Sic 'em, Barack

Man breaks into restaurant,
feasts on lobster and wine,
is arrested asleep on bench.

Could there ever be a concerted attack on a President more blatantly political and utterly useless than the current criticism of Obama by right-wing Republicans? Lindsey Graham, John McCain and others keep insisting that Obama is not doing enough about the Iranian situation. Graham says he’s “weak,” and his close buddy, McCain, says he needs to be stronger, and so on. It is not at all clear what it is that Obama could do that he has not already done, short of sending in the American military, or perhaps personally strangling the Ayatolla or something even more drastic. Virtually everyone of sound mind, including many important Republicans, have come out in support of Obama and believe he has handled the situation in the best way possible. It is perfectly obvious there is nothing he can do other than what he has done. But that doesn’t keep McCain and the neocons from constantly carping at him to do more. They seem to be saying “sic ‘em, Barack,” hoping to provoke as much trouble as possible. Obama, much to his credit, has so far just ignored these mindless loonies. As there is apparently considerable evidence that in spite of some irregularies, Ahmadenijad did, in fact, win the election, this is all the more reason for Obama to proceed cautiously. It appears the Republican noise is just another manifestation of the Republican strategy to never cooperate and to consistently try to destroy the Obama administration. So, so much for the national or public good, it’s all about the Republicans and what’s good for them. The neocons and some of the others simply cannot come to grips with the fact that they lost.

Speaking of such things, whatever happened to the idea of the public good or public well-being? It seems this is a concept totally foreign to today’s Congresspersons. It appears that the Senate, for example, is going to try to destroy any attempt to create a public program for health care that would in any way compete with private health insurance. They are doing this in spite of the fact that fully three quarters of the American public want the public plan, and some 57% even say they would be willing to pay more in taxes to have it. Our Senators, however, bought and paid for by the Insurance and Pharmaceutical corporations, could care less what the American public wants, they’ve got theirs, so screw everyone else. It’s the American way.

Republican compassionate conservatism just breaks out all over the place. Cynthia Davis, some kind of office holder in Missouri, has now suggested that no free meals should be provided during the summer for poor children. This, among other things, she says interferes with family integration (I guess because the kids eat while the parents go hungry), and besides, hunger acts as a motivator (so they can all go out and get jobs at McDonald’s where they will be fed). I guess she aspires to be the Michelle Bachman of Missouri. I bet hunger motivates a whole lot more than just getting a job at McDonald’s.

I have just witnessed what I believe may be the ultimate in capitalistic bad taste. There is an ad on TV now for Chia Obama, you know those little clay figures that get advertised every Christmas that you put the seeds on and they grow hair or fur or whatever. The Chia Obama is a sort of likeness of Obama (not a very good one), and when you put on the seeds it will grow an Afro of sorts. If I remember right, even WalMart has refused to sell this revolting example of profit at any cost. It is not only revolting, it is also insulting, but again, it’s the American way, anything to make a buck.

LKBIQ:
“Anyone, and especially a daughter, who could appear so virginal and sweet was quite obviously involved in mischiefs and misdemeanors.”
Louis De Bernieres

TILT:
Certain species of weasel are said to perform a mesmerizing “weasel war dance” after fighting or stealing food.