The Economic Grinch who Stole Christmas

So I am watching the classic story of the "Grinch who Stole Christmas," and it seems eerily familiar.  Oh yes, old man economy has come and stolen Christmas from many whos this year.  All around us are stories of plants and businesses closing and people loosing their jobs.  Those who still have jobs are taking pay cuts or are hedging to save money for fear of uncertainty about the what the new year will bring.

There is one bright lining, though.  Just like in the story, many of the whos who have been victims of the economy are taking the downturn in stride and finding ways to celebrate the season sans the overspending and debt accumulation. 

If there is something to be learned about this grinch of an economy is that we are resilient and that we can make it through anything.  Our common humanity has the ability to lift us to heights we do not often realize we are capable.  Maybe I am thinking a little pie in the sky, but what I see for the most part is people coming together to take care of each other.  I hear about children who console their parents for the inability to provide over-the-top Christmas'.   I see people celebrating the little the things, like a smile and a thank you.

It may get worse before it gets better, but have faith and keep your head up . . . this too shall pass. 

Qualified

Okay, so I am paying attention to all this buzz about Caroline Kennedy's expressed desire to be appointed to Hilary Clinton's presumptive vacant US Senate seat.  The issue appears to be that she may not be "qualified."  If you will recall this same issue was raised about Barack Obama, and for the life of me I just do not get it.  Well . . . yes I do.  I get it, but I am angry about it.  We complain about the US education system failing our children and that our current system is far below the systems of other developed nations, yet we talk about and publish stories such as this, which are nothing more than misleading and plain wrong.  There are only three qualifications to be a US Senator, which are that "No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained the age of thirty, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen."  In other words, one must be 1) 30 years old, 2) a US citizen for 9 years, and 3) an inhabitant of the state where elected, when elected.  To my knowledge, Caroline Kennedy meets all of these qualifications.  

More important is the concept of a government of the people, for the people, and by the people. The fact that Caroline is not a "seasoned," politician is exactly what qualifies her for the position.   It is her fresh eyes and lack of ties to special interests that will allow her to excel at her job as Senator.  That she comes from a heritage of politics uniquely prepares her for the political ringer that she is about to be put through.

I am not a New Yorker, and will likely not have a vote or say in the next NY Senate race, but I do feel strongly that we need to stop "qualifying" and "disqualifying" potential candidates based on who we consider to be "next in line" because they have paid their "political due."  To continue this asinine practice only discourages the average, or not so average, citizen to do exactly what they should do, which is get involved.  If we keep holding out that House and Senate seats are reserved for a select few, we will become a country trapped in cycles bound to impede our movement towards evolution.  After all, didn't we learn anything from Barack Obama.