May 23, 2017

UNREAD




I am reading about politics right now.  I try hard not to listen to Trump, to his ideas, to his ranting, or to other’s talking about him, but I am paying attention to the political thinking in Historian Arthur Schlesinger JR’s “Journals.”

In January 1973, he writes, “The constitution is premised on the assumption that Presidents of the United States will be basically reasonable men, ultimately sensitive to their constitutional responsibilities.  There really is no procedure for dealing with nuts.” 

In January of 1974 he remarks, “As a historian it has been fascinating to observe the process of rediscovering the ability of our Founding Fathers to foresee the problems of out polity.”  I find myself glued to his words on LBJ and Nixon so clearly placed to ring in my mind with clarity.  I reassess my thinking on LBJ after reading that he considered both shits.  He should have been alive for Trump.  I would have loved reading his thoughts on this president.

On February 12, 1979, he wrote,  “…I seem to have done nothing substantial since finishing the RFK book nine months ago.  God knows where the time has gone.  I have been working as long and as hard as ever; but I have frittered the hours away in a variety of stupid and transient tasks.  I have not even done what I promised myself to do for years – straighten out the books in the house and get rid of as many as I can.” 

It’s always nice to know that others have the same problems as you do – getting rid of unread books.


                                                                     
  • Himself:  Fine when he wears a brace.  When he takes it off, his knee balloons.  Today pool, hot  tub, work, and after dinner take the truck to rescue the Friday meetings abandoned BBQ grill.
  • Herself:  Yesterday class, today clean out truck, check out books at store, fix dinner then help load BBQ.  Every home needs a pick up truck.  LOL
  • Reading:  ”Journals.”
  • Gratitude’s:  Well edited historical thinking.


7 comments:

  1. Now you have me wanting to read Schlesinger's journals. We are all forgetting what is was like when reasonable men had discourse. I listened to a podcast of NYT journalists who complained that it was very hard to report on the news when the President would say the exact opposite of either his staff or himself within a day. God help us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You will enjoy them as I am. Yes, you should see what Schlesinger has to say about the Times. LOl I'm off to ABE books to see if I can get a copy of these Journals.

      Delete
    2. I found hardbounds on Alibras for 99 cents. The shipping was more than the book.

      Delete
  2. I avoid the news regarding that man, which is easier to do from this country I imagine. I don't worry as much if I do but I still have this feeling of dread about the world.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I commend you...reading about politics is not fun and is not easy.....

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, dealing with nuts, indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  5. He'd certainly have some grist for the mill now.

    ReplyDelete

postcards

Celebration of Life