This is what we crave today; and it will be this precise spirit that guides us, come November 2; bells and whistles, backdrops and props, have not a chance in hell to penetrate through the core belief -- we seek reform and revival of our founding principles. Not for a day, not for a week, not for just until super Tuesday, but for forever and a day...for we are changed. We've been there, done that. Enough already.
Gullibility, gone; ; no longer will we simply assume those we send to Washington have our best interests at heart. Special interests, Unions, class warfare, deficit spending, national debt, social security, medicare, health care, cap and trade, ganging up on small business -- big business -- any business that creates real jobs, mortgage fraud, unfunded liabilities, unfunded pensions, apologizing for America, ridiculing those who simply think differently, rash moratoriums, cutting military tribunals to oversee terrorist trials, celebratory mosques built anywhere, dividing Americans through rhetoric and false racial accusations, fighting term limits in congress, obscene spending within congressional offices -- through excessive staffing, overhead, travel, private jets to petty cash, ALL of it, gone.
What we crave, is a Sebastian Pinera.
"there there, it's alright.
it's alright, it's a moment of happiness.
it's good. it's good.
there, there,
just let all of those emotions out,
it's fine, it's fine."
This was what he said, at about the time of miner number 29 nearly reaching the surface of 'the rest of his life', to the wife of Juan Carlos Aguilar. And like anything a parent would say to a child, it wasn't so much what he said, it was the way he said it -- his demeanor, his priority in giving her his full attention, right there, bearing it all with her and giving her the strength to stay with it for just a moment or two longer, but more important, honoring her feelings, showing her the kind of empathy all of us crave in that kind of moment.
Sometimes, all we want is someone to know how we feel, to listen, to really listen; and these wives and families have endured great pain simply by waiting all this time, and the Chilean President was right there -- I don't think he ever left over the course of twenty four hours -- and along with his first lady, too. What a display of elegance under pressure; what an example to presidents of nations everywhere, astounding stamina and spirit shining through for his people at a time of need.
And it didn't just happen for the last two days, no, it was his very belief, from day one, that he could save all thirty three miners that made this rescue happen; his Minister of Mines, his closest confidants and administration told him to leave this disaster alone, to let it go...there, there... they said to him... just let it go. let them go.
But Pinera couldn't do that; these were real Chileans who were still alive, and by God, he was going to find a way to get them out; and he had every faith that he would.
He committed himself to seeing it all the way through; he committed government resources from day one; he said yes, to offers of help -- from anywhere and everywhere -- his personal ego let go and let God work (that last bit, was my own interpretation). But against all of his adviser's best advice, he said no to them, and said yes to the world and the possibility-in-waiting.
Let's review a few moments that are fresh in the memory of recent actions of our own Commander-in-Charge:
- Gulf Oil Spill, ah no thanks, we got it, turning away the Dutch, syphons, and boats and booms oh my, right quick, almost too quick.
- Military Tribunals for terrorists, ah no thanks, our civilian courts will be more fair and I think, therefore I am in charge, I think that's the better way to go...and already showing trouble.
- Arizona immigration legislation, ah no thanks, don't need any help, The Fed knows more than you, and knows how to handle this, back off, or I will sue, and he did.
- IBM offering Health Care fraud detection technology, ah no thanks, we got this, walk away now, oh but now that I think, therefore I am in charge, you do know we'll sue you if your company does not comply with our new regulations.
- Military absentee votes, ah sorry guys, no can do, can't do anyything about that...taking the unsavory position that 'to not act is to act...' and what an ugly habit it seems to be growing into...
- just who is the party of no, now?
Could they be any more different?
Self made Billionaire, Sebastian Pinera, having been credited to bringing credit to Chileans -- yes, the evil credit card market was brought to the hands of every consumer and entrepreneur, changing their economy and the way they do business nearly all by himself (okay, slight exaggeration maybe). But still! Can you picture our Obama-nator organizing communities in the south side of Chicago with credit card activism? yeah, didn't think so... Not that every American is credit worthy all the time, there is that angle as well -- and clearly, make no mistake, by his record, he wouldn't touch that one either (can you say fannie? freddie? bravo, bravo).
Here's another interesting hmmmmmmmm about these two: both went to Harvard! Yes, Sebastian has a degree in Economics, and apparently, became a real bonafide Professor of Economics for a time in his life; unlike, our own president, where information surfaced linking to an unthinkable reality that he really wasn't ever a "professor" but a senior lecturer from time to time (mr. fee fi faux-fessor, thank you Hillary campaign...huh...if only) ...while we might also question the constitutional law he mastered, when he can't in fact quote what is "constitutional" material and what is "Declaration of Independence" correctly (and a few times) ...and if that weren't enough, being a president fudging about his law license (and Michelle too), having turned in his law license , (designating "in-active" schmear-active) on the heels of an investigation that concluded he would most likely be losing it anyway (apparently in 2008...in the middle of a campaign?.. what no, say it isn't so).
Bravo
Bravo
Bravo.
Substance versus style -- while sometimes, when we're really lucky, some countries get both.
The people of Chile love this man, Sebastian, right now, and what's not to love; and how proud this man was, Sebastian, last night. Beaming from his heart and soul was pure adulation of his country, his people, his miners, of all the gracious assistance he let in; he acted as a true leader, by facilitating all the good to simply flow. (he gets the true economics of it all, of life, what a breath of fresh air).
This mentality comes naturally to a man with a business sense, a certain common sense, a sense that we can find a way to make something, build something, think of something, sell something, save something, invent something, dare to dream something, and maybe even rescue something, like it was nothing at all.
He didn't seek praise -- albeit the really cool unintended consequence of actions coming from the heart and substance of a man who really cares; he simply sought the outcome of not taking NO for an answer. His faith told him to go forward, keep going, start digging, find the thing that will save them; and he did.
When I was in like 3rd grade, I did a report on Chile and fell in love with it -- even as just a kid. There was just something about the way it was shaped, as I recall, it was different...funny looking... and along with being south of the equator, which seemed like going to the moon and back in those days, everything about the cultural mix, the Andes, the Incas, and of course, it's shape, intrigued this girl very much. Those memories came rushing back over the course of the last couple of days.
I remember, too, I just loved saying the name; which in those days, we said "Chilly," not "Cheelay." Toomayto, tomahto, no matta no matto -- who's willing to bet that Cheelay tourism will be way up over the course of the next year; (if I had money) my money would be on airlines that go there!
Me thinks a few more things will only go up, too -- things like Pinera's approval rating, Chilean patriotism, church attendance (not that it's an issue, what with 70% of it's people Catholic), price of copper and gold, marriages and oh my, even baby making (bet me, nine months from now, births in Chile will blow through the roof).
Yes. It is all going up from here in Cheelay. C - H - I - L- E hey! hey! hey!
If America doesn't work out, G's going there.
Make it a Good Day, G
A look at how far we've come: your movie today, just a click away on Dear America above, (dates to the first week of September) ends with the comment from a journalist quoting the administration, "it will be months before the men are rescued."...think again. Been there, done that. Next.
On another front, some presidential behavior around the world becomes almost entertaining, take for example the latest use of the poster unveiled by Iran's Ahmadinejad when visiting Hezbollah on the border(line) with Lebanon and Israel...his mug and a bit of Farsi, loosely translated as, YES WE CAN. funny.
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