Representative Gabrielle Giffords and the other living victims of this tragedy pull through.

As Scripture tells us:

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.

On Saturday morning, Gabby, her staff, and many of her constituents gathered outside a supermarket to exercise their right to peaceful assembly and free speech. They were fulfilling a central tenet of the democracy envisioned by our founders - representatives of the people answering to their constituents, so as to carry their concerns to our nation's capital. Gabby called it "Congress on Your Corner" - just an updated version of government of and by and for the people.

That is the quintessentially American scene that was shattered by a gunman's bullets. And the six people who lost their lives on Saturday - they too represented what is best in America.

Judge John Roll served our legal system for nearly 40 years. A graduate of this university and its law school, Judge Roll was recommended for the federal bench by John McCain twenty years ago, appointed by President George H.W. Bush, and rose to become Arizona's chief federal judge. His colleagues described him as the hardest-working judge within the Ninth Circuit. He was on his way back from attending Mass, as he did every day, when he decided to stop by and say hi to his Representative. John is survived by his loving wife, Maureen, his three sons, and his five grandchildren.

George and Dorothy Morris - "Dot" to her friends - were high school sweethearts who got married and had two daughters. They did everything together, traveling the open road in their RV, enjoying what their friends called a 50-year honeymoon. Saturday morning, they went by the Safeway to hear what their Congresswoman had to say. When gunfire rang out, George, a former Marine, instinctively tried to shield his wife. Both were shot. Dot passed away.

A New Jersey native, Phyllis Schneck retired to Tucson to beat the snow. But in the summer, she would return East, where her world revolved around her 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 2 year-old great-granddaughter. A gifted quilter, she'd often work under her favorite tree, or sometimes sew aprons with the logos of the Jets and the Giants to give out at the church where she volunteered. A Republican, she took a liking to Gabby, and wanted to get to know her better.

Dorwan and Mavy Stoddard grew up in Tucson together - about seventy years ago. They moved apart and started their own respective families, but after both were widowed they found their way back here, to, as one of Mavy's daughters put it, "be boyfriend and girlfriend again." When they weren't out on the road in their motor home, you could find them just up the road, helping folks in need at the Mountain Avenue Church of Christ. A retired construction worker, Dorwan spent his spare time fixing up the church along with their dog, Tux. His final act of selflessness was to dive on top of his wife, sacrificing his life for hers.

Everything Gabe Zimmerman did, he did with passion - but his true passion was people. As Gabby's outreach director, he made the cares of thousands of her constituents his own, seeing to it that seniors got the Medicare benefits they had earned, that veterans got the medals and care they deserved, that government was working for ordinary folks. He died doing what he loved - talking with people and seeing how he could help. Gabe is survived by his parents, Ross and Emily, his brother, Ben, and his fianc??©e, Kelly, who he planned to marry next year.

And then there is nine year-old Christina Taylor Green. Christina was an A student, a dancer, a gymnast, and a swimmer. She often proclaimed that she wanted to be the first woman to play in the major leagues, and as the only girl on her Little League team, no one put it past her. She showed an appreciation for life uncommon for a girl her age, and would remind her mother, "We are so blessed. We have the best life." And she'd pay those blessings back by participating in a charity that helped children who were less fortunate.

Our hearts are broken by their sudden passing. Our hearts are broken - and yet, our hearts also have reason for fullness.

Our hearts are full of hope and thanks for the 13 Americans who survived the shooting, including the congresswoman many of them went to see on Saturday. I have just come from the University Medical Center, just a mile from here, where our friend Gabby courageously fights to recover even as we speak. And I can tell you this - she knows we're here and she knows we love her and she knows that we will be rooting for her throughout what will be a difficult journey.

And our hearts are full of gratitude for those who saved others. We are grateful for Daniel Hernandez, a volunteer in Gabby's office who ran through the chaos to minister to his boss, tending to her wounds to keep her alive. We are grateful for the men who tackled the gunman as he stopped to reload. We are grateful for a petite 61 year-old, Patricia Maisch, who wrestled away the killer's ammunition, undoubtedly saving some lives. And we are grateful for the doctors and nurses and emergency medics who worked wonders to heal those who'd been hurt.

These men and women remind us that heroism is found not only on the fields of battle. They remind us that heroism does not require special training or physical strength. Heroism is here, all around us, in the hearts of so many of our fellow citizens, just waiting to be summoned - as it was on Saturday morning.

Their actions, their selflessness, also pose a challenge to each of us. It raises the question of what, beyond the prayers and expressions of concern, is required of us going forward. How can we honor the fallen? How can we be true to their memory?

You see, when a tragedy like this strikes, it is part of our nature to demand explanations - to try to impose some order on the chaos, and make sense out of that which seems senseless. Already we've seen a national conversation commence, not only about the motivations behind these killings, but about everything from the merits of gun safety laws to the adequacy of our mental health systems. Much of this process, of debating what might be done to prevent such tragedies in the future, is an essential ingredient in our exercise of self-government.

But at a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized - at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do - it's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds.

Scripture tells us that there is evil in the world, and that terrible things happen for reasons that defy human understanding. In the words of Job, "when I looked for light, then came darkness." Bad things happen, and we must guard against simple explanations in the aftermath.

For the truth is that none of us can know exactly what triggered this vicious attack. None of us can know with any certainty what might have stopped those shots from being fired, or what thoughts lurked in the inner recesses of a violent man's mind.

So yes, we must examine all the facts behind this tragedy. We cannot and will not be passive in the face of such violence. We should be willing to challenge old assumptions in order to lessen the prospects of violence in the future.

But what we can't do is use this tragedy as one more occasion to turn on one another. As we discuss these issues, let each of us do so with a good dose of humility. Rather than pointing fingers or assigning blame, let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together.

After all, that's what most of us do when we lose someone in our family - especially if the loss is unexpected. We're shaken from our routines, and forced to look inward. We reflect on the past. Did we spend enough time with an aging parent, we wonder. Did we express our gratitude for all the sacrifices they made for us? Did we tell a spouse just how desperately we loved them, not just once in awhile but every single day?

So sudden loss causes us to look backward - but it also forces us to look forward, to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us. We may ask ourselves if we've shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to the people in our lives. Perhaps we question whether we are doing right by our children, or our community, and whether our priorities are in order. We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame - but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others.

That process of reflection, of making sure we align our values with our actions - that, I believe, is what a tragedy like this requires. For those who were harmed, those who were killed - they are part of our family, an American family 300 million strong. We may not have known them personally, but we surely see ourselves in them. In George and Dot, in Dorwan and Mavy, we sense the abiding love we have for our own husbands, our own wives, our own life partners. Phyllis - she's our mom or grandma; Gabe our brother or son. In Judge Roll, we recognize not only a man who prized his family and doing his job well, but also a man who embodied America's fidelity to the law. In Gabby, we see a reflection of our public spiritedness, that desire to participate in that sometimes frustrating, sometimes contentious, but always necessary and never-ending process to form a more perfect union.

And in Christina...in Christina we see all of our children. So curious, so trusting, so energetic and full of magic.

So deserving of our love.

And so deserving of our good example. If this tragedy prompts reflection and debate, as it should, let's make sure it's worthy of those we have lost. Let's make sure it's not on the usual plane of politics and point scoring and pettiness that drifts away with the next news cycle.

The loss of these wonderful people should make every one of us strive to be better in our private lives - to be better friends and neighbors, co-workers and parents. And if, as has been discussed in recent days, their deaths help usher in more civility in our public discourse, let's remember that it is not because a simple lack of civility caused this tragedy, but rather because only a more civil and honest public discourse can help us face up to our challenges as a nation, in a way that would make them proud. It should be because we want to live up to the example of public servants like John Roll and Gabby Giffords, who knew first and foremost that we are all Americans, and that we can question each other's ideas without questioning each other's love of country, and that our task, working together, is to constantly widen the circle of our concern so that we bequeath the American dream to future generations.

I believe we can be better. Those who died here, those who saved lives here - they help me believe. We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us. I believe that for all our imperfections, we are full of decency and goodness, and that the forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.

That's what I believe, in part because that's what a child like Christina Taylor Green believed. Imagine: here was a young girl who was just becoming aware of our democracy; just beginning to understand the obligations of citizenship; just starting to glimpse the fact that someday she too might play a part in shaping her nation's future. She had been elected to her student council; she saw public service as something exciting, something hopeful. She was off to meet her congresswoman, someone she was sure was good and important and might be a role model. She saw all this through the eyes of a child, undimmed by the cynicism or vitriol that we adults all too often just take for granted.

I want us to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as she imagined it. All of us - we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children's expectations.

Christina was given to us on September 11th, 2001, one of 50 babies born that day to be pictured in a book called "Faces of Hope." On either side of her photo in that book were simple wishes for a child's life. "I hope you help those in need," read one. "I hope you know all of the words to the National Anthem and sing it with your hand over your heart. I hope you jump in rain puddles."

If there are rain puddles in heaven, Christina is jumping in them today. And here on Earth, we place our hands over our hearts, and commit ourselves as Americans to forging a country that is forever worthy of her gentle, happy spirit.

May God bless and keep those we've lost in restful and eternal peace. May He love and watch over the survivors. And may He bless the United States of America."