Victoria offered her view that Senator George Allen, also of Virginia, could be the GOP standard bearer.
That got me thinking:
It would be interesting if two Virginians ended up with the nominations of their respective parties in the 2008 presidential race.
The last time I think that happened was 1920 when two Ohioans, Warren Harding and James Cox, were the Republican and Democratic nominees, respectively.
That's doubly interesting because Ohio and Virginia both claim to have had the most presidents come from their states. A new Virginian would break the tie.
In the past, Virginia was a natural breeding ground for presidents. Joseph Ellis points out that in the early years of the country's history, "Virginia contained one-fifth of the nation's total population and generated one-third of its commerce" [Founding Brothers, p.79]. Virginia was to the early United States what California is to the US of today. (California is so populace that it has 55 of the 435 seats in the US House of Representatives. Were it spun off as a separate country, it would have the sixth largest economy in the world, is to our country today)
Virginia is not nearly so important or imposing today, of course. But because it combines both the old South and the liberal proneness of the highly government-dependent DC suburbs in the north, it's possible that it could produce nominees for both parties.
Good morning,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great point you make, Mark. Connectedness.
It's so easy to lose sight of the fact that the people we meet every day are just that--people. We start to see people as their roles rather than as individuals, children of God full with humanity.
They become the husband or wife, the worker, the waiter, the boss--all of these people who have no names. Sooner or later if they care about us, they find a way--as your wife did that day--to let us know that we have stopped treating them as a person, stopped looking out for their humanity.
If I might be so bold as to offer one more for your list. . . . Call people by name to show that you know you are talking to a person, an individual who has unique thoughts, dreams, and feelings.
Because I have failed in this respect in my own life, I try to call every person by name. I ask the clerk in the store or on the telephone his or her name before I talk about my business. I recognize their personhood before their function. Sometimes they are surprised, but I don't think I've ever had someone be displeased. :)
This one change has made me better and made my life more joyful in so many little ways.
smiles,
Liz
PS You might stop by to catch the post . . . A Joyful "Sort of" Story . . . at my blog.
It's my answer to a challenge to find the word joy in past posts. It's piece I think you'd enjoy reading. :0)
Why, hey Mark. :)
ReplyDeleteI hadn't noticed your mention of what I said about George Allen, until I was perusing Technorati just now. Thanks so much.
I had come to your blog shortly after saying publicly that you are one of the best commenters on Althouse -- and nothing today makes me change my mind. ;)
Cheers,
Victoria
Victoria:
ReplyDeleteThanks for your affirming comments. I hope that you'll come back to the blog again and share your thoughts.
Blessings!
Mark