Thursday, PD wrote about the UCC 2006 Our Faith Our Vote Organizers Kit and asked if he should Take Action.

He ended by asking

Good idea, bad idea? Too much church in politics? I really am curious. Should I send off for the kit, so we can use it here?

Talk to me.

And it got me thinking about the whole church in politics thing. Or, more accurately, the presence of politics in church.

Follow me (or not) for more political science wonkery...

I just got back from watching a terrific performance by a taiko group that calls themselves Okame Daiko. It's a group of women, the oldest of whom will turn 85 on Monday and the youngest certainly qualifies for full Social Security benefits.

Promoted by PD.

the United States in aiming to maintain itself as one of the most enlightened of nations would do its citizens gross injustice if it applied to its international relations any other than a high standard of honor and morality. On that ground the United States can not properly be put in the position of countenancing a wrong after its commission any more than in that of consenting to it in advance. On that ground it can not allow itself to refuse to redress an injury inflicted through an abuse of power by officers clothed with its authority and wearing its uniform; and on the same ground, if a feeble but friendly state is in danger of being robbed of its independence and its sovereignty by a misuse of the name and power of the United States, the United States can not fail to vindicate its honor and its sense of justice by an earnest effort to make all possible reparation. December 18, 1893. President Grover Cleveland

United Church of Christ minister Kaleo Patterson, Ha'aheo Guanson, and Coochie Caya visited the tombstone of President Grover Cleveland in Princeton, New Jersey.

Fun with Federalism

If ours were a parliamentary system, Bush would have had to resign by now.
Thomas Friedman, NYT Nov. 23, 2005.

Sad as it may be (and possibly for reasons other than that cited by Friedman), the US does not have a parliamentary system. We have, instead of presidential system which allows for a not-so-direct election of the chief executive (sigh, let's not talk about the electoral college right now, okay?) and a clear separation of powers between the legislative and executive branches.

The US Constitution also establishes a relationship between the national government and the 50 states which we call federalism. To get a clue as to why this was necessary, go read James Madison's Federalist Papers No. 10. I'll wait for you on the other side...

Promoted by PD. So far, this series is on a roll.

Last week, in our inaugural diary in this series, I talked about liberalism as the foundational political ideology of the US and, indeed, most western democratic nation/states. Today, I want to continue that discussion, first by looking at how the principles of liberalism are embedded in our Constitution (ahem, you did do your homework, right?) and a glimpse at how those principles play out (or don't) 200 years later.

But, first--a few announcements...

Recently, the good Pastor Dan asked me for recommendations for a basic political science textbook. Why would he ask moi such a thing? Well, ridiculous as it may sound (and, believe me, it is still ridiculous to me), a real life accredited institution of higher education actually bestowed upon me a doctorate in political science.

While I'm not currently teaching, I have taught courses in political science and (gasp!) women's studies, primarily in American Government and media. My interests, as far as this stuff is concerned, lie in the areas of legal and feminist theory and my perspective is skewed by the wild and wacky world of postmodernism. Technically, I'm a political theorist. That means I get to make stuff up and other people get to tell me I'm full of shit. My job, as a teacher, is to help people make meaning in the world.

After the good Pastor asked me his question, I asked him if he thought it would be worthwhile if I did a Political Science 101 series of diaries. He, and some other fools, thought this would be a worthwhile project. If you're game, follow me to the flip side.

This is not one of those diaries that wanted to write itself. In fact, I've been struggling to put it in some kind of narrative framework for the past week.

It can't be done. I have not been able to find structure or metaphor which will allow words to capture the truly amazing journey I took across New England in the last week of October. It was about food. It was about foliage. Most importantly, it was about friends.

Warning: heavy image loading ahead

Heh. Not. But I am doing some serious pimping here, so lissen up.

Our very own Bill in Portland Maine has an amazing opportunity this weekend and he is asking all Kossacks to join in and participate in it with him.

And, no, it doesn't involve  hottubs. Or pooties. Or pea flicking.

It will however involve the incomparable DNC Chair Dr. Howard Dean and Bill wants to pass along your love to him.

Go see I'm Seeing Dean this Weekend and get your message hand-delivered to Dr. Dean.