Thanksgiving

This Thursday is Thanksgiving. In the USA there is one day set aside to give thanks. It does not seem enough. I think of my friends and family that are no longer with us, and try to give thanks every day for each day I have. We can only live in the present. We don't know if there is a future or how long we will have to accomplish our dreams. We can only work today.

I am thankful for many things: family, friends, my outstanding students, colleagues at various universities, and living in a country where I can say what I think. I am thankful that so many who have come to this country with a dream of freedom no longer have to live under the threat of deportation. I am thankful that I will not have to listen to the republicans blame the democrats for the dysfunctional congress. I expect congress to continue to be dysfunctional. I am thankful that everyone in this country has access to affordable healthcare. I am thankful for all who served this country and no longer have to go to Iraq and soon will no longer be in Afghanistan. I can only wish that prejudice would someday be eliminated; but after thousands of years of hate, it seems like an impossibility.

Have a happy and thankful Thanksgiving.

The election is over.

I am so happy the election is over. The attack adds are horrible. Why can't political candidates be for something instead of against. The Republicans now hold a majority in both houses of congress. The question is can they get anything done; or will the President set new records for veto legislation?

President Obama's approval rating is low, 41.8%. But the question is why? The stock market has set records. Oil prices are falling. Unemployment is at a 6 year low; 32% lower than when Obama took office. Troops are home from Iraq and Afghanistan where G. W. Bush sent them. We have affordable healthcare; something that most of the EU has had for decades. I believe that history, and not the Republicans, will be look on the Obama presidency as one of the most progressive since FDR's.

McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission coupled with many voters being swayed by political advertising has changed the complexion of the government of the USA. I don't believe that history will be as kind to the Roberts court as the Obama administration. It may be time to think about relocating to Belize or Costa Rica.

What is wrong with the senate?

Do you see anything wrong with this? Maybe it could be corrected by combining some of the lesser populated states? North, Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Utah would make a nicely populated state. Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire would still be a small state. While we are at it, just give Rhode Island as a county to Massachusetts; Delaware and Maryland to Virginia and throw in West Virginia for good measure.

Size rank	State	Population	number of Senators
37	West Virginia	1,852,994	2
38	Nebraska	1,826,341	2
39	Idaho	1,567,582	2
40	Hawaii	1,360,301	2
41	Maine	1,328,361	2
42	New Hampshire	1,316,470	2
43	Rhode Island	1,052,567	2
44	Montana	989,415	2
45	Delaware	897,934	2
46	South Dakota	814,180	2
47	Alaska	710,231	2
48	North Dakota	672,591	2
49	Vermont	625,741	2
50	Wyoming	563,626	2
		15,578,334	28
		Average population/senator	556,369
Size rank	State	Population	number of Senators
1	California	37,253,956	2
2	Texas	25,145,561	2
3	New York	19,378,102	2
4	Florida	18,801,310	2
5	Illinois	12,830,632	2
6	Pennsylvania	12,702,379	2
7	Ohio	11,536,504	2
8	Michigan	9,883,640	2
9	Georgia	9,687,653	2
10	North Carolina	9,535,483	2
11	New Jersey	8,791,894	2
12	Virginia	8,001,024	2
13	Washington	6,724,540	2
14	Massachusetts	6,547,629	2
		196,820,307	28
		Average population/senator	7,029,297