Saturday, June 7, 2008 was a warm day throughout most of America.
O.U.T.R.A.G.E. volunteers in St. Kitts, and across the country, were busy preparing for the upcoming November elections. New political parties were being introduced; new candidates were being put through an orientation program designed to refresh their memories as to the importance of patriotism, selflessness, and servitude. Elementary school Civics courses were part of that program.
Other O.U.T.R.A.G.E. members were still working with rescue and recovery efforts. Still others were concentrating on rebuilding infrastructures, reforming political processes, or promoting specific resolutions that were intended to be on the November 4th ballot as public referendums. The AROB Group was the motivational arm of O.U.T.R.A.G.E., criss-crossing the country in an effort to build a groundswell of support for the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. movement, enhance a new patriotism within the American consciousness, and pump up weary O.U.T.R.A.G.E. volunteers. The 'Rebellion of '08' had wreaked a lot of havoc - and the hurricane and earthquake that followed only served to shatter the American spirit. Many citizens seemed defeated, exhausted. Some lost the will to carry on. It was reminiscent of what millions of Europeans must have gone through during Wolrd War II. Still, perserverance perservered. There were many more millions who were ready to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and start all over again - and, more surprisingly, there were many millions of Americans willing to help others do the same.
The days of "All for One, ME" seemed to have disappeared as people recognized that such a monumental rebuilding task would require a gargantuan team effort. It had been not yet five months since the 'Rebellion o '08' changed the course of America's social, economic, and political dynasties.
"In twenty days, I'll be 78 years old," said the squeaky voice over a secured phone line to Colin Powell's office in St. Kitts. "I might not be the man I used to be, but I'd like to help in any way I can." It was H. Ross Perot, former Presidential candidate in 1992, vocal critic of dirty politics and inept corporate bunglings, and self-made billionaire who started out as a star salesman for IBM, before the behemoth company was affectionately known as 'Big Blue". Powell embraced Perot's offer of assistance, and invited him to St. Kitts for a high-level conference with other O.U.T.R.A.G.E.volunteers. Even at his advanced age, Perot had the vigor and vitality of a man in his fifties. He was full of great ideas, had enormous financial resources, and plenty of influence in political and business circles.
Perot acknowledged that he was wary about the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. organization, and kept his distance for months, just to see "what you guys were really up to". Now convinced that O.U.T.R.A.G.E. had the best interests of his beloved United States at heart, Perot wanted to jump in and be a part of it. Powell and McCain knew how much Perot liked the limelight, and also remembered what a phenomenal presence he cast over the '92 elections. He had won 19% of the popular vote after putting together a band of political rebels in a relatively short period of time. He had scared the beJesus out of many career politicians. The question was: how could O.U.T.R.A.G.E. best use Perot's extensive resources and multiple talents?
O.U.T.R.A.G.E. volunteers in St. Kitts, and across the country, were busy preparing for the upcoming November elections. New political parties were being introduced; new candidates were being put through an orientation program designed to refresh their memories as to the importance of patriotism, selflessness, and servitude. Elementary school Civics courses were part of that program.
Other O.U.T.R.A.G.E. members were still working with rescue and recovery efforts. Still others were concentrating on rebuilding infrastructures, reforming political processes, or promoting specific resolutions that were intended to be on the November 4th ballot as public referendums. The AROB Group was the motivational arm of O.U.T.R.A.G.E., criss-crossing the country in an effort to build a groundswell of support for the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. movement, enhance a new patriotism within the American consciousness, and pump up weary O.U.T.R.A.G.E. volunteers. The 'Rebellion of '08' had wreaked a lot of havoc - and the hurricane and earthquake that followed only served to shatter the American spirit. Many citizens seemed defeated, exhausted. Some lost the will to carry on. It was reminiscent of what millions of Europeans must have gone through during Wolrd War II. Still, perserverance perservered. There were many more millions who were ready to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and start all over again - and, more surprisingly, there were many millions of Americans willing to help others do the same.
The days of "All for One, ME" seemed to have disappeared as people recognized that such a monumental rebuilding task would require a gargantuan team effort. It had been not yet five months since the 'Rebellion o '08' changed the course of America's social, economic, and political dynasties.
"In twenty days, I'll be 78 years old," said the squeaky voice over a secured phone line to Colin Powell's office in St. Kitts. "I might not be the man I used to be, but I'd like to help in any way I can." It was H. Ross Perot, former Presidential candidate in 1992, vocal critic of dirty politics and inept corporate bunglings, and self-made billionaire who started out as a star salesman for IBM, before the behemoth company was affectionately known as 'Big Blue". Powell embraced Perot's offer of assistance, and invited him to St. Kitts for a high-level conference with other O.U.T.R.A.G.E.volunteers. Even at his advanced age, Perot had the vigor and vitality of a man in his fifties. He was full of great ideas, had enormous financial resources, and plenty of influence in political and business circles.
Perot acknowledged that he was wary about the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. organization, and kept his distance for months, just to see "what you guys were really up to". Now convinced that O.U.T.R.A.G.E. had the best interests of his beloved United States at heart, Perot wanted to jump in and be a part of it. Powell and McCain knew how much Perot liked the limelight, and also remembered what a phenomenal presence he cast over the '92 elections. He had won 19% of the popular vote after putting together a band of political rebels in a relatively short period of time. He had scared the beJesus out of many career politicians. The question was: how could O.U.T.R.A.G.E. best use Perot's extensive resources and multiple talents?
posted by Bushwacker! at 5:29 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home