Different Slants

In June of this year, I wrote a heartfelt opinion piece about ten very specific things that Obama should do, when, not if  he’s elected, to help America be all it can be for the greatest number of its citizens.

You can click here: http://www.differentslants.com/2008/06/12/obama-a-blueprint-for-a-better-america-this-is-what-you-should-do-dont-waste-your-time-by-robert-m-katzman/ and read each item and see for yourself if you agree with me.

I knew Obama would smash through the primaries and arrive at this point today, four days before a momentous election in this country, because there is a momentum to history and sometimes, positive forces among men and women become too powerful to hold back, and a good man with wonderful qualities is put in the position to positively affect millions of lives.

We’re in a period similar to when Herbert Hoover was this country’s President during the Great Depression’s earliest years, just before FDR was swept into power by that same sort of unstoppable momentum. So much was going wrong for so many ordinary, hopeless, jobless people, that a man with energy, good will, an imagination and a first-class mind was too essential to the survival of the nation to not be given the opportunity to turn this country around.

That is the same situation we’re in now, except that in fact, Herbert Hoover was a man with good intentions and a generous heart who did much to organize and feed the starving post World War One Europeans, but was somehow not temperamentally suited to be our President. It happens. Hoover was fundamentally a decent man in the wrong executive position.

George Bush with his thieving, scheming, self-serving gang of incompetents with their blatant indifference to this nation’s terribly frightened and suffering average people whom he has surrounded himself with, is not.

The price we will pay in too many ways, long into our nation’s future because of the bottom-of-the-barrel gang of them, is a signal to the voting population that NOT voting gets you the worst common denominator. And if anyone is “common” it’s Bush. America deserve a higher level of motivation and intelligence than has been on display nationally and regrettably, internationally, for the last eight years.

There are tens of millions of wonderful, decent, caring, responsible people who believe in the Republican philosophy of governing, and I respect that. But unfortunately, Abraham Lincoln or Teddy Roosevelt are not available right now, when we need them, so vote for a man as good as either of them: Barak Obama.

God save us, we sure need the best we can get, right now. Please vote. Thank you!

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Note from the Author:

Robert M. Katzman, owner of Fighting Words Publishing Company, with four different titles currently in print and over 4,000 books sold to date, is seeking more retail outlets for his vivid and non-fiction inspirational books: 

Independent bookstores, Jewish and other religious organizations, Chicago historical societies or groups, English teachers who want a new voice in their class who was a witness to history, book clubs, high schools or museum gift shops.  I will support anyone who supports me by giving readings in the Chicago Metro area.  I have done this over 40 times, and I always sign my books, when asked.  Everyone, positively everyone, asks.  I was amazed, at first, by that.

Individuals who wish to order my books can view the four book covers and see reviews of them at www.FightingWordsPubco.com 

There are links to YouTube and podcasts, as well.  Or, anyone can call me directly at (847) 274-1474.  Googling my name will also produce all kinds of unusual results.  That other Robert M. Katzman, now deceased, whose name will also appear and who also published, was a doctor.  He actually bought one of my books!  Such a nice man.  Rest in peace, Dr. Katzman.

There will be short poems, stories and essays published in this space every two weeks by either myself or my co-blogist Richard G. Munden, or both.  If you find our postings thought provoking, moving or even amusing, please tell others to come view this site.  We will find our strength in your numbers.

 Next year, I will publish my fifth book, a collection of my best poetry and essays, called,

        I Seek the Praise of Ordinary Men

Individuals who know of independent bookstores that might be interested in a rough-hewn guy like me, who ran a chain of newsstands for 20 years in Chicago, please tell them about my books, will you?  I am partial to independent bookstores, having owned two, myself, until my last one was killed by the giant chains, in 1994. I still miss it. 

I’m also looking to find someone who would want to make a play out of some of my stories in the Chicago area, so I could go there and do some readings sometimes.  I think there’s enough honest sex, drugs and rock n’ roll to hold anyone’s interest, as well as a lot of authentic dialogue from ordinary people in extraordinary situations.  I think the plays would work anywhere, frankly, in some intimate theater with talented actors.