Red, Pink, and White

No, not Valentine's colors.  These are the colors of political insults.  Communism, socialism, capitalism- we humans are *very* tied up in naming how we do business with each other.  Not that naming is a bad thing; names let us all talk in a similar way about defined terms.  Of course, those definitions may not be agreed upon, or may be open to interpretation, or may be misunderstood.  Since we often don't actively define our terms before engaging in discourse with others, this leaves a lot of room for misunderstandings and, quite frankly, hurt feelings or harsh arguments.  In the political world, this is even more true than most places.

So let's talk about a few terms that we see thrown around so often: socialized medicine, entitlements, communism, and welfare.  First, the easy one, communism.  The planet has yet to see real, Marxist Communism in any large scale.  Please stop throwing around the term, it doesn't mean what you think it does.  If you don't believe me, take some time and read the Communist Manifesto.  It's short, and not a hard read.  You might be surprised.

Entitlements.  This is guarantee of access to benefits based on established rights or by legislation.  It's not pejorative.  Note also that it's a guarantee of access to benefits, not a guarantee of benefits or the level of benefits.  In most cases (especially Social Security, MediCare, and MedicAid, the most often cited examples of entitlements), the benefits and their level is dependent on something- how much you paid in, working for a certain number of years, being a certain age, etc.  This isn't a "handout," this is access to benefits which a person has earned- just like your paycheck. 

Socialized medicine.  This is a medical system run by the government and examples include Great Britain's Universal Health System, and arguably the US' MedicAid, MediCare, and TriCare.  The Healthcare Affordability Act is not socialized medicine.  "Obamacare" is not a governmental take-over of medicine, the insurance companies are still privately owned, for-profit (usually) entities.  If you use one of the governmental systems, you still might not be using socialized medicine, as some definitions require that the health care system be run by the government.  This means that the doctors, nurses, and staff are government employees, and the hospitals are owned and run by the government. 

And finally, welfare.  On this one, I want to talk less about the definition and more about the concept.  Welfare provides a safety net for individuals and families through programs like the supplemental nutrition program (foodstamps and others), Temporary Aid for Needy Families, and heating/energy assistance programs.  These benefits are called "welfare" programs because we as a nation decided that it was in the best interest of the country to provide a certain subsistence level of living, or to look after our citizens' welfare when they are in need.  We do this out of the conviction- inspired by Judeo-Christian teachings- that humans, as social animals, should look out for one another and help the needy. 

The US has been heavily influenced by the Protestant work ethics, but we can't forget the even older tradition of community.  Can individuals come to rely too heavily on these benefits provided by the government?  Of course, but not every person will, and we can't predict which ones will.  The Protestant work ethic has also led to horrible things- think of the debtors' prisons, workhouses, poorhouses, social Darwinism, and forced sterilization programs.  Neither extreme- individualism or community- is perfect, it's our job to find the balance between the two that best fits the needs of our society.  And to try to remain civil and informed in the process.

Changes in Latitude

No, not in the geographic sense, for the foreseeable future, we're staying right where we've been.  Changes in latitude as in "freedom from narrow restrictions."  As in new-found latitude.  And lots of it.  It's amazing.

OK, so it's not the typical forms of latitude.  The latitude I've been giving myself lately is that of imagining.  Dreaming.  Thinking up new courses.  New assignments.  Field trips.  Lesson plans.  Exam question banks.  Quizzes.  Yes, I'm a complete and utter dork.  I'm fine with that. 

See, for some reason, I'm starting to feel a bit more comfortable in my own skin.  I feel like I can do this.  Like I can teach.  Be a professor.  Join academia.  And deserve it- because I have something to contribute.  What caused this change?  I don't know.  Really, I have no idea.  Maybe it was officially entering my thirties.  Maybe it was buying my academic robes.  Maybe it was the student offering to write a letter of recommendation for me, if it would help me get the job.  If one of my students is willing to advocate for me, shouldn't I be willing to advocate for myself?  I figured I probably should be.

And oddly, I feel ready.  I've spent so much of my time being an advocate for others, I should be great at it, right?  That's the plan, anyway.  I'm not religious.  I'm not spiritual.  I don't believe in predestination.  But I do believe in making the most of what you've been given.  The things that seemed like burdensome responsibilities I can now more fully appreciate as the training that they were.  What had been favors for friends, I can see as the horizon-broadening experiences they were.  There's nothing that lead me down the path that I chose; on the other hand, the path I took has made me an excellent candidate.

Now to show that to the world, and myself.

Tides of Change

Gah.  (I've been saying that a lot lately) 

Talk about changes.  God willing and the creek don't rise- I'll be Doctor Lisa Regula Meyer in May.  Some have already taken to calling me this, saying that since I am ABD (all but dissertation) I'm entitled to the honor.  I don't feel worthy of it.  I'm teaching as an adjunct at Hiram College this term, and my students mainly call me Professor.  I don't feel worthy of that either.  Those are titles for distinguished individuals who have lead charmed lives.  Not poor kids from a back-woods rural road and living in the ghetto of Kent, Ohio and wearing torn, old, tattered clothes.  It's been especially hard because I keep hearing so often that Kim (my sister) was so pretty.  So funny.  So kind.  So smart.  Starting to turn things around.

The whole thing seems so close but so far away.  How on earth am I going to finish everything I have to do before the end of March?!  And what happens then?  I know I'm taking the summer off, to work on side-projects, to write for my self, to have a breather after six long years, to remind myself what it's like to not have deadlines constantly breathing down your neck.  But what after that?  I have applications in, including one to Hiram, for tenure track positions.  Tenure track.  Why am I thinking about tenure track?!  I've gone insane.  And I'm sure the search committee is going to see right through me.  I can't fool them, the professionals.  They'll know I'm not one of them.  They'll no I'm not professor material.  They'll see the goofy scared kid underneath.  They'll know I'm not one of them.  I don't belong. 

And then what?

Six years.  A lifetime of work.  A mountain of student loans.  For what?  To be right where I was 20 years ago?  The kid that didn't fit in?  Gah.

I keep saying "Fake it 'til you make it."  But then what?  What if you make it and still don't believe it?  When do I wake up and realize it's just a dream?  Hopefully never. 

Bad News

There was an oversight on my part, and my petitions and declaration of candidacy has by disqualified.  On December 14th, 2011, the Ohio Assembly adopted HB 369, to converge the previously decided upon two primaries into a single primary, to write new district boundaries, and to eliminate the appropriation for the second primary.  On page 162 of this 167 page bill, there was a section added that read:

" (C) Any declaration of candidacy, declaration of candidacy and petition, or declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate filed by an individual seeking nomination or election for the office of President or Vice-President of the United States, member of the United States House of Representatives, at-large delegate and alternate to the national convention of a political party, or district delegate and alternate to the national convention of a political party that is filed for the 2012 primary election before the effective date of this act is null and void. The Secretary of State or the applicable board of elections promptly shall refund any filing fee paid by a person who filed such a declaration or petition.

A person whose declaration or petition is nullified and voided under this division who files again to become a candidate for nomination or election pursuant to division (B)(2) of this section is not disqualified as a candidate under section 3513.052 of the Revised Code and, if the person otherwise qualifies as a candidate, shall be placed on the ballot for nomination or election for that office at that election. "

There was no notice sent to affected petitioners, and I overlooked this provision.  I own my mistake.  Lesson learned- read legislative documents in their *entirety*. 

For now, I'm going to keep the Facebook page up (link to the right), and keep posting relevant information on here, because I can't guarantee that I've learned the "stay out of politics" lesson from this little trial.  If anything, this whole bit may have lit a flame.  Some people feel called to the ministry; in my way, I feel called to trying to improve my surroundings.  That's why I went to grad school- to learn more, and to apply that knowledge for the betterment of our society.  I'm not convinced that positive changes can be enacted through rallies, protests, marches, online petitions, and writing/emailing/calling our elected officials- they're too out of touch with reality, for the most part.  If we want change, we have to take it one step further, and put that much more effort into it, and be the change ourselves.  Or at least give it a good go to make them nervous enough that they'll listen. 

And let's face it- I'm just stubborn enough to try again once I set my mind to something.  So far, Dwight hasn't stopped me, and he hasn't shown that much interest in trying, either.  I think he just really wants to be a trophy wife.  ;)

Regula for Congress!

Look over at the side.  No, the *right* side.  Yeah, I do lean to the left (OK, if I leaned much further, I'd fall down), but that's where I wanted the "donate" button to go.  Because I'm the "right" person to represent Ohio in Washington.  Well, one of 16 right people.  I hope you agree.  And I hope you give a little to help US get a seat in the House- not me; this is a representative democracy, I'm taking my constituents with me to DC.   The website, www.RegulaForCongress.com, will be up as soon as I can, and I'll show it off immediately thereafter.  If you're in Portage County, Ohio and registered Democrat, I'd love your signature, just email and let me know.

Keep head above water. :ll

Yes, I know, I've been a horrible blogger, yet again.  But I have a good excuse!  Lots of them.  Well, maybe explanations is a better word.  I had a baby (not mine, again).  I lost a sister (as in "died," not misplaced).  I defended my prospectus (and graduate in May, come hell or high water, but hopefully not both).  And I decided to enter the political arena.  What do you do when more than a handful of years of rallies, marches, protests, boycotts, letters, petitions, phone calls, emails, networking, and grousing don't do anything to change situations of which you disapprove?  I'm not sure what the answer is for the normal person, but apparently for me, the answer is simple- run for congress.  Why not?  It's not like I have anything else to do right now...

(And I have to leave you hanging at that, because I have a ton of shit to do.  I promise not to stay away too long this time.)

Strength as Weakness

I pride myself on being strong- mentally and physically.  I can take pain, and I can keep it together under stress (usually- Dwight would be more than happy to share stories of exceptions, I'm sure).  I can work long days and hard hours doing either labor intensive or tediously detailed tasks.  Strength is part of my self identity. 

Unfortunately, it can become so much a part of my identity that the times I need help or lose strength can go unnoticed, either by myself or others until it's too late.  And that's when crisis strikes.  Sometimes, I can put too much faith in myself to be strong and get the job done.  Then something goes wrong, and I'm overstretched like too little butter spread over too much bread, and a very bad snowball begins rolling rapidly downhill.  Suddenly, expectations aren't being met, I'm beating myself up, deadlines are being passed, and my concentration is starting to snap with all the things that need doing.  It's a bad time in the Regula Meyer household.  Typically, this is when Dwight comes riding in to the rescue.  Because, in the end, he may not have as much strength as I do, but he has assets that I lack- perspective.  He's able to keep life in perspective, he is close to unflappable with his calm and reassuring demeanor, and he has the ability to acknowledge his own lack of strength.  Over-scheduling, over-demanding, over-stretching will never be his downfall. 

This shortcoming of trusting my own strengths too much is one that causes me serious complications, turning a valuable trait into a self-destruct button at a moment's notice.  In turn, Dwight's weakness- lack of ambition- turns into one of his greatest strengths because he has the time, energy, and resources to deal with issues that arise from time to time.  This is one of the things that I love about him- his ability to complement me- and one of the things that I love about community- with more people, there's an even better chance that when one member is weak or in need, some one else will be able to step up and fill the place needed.  It's this interconnectedness that I think is lacking most today, this interdependency of people on those around them.  This lack of community turns one of our most important collective strengths- independence- into a weakness.  It's where we've been failing for a few years now. 

Now if only we could all (and me especially) recognize traits as what they are- tools.  Traits are not inherently good or bad, but how one uses them is how the worth is determined.  Any strength can become a weakness, just as any weakness can become a strength; all it takes is the proper use in the proper circumstances.  So could we all stop looking at our box of tools and using that to define our worth, and instead look at how we've used those tools to determine what kind of impact we've made, for better or worse?