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I have heard several people make comments over the years considering themselves not really having a true understanding of the main make-up of our government and the manner in which it all works together for the overall cause.  Below is a breakdown of the structure of the government as it relates to the President all the way to the various departments of the government that have their separate roles in the functioning of the nation.  I know it is long and somewhat boring for some, but I decided to post it to give those who are interested in seeing the actual government structure broken down by the different departments.  If you wish to comment, feel free to do so, but my main goal is simply to provided the information for those who may be interested...Vic Damico

The Executive Branch

The Cabinet and independent federal agencies are responsible for the day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal laws. These departments and agencies have missions and responsibilities as widely divergent as those of the Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Social Security Administration and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Including members of the armed forces, the Executive Branch employs more than 4 million Americans.

The President

The President is both the head of state and head of government of the United States of America, and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.

Under Article II of the Constitution, the President is responsible for the execution and enforcement of the laws created by Congress. Fifteen executive departments — each led by an appointed member of the President's Cabinet — carry out the day-to-day administration of the federal government. They are joined in this by other executive agencies such as the CIA and Environmental Protection Agency, the heads of which are not part of the Cabinet, but who are under the full authority of the President. The President also appoints the heads of more than 50 independent federal commissions, such as the Federal Reserve Board or the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as federal judges, ambassadors, and other federal offices. The Executive Office of the President (EOP) consists of the immediate staff to the President, along with entities such as the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

The President has the power either to sign legislation into law or to veto bills enacted by Congress, although Congress may override a veto with a two-thirds vote of both houses. The Executive Branch conducts diplomacy with other nations, and the President has the power to negotiate and sign treaties, which also must be ratified by two-thirds of the Senate. The President can issue executive orders, which direct executive officers or clarify and further existing laws. The President also has unlimited power to extend pardons and clemencies for federal crimes, except in cases of impeachment.

With these powers come several responsibilities, among them a constitutional requirement to "from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient." Although the President may fulfill this requirement in any way he or she chooses, Presidents have traditionally given a State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress each January (except in inaugural years) outlining their agenda for the coming year.

The Constitution lists only three qualifications for the Presidency — the President must be 35 years of age, be a natural born citizen, and must have lived in the United States for at least 14 years. And though millions of Americans vote in a presidential election every four years, the President is not, in fact, directly elected by the people. Instead, on the first Tuesday in November of every fourth year, the people elect the members of the Electoral College. Apportioned by population to the 50 states — one for each member of their congressional delegation (with the District of Columbia receiving 3 votes) — these Electors then cast the votes for President. There are currently 538 electors in the Electoral College.

President Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. He is, however, only the 43rd person ever to serve as President; President Grover Cleveland served two nonconsecutive terms, and thus is recognized as both the 22nd and the 24th President. Today, the President is limited to two four-year terms, but until the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1951, a President could serve an unlimited number of terms. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected President four times, serving from 1932 until his death in 1945; he is the only President ever to have served more than two terms.

By tradition, the President and the First Family live in the White House in Washington, D.C., also the location of the President's Oval Office and the offices of the his senior staff. When the President travels by plane, his aircraft is designated Air Force One; he may also use a Marine Corps helicopter, known as Marine One while the President is on board. For ground travel, the President uses an armored Presidential limousine.

The Vice President

The primary responsibility of the Vice President of the United States is to be ready at a moment's notice to assume the Presidency if the President is unable to perform his duties. This can be because of the President's death, resignation, or temporary incapacitation, or if the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet judge that the President is no longer able to discharge the duties of the presidency.

The Vice President is elected along with the President by the Electoral College — each elector casts one vote for President and another for Vice President. Before the ratification of the 12th Amendment in 1804, electors only voted for President, and the person who received the second greatest number of votes became Vice President.

The Vice President also serves as the President of the United States Senate, where he or she casts the deciding vote in the case of a tie. Except in the case of tiebreaking votes, the Vice President rarely actually presides over the Senate. Instead, the Senate selects one of their own members, usually junior members of the majority party, to preside over the Senate each day.

Joseph R. Biden is the 47th Vice President of the United States. Of the 45 previous Vice Presidents, nine have succeeded to the Presidency, and four have been elected to the Presidency in their own right. The duties of the Vice President, outside of those enumerated in the Constitution, are at the discretion of the current President. Each Vice President approaches the role differently — some take on a specific policy portfolio, others serve simply as a top adviser to the President.

The Vice President has an office in the West Wing of the White House, as well as in the nearby Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Like the President, he also maintains an official residence, at the United States Naval Observatory in Northwest Washington, D.C. This peaceful mansion, has been the official home of the Vice President since 1974 — previously, Vice Presidents had lived in their own private residences. The Vice President also has his own limousine, operated by the United States Secret Service, and flies on the same aircraft the President uses — but when the Vice President is aboard, the craft are referred to as Air Force Two and Marine Two.

Executive Office of the President

Every day, the President of the United States is faced with scores of decisions, each with important consequences for America's future. To provide the President with the support the he or she needs to govern effectively, the Executive Office of the President (EOP) was created in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The EOP has responsibility for tasks ranging from communicating the President's message to the American people to promoting our trade interests abroad.

The EOP, overseen by the White House Chief of Staff, has traditionally been home to many of the President's closest advisers. While Senate confirmation is required for some advisers, such as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, most are appointed with full Presidential discretion. The individual offices that these advisors oversee have grown in size and number since the EOP was created. Some were formed by Congress, others as the President has needed them — they are constantly shifting as each President identifies his needs and priorities, with the current EOP employing over 1,800 people.

Perhaps the most visible parts of the EOP are the White House Communications Office and Press Secretary's Office. The Press Secretary provides daily briefings for the media on the President's activities and agenda. Less visible to most Americans is the National Security Council, which advises the President on foreign policy, intelligence, and national security.

There are also a number of offices responsible for the practicalities of maintaining the White House and providing logistical support for the President. These include the White House Military Office, which is responsible for services ranging from Air Force One to the dining facilities, and the Office of Presidential Advance, which prepares sites remote from the White House for the President's arrival.

Many senior advisors in the EOP work near the President in the West Wing of the White House. However, the majority of the staff is housed in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, just a few steps away and part of the White House compound.

The Cabinet

The Cabinet is an advisory body made up of the heads of the 15 executive departments. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, the members of the Cabinet are often the President's closest confidants. In addition to running major federal agencies, they play an important role in the Presidential line of succession — after the Vice President, Speaker of the House, and Senate President pro tempore, the line of succession continues with the Cabinet offices in the order in which the departments were created. All the members of the Cabinet take the title Secretary, excepting the head of the Justice Department, who is styled Attorney General.

Department of Agriculture

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) develops and executes policy on farming, agriculture, and food. Its aims include meeting the needs of farmers and ranchers, promoting agricultural trade and production, assuring food safety, protecting natural resources, fostering rural communities, and ending hunger in America and abroad.

The USDA employs more than 100,000 employees and has an annual budget of approximately $95 billion. It consists of 17 agencies, including the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Food and Nutrition Service, and the Forest Service. The bulk of the department's budget goes towards mandatory programs that provide services required by law, such as programs designed to provide nutrition assistance, promote agricultural exports, and conserve our environment. The USDA also plays an important role in overseas aid programs by providing surplus foods to developing countries.

The United States Secretary of Agriculture administers the USDA.

Department of Commerce

The Department of Commerce is the government agency tasked with improving living standards for all Americans by promoting economic development and technological innovation.

The department supports U.S. business and industry through a number of services, including gathering economic and demographic data, issuing patents and trademarks, improving understanding of the environment and oceanic life, and ensuring the effective use of scientific and technical resources. The agency also formulates telecommunications and technology policy, and promotes U.S. exports by assisting and enforcing international trade agreements.

The Secretary of Commerce oversees a $6.5 billion budget and approximately 38,000 employees.

Department of Defense

The mission of the Department of Defense (DOD) is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country. The department's headquarters is at the Pentagon.

The DOD consists of the Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as many agencies, offices, and commands, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, the National Security Agency, and the Defense Intelligence Agency. The DOD occupies the vast majority of the Pentagon building in Arlington, VA.

The Department of Defense is the largest government agency, with more than 1.3 million men and women on active duty, nearly 700,000 civilian personnel, and 1.1 million citizens who serve in the National Guard and Reserve forces. Together, the military and civilian arms of DOD protect national interests through war-fighting, providing humanitarian aid, and performing peacekeeping and disaster relief services.

Department of Education

The mission of the Department of Education is to promote student achievement and preparation for competition in a global economy by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access to educational opportunity.

The Department administers federal financial aid for education, collects data on America's schools to guide improvements in education quality, and works to complement the efforts of state and local governments, parents, and students.

The U.S. Secretary of Education oversees the Department's 4,200 employees and $68.6 billion budget.

Department of Energy

The mission of the Department of Energy (DOE) is to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.

The DOE promotes America's energy security by encouraging the development of reliable, clean, and affordable energy. It administers federal funding for scientific research to further the goal of discovery and innovation — ensuring American economic competitiveness and improving the quality of life for Americans.

The DOE is also tasked with ensuring America's nuclear security, and with protecting the environment by providing a responsible resolution to the legacy of nuclear weapons production.

The United States Secretary of Energy oversees a budget of approximately $23 billion and more than 100,000 federal and contract employees.

Department of Health and Human Services

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. Agencies of HHS conduct health and social science research, work to prevent disease outbreaks, assure food and drug safety, and provide health insurance.

In addition to administering Medicare and Medicaid, which together provide health insurance to one in four Americans, HHS also oversees the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services oversees a budget of approximately $700 billion and approximately 65,000 employees. The Department's programs are administered by 11 operating divisions, including 8 agencies in the U.S. Public Health Service and 3 human services agencies.

Department of Homeland Security

The missions of the Department of Homeland Security are to prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks; protect the American people, our critical infrastructure, and key resources; and respond to and recover from incidents that do occur. The third largest Cabinet department, DHS was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, largely in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The new department consolidated 22 executive branch agencies, including the U.S. Customs Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Secret Service, the Transportation Security Administration, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

DHS employs 216,000 people in its mission to patrol borders, protect travelers and our transportation infrastructure, enforce immigration laws, and respond to disasters and emergencies. The agency also promotes preparedness and emergency prevention among citizens. Policy is coordinated by the Homeland Security Council at the White House, in cooperation with other defense and intelligence agencies, and led by the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is the federal agency responsible for national policies and programs that address America's housing needs, that improve and develop the nation's communities, and that enforce fair housing laws. The Department plays a major role in supporting homeownership for lower- and moderate-income families through its mortgage insurance and rent subsidy programs.

Offices within HUD include the Federal Housing Administration, which provides mortgage and loan insurance; the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, which ensures all Americans equal access to the housing of their choice; and the Community Development Block Grant Program, which helps communities with economic development, job opportunities, and housing rehabilitation. HUD also administers public housing and homeless assistance.

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development oversees approximately 9,000 employees on a budget of approximately $40 billion.

Department of the Interior

The Department of the Interior (DOI) is the nation's principal conservation agency. Its mission is to protect America's natural resources, offer recreation opportunities, conduct scientific research, conserve and protect fish and wildlife, and honor our trust responsibilities to American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and our responsibilities to island communities.

DOI manages 500 million acres of surface land, or about one-fifth of the land in the United States, and manages hundreds of dams and reservoirs. Agencies within the DOI include the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Minerals Management Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The DOI manages the national parks and is tasked with protecting endangered species.

The Secretary of the Interior oversees about 70,000 employees and 200,000 volunteers on a budget of approximately $16 billion. Every year it raises billions in revenue from energy, mineral, grazing, and timber leases, as well as recreational permits and land sales.

Department of Justice

The mission of the Department of Justice (DOJ) is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

The DOJ is comprised of 40 component organizations, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Attorney General is the head of the DOJ and chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters, advises the President and the heads of the executive departments of the government, and occasionally appears in person before the Supreme Court.

With a budget of approximately $25 billion, the DOJ is the world's largest law office and the central agency for the enforcement of federal laws.

Department of Labor

The Department of Labor oversees federal programs for ensuring a strong American workforce. These programs address job training, safe working conditions, minimum hourly wage and overtime pay, employment discrimination, and unemployment insurance.

The Department of Labor's mission is to foster and promote the welfare of the job seekers, wage earners, and retirees of the United States by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities for profitable employment, protecting their retirement and health care benefits, helping employers find workers, strengthening free collective bargaining, and tracking changes in employment, prices, and other national economic measurements.

Offices within the Department of Labor include the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the federal government's principal statistics agency for labor economics, and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, which promotes the safety and health of America's working men and women.

The Secretary of Labor oversees 15,000 employees on a budget of approximately $50 billion.

Department of State

The Department of State plays the lead role in developing and implementing the President's foreign policy. Major responsibilities include United States representation abroad, foreign assistance, foreign military training programs, countering international crime, and a wide assortment of services to U.S. citizens and foreign nationals seeking entrance to the U.S.

The U.S. maintains diplomatic relations with approximately 180 countries — each posted by civilian U.S. Foreign Service employees — as well as with international organizations. At home, more than 5,000 civil employees carry out the mission of the Department.

The Secretary of State serves as the President's top foreign policy adviser, and oversees 30,000 employees and a budget of approximately $35 billion.

Department of Transportation

The mission of the Department of Transportation (DOT) is to ensure a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people.

Organizations within the DOT include the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Transit Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration and the Maritime Administration.

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation oversees approximately 55,000 employees and a budget of approximately $70 billion.

Department of the Treasury

The Department of the Treasury is responsible for promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the soundness and security of the U.S. and international financial systems.

The Department operates and maintains systems that are critical to the nation's financial infrastructure, such as the production of coin and currency, the disbursement of payments to the American public, the collection of taxes, and the borrowing of funds necessary to run the federal government. The Department works with other federal agencies, foreign governments, and international financial institutions to encourage global economic growth, raise standards of living, and, to the extent possible, predict and prevent economic and financial crises. The Treasury Department also performs a critical and far-reaching role in enhancing national security by improving the safeguards of our financial systems, implementing economic sanctions against foreign threats to the U.S., and identifying and targeting the financial support networks of national security threats.

The Secretary of the Treasury oversees a budget of approximately $13 billion and a staff of more than 100,000 employees.

Department of Veterans Affairs

The Department of Veterans Affairs is responsible for administering benefit programs for veterans, their families, and their survivors. These benefits include pension, education, disability compensation, home loans, life insurance, vocational rehabilitation, survivor support, medical care, and burial benefits. Veterans Affairs became a cabinet-level department in 1989.

Of the 25 million veterans currently alive, nearly three of every four served during a war or an official period of hostility. About a quarter of the nation's population — approximately 70 million people — are potentially eligible for V.A. benefits and services because they are veterans, family members, or survivors of veterans.

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs oversees a budget of approximately $90 billion and a staff of approximately 235,000 employees.

Tags: Politics, Political, Government, America

A Conversation Between Obama And Bush

 

Bush:  “Mr. President, you have been misrepresentating the people, and many have been angered since the first day you stepped into the Ovular office.”

 

Obama:  “George, let me make something perfectly clear.  Um, the people elected me president, and um, I was left many problems by you and your administration.”

 

Bush:  “Look, Obama.  I had to make a decision to protect the people of this nation, and that is what I did.  That is why we sent the troops to Iran to remove Saddam Hussein from his dictatorism role.”

 

Obama: “That was Iraq, Mr. President.”

 

Bush: “Yea, whatever.  I got Saddam on my watch.  You have not caught anyone that big.  In Texas, we’d say you aren’t ready for the rodeo.”

 

Obama:  “Look, George.  I have made it clear that we will continue our search to find Bin Laden as we continue our efforts in Afghanistan and Iran.”

 

Bush:  “That’s Iraq, Obama.  See you ain’t so smart.”

 

Obama:  “George, you are a racist.” 

 

Bush:  “That reminds me.   I need to get my tickets to the Datona 500.  You wanna go?”

 

Obama:  “You seem to have trouble staying with the issue at hand, don’t you, George?”

 

Bush:  “Stop calling me George.  We are not that close.”

 

Obama:  “I can see now why so many people have looked at much of what you have done as, um, let’s just say, was moving in the wrong direction. “

Bush:  “Look, Barakona.  I may have been going in the wrong direction, but at least I did not move in a fabricarious manner.  And at least, I knew where I was going. “

 

Obama:  “What the hell does fabricarious mean?”

 

Bush:  “Do they not have dictionaries in Chicago?”  (smirky grin)

 

Obama:  “Look, George.”

 

Bush:  “I told you not to call me George.  We are not on a first name basis.  We don’t have that kind of relationism.”

 

Obama:  “Ok, Mr, President.  I think we are through, here.   You, um.  You do not seem willing to have an intellectual conversation on the issues.”

 

Bush:  “Yea, whatever.  You know this was my office, first.”

 

Obama:  “But it is mine, now.”

 

Bush:  “It smells like smoke.”

 

Obama:  “Security.”

 

 

Tags: Politics, Political, Obama, Bush, Humor

Flip-A-Coin Congress

 

After much thought, I believe I have discovered what may lead to solving many of our problems we have in our nation as we witness the confusion coming from Washington over the last few decades.  It is obvious that with every vote that takes place in Washington, somehow people are discouraged with the outcome that results from that vote.  What we need is for every representative in Washington to simply flip a coin and let the yes or no vote be determined by whether the coin land on heads or tails.  There is a 50/50 chance that the vote would be just as if they used the normal method, but there would be several advantages.  The back room deals would no longer have an impact on the vote.  Party or personal agendas would no longer have an impact on the vote.  Since most of the representatives do not read the bills before them, understanding the bills would not be a factor.  It would not matter how much money or influence any representative may have; it would not affect the actual vote.  And as sad as it may sound, I believe I have more confidence in those coins than I do with those we have placed into positions in Washington on either side.  Of course, we would have to have an outside agency to ensure that all coins had both heads and tails.        

Tags: News, Politics, Political, Vic Damico

Josh's Diner

It was a city that never sleeps, although it was just a small, quaint existence as opposed to much larger cities.  Downtown was a single street, one store after another and all seem to have their own contribution to the overall survival of the people who called it home.  Yes, even in a town of only 562 people, Main Street lived up to its name.

At the corner of Main and 1st Avenue was Josh's Meat Market, the only place in the city to buy meat.  Josh was known to all, and he was also one of the three police officers of the city.  I think that is why the city seemed so strong.  Almost all who lived there seemed to have more than one title in their daily part of the societal existence of this little part of the world.  Josh was a man in his mid-forties, single by choice. He seemed to be a loner, and even though he was a large part of the functioning of the city, no one really knew too much about his personal life.

Next to the meat market was the diner, which was the only place to get a good meal other than at your own home.  In a city such as this, going to the diner was a night out, an adventurous evening with a friend or a lover.  The diner was owned by Josh of the meat market, and operated by Michael and Alison Ellington.  Michael and Alison were both born and raised in the city, and had been a couple since their high school years.  They were married just out of high school and have been together as man and wife for just over twenty years.  Michael was also one of three police officers in the city, and also Josh's brother.  And yes, all within the city are somehow connected.  All of the meat used in Michael and Alison's diner came from Josh's meat market. 

All that was needed to keep the city functioning and continuing was located within the two-block area that made up downtown.  There was a cleaners, a dollar store, a doctors office, a drug store, a small fire department, a two-cell police department, and a combination gas station/auto repair shop.  Then there was the church.  It was a non-denominational church, where all were welcome and treated as the same.  The pastor of the church was Samuel Adkinson; he had been the pastor since he had personally financed the construction of the church some twenty-five years ago.  Everyone in the city could be found at the church every single Sunday with the exception of one person.  Josh Lambert has never stepped foot in the Church, not even for a wedding or a funeral gathering.  Many wondered about his total absence from the church or anything related to religion, but never felt comfortable or close enough to him to inquire about it.

And then, there is me.  I am the evil within the city that is unknown to all.  I exist within every aspect of the life source of the city and all who live there.  I exist in the shadows, the underbelly of all that is dark, and represent the ongoing deception forced upon all without their knowledge of secrets of which they do not know.  My secrets are not a source of power, but a feeling of accomplishment to myself; started as a game and grew into an obsession to see how far I could go with a cruel joke.  And the once, simple joke had transformed into a massive deception that engulfed the entire city and all who called it home.

You see, Josh Lambert doesn't really remember me.  I had a confrontation with him about ten years ago while driving through the city on my way to a nearby town where I was to start a new job.  Josh, the police officer pulled me over for speeding through the small city and decided to use me as an example for others who did not obey simple laws.  For the simple infraction of a minor law, I was confined to a cell for long enough to serve as an example, which just so happened to be long enough to prevent me from my new job.  I knew within myself that I would get even with Josh, and I knew my revenge would go much further than a simple example as he had in mind with me.

Now, in order to explain the deception to you, we must revisit the diner.  The diner was always busy from morning to night, seven days each week.  It was known mainly for a single dish, and it was by far the most popular of all on the menu.  Yes, the country-fried steak was the favorite of almost everyone, and they could not get enough of it.  The country-fried steak was Josh's gold mine, and this is where I came into the picture. 

The steaks that were supplied to the diner were purchased every week, and I was the supplier.  The steaks were tenderized and packaged individually, specifically for the diner that allowed the favorite item to be possible.  I prepared the meat, myself with no help from anyone from the beginning of the process until they were delivered to the diner.  My revenge spread to more than just this city.  Each month, a neighboring town would lose someone in the process.  In order for the supplying of my meat product each week, I took a single life each and every month.  Small portions of that individual were included into the tenderizing process and the end result was that my friend Josh got a little extra to serve his customers at the diner.  What started about five years ago as revenge has now become so profitable, that I cannot bring myself to stop what I have started. 

My true intended revenge was to inform Josh of all I had done, and to expose it to the city in a manner that would connect Josh to the deception.  I guess I will just wait for Josh's next screw up before I take it to that level.  But for now, I will just continue to be a businessman...

       
   Vic Damico 02-05-2011

Tags: Poems, Poetry, Writing, Short Stories, Vic Damico

Sleeping Beauty (A Slightly Darker Version)

 

 

A tear fell from the corner of my eye, and I remember wondering if it is possible to ever actually run out of tears.  I watched her, in all of her beauty as she silently slept.  This feeling within me has become the only comfort that exists and nothing else seemed to be allowed to either add or subtract from my hopes that I held onto with every moment of every day.  So, I continue to watch her sleep.

 

My days are dormant and my nights are without sleep as I am consumed with the possibility of watching her eyes as they open.  It has been almost a year since I heard her voice, looked into her eyes, or felt a touch that she had initiated.  She has slipped away from me, and I am unsure if she will return, yet, I hold on with all that is within me for that very moment.  So, I continue to watch her sleep.

 

Quite often, I would sit for hours, holding her hand in mine, talking to her with hopes that she could hear me.  Had I listened to the doctors, I would have given up months ago, but I will not give up on her.  She is still the same to me, even in her present condition, and I refuse to let go of what has been planted in my heart so long ago.  So, I continue to watch her sleep.

 

Every night before I finally allow myself to go home, I read to her, and I have convinced myself that she can hear my words.  I read the same story night after night, and have since she first vanished from a conscious existence.  “Sleeping Beauty” is my source of material for her, because mainly to me, that is what I see before me.  And at the end of the story, I lean over and kiss her so gently with hopes of something that has yet to come.  So, I continue to watch her sleep. 

 

My emotions are often in overdrive, a combination of pain, fear, hope, confusion, but always love.  Often, it tears at my very soul as my mind and my heart control a fight with each other as hope and possibility seem to be in a constant battle that last even into my sleeping hours.  I block out the concerns of others and their suggestions for me to simply let go and to conceive of the fact that she will not return to me.  I do not accept that as part of my thought process.  So, I continue to watch her sleep.

 

Often I see her as her normal self, but only as I dream.  But just the same, it helps me to remember for what I am fighting.  Our quiet Sunday mornings doing nothing, yet at the same time knowing all is perfect.  Our evening walks through the park, or just sitting on the bench silently, but understanding no words need to be spoken.  And as strange as it may sound, I remember the peace of just watching her sleep and waiting for her eyes to open.  So, I continue to watch her sleep.

 

Every single night, it was always the same.  I would hold her hand in mine, and talk to her about all that had been a part of my day.  Many viewed me as being in denial, and simply not being realistic about what was before me.  I told them that I was simply talking to owner of my heart, and to not be concerned.  To me, she is still with me and as long as she was, I would be with her.  So, I continued to watch her sleep.

 

I remember that night with every detail implanted vividly within my mind.  I sat by her bed, holding her hand.  As usual, as it became late into the night, I was reading to her.  And as always, I was reading sleeping beauty.  For some reason, I felt compelled to stay longer, so I read the story again to her.  I finished the story for the second time, and closed the book, and placed it into her motionless hand.  With tears flowing down my face, I leaned over and gently kissed her lips.  I stood, and slowly began walking away from her bed.  And then, I heard the softest voice behind me.  “Will you read it to me again?” My sleeping beauty had awakened.

 

Vic Damico 02-01-2011 (Written for a contest on another site with the theme of fairy tales)       

Tags: Poetry, Poems, Writing

Houston, I mean Egypt, we have a problem…

With all of the craziness that we are seeing flooding the airwaves by the media with the situation in Egypt, a problem exists within our own nation as it relates to the understanding of what is happening.  The people of Egypt are in protest and are doing so as they express their will for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to give up power and to leave the country.  The 30 year rule of Mubarak, as a dictator is wearing thin with the people of Egypt.  Both President Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton have suggested that Mubarak should begin an orderly transition  to a democratic regime.  My reason for mentioning Obama and Clinton is simply because they are the ones who are suggesting this; there are no political games involved in mentioning these two individuals.  Are we to truly believe that they expect a dictator of 30 years to actually accept the idea of transition to democracy?  The people of Egypt want Mubarak to resign and dismiss his appointment of Vice President Omar Suleiman.  That is what the protest is all about.  They are not wanting to keep the dictator in his current position and move forward under his reign.  Am I the only one who sees the wishes for Mubarak to remain and to transition Egypt into a democracy by Obama and Clinton as an obvious stance against the goals of the people of Egypt, or a suggestion of something that cannot happen?  With the people of Egypt gathered at Cairo’s Tahrir Square chanting, “Mubarak, Mubarak, the plane awaits,” it does not sound like they desire to keep him around to negotiate.   The transition to democracy by Egypt may happen, and President Mubarak may remain in power, but the two will not co-exist.

Vic Damico 01-31-2011

Tags: News, Politics, Political, Egypt, Middle East

Darkness Can Sometimes
 Lead You Into The Light

Darkness all around me
Always touching my soul
Rendering a fear within me
Knowing not what is to come
Next to me, I feel a coolness
Enough to provide a slight chill
Sobering thoughts enter my mind
Secrets that are not my own

Collectively, the thoughts confuse me
Allowing my mind to escape from itself
Never knowing what may be to come

Scarred memories begin to surface
Oppressed until this very moment
Manipulated into a clouded vision
Enslaving that which was once mine
Tantalized by a source unknown
Initially, the thoughts were dreams
Made possible by my sub-conscious
Eventually making it into my real world
Stalling reality, then taking it over

Leading me into a mental manifestation
Eventually focusing into a single vision
As always, I am taken into the unknown
Deceived into seeing it as what has been

Yearning for a simple escape from the hold
Only to find myself deeper within its grasp
Under the control of that which remains dark

Inferior cognitive thoughts transform themselves
Nihilism is no longer a consideration or possibility
Truth or what is real is not for me to say
Only what is produced by the darkness exists

Tarnished darkness is transformed into light
Heinous visions suddenly appear before me
Examples of what will eventually transpire

Leading me to a point in which I see it all
Illusions are in fact what is to come with the light
Given as gifts, or maybe a curse by the darkness
Holding me in the past as I sort through the visions
Taking me into the future that is yet to be known

Tags: Poetry, Poems, Writing

The Edge Of The Woods

The car began to sputter, and then finally the engine died.  My hopes of making it to the next gas station did not work out quite like I had planned.  I was trying to make good time and to reach my destination by midnight.  I guess that did not work out so well, either.  I fell asleep after a few minutes, and woke up about an hour later.  My mind felt cloudy, like something was not quite right.   

I stepped out of the car, and for a moment just looked around to get a focus on where I was and what to do.  My options were not just limited, but there was but one option for me to consider.  That would be to just begin walking toward the next city and to hope someone else would come along and find me.  At this point, I was not too optimistic about either.  I grabbed a flashlight and what I needed from the car, locked everything else in the trunk, and went on my way to where ever the road may lead.  And still, I had this eerie feeling like things were not as they appear.  I felt a little puzzled. 

After an hour or so, I was beginning to feel the exhaustion begin to consume me.  I had not slept in almost twenty-four hours, so the feeling was hitting me pretty hard.  A loud sound startled me, and I looked to my left to where the sound seemed to come.  I turned on my flashlight and shined it along the road looking for the source of the sound.  Right at the edge of the road, on the other side, was a woman just standing there.  Typically, a woman standing by herself would not create a fear in me, but this was far from a typical situation.  There was nothing for thirty miles in any direction.  What the hell was she doing here, and how out of all the places to be, would she be standing before me.  After several minutes of just looking at her, I decided to approach her.  Just as I reached her, she spoke.
 
"I have been waiting for you." she said and had a slight smile on her face.  She spoke again.  "I knew you would be here, tonight." 
I honestly did not know what to say, but finally uttered the words, "Do we know each other?" 
"No, but I knew you were coming." She answered.
"Follow me." She said in a soft voice, as she turned and began walking into the woods.
My first instinct was to just go on my way, and just dismiss the woman and the eerie feelings I had about what had just happened.  Of course, I did not follow that instinct, and instead, walked into the woods where the woman had gone, disobeying that voice within me saying to not do it.

The woman moved swiftly through the thick vegetation with ease, while I fumbled, walked into things, and even fell while being the one with a flashlight.  After walking for about five minutes, and I would guess about a half-mile into the woods, the woman stopped.  She turned to face me, and told me her name was Andrea.  I extended my hand to hers and told her my name was Stephen.  She looked into my eyes and began to speak.
"Stephen, I cannot explain this, so I will just show you."  She then told me that she would talk to me about it in a few minutes. 

Andrea then turned and leaned forward.  There were two doors flush with the ground, much like the old storm shelters.  She grabbed the handle on one door and lifted it, and immediately I was almost blinded by the light.  She began to descend the stairs beyond the door, and I followed closely behind her.  We must have walked down at least twenty steps, and finally, we reached the bottom.  What I saw before me could never really be explained or believed unless you saw it for yourself.

It was like I had just entered a city.  As far as I could see were houses, stores, and even multi-story buildings.  It was lit up as though the sun was shining, and it was the middle of the night.  I felt weak, and I guess Andrea sensed it, because she held onto my arm and held on as if to hold me up.  I finally could stay silent no longer, and knew I had to ask about this place. 

I looked at Andrea, and asked her if there was somewhere we could sit down and talk.  She said that we could go to her house, which was just two houses down from where we were.  We walked in and I was amazed at what I saw.  It was a typical house, all the modern attributes that somehow existed in this place.  We walked into the dining room; she grabbed us a drink, and we sat down.  Andrea was the first to speak.

"This is confusing to you, Stephen.  I understand that." She said.  "But in time, you will come to appreciate what has happened."  She then explained that everyone here had come across this place for basically the same reason.  It was simply their next step in life.  It will eventually make sense.

I stood, and just paced for a moment.  My mind was flooded with confusion.  Then, I turned to her and spoke.  "I do not understand.  What do you mean, the next step in life?  I don't plan on staying, so why would you tell me it would eventually make sense?"
"This is your home, now.  Stephen, you have no where to go." She grabbed my arm and pulled me back into the chair.
"Look, Andrea." I said in an almost angry voice.  "I ran out of gas.  "I just need to get someone to help me get my car so I can be on my way.  I have no intentions of staying here."

"You do not remember what happened, Stephen.  You did not run out of gas.  You fell asleep and your car hit a tree.  You were killed instantly.  That was almost three months ago.  This is your final stage with your life.  This is where you will remain.  You have no choice with this."  Those doors that led down to where we are no longer exist.  There is no exit." 

Vic Damico  01-28-2011      

Tags: Poems, Poetry, Short Stories, Writing

Individual Faith In God

The following is not meant to create a debate, but to speak of faith in God as it applies to me as an individual.  Others are allowed to not share in my chosen faith, and they are not required to follow my faith, even by the words of God, Himself.

 

Faith in God is an individual choice, and it represents a faith that is between that individual and God.  That is the true representation of the faith, and that faith cannot be weakened or altered by another individual or even the government.  That individual faith is simply based on the heart of the individual, and only that individual determines the strength or the weakness of his/her own faith. 

 

My faith in God is simply a personal relationship between God and me.  The very foundation of that faith goes no further than that personal relationship.  There is no power on Earth that can come between God and me without me allowing it.  There seems to be a misconception, that has always been present that somehow views this faith as being based on all Christians being exactly the same and they are judged accordingly as a group.  That is no more accurate than to say that all Republicans or all Democrats are exactly the same.  It is a shallow and totally inaccurate manner of judgment and it creates an assumption that has no solid foundation and misrepresents the faith I have chosen and me.  It creates debate and even confusion because with this vision of us all being the same, it shows a lack of understanding of the faith of which they speak. 

 

God, Himself allows for free will, in that we have the choice to believe in Him or not.  Even as Christians, we understand that we cannot, nor do we have the right to force anyone to share in our faith in God.  Again, that is the choice of the individual, and that is how it has always been.  So the argument that erupts sometimes that Christians are trying to force our beliefs on others is not a valid accusation.  I personal speak of moral behavior such as theft, murder, drugs, abortion, etc., and even though it may be related to moral behavior within my chosen faith, it is the morals that I urge.  That does not mean that I am trying to force someone to believe in and to follow my faith.  Moral behavior and simply doing what is right can be done without following my faith, and right or wrong does not become not right or wrong because you do not believe in my faith, or in God, Himself. 

 

My point is quite simple.  Unless you understand my true heart, and my personal relationship with God, you cannot question the existence of my faith or my belief in God.  You can only imagine yourself to understand.  What lies within my heart is not known to anyone other than God and myself. 

Tags: Religion, Faith, God

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