Pipe dream?

Man calls police to report a
burglary, leaves pot pipe in
plain sight, may get 26 months.

Joke overheard today:

“What’s the first thing Obama is going to do as President?”
“I don’t know, what?”
“Pardon O.J. Simpson.”

Hahahahaha. Very funny. Very racist. Very mildly indicative of what I fear is going to become a great problem.

While I agree with Obama that we should strive for bipartisanship if we wish to accomplish the important things that desperately need doing, I fear it may turn out to be nothing but a pipe dream. You know, the kind of dream that smokers of opium had while indulging in their habit. A dream that is so unrealistic and far-fetched there is no possibility that it could ever actually happen. I do not like being so cynical but I see no reason to believe the Brafia/Republicans are either ready or willing to engage in serious bipartisanship. They pretty obviously are not good losers. The right wing hatemerchants are already on the attack, even blaming Obama for the recession (utter absurdity never keeps them from their appointed rounds). There are I believe some 30 different groups on MySpace calling for Obama to be impeached (he is not even President yet). There is also, if you can believe it, a Republican sponsored ad that takes Obama to task for having done nothing in his first four days (I repeat, utter absurdity means nothing to these people). Lieberman gave a speech in which he implied that Obama was perhaps not the best choice for President at the moment. I firmly believe (but I truly hope I am wrong) Obama’s opponents will do the same thing to him as they did to Clinton. They will bring up every petty complaint they can and make things up just to keep Obama from being able to accomplish anything. If they can’t find a Whitewater or a Monica they will just make something up, it doesn’t matter how ridiculous it might be, it will keep Obama busy defending himself. Then, having destroyed his Presidency, they will claim to be our only salvation and will go all out for 2012. This is all they know to do as they only lust for power and the wealth that comes with it. They have no sense of patriotism, no interest in the welfare of the country, no interest in helping anyone but themselves. It used to be that the losers of the election would agree to stand behind the newly elected President and try to do things for the nation and the public good. But this new brand of Republican politics has left that behind in favor of a search and destroy and scorched earth policy. I wish it were not so, but I fear it is so. Obama might be able to find two or three Republicans willing to serve in his administration and even to try to do the right thing, but the neocons and the “base” will never give up their attempt to regain power by any means they can. I fear it is going to be a long and difficult first term, especially when you consider the terrible conditions Obama will inherit from Bush/Cheney to begin with.

Some are criticizing Obama because he is picking former members of the Clinton administration for positions in his administration. So where would they have him look for experienced people? Members of the Bush/Cheney administration are famous only for their almost universal incompetence, he could hardly be expected to look there. And looking back farther than the Clinton years would not seem to be very practical. He could, of course, bring in completely new people with no experience in government, but that would not make much sense and the opposition would go all out to take advantage of them. Frankly, as long as he picks competent people who are qualified for their jobs I will be happy. And no loyalty tests like, “why do you want to serve President Obama?” (instead of the Constitution). Won’t it be a wonderful change! I’m counting the days and praying to the Great Mystery.

LKBIQ:
Television is the first truly democratic culture - the first culture available to everybody and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want.
Clive Barnes

TILT:
Gun nuts are even more paranoid than I thought. They do not like “perfessers,” seem to have no acquaintance with logic or reason, or apparently even sanity.