Middle AmericaMiddle AmericaA look at politics from a moderate viewpoint as written by Steven Sieber, a centrist and future politician. Articles
Sneak Preview of Redesign In Progress
2007-01-04 10:32:03 I’M IN THE middle of redesigning The Journal of a Future Politician and have a sneak preview of the design available for you. View the new design More About: Design , Preview , Review , Desi , Prog
Big Changes Coming Soon
2007-01-03 16:30:06 EXPECT BIG CHANGES in the near future. I’m working on creating a more interactive The Journal of a Future Politician. The blog that you’re reading now will only be one part of it. It’s going to be part blog, and part campaign website. More About: Change , Changes , Ming , Chang , Chan
Thought of the Day: January 1, 2007
2007-01-03 04:29:01 SOMEHOW BEING ELECTED to public office makes a candidate both a politician, and an author. Not everyone is more interesting just because they now have the title senator or representative in front of their name. If ever I wrote a book, I certainly wouldn’t expect people to read it, let alone pay for it. But, I can tell that’s just me since many, many politicians have tried their hand at writing a book. Sometimes their story has to be told as a matter of historical record such as the life story of a president. But for others, they seem to write for their sake, not for the sake of those who have to read the book. If I had something compelling to say, I’d write a book. Maybe that’s why I haven’t written a book yet; because I don’t have anything to say that hasn’t been said before. More About: January , Thought , The D
Quoting Einstein
2007-01-03 04:29:01 Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value. ~ Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) More About: Stein
Bookmark My Posts Using Furl, Digg, Technorati, Reddit
2007-01-03 04:29:01 VISITORS CAN NOW bookmark my posts using the most popular websites like Furl, Digg, Tech no rati, and Reddit. You’ll see the links at the bottom of each post. More About: Bookmark , Post , Book
Quoting Twain
2007-01-03 04:29:01 Do something every day that you don’t want to do; this is the golden rule for acquiring the habit of doing your duty without pain. ~ Mark Twain
Finished Reading The Catcher In The Rye
2007-01-01 10:26:01 IT WAS A book that I had read in high school, but thought I’d read again. J.D. Salinger’s The Cat cher in the Rye is an excellent book, but boy, can it sure be depressing in places. Holden seems like a pretty decent guy, but has a hard time dealing with other people—especially phonies. I’m thinking about reading the Cliff Notes for this book and the recent classics that I’ve read to see what the literary “experts” say. More About: Reading , Catcher , Read , Cher
AP Poll Has Mixed Results About 2007
2006-12-31 22:25:01 I WAS READING the news at Yahoo! News and saw two contradictory headlines about the same AP-AOL poll. Poll : Americans see gloom, doom in 2007 AP poll: Americans optimistic for 2007 Okay, so which is it? More About: Results , About , Mixed , Result
Quoting Santayana
2006-12-31 16:24:01 Our character…is an omen of our destiny, and the more integrity we have and keep, the simpler and nobler that destiny is likely to be. ~ George Sant a yana (1863 - 1952), “The German Mind: A Philosophical Diagnosis”
Have Hope, Politics Will Change For The Better
2006-12-31 16:24:01 I HAVE TO admit that I can at times be stubborn. When someone wants me to compromise my morals, I can be very stubborn indeed. This is a good thing though. I get so frustrated when I hear Americans resigned to the fact that politics is the way it is, and that there’s nothing to do to reform it. I haven’t resigned myself to the fact that money and influence are a part of politics. Why? Because the moment that I start thinking, “That’s the way it is, and that’s the way it’ll always be,” then I’ve lost the fire in my belly. Why do I want to get into politics? Is it for the fame, the money, or maybe the power? No, no, and no, still yet. It’s to reform politics, and to prove to America that principled, bipartisan leadership still exists, and that the hope that is such a part of the American spirit is not in vain. So if you tell me that politics isn’t going to change, I’m going to stay silent, but on the inside, I’m s... More About: Politics , Change , Hope , Will , Have
Year-End Reading Summary
2006-12-31 16:24:01 HERE’S A QUICK summary of my reading for 2006: Number of books read: 35 books Book reading rate: 1 book every 10 days Average book length: 298 pages Number of pages read: 10,412 pages Shortest book: 90 pages Longest book: 976 pages More About: Reading , Read , Mary , Year , Summary
Thought of the Day: December 31, 2006
2006-12-31 16:24:01 IT DAWNED ON me that I’m missing out on all that life has to offer when I don’t spend some time expanding my horizons, as they say. I don’t attend concerts, visit museums, travel, or try new foods as much as I would like. I really enjoy learning, and I think that we miss out by not challenging ourselves. Life is a learning process. Tomorrow I’m going to learn something that I didn’t know today. That’s true of every tomorrow. Any day that I don’t learn something is a wasted day. If you only read history books, read one of the classics. If you only read romance novels, read about history. Challenge yourself. I think it’s backwards for a parent to tell their child to read books at their reading level. Why? Yes, I’ll admit that a book that’s too difficult for the young reader will go unread. But, reading is like any other subject where you learn and progress through practice. You aren’t going to get smarter by only trying... More About: Thought , The D , December
What Books Should I Read?
2006-12-30 22:22:01 A NEW YEAR is upon us, and it’s time to think about what books I’ll read in 2007. Do you have suggestions for what I should read, or to make it easier, what will you be reading? Suggestions from 2006 were: Deschooling Society (Open Forum) by Ivan Illich Protect or Plunder?: Understanding Intellectual Property Rights (Global Issues Series (Zed Book s ).) by Vandana Shiva Bland Ambition: From Adams to Quayle–The Cranks, Criminals, Tax Cheats, and Golfers Who Made It to Vice President by Steve Tally Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglass Hofstadter We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda by Philip Gourevitch More About: What , Hat , Read
No Comments On Old Posts
2006-12-30 22:22:01 IN THE HOPE of cutting down on spam, I’ve decided to close old posts to comments. Any post that is older than 21 days will be closed. When visitors do comment, it is usually marked as spam which means I may have to sort through hundreds of spam posts to find one real comment. I’m hoping that real comments will make it through. More About: Men , Post , Comments , Comment , Posts
Comment Reply Notification Feature Reinstalled
2006-12-30 10:21:02 I JUST REALIZED that since I changed my blog design, I hadn?t reinstalled the comment reply notification feature. It is now reinstalled, and hopefully working again. When placing a comment, check the box that asks you if you want to receive e-mail updates when comments are made. More About: Cat , Men , Feature , Tall , Comment
Saddam To Be Hanged Tonight
2006-12-30 04:20:01 WHO WOULD HAVE thought that it would have come to this? Saddam is scheduled to be hanged tonight according to an AP article. Read the article However, Saddam has asked that the United States block the execution. Read the article More About: Night , Tonight , Toni
Guest Editorial: Repeal No Child Left Behind
2006-12-29 16:19:04 THE FOLLOWING IS the forty-first guest editorial to be featured on this blog. The guest editorials do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Steven Sieber, and are posted here to promote discussion. As such, the opinions expressed here are those of the guest editorial author only. Repeal No Child Left Behind by George Phillies The American future is going to be very different from its past. Our children and grandchildren will live in a world in which originality, creativity, and meticulous workmanship are prized. Thoughtless assembly line tasks will be done by robots. People who adapt to new circumstances and tools will thrive. People who choose not to change may find life is more challenging. We all want a bright, happy life for future generations. How can we best help our children? To give our children and grandchildren the shining future of that sunlit city on the hill, we must give them the most effective education that we can. We must give them an education that prepares t... More About: Editorial , Edit , Editor
The Constitution As A Christmas Gift
2006-12-28 16:19:01 FOR CHRISTMAS MY brother gave me a Borders gift card. Tuesday afternoon I redeemed it for three books: Origins of the Bill of Rights (Yale Contemporary Law Series) The Federalist Papers The Constitution al Convention: A Narrative History from the Notes of James Madison (Modern Library Classics) More About: Christmas , Gift , Christ , Chris
Finished Reading Adventures of Tom Sawyer
2006-12-28 16:19:01 I’M SORRY THAT I hadn’t read Mark Twain’s The Adventure s of Tom Sawyer earlier in life. Twain has a remarkable writing style which in my opinion makes him one of the best writers that I’ve ever read. I also have copies of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Life on the Mississippi which I’ll have to read. More About: Venture , Reading , Read
Gerald Ford Dies At Age 93
2006-12-28 16:19:01 BY NOW YOU’VE probably heard that America’s 38th president, Gera ld Ford , passed away yesterday evening. Ford’s funeral is set to begin on Friday. Read an article More About: Dies , Gerald Ford
Politicians Can Be Good
2006-12-28 16:19:01 DON’T LOSE HOPE that there exists somewhere the honest, caring future politician whose integrity is unbendable, and who is completely free of partisanship. He’s out there, you just have to find him and elect him. Poli tician s are better people than we give them credit for. Most politicians aren’t out to screw the American people. Now who feels the warm fuzzies? More About: Good , Politic
Steps To Staying Humble
2006-12-28 16:19:01 IT DOESN’T TAKE much to realize how little any one of us does to help our fellow men. This isn’t a criticism necessarily, but an observation. I sponsor two children through the Christian charity Compassion International, and make monthly contributions for their care and education. Sometimes I think to myself that I’m worthy of praise for spending $64 per month of my hard earned money on two kids I don’t know. But, then I begin to think of all the opportunities that I’ve turned down to help the less fortunate. Do I spend my weekends volunteering? No. How much of my money do I give to charity? Not enough. Is there more that I could do—either financially or physically—to help out those who need help? Certainly. When I consider what little I do, and how much I could do, I think it gives me the proper perspective to keep me humble. Humility is something we all need. Yes, even future politicians. More About: Step , Stay , Humble , Steps
New Posts To Help You Get To Know Me
2006-12-25 16:17:03 IT IS THE purpose of this blog for you to get to know me. I realized that most of what I think about running for office, partisanship, and politics, I don’t share. I’m going to try to do a better job of letting my readers know what I think. Hopefully the new year will be a chance to start really helping you get to know me. More About: Post , Help , Know , Posts
Finished Reading Portrait of the Artist
2006-12-25 16:17:03 YESTERDAY I FINISHED reading James Joyce’s A Port rait of the Artist As A Young Man. I thought some parts of the book were very good, but in the end the book seemed to me to fall apart. I wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but I read through the end hoping to figure it out at some point. I’m not sure I did. After finishing the book, I read the notes in the back that explained the metaphors and theme of the book. I think sections like these are very helpful, and so I read them at the end, not before I read. I am now reading a local author, Mark Twain, and his The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. More About: Reading , Read , Portrait
Quoting Jefferson
2006-12-25 16:17:03 WHAT SAY YOU? And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep for ever. ~Thomas Jeff erson, Notes on the State of Virginia, Query 18, 1781
Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton
2006-12-22 04:15:03 AS A MATTER of principle there is no way that I could support Hillary Clint on if she ran for president in 2008. Doesn’t it disturb anyone else that the line of presidents would be George H.W. Bush , Bill Clinton , George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton? I think America is on a slippery slope where we can either end nepotism in the presidency, or allow it to continue. We’ve already had two Harrisons who were grandfather/grandson, and two Roosevelts who were fifth cousins. Though many of the presidents have been related. For example, George W. Bush is related to both George H.W. Bush and Franklin Pierce. I don’t mind distant relations, but when a son or spouse is being considered, I question whether democracy really exists. Yes, Americans are still voting, but it seems that the presidential candidates pick themselves. The people have little say it seems. More About: Linton
Interviewed By Kansas City Star
2006-12-20 16:14:02 THIS MORNING I was interviewed by a reporter from the Kansas City Star for a story on the Centrist Leadership Alliance. I’ll have to keep my eyes open. It may not be more than a few sentences on the back page. More About: Inter , Interview
Publicizing The CLA
2006-12-19 16:13:03 I FINALLY THOUGHT it was time to write a press release for the Centrist Leadership Alliance. I e-mailed it to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and a few local newspapers. I’ll let you know if anything about the PAC is published. I’m not expecting a huge fanfare, but it would be nice to have an increase in visitor traffic to CLA’s website, and possibly a few donations. More About: Public
Never Truly Colorblind
2006-12-16 16:11:01 FOR SOME REASON it is most common to refer to blacks and whites when talking about race. Certainly many groups are left out of the race conversation when we think about these two races. I have been thinking about whether America will ever become colorblind. The answer in short is no. And, maybe in fact it shouldn’t be colorblind. There are many ways that we’re reminded of the existence of racial differences in our culture. Ever y year February is Black History Month. Is it reasonable to celebrate the accomplishments of one race for one month? And, if we do remember African-American contributions to America, are we doing this to the exclusion of other races? Should it be pointed out that a business is black-owned? What does that mean? I know what it technically means, but what is someone trying to say by pointing out the owner’s race? Would this label still be used if just as many blacks owned businesses as whites? Is race something to be proud of, kind of like someo... More About: Color , Never , Blind , Colorblind
Loyalty To The Party, Loyalty To The People
More articles from this author:2006-12-16 16:11:01 THE PARTY CAN’T get you elected, the people can. Here’s a thought. If politicians didn’t take it for granted that they’d get reelected, would they be more loyal to the people who elected them in the first place? If you know that you’re going to get reelected, then all you have to worry about is not pissing off the party leadership. You’re just waiting to see what committees you’ve been put on, and ocassionally, what leadership positions have been given you. My goal as a politician—if so elected—is to remain always loyal to the people. If it were to be the general belief of politicians, I think there would be more centrists; centrist by nature being willing to consider both sides of an argument. More About: People , Party , Part , The People , Loyalty 1, 2, 3, 4 |
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