Year-End Thoughts from The Guru
The server at the Pie Plate Bakery and Cafe in Virgil set two coffees and two slices of pie in front of us---apple for the Guru and pumpkin for me.
As I looked at the pieces of pie, I thought it was wrong to refer to the Pie Plate's pie as 'pie'. It is like referring to a filet mignon as a 'chunk of beef'. 'Pie' is what you get at a normal restaurant. The scratch-baked, flaky-crusted and deep-fruited creations of this restaurant deserve some better appellation.
Probably a French name starting with 'tarte'---something that conveys the ambrosial nature of the restaurant's desserts.
The Guru brought me back from my reverie by pulling a package from his pocket and carefully unwrapping it.
"What's that?", I asked.
"It's 6 year-old cheddar from the Maple Dale cheese factory. When you have apple pie as great as this, you have to combine it with a cheddar that is equally great."
He placed the cheese on the plate beside the apple pie, and then combined a small piece of cheese with a forkful of pie.
I said, "Looking at your obvious pleasure, I'm tempted to say to the server, 'I'll have what he's having' "
"That was a great movie!"
My pie was delicious as well---the same crust with a smooth, creamy pumpkin filling, subtly seasoned, and topped with a generous mound of real whipped cream.
We were meeting after the Guru had emailed me a draft of his year-end newsletter to his subscribers and asked if we could discuss it over coffee and pie at the Pie Plate---his treat.
How could I refuse?
"What did you think of the draft newsletter?", he asked.
"I liked it a lot, but I have some comments and questions."
"OK, shoot".
"I thought the first part, on the events of 2011, was very strong. Your analysis of the Arab Spring was excellent---its causes and the reasons for its remarkable success. As were your forecasts for the Arab Spring's impact in other countries, for example the likely outcome of the events in Syria, the Occupy movements and the recent protests in Russia.
I carried on, "I also liked your section on the Republican primary campaign. Let me read part of it:
" 'Pundits are asking why the field of Republican candidates is so weak, when Obama continues to face terrible economic problems. Why aren't leaders like Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, Mitch Daniels or others running?
"I think there are three reasons. First, anyone in the While House has a built in advantage and Obama, as a powerful campaigner, is likely to use that advantage with great effect.
"Second, the four years from 2012 to 2016 are going to be tough, economically, as the country climbs out of George Bush's financial crisis. Why not let Obama slog through all that misery, and then run in 2016 when the economy is getting back to normal?
"The third is perhaps the most powerful. Strong Republicans understand that Obama is running not against the Republican Party, but against the greedoholics---whom I have written about before (see Posting #1). The greedoholics have controlled the GOP for the last couple of decades and have made it a party where---as Bill Clinton has joked---if you want to run for office you have to pretend to have an IQ in single digits. You have to deny or be sceptical about obvious truths such as climate change, evolution, and the income gap. The strong Republicans are sitting back hoping that Obama will defeat or at least weaken the greedoholics, and thus give them back their party.' "
I paused, took off my reading glasses, and said, "I thought your third point was really telling. Just think if Obama is able to restore a functioning two party system in which the parties can disagree on their philosophy of government but still be willing to compromise! No more ridiculous pledges to never raise taxes! No more filibusters based on irrational ideological arguments about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin!"
"Yes, if Obama can accomplish that he would deserve a place on Mount Rushmore. Other comments?"
"A couple. Your comments on the Republican attacks on Obama's so-called 'leadership deficiencies' were well done. You point out that leadership is not always about being in front of the troops, leading them into battle. Rather it is about carefully selecting the style of leadership that is appropriate for a particular situation. The Republicans are just frustrated at how skilful Obama has been in choosing the right leadership style, whether it is in the slaying of Osama bin Laden, the removal of Khadafy, or getting payroll tax changes through Congress."
The Guru nodded, "As I said in the draft, the Republican attacks on his leadership are just politics---they don't believe their own 'talking points'---but what bothers me is that media pundits get sucked into responding and into discussing 'What's wrong with Obama's leadership style?'; or, 'Is he a weak leader?'.
I agreed, "You know I have thought for some time that media commentators need some kind of accreditation so that readers or listeners can judge whether they know what they are talking about. My thought is that a bipartisan group would be set up to develop three tests: one on national politics; another on international affairs; and one on economics. Taking the tests would be voluntary and pundits who successfully passed would be able to display a symbol after their by-line on columns or blogs. On television, the symbol would appear after their name in that little box beneath their image."
"I like that idea, May I steal it for this newsletter?"
"Be my guest," I said. "My last comment was about your prediction for the 2012 Presidential race. I agree with you that at the moment it looks like Obama will be re-elected. I notice that Ladbrokes has him as the odds-on-favourite at 4/5, while Romney and Gingrich are both at 7/2 . I also agree with your newsletter that a lot can go wrong between now and November 2012. Could I just suggest that you consider changing the quote you use, 'A week is a lifetime in politics'? The quote is actually from Harold Wilson who said, 'A week is a long time in politics'.
"It doesn't have the same punch but let me think about that."
"A similar comment was made by Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. When asked by a journalist what was most likely to blow his government off course he replied with that Etonian, upper class accent, 'Events, dear boy, events'."
"MacMillan was right---he was obviously thinking of the Profumo scandal---but who can know what impact 'events' will have on the 2012 race."
The server brought our bill.
After grabbing it, the Guru went back to scraping his plate with his fork, trying to get every smidgen of pie and cheese.
"Watch", I joked, "you'll take the glaze off that plate!"
He smiled, "It's so good!"
As we got up, he said, "Thank you for your help with the newsletter".
"Anytime."
We wished each other a Merry Christmas and promised to get back together in February, after he has finished picking and crushing his icewine grapes, and I have returned from a research visit overseas.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
If you have any comments, please leave them below or drop me a line at johnpathunter@gmail.com. The next Icewine Guru posting will appear in the fullness of time. My other blog, The Letter from Virgil, (http://letterfromvirgil.blogspot.com/) normally appears every Sunday morning but will be on holiday until February 12, 2012.
