I had the wonderful privileged to go hang out at the Harvard Institution of Politics this weekend to attend a conference on Bipartisan Advocacy. Walking through the IOP is like the magical wonderland for political nerds – everything you touch or walk by is a part of history. I got to hang out with Christine Gregoire and I got a little star-struck.  In case anyone forgets, we do have an incredible country.  –   KB@BurnettKaty 

Saturday was the final scheduled meeting in the 2014 NASL season between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Fort Lauderdale Strikers. But unfortunately storms got in the way and the game was not played. A busload of Fort Lauderdale fans, myself included made the trip to St Petersburg. I was tapped to receive the Coastal Cup trophy if the Strikers won or drew the game thus winning the season series. In 2010, when I was the NASL Communications Director but also working with the Strikers (then known as Miami FC) I had to hand the trophy over to the Rowdies. This year we had a post-game ceremony planned where I would receive the trophy if the Strikers won or drew. But fate intervened, namely rain. In May 2011, when I was still the NASL Communications Director we had our first postponement of a game in the league when these same two teams met in Fort Lauderdale. Saturday Morning, I unwisely on Facebook reminisced about that night and tagged several people who were present at the game, especially Rowdies fans who had bused over from the west coast. Well turnabout is fair play, the same thing happened this time in St Pete. Many are holding me responsible, and who can blame them?   – KK @kkfla737

The Madison Square Garden gala for Indian Prime Minister Modi  that was thrown by Indian-Americans was over the top and my family did not particpate. I firmly believe immigrant communities including Indian-Americans should always put US interests above that of their native countries’ interests if they move to the United States. Make no mistake about it, the Gandhian/Nehru vision of a peace-loving India that created a third way between the capitalist west and  communist bloc is no longer remotely in play. India has long been an aggressor in foreign policy while hiding behind  the identification of Gandhian principles while mismanaging growth at home. For me, Modi based on his anti-Muslim history represents a dangerous threat to interests seeking peace and understanding globally. But perhaps for India he is the first leader since Independence who has the dynamism to actually move the country permanently forward in a truly progressive fashion. India is quite possibly the single-worst place to do business on the planet as it is a nation dominated by corruption and an entitled civil service. Democracy in India has largely been a failure. When pundits talk about the achievements of Indian Democracy they talk of the continuity, voter participation and lack of fraud in elections. But results of democratic elections have been slow growth, a constant state of war with neighboring Pakistan, and a bureaucracy filled with political cronies. Quite frankly given the low quality of most Indian elected officials, a dictatorship at some point might have moved the nation forward faster. But India has always been a democracy since independence and perhaps Modi is the first leader the country has had that can use his force of personality and credibility abroad to actually move the nation forward.  – KK @kkfla737