The Unconquerable Crown

If you were looking for the synonym for a good time, it’s found with the exclamation: “PREAK-NESS!”. Preakness, for my classmates, started with travel plans for getting to Baltimore. Because of parking limitations, only Seniors can keep cars on campus. But enough seats were found, including some in an RV. Baltimore promised a cheaper, less stuffy night on the town; and the neighborhood bars provided opportunity for young, white working-class Baltimorean ladies to meet the collegiate, yet salty, types. Preakness occurred on Saturday. In high school, some of the “cool” kids went to Preakness. What it was to them was beach week- without the local NIMBY (not in my backyard) types looking to shut down the party. Saturday was the race day. It was a day for casual button-down attire (unbuttoned shirts skirted the shirt-and-shoes requirement). Among the festivities, California Chrome won the second race of the Triple Crown at 6:10 betting odds. (A friend took home $160 off a $100 bet for the horse). When Belmont approached, there was pretty good hype about the dwindling sport. I’m not a horse fan, but I paid attention. And there are of course some who see horse racing as an outdated practice, where these pampered horses mask a bleak, invisible world we’d rather not see. But California Chrome, the horse with potential, was easy to make comparisons to legendary race horses of lore. I remarked about the similarity between the legendary Seabiscuit (though never a Triple Crown winner) and the horse in question, California Chrome. On the first note, neither horse was supposed to be a winner. Seabiscuit was too small. Chrome wasn’t of good pedigree. They were bought from the bargain bin. And both horses were photogenic, and both liked to sleep a lot. But, as has happened 12 times since 1978, a hyped horse, twice winner, is tripped up by the extra ¼ mile of the Belmont racetrack. Through a special military member deal with the racetrack, a number of Kings Point midshipmen were able to attend the race- rather, event- where history could be made. I was pre-scheduled with a swanky event in downtown Manhattan with the Port Engineers of New York during the start time of 6:52pm. For those at Belmont, and those watching on TV, there were several hours of hype before the marquee event. In three minutes, it was over. After California Chrome came in two horse-lengths short, it was time to move on with life. Because of the way the spur track was designed, the special racetrack train station couldn’t handle the crowd. After an hour to two of human gridlock, the MTA fixed the problem with shuttle buses to the main transfer point some 10 minutes away. Also happening in New York that night was a Rangers’ hockey playoff game. Yes, I remember, because it was standing-room only, with heavy police presence, heading back to Kings Point. That was when I found out that I hadn’t missed history. In 1978, the last year that a horse, Affirmed, won the three races (Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont), Gerald Ford was President, Vermont voted Republican, and the drinking age at Belmont, in New York, was 18. While they might card for drinks today, they still turn a blind eye to some things at the race track: I have a classmate who grew up in Baltimore near the racetrack. In high school, he netted a small profit on the horses. “18 to bet on the horses? I don’t know about that”. It is of note that the Triple Crown was conquered in 1973 and 1977 as well.

Rationalizing the GOP's Kamizake on the Minimum Wage

The Republicans in congress are repeating the tired argument that, despite the rate of inflation since 2007, any increase in the minimum wage would derail the economic recovery. To their credit, though, the Congressional Budget Office reported that many jobs could disappear at Obama’s desired $10.10 minimum wage. Indeed, job shops like coupon processing centers; and fast food outlets, which rely on lots of low-cost labor, would be hurt if their labor costs increased by 39% (not including the Health Care mandate)- the proposed change in the minimum wage. Tell me a business that has a 40% profit margin, and I’ll like to be in it. This is the math that many small and medium business owners and managers face. It is these owners and managers who make campaign contributions and attend local GOP dinners. They are also the ones who show up at the voting booth. Yes, since the days of Abe Lincoln, the GOP has always been the party of business owners and professionals. Now what about the working-class voters who supposedly replaced the liberal professionals in the GOP? Not as large as a problem as the media makes it out to be. The majority of the minimum wage and working-class workers are in thrall to the Democratic Party already. Seeing the results from the 2012 Presidential Election, the majority of those making less than $30,000 per year (or $15 per hour) rejected the candidate who derided the 47%. The common theme is that working class whites vote Republican because of social issues and cultural concerns, against their economic self-interest. But this is not entirely true, since Bubba might say: “The illegal immigrants are taking our jobs”. Or, the pest exterminator’s apprentice, who is worried that the EPA will increase their paperwork burden. Anyhow, the Democrats believe that they have a winning message in wanting to raise the minimum wage. Or, on the flip side, make the GOP look like a bunch of bitter, stingy grinches. To the middle class Republican voting base, making $30,000 per year, but not yet a manager or owner, $7.25 versus $10 per hour is semantics. Perhaps, even, they are worried that they will lose a pay raise, as wages are redistributed downwards in businesses with tight margins. To others, it becomes a matter of perception of the GOP: Do you feel that your party cares about the working poor? Yes or No? Then there is the Texas “miracle” and California “nightmare”. To the Right, anything California is doing is self-destructive. To this element, teaching “gay” in the schools, powerful teachers’ unions, lax enforcement of immigration laws, and a $10 .10 per hour minimum wage (in “lockstep” with Obama-Pelosi-Reid) all contribute to the Golden State’s malaise. But Texas has written a different story over the past 20 years. After putting “that liberal” Ann Richards out of office in 1994, The Bush-Perry model of social and fiscal conservatism has led to booming business, better public colleges, and millions of proud Texans. If it works (that is, keep the GOP in office), then don’t change it. For working-class Republican voters, the reasons for “voting against one’s economic interests” are simpler- guns and religion: Mistrust of the “gimmick”: After all, the party of Pelosi wants to take away your “assault” rifles while at the same time give murderers a free pass from the electric chair. Or there is a religious element: The San Francisco “devil incarnate” promises a pay raise, but only if I vote for secularism in the public sphere and for abortion on demand. As Jesus resisted temptation, so must I. This made it clear to me why some Republicans really hate “RINOs”- that is, fiscal conservatives with socially liberal leanings. One meme read: “Moderates… they’re more…electable?”, interlaced with sad photos of Bob Dole, John McCain and Mitt Romney. If the GOP were to be taken over by anything less than a firm stand on social issues, then Bubba has little incentive to vote Republican. Enter West Virginia. Bucking the southern trend, the Democratic Party still wins the white working class vote. There may be some union influence- particularly among coal workers- but it’s that the Democrats there know what the voters want. While recent Democrats running for the presidency have lost by ever increasing margins in that state. (Yes, Bill Clinton carried it twice), local Democrats have been able to paint themselves not as gun-grabbers or elite secularists, but as “for the working man”. The risk for them is the “D” next to their name. So they don’t attend the Party Conventions, put a bullet through Cap-and-Trade, and attack Obama in their campaign ads with as much zeal as a conservative Republican. With a candidate who is pro-gun, moderately pro-life, opposes the Welfare Queens, and talks about “securing the (southern) border”, Bubba can be sold on liberal economics. As for this year’s elections, each state has a different dynamic. In Massachusetts, Connecticut and Oregon, a redo of the close Governor elections in 2010. In Maryland and New York, rural conservatives versus urban liberals, with suburbanites breaking a tie. In Virginia, the GOP wants to reestablish their 1990’s-era mandate by winning a statewide election for the first time since 2009, despite nail-biter races in 2013 (McAuliffe (D), didn’t break 50%...Obenshain (R) for AG, 163 ballots short of 2 million cast… GOP control of the State Senate, 11 ballots shy). In the more liberal states, social issues have been decided, and the minimum wage has already been raised. The question for GOP candidates in these liberal states is if the recalcitrance of Southern, Western, and rural republicans will tarnish their otherwise credible campaigns.

Birthday Weekend

I started a countdown to my birthday 2 weeks prior. Then, on April 14, I switched to counting the hours. I actually went to bed before midnight on April 17 full adult. Unlike some of my peers, I felt no need to indulge in excess amounts of alcohol, since it will always be there. And after all, it was the Holy Triduum leading up to Easter, and excess celebration went against the principles of fasting and abstinence. Upon the request of my mother, I spent the weekend at home in DC. Despite the importance of the holiday, I still had homework to do; though our History teacher released us early to enjoy our weekend. The work doesn't stop- except for the periods between trimesters. Took the Tripper Bus: traffic was fairly light for a Friday afternoon. I suppose had I left earlier, I could've been in some traffic. At home was a feast to end the solemnities of Good Friday. (It was 10pm). The next day, we went to Phillip's Seafood for their lunchtime buffet. The venerable local chain started on the Southwest Waterfront in DC some years ago. However, due to redevelopment plans, the two-story restaurant with the big waterfront patio has to close at the end of the month. So it would be the second and last time that I would enjoy that patio view on that nice day. It seemed as if some of the staff had headed for new pastures. Fortunately, there is much demand for experienced restaurant staff in DC. Afterwards, to help with digestion, we took a walk through the Tidal Basin. The majority of the trees had blossomed the week previous; however, the newer replacement trees were in full bloom, and these specimens attracted much attention from tourists of all around the world. A walk eastward on the National Mall took us to the Shakespeare Library, to the east of the U.S. Capitol. For a nice day, the National Mall was much less crowded than Central Park. There was space for recreational activities like Frisbee. In the evening, I attended St. Paul K Street's Easter Vigil Mass. It was an exciting, almost theatric experience that brought in the Easter season. "Alleluia, Christ the Lord is Risen. The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia". One tradition I didn't remember was that many parishioners brought their own hand bells- whether it be dinner bells, or thimble bells. And the racket couldn't be more harmonious. The next morning, I returned to Kings Point. Four-hour bus rides are good for napping, or getting homework done. Some of the mundane privileges granted to 21 year-olds: Can be licensed as Merchant Marine Officer- yes, this is what King's Point is about. I had a Filipino Chief Engineer who was licensed at 19, but had to sail as a crewmember for two years. He got to visit the USSR. Allowed to work as interstate bus or truck driver Can order cigarettes by US mail (I have no use for tar sticks, though...) Minimum age to serve in a House of Delegates in many states (In DC, 18 is the age you can be elected to city council)

Coin In, Coin Out

In the past year, a local convenience store in town installed two quarter-pusher machines. The lure of trading one quarter for a handful is always an attraction; but the real draw is the possibility of pushing over a $20 bill-- or a phone card. I first tried this machine with the intent of winning a $20 bill. I didn’t get it, so I stayed away from the electronic bandit, until I came back yesterday with a strategy- win in the short term, then get out. While waiting for the train, I tried it, getting ahead by $1.25 before setting for a $.50 win. In the evening, I sought to repeat my success. No luck (or “outlet for skill”) on either of the two machines: I was $3.00 in the hole. So I decided that the machines were rigged for the house, and I would stay away from those quarter-pushers- unless I was the “house”. But what states allow these quarter-pushers, anyway? On many issues, from raw milk, to first-cousin marriage, to lane-splitting by cyclists, you can find an illustrated map demonstrating state laws. No such map exists for the legality of quarter-pushers (coin-in, coin out). I quickly discovered the reason: the legality of such machines is regulated by states, counties, and down to the town level. At one time, they were prevalent in the resort towns on the Mid-Atlantic shore (Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and Coney Island, New York). Laws and enforcement have changes. So have the profit motives: States with casinos were most likely to ban common businesses from operating the machines. As a result, some of the more ‘puritan’ states view it more favorably than the pro-gambling states. In more than one case, I read that, even if you have a vending permit for the machine, you could still be running afoul of state law. What did I discover when trying to make a map of my own? The easiest way to determine legality was by reading news articles regarding confiscations of quarter pushers. News articles were most prevalent in Arizona, California, and West Virginia. In many cases, I discovered that the machines flew under the radar, until the local sheriff’s office received a handful of complaints. Because of the localized nature of these laws, the makers and dealers of these machines do not post information (lest they become liable for a customer’s machine being confiscated); instead, asking customers to do their own research. State/ Legality Kansas- Not legal anymore California- No Florida- Iffy; some local sheriffs consider it a game of chance, not skill. Alabama- Not clear-See Code Section 13A-12-76, Bonafide Coin-Operated Amusement Machines. Ohio- Not clear- See Section 2915.01, Gambling Definitions. Wisconsin- Has tolerated establishments operating up to 5 of these machines. Arizona- No Oregon- No Texas- No, but tolerated by some county Sheriffs. Indiana- No South Dakota- No Tennessee- No Missouri- Contradictory laws Minnesota- No West Virginia- Not anymore North Carolina- No Georgia- See Title 48, Section 48-17-1 Virginia- 1992 decision by State ABC allows machines in bars, equipped with both a skill stop and shooter. Did not find a more up-to-date decision. New York- Not allowed in New York City; operating 1-2 machines does not constitute intent of “advancing unlawful gambling) Penal Code, 228.35 So if our local convenience store happens to be running afoul of Nassau County law, at least they won’t be charged with running a gambling ring. In most cases of enforcement, the penalty is simply confiscation of the machines. And, reading online forums, some owners of the machines are willing to play this cat-and-mouse game. Why? The machines are so darn profitable.

The Loan: Think about it.

Yes, it's been 6 weeks since my last post. I am aware of that. In the meanwhile, February came and went, all 28 days. Of much discussion as of late in the USMMA conversation sphere is "The Loan". The travelling salesmen- or, representatives,- from USAA will be on campus this month to give loans. With USAA, it's do-or-don't. Your next opportunity to borrow from this bank is in November. So USMMA Juniors should be giving some thought to their financial side. And why does this matter? USAA and Navy Federal allows a select group of 20-year-olds to borrow $32,000 at a low interest rate. (1.25% at Navy Federal, and 0.75% at USAA). There is a rhyme and reason for this: When Mids and Cadets at the other Service Academies graduate, they incur moving and living expenses for their first "duty station" before their junior officer pay begins. This is where "Career Starter Loan" gets its name. How can the interest rate be so low? Because of the service requirement at four of the Academies, and at USMMA, the maritime employment requirement. Also, graduates entering the armed forces who take the loan are registered for an "allotment deduction", insuring that USAA or Navy Federal gets their payments on time. While USAA has the lower rate, Nsvy Federal allows Mids take the loan on-demand after starting Junior year. You walk in, and identify yourself on a short form. Signature loan; it takes less than a week to clear. Another benefit to some is that Navy Federal has brick-and-mortar locations around the world (Guam, Japan, Bahrain, anyone?), and most Mids use Navy Federal as their primary bank (credit union). For the large strata of students who live between above the Pell Grant cutoff and comfortable living, there are immediate benefits to taking the loan. This includes plane tickets home for major holidays, the ability to purchase a car, and the ability to stop worrying about being short on cash. While plebe year is the most expensive year fee-wise, Senior year is where the expenses add up: Class ring-- an essential for Deck majors to knock on doors when they choose to work shoreside; Ring Dance, and Graduation Weekend*. From anecdotal evidence, a majority of Mids take the loan in order to finance Senior year. High school job money stretches only so far. * Parental generosity maximizes at this point. It usually declines hereafter. That said, there is no stipulation on how a midshipman spends the loan money. I have crafted itineraries that blow $30,000 in a 3-day weekend (Hint: first-class flight to Europe, party there on Saturday Evening; then fly to Bangkok, and do the same on Sunday evening; then fly back to New York, washed-up with empty pockets, a modern-day prodigal son). That scenario aside, I was informed by one Senior to budget at least $150 per week for going out on weekends. I took that advice with a grain of salt. Others take the loan to invest: For the Class of 2014, stocks were a good option; for this year's Junior Class, a safe option is to arbitrage the low-interest loan with higher-paying long-term CD's.

Bob McDonnell's Last Day

On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama did something that no Democratic presidential candidate did in 44 years- carry the state of Virginia. And he carried it by 6 points. Also that day, Mark Warner (D) was elected to the US Senate, replacing the retiring John Warner (R), no family relationship. Two years prior, Jim Webb (D) beat the incumbent Senator George Allen (R), and his infamous "macaca" statement, by less than 1 point. So in 2009, it came to many as a surprise that Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell held a commanding lead in polls leading up to the November 3 election. His baggage was a 1989 thesis from Pat Buchannan's Liberty University, in which he outlined a 15-point plan on how the GOP could pursue a socially conservative agenda through economic legislation. But he was able to downplay the thesis, and the "Bob's for Job's" slogan won out. That night, he won 58% of the vote, supported by the traditional Republican strongholds, the swing counties of DC's outer suburbs, and even Democrat-leaning Fairfax, a diverse county of a million residents. The margin of victory and the depth of the victory, transcending racial and cultural lines, attracted nationwide attention. He immediately became a potential VP pick. In 2011, Republicans gained effective control of the State Senate, giving the GOP control of government in Virginia. With this power came responsibility and liability; and anything that the GOP passed in the 2012 and 2013 sessions became a potential projectile for Democrats to use in the 2013 elections. Bob McDonnell kept on doing well in the polls. Campaigning as "Northern Virginia's Own", he came off as business friendly (tort reform, lower taxes), and concerned about the degradation of the quality of life caused by traffic jams in DC's ever-growing suburbs. I've heard numerous references to McDonnell's "Boy Scout" image. That is, until last year, when the Star Scientific scandal came out. It made for a juicy story involving under-the-table loans and a Rolex watch. Furthermore, there is evidence that McDonnell went to Florida and promoted the enhancement product- doing the job of s salesman- while elected to be leading the State of Virginia. Whether laws were broken will be decided this year by a federal inquiry. For "Main Street" Republicans, the scandal came at the worst time. The Republican Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli,now nominated as candidate for Governor in a fire-breathing party convention, was tied to the scandal. Had the news broke before the Convention, "RINO" (a term the hard right uses to insult centrist Republicans) Bill Bolling might have gotten the nomination, and been able to compete as a "Virginian" against the "Yankee"- Terry McAuliffe with shady business ties. I was a bit surprised that Cucinnelli led now-Governor McAuliffe (D) until his ties to the scandal broke out. Virginians could tolerate Ken's hard-core social views over Terry's revolving-door business practices; but with the scandal, both candidates were in the same boat, and all Ken could stand by was his social views. I watched the news throughout the election season as business groups and independent educational researchers reluctantly endorsed Cucinnelli's plans. I watched as Cucinnelli reached out to minority communities, including the a council of Hispanic business leaders and the Muslim community. This outreach actively countered the claim that the GOP was becoming the "old white man's party". In the end, Virginia didn't want either Cucinelli or McAuliffe; the Libertarian, Robert Sarvis, carried 7% of the vote, McAuliffe 47%, and Cucinelli 45%. E.W. Jackson, the firebreathing minister nominated by the GOP Convention for Lieutenant Governor, flopped by 11 points. Mark Obenshain, running for Attorney General, and the most traditional brand of the Republicans in the race, lost by 163 votes out of 1 million cast, and was the "last Republican standing", as it took a month before he stopped the recount, and conceded to Democrat Mark Herring, now the first Democratic Attorney General in 20 years. Some on the hard right would say Cucinelli closed the gap after doubling down on the Tea Party rhetoric once Obamacare started on Oct. 1. As for nominating by party convention, the state GOP has no intention on changing to a ballot primary. Today, two open State Senate seats will determine control of the State Senate until 2015. These seats are drawing national attention, as it will determine which party has the "mandate" in Virginia. If the Republicans win one of these seats, Governor McAuliffe could appear to be an obstructionist if he repeatedly uses the veto. If Democrats win both seats, the Republican super-majority in the House could appear to be a "hillbilly revival meeting"- as Rep. Peter King once said about Newt Gingrich's Republican Party- impeding "progress". An election has been held on one of those Senate seats, in Norfolk, but this is another close election that is headed to recount. The next election is in Northern Virginia, where a Democrat, a hard-right Republican, and an Independent Republican seek to create a three-way race for the seat last held by a Democrat.

Forty Days Back

Since Blogger's timestamps are based on the Pacific Coast Time, this will pop in as the last post of 2013. Which it is. As for the momentousness of the occasion, tonight is the end of the whirlwind known as the 2nd Trimester at Kings Point. This year, 2nd trimester began the Monday before Thanksgiving with Sea Project turn-in (for land-lubbers, this is turning in 12 credits' worth of work, which midshipmen have hopefully dedicated 40 hours to each credit). I then found out that my classmates and I had our terms on the "Midshipmen Council" extended until Senior Year. This gave us the task of co-coordinating the Winter Ball, held the weekend prior to the end of classes. I had the joy of watching the whole show come together. Raffle prizes were purchased, decorations went up, the DJ set up, and the soft drinks and finger food set out. Festival of Lights, held at the chapel, featured a healthy turnout for the voluntary activity. The Festival consists of a series of Bible readings, blessings, and words of encouragement, interspersed with choral anthems and Christmastide hymns. New this year was the use of the Jewish altar setting for the first half of the Festival. It was the first time I had seen it, and I was glad to have. My goal for any sit-down formal dinner at Kings Point is to leave room for desert. I was looking forward to the yule log ice cream cake, a Christmas-at-KP staple, but was wholly satisfied with the chocolate cake. It was quite warm in the dining hall, and midshipmen were found in shirt-sleeves. Cigar Night, held after the Christmas Dinner, is less de rigeur than in past decades; its key mission is to allow sons- and daughters- to participate in the tradition their fathers partook in. Many of those who did light up a smoke found themselves in a skittish mood after one cigar; a sign of the times. I was fortunate to not have anything to study for Friday, so I lingered around the patio, and engaged in listening to salty sailor exploits. This was recorded on one midshipman's Go Pro camera. I arrived home on Friday the 20th. My brother and I rented a car, and caught the early part of rush hour, since I had a late class. I was bringing home a crate of items that had accumulated over the past two years- on campus and at sea. Namely, though, the contents of this crate were textbooks and graded papers. As is said, the making of an upperclassman is when he or she views Kings Point as "home". Homesickness will predictably reduce the size of the freshman class by 5 members. Most often, a high school girlfriend/boyfriend is involved. That said, Washington, DC is still my home port, and I replenished my gear, including new running shoes and a black tie. I also attended to housekeeping, including organizing and cataloging the music collection which my brother and I wrote- and still continue to write, though at a slower pace than our Choirschool days. Happy New Year for 2014!