Expectations

Baraboo Bookers defeat library rivals
Mad City Truckers with dancc to
Born to be Wild.using four carts and a dolly.

Libraries apparently have these contests every year in which they choreograph dances using library carts. The Baraboo Bookers will go on to compete at the next level. I never cease being astonished by human behavior.

I supported Barack Obama and voted for him with various expectations, of course not knowing what he would actually do once he attained the office of the President. I have no doubt that my expectations will not be completely met. Perhaps some of them are unreasonable, perhaps some are impossible, and some of my expectations may not even be similar to Obama’s. However things turn out I do not believe I made a mistake in opposing McCain who I thought was a truly terrible candidate and possibility. So:

I had hoped that Obama would be more supportive of the Palestinians and not just favor the Israelis at every turn as Bush/Cheney have done. Expecting peace between them may not be a realistic expectation, but expecting fair play ought to be. The selection of Rahm Emanuel has given me pause. He is a staunch supporter of Israel, even a dual citizen of that country and the U.S., and fought in the past on the Israeli side. Thus I worry that he will influence Obama to continue the unjust and unfair treatment of the Palestinians. On the other hand, he might not. Like many loyal Israelis he may also believe in a fair settlement of their differences. I hope so.

Altough Obama has said all along that he would send more troops to Afghanistan I have hoped that once he became President he would come to his senses and realize that Afghanistan will be another Vietnam. We are not going to “win” anything in Afghanistan no matter how many troops are sent there. We should withdraw the troops and engage in trying to help the Afghans rebuild and improve their country. Will Obama see this my way? I wonder.

Obama said on at least one occasion that he would have his Attorney General review the past few years to determine if their were crimes for which some should be held accountable. In view of all the other monumental problems he will be facing will he in fact pursue this or will he just ignore it? I feel very strongly that those who committed the most serious crimes against our nation and the international community should be held accountable. Am I doomed to be disappointed?

Will he abandon the useless and failed “war on drugs?” He seems to realize that the drug problem is really a medical problem rather than a political one. Thus I would hope he would try to give up our incredibly stupid and harmful drug laws and make drugs legal, thus draining our jails of hundreds of thousands of non-violent offenders and saving an enormous amount of money that is now simply wasted.

Will he actually act significantly to rebuild our long too neglected superstructure? I have high hopes that he will in fact do this but of course we have to wait and see and hope he can find the funds to bring this about. The fact that our leaders over many past years neglected this is shameful and, indeed, to me inexplicable. After all, what are leaders for if not to look after such things?

And will he do something about our failing educational system as he says he will? This is to me exceedingly important as the anti-intellectualism in the United States threatens to destroy our country. Consider, for esample, that some 64% of Republicans now favor Sarah Palin to lead their party. This is nothing short of worshipping ignorance. These are not the kinds of people I want to see with any power or influence. The ubiquitous “dumbing down” of our citizens through both our educational system and our mass media will have to stop, along with the preponderance of right-wing hatemongers that seem to be mostly in control of the airways. We need some sort of cultural revolution, but not, of course, on the Chinese model.

I am assuming that Obama, given some time, will manage to improve our dismal financial problems. Similarly, I believe he will make a serious effort to establish a workable and adequate energy policy. And I know he will try to get us a universal health care system. If he accomplishes these things he will have proven to be a great President. If he can accomplish these other things he will become a truly outstanding one. He has the potential. I continue to have high hopes.

LKBIQ:
“Do not try to live forever. You will not succeed.”
George Bernard Shaw

TILT:
An ostrich egg, used as a container, will hold five to five and one half cups of water.