A Reflection On Our Nation's 250th Birthday

 Speaker Mike Johnson sent House members home early for the July 4th recess. They are not scheduled to return to Washington until July 13th. His reason for sending members home early? He knew there would not be enough votes for Donald Trump's Save America Act. So, instead of enduring a defeat and receiving a rebuke from Trump, Johnson adjourned yesterday's session.

It is a sorry state of affairs when we consider that the House has abdicated its duties and the so-called Great American State Fair is essentially void of crowds. I blame both the Trump Administration and the Republican Party for our current pathetic situation.

I was a Republican back in the 70's and 80's. The party was very different back then. I am not saying the present Democratic Party is perfect by any means. Democrats need to get their act together, which means stopping all the infighting between moderates and progressives within the party. Sadly, the Republican Party I was once part of is now filled with Trump ass-lickers. While there are some recent defectors from the Trump cult, Democrats will nevertheless have to work hard to achieve victories in the upcoming midterms and the 2028 presidential election.

Taxpayers are providing a lot of money for a dysfunctional Congress. We deserve better. Members of both parties need to engage in some serious reflection on the occasion of our nation's 250th birthday. It is a time to look at our past, present and future. Each elected representative should be asking a simple but important question: "How can we become better as a society?"

Bernstein and Karajan: A Study in Contrast

This cartoon captured my attention this morning. I studied the careers and conducting styles of the late Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan intently. Their approaches to conducting and interacting with musicians were as different as night and day.

Leonard Bernstein was a force of nature. I have addressed his talent as a composer in a previous post. His conducting was electric! He totally immersed himself in the music and communicated with orchestras with much passion. He valued what musicians offered, and their mutual respect resulted in collaborative concerts.

Herbert von Karajan produced many wonderful concerts. However, he was rigid and very much in control of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. I always felt his conducting style was rather unusual, in that he had his eyes closed during entire performances. He claimed this helped him to concentrate on scores. While many have dismissed this as simply a reflection of his desire for perfection, I preferred Leonard Bernstein's eye contact with musicians.

Both Leonard Bernstein and Herbert von Karajan built reputations for being two of the greatest conductors in the history of orchestral music. I personally preferred Leonard Bernstein's style, but this does not diminish the quality of Karajan's recordings.

As a side-note, the late Claudio Abbado replaced Herbert von Karajan. I loved Abbado's style of conducting, and the Berlin Philharmonic openly welcomed him to the podium. In fact, Abbado and the orchestra signed an agreement that brought about a 50/50 partnership between them, resulting in joint decisions on musical performances, as opposed to the complete control exercised by Karajan.

Tribute to President Harry Truman

Whenever I consider the wealth Donald Trump has accumulated while in the White House, I reflect back to Harry Truman, who was the President when I was born. Truman came from modest means, and continued to live modestly when he left office. There was no presidential pension during his lifetime, so he made due with his savings and Social Security. As he left the White House for the final time, he was not flown by Air Force One or a helicopter to his home in Independence, Missouri. He actually drove his own car there, and he had only a few Secret Service agents to protect himself and his family during his remaining years.

If he were still alive, Harry Truman would be shocked by the luxury that defines Donald Trump. He would be especially appalled by the money Trump has made while in office and the structures being built to honor himself.

Obviously much has changed since Harry Truman left office in 1953 after two terms. However, presidents nevertheless are required to adhere to the Emoluments Clause in the Constitution that restricts sources of gifts and outside income. Donald Trump continues to ignore this and Republicans remain silent. We need a president with the character and modesty of Harry Truman. This can come about if we vote wisely in the 2028 presidential election.

Tribute to Harold Russell

 A movie I have seen perhaps more times than any other is THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES. It was made in 1946 and focuses on the return of World War II veterans to the U.S. It features a stellar cast, including the relatively unknown Harold Russell, who lost both of his hands in combat. His character in the film echoes some of his real-life experiences.

I had the honor of meeting Harold Russell when he came to Rochester, NY for a special screening of THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES at the George Eastman House. I am glad I had an opportunity to share with him how much the movie meant to me, and how his character and real life experiences resonated with me.

There is a sad story concerning Harold Russell I will never forget. Having lost both his hands, it was difficult for him to get film roles following THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES. He fell on hard times, and sold his Best Supporting Actor Oscar statue. Many actors and actresses rallied to his aid, and got the statue back to him, in addition to assisting him financially.

If you have never seen this movie, I encourage you to do so. In my estimation, it is a masterpiece, well deserving of the multiple awards it received.

The Presence of the Grim Reaper

 The Grim Reaper has been busy in my circle in recent years. My best estimate is that around three-quarters of my friends, relatives, former classmates and co-workers are now in cemeteries. It seems that each week I am receiving notice of yet another death. At age 76, I should not be surprised by this. However, it serves as a reminder that despite my good health, we never know when the Grim Reaper is going to visit.

I have come to realize that I have perhaps wasted much of the past ten years issuing warnings about Donald Trump. In some respects, I have been preaching to the choir, in that MAGA remains a strong force, despite warnings from myself and like-minded persons. I would like to leave this world knowing that the next generation can look forward to a brighter future than what we have experienced with Trump and his entourage. This is why it is important for potential candidates for public office to run for the right reasons, placing constituents ahead of themselves.

I will most likely continue to issue occasional warnings about Donald Trump. However, I have also increasingly immersed myself in the world of classical music, which was a huge part of my past. I also hope to write a book about people who were important in my life, and how my life was shaped for better or worse by my experiences and interactions. If I can pass some life lessons onto the next generation, I will have done my part in countering the dark place we are currently in.

A President from Modest Means Needed

 I am beginning to think that perhaps we need a president who comes from modest means, perhaps similar to Abraham Lincoln or Jimmy Carter. We have witnessed, with much disdain, what happens when a person of wealth, and greed to match, comes to the White House. Once money becomes an addiction, even the presidency won't stop a person like Donald Trump from pursuing ways of lining his pockets.

A president's salary is currently $400,000 annually, in addition to some perks that come with the office. Most presidents have adhered to the stipulations in the Emoluments Clause, which restrict gifts and financial gains directly related to the presidency. Donald Trump has used every opportunity to enrich himself financially, and his family members have benefited greatly as well.

After enduring almost 1-1/2 terms of Trump's presidency, I am inclined to vote for someone from modest means. Just because a candidate is a multi-millionaire, even if successful in business ventures, doesn't mean that such a person will be empathetic toward persons with meager existences. Trump, for example, doesn't understand what it means to carefully budget to account for rising grocery or gas prices. He has never shopped in a grocery store, nor has he ever filled his own gas tank.

The next presidential primary races will soon be upon us. We don't want another wealthy narcissist in the White House. We rather need someone who places others before himself/herself. Empathy also needs to be a primary characteristic of anyone serving in the Oval Office. This means that anyone like Donald Trump need not apply.

Tribute to the Late Gustav Mahler

During the past few weeks, I have been spending much time with the music of one of my all-time favorite composers, Gustav Mahler. If it had not been for the persistence of Leonard Bernstein, Mahler's musical scores may have never been retrieved and played by multiple orchestras.

Gustav Mahler died in 1911 at the age of 50. During his lifetime, he found it challenging to balance his composing and conducting talents. His efforts were further complicated by anti-Semitism that was prevalent throughout much of Eastern Europe. In order to be appointed to sought-after positions, he found it necessary to convert from Judaism to Christianity. While his talents were received with much acclaim during his lifetime, Hitler banned Mahler's music because of his Jewish roots. His scores might have been lost forever, if it had not been for the tireless efforts of Leonard Bernstein.

Following his long tenure with the New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein became the music director of the Vienna Philharmonic. Some members of the orchestra were holdovers from the Hitler era, so there was some resistance when Bernstein insisted upon the orchestra performing Mahler's music. Bernstein's persistence worked, and the music of Gustav Mahler was not only played in Vienna, but was quickly embraced by worldwide orchestras and audiences.

My personal favorite Mahler symphonies are his #1, 2, 3, 5, 8 & 9. His symphonies and song-cycles are masterpieces. My favorite interpreters of Mahler's symphonies were the late Leonard Bernstein and Claudio Abbado. My favorite current conductors of his music are Andreas Delfs and Gustavo Dudamel.

While many of my recent Facebook posts have been political, it is a joy for me to occasionally share my love of classical music. Brenda and I have been spending a lot of time in recent weeks watching videos of Mahler symphonies and have come to appreciate the genius of each music phrase composed by this remarkable man.