Happy Anniversary. Where’s the Barack Obama we worked our asses off for?

Everybody’s weighing in with a report card on President Obama’s first semester, and, so far, it seems, it’s with a great deal of skeptism. First, let’s put the obvious to rest right away that things would be mighty different if we had elected the geezer and the nitwit. But we didn’t. We worked our asses off for someone who emerged out of the vast political wasteland, like an apparition striding out of the fog of a Republican radioactive cloud, that threatened to strangle us all. Barack Obama was our Clark Kent, human and supernatural, accessible and audacious. Hope and Change weren’t just words to us, but became real tangible goals that, with his election, would finally put our nation back on track.

Is it too soon to use the word ‘disappointment’? Let’s just talk healthcare here. What’s with Obama’s fealty to insurance companies and big Pharma that he is letting them, aside form Olympia Snowe, dictate the terms of health insurance? He has been so careful to parse his "support of a public option", but didn't we all learn, long ago, that actions speak louder than words? Obama has done nothing but set up road blocks to a public option. Here's a good look at the history of healthcare, White House style. Even wussy Harry Reid is taking a stand on including a public option, with a state opt out clause in the bill. What's wrong with that? Where's Waldo aka Obama?

As I’ve said ad nauseum, I'm for single payer, but, at this point, we must fight for a public option. And, since the majority of citizens are for a public option, would it be possible to sue, on a constitutional basis, to get what we want? Anyone know a good constitutional lawyer willing to check it out?

Why isn't Obama out front talking up a strong public option? His behavior seems to be a flagrant disregard for the peoples' will, as he has chosen to watch healthcare get decimated from the cheap seats. To preserve what? His cozy relationship with corporate collaborators? Again, I’ll call him out, again and again, to govern like he’s a one term president.

And, while I'm at it, did you see Obama's speech that he gave the day, October 20th, when OFA supporters made over 300,000 calls in support of his health plan - which, by the way, had NO MENTION of a public option in the script. To me, he was as angry as I've ever seen him, listing all of his accomplishments, so far, as though his ass should be kissed for doing what he's supposed to do. What political narcissism!

Ok, I hear how over the top some of you think this is, and how unseemly it is to call out our President this way. Hey, baby, if you wanna rule Chicago style, then we can play that game. Here's my fantasy: That grassroots supporters be the 'parent' and dole out some tough love to save our wayward 'Obama'. For OFA (Organizing for America) to get some balls, forget the DNC and start to put real pressure on Obama to get back on course...on all issues.

Where's the disconnect?

Are the skeptics about Obama's inexperience proving correct? Is his desire for consensus, bipartisanship, need to be liked his weakest link? Does the combination of his inexperience and that deep-seated inner need for acceptance make him an ineffective leader? Aside from the man himself as a transformative figure, were his speeches and charisma the apex of his ability? Obama's a quick study, but will he be able to overcome his need for love to take the bull by the horns and govern like he's a one-term president?

So, here's the biggest bluff of all. Obama, smart as a whip, knows that he can do, politically, whatever the hell he wants because he will be the nominee in 2012. And, he knows that everyone who supported him in the last election, will again work their asses off to make sure he's reelected for a second term because there's no chance in hell that we would allow a Republican neanderthal to be elected and take us back to the Dark Ages. Aaaah, do you feel like you're being taken for granted? Obama understands that he can sail through to 2012, and still be a corporate shill without paying the price. I haven't even touched on his economic team and Afghanistan. Am I angry? You betcha.

Contrarian Bitch/ing: From Naïve to Nobel

Contrarian Bitch/ing: From Naïve to Nobel

From Naïve to Nobel

What a trip! Now that a few days have passed since Obama became a Nobel laureate, thoughts and opinions have settled in: the right wing kookoonuts are in their groove, proving themselves once again to truly be unpatriotic and anti-Obama-American, lambasting the Nobel committee's choice as mindless and degrading; the Progressives are congratulatory with the caveat to, “Now become a real Peace President.” I couldn’t agree more, and I hope Obama lives up to the Nobel’s aspirations of his diplomatic policies.

Remember, during one of the debates, when Hillary called Obama "naïve" for wanting to sit down to talks with Iran? Wonder what she's thinking now? I watched that debate with my group of dear fellow grassroots volunteers - we call ourselves Obamawood - and we watched every debate, primary, speech and big news event together, bonding and gathering energy to keep on working for the election of someone we thought, no, we believed, would change the way business was done in the White House. That moment when Hillary called Obama "naïve"...I remember our outrage and disbelief. How dare she? She was the one who was naïve we shouted, not Obama, who finally expressed the way we believed diplomacy should be conducted. Hillary, in that moment, made us feel that nothing would change if she were elected, that America would continue to estrange our former allies with her isolating and strong arm diplomatic tactics. It just re-enforced the belief that a President Obama would reclaim America’s moral compass and reputation in the world. And, we were right as the Nobel committee cited Obama’s “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples”. THIS is what the grassroots movement saw in Obama, among other things, and it is wonderful to have those efforts validated, in this way, for the people who worked so incredibly hard to elect him. BUT.

Neurotic Nation

This symbol, the yin and the yang, represents everything about Barack Obama, from his mixed heritage to his being a President at war(s) and yet being honored with a peace prize, to always trying to find the ultimately unpopular middle road, to stirring yin and yang feelings in his supporters that revere him while being mad and frustrated with him. We are in a constant state of neurosis over him: “He’s not moving fast enough, but wait, he’s only been in office 8 ½ months and we need to give him a chance.” “He was elected to take bold steps and has a majority, so why isn’t he making any bold moves?” “He said, when he was a State Senator in 2003 that he was for single payer, so why did he make a deal with Big PhRMA over drug prices (and more) and is wavering on a public option when the majority of people, including doctors and nurses, are for it?” “Why is he staying in Afghanistan? Iraq? Where’s the responsible exit strategy?” And so on. Where’s the courage to take the audacious positions that will really effect change? Yeah, I know…back off, give him space, give him time. Even Michael Moore wrote to get off Obama’s back. Sorry. No. Now is the time to keep the pressure on, now is the time to let this President know that he cannot, and should not, try and please everyone, for as it's been said, you end up pleasing no one. Please Mr. President, you have transcended so many mores, so many obstacles, that I reiterate my earlier post to govern like you’re a one term President.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/13/internal-memo-confirms-bi_n_258285.htmlover drug prices and is wavering on a public option when the majority of people, including doctors and nurses, are for it?” “Why is he staying in Afghanistan? Iraq? Where’s the responsible exit strategy?” And so on. Where’s the courage to take the audacious positions that will really effect change? Yeah, I know…back off, give him space, give him time. Even Michael Moore wrote to get off Obama’s back. Sorry. No. Now is the time to keep the pressure on, now is the time to let this President know that he cannot, and should not, try and please everyone, for as it's been said, you end up pleasing no one. Please Mr. President, you have transcended so many mores, so many obstacles, that I reiterate my earlier post to govern like you’re a one term President.

Back to Hillary

I just want to go back to Hillary for a moment because she announced that she will not run for President after Obama’s term. Interesting timing. She can’t be thinking that she was 'passed over' for the Nobel, but the thought must have occurred to her that, she - the woman who has put in years and years of political toil, blood, sweat and tears - has to watch, once again, as Barack Obama, upstart and President, with merely 8 ½ months in office, manages to clinch the esteemed and noble Nobel Peace prize, without even trying. Poor Hillary. She has won lots of awards, like, she was inducted into the Women's Hall of Fame and is the 36th most powerful woman in the world according to Forbes. But this must rankle in some way. Barack Obama, the Mohammed Ali of Presidents, just seems to float like a butterfly and this must sting like a bee. I can’t imagine what morning coffee must have been like with Bill (if he was in town) because he hasn't won either…the Clintons, the ultimate power couple, being passed over for the new, hot kid in town.

And so it goes, the never ending merry-go-round of distortions, contortions, money and politics. Soooo much money being spent buying our Congress. How can it be that the people who elect those frauds and criminals have so little influence with regard to policy? The grassroots is weary, and the powers that be count on activists falling away from exhaustion, but now more than ever, we must stay energized and continue to make our power work for us. I certainly hope I can take my own advice.

Is Assassination Patriotic?

Here's a question: Is assassination patriotic? If you listened to the right wingnuts, you would, like, totally think assassination was the patriotic thing to do. The questions posed, and answered as 'a joke', about assassinating Obama to the right wingers who are running for office, or who just want to flaunt their ignorance, or who are out and out homicidal racists, is an amazing show of (I'm at a loss for words, here, but am thinking hard) well, fucked up logic, spin...ok, sick messed up thinking. From birthers (where are they? did they crawl back into their wombs?) to jolly candidates who joke about assassinating Obama this seems to be the acceptable joke du jour for the folks right of the Sanity Line. Can you imagine the outrage if this had been seriously put forth as a righteous and eminently legal way to dispose of one's spuriously elected President, who's name rhymes with 'tush', and to dispose of him thusly forthwith?

There is a serious virus going around, and it's not the H1N1 that's about to invade our complacency about all things 'not on our immediate radar'...it's a virus that invades peoples' id - mostly those who lean right. There is simply no other way to explain the acceptance of the idea of assassination, that is in any way acceptable to those who seemingly 'look normal' but who are in the deep throes of a serious viral brain-altering illness. You haven't seen them?! Ok, so you're admitting you haven't been to a town hall! Some of them do not care to disguise themselves, but are right out there as cloned LaRouchie's. Note: if you look into their eyes, you must seriously contemplate whether these are pod people right out of Invasion of The Body Snatchers. Hitler is their touchstone and they respond like bobble-heads if you ask them a question.

But, seriously, folks...why is it okay to wear an AK47 or assault rifle strapped to your leg whether the President is nearby or not? From the outside, this country has got to appear like the most seriously narcissistic messed up Republic on the entire planet. Here is where I gravely remind people that I was born in Canada and have nothing to do with this national psychosis.

I can't tell you how important the ACLU is to the machinations of this country (please donate...they are the life blood of the First Amendment); but, honestly, sometimes, I would just like to put the assholes out of OUR misery. You know what I'm talkin' about...

Did Obama Read My Blog?!!

OMG, did President Obama read my blog? Back in March, I besought Obama to govern like a one term president and, lo and behold, here he is, six months later, even saying so himself. Of course, pundits are predicting he'll only be around for one term because they think he's colossally screwing up; but, from my perspective, I want him to make the tough - read 'progressive' - choices so that in the event he doesn't make it to a second term, he'll have essentially governed as though he were in office for eight years. Time's awastin'. GOBAMA.

Sarah, Sarah, Quite Contrary

Who can resist weighing in on the Cirque de Sarah Palin. Pundits have written biting (Maureen Dowd) and bitingly funny articles (Gail Collins) about it, but the really pathetic part of this is the support this whack job has gotten from Republican party elders like John McCain and Mary Matalin. John McCain believes, or so he said, that “ ‘she will continue to play an important leadership role in the Republican Party and our nation.’ He gave no other details.” Well, I’ll give you a detail that says Sarah Palin will never play any kind of leadership role in this “our/MY nation”. McCain can be somewhat forgiven, aside from the fact that's he rather musty, because I'm sure he's trying to cover his laughable tracks having chosen her for his running mate.

And Mary Matalin! Come ON. Listen to THIS: “Reached by CNN at her farm in the Shenandoah valley, Mary Matalin, a top Republican consultant, called Ms. Palin’s move “brilliant” although she said she was initially taken aback by the news. But she seconded the notion that the governor’s decision was smart in the sense that it will free her up, as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has been, to travel the country to make inroads with potential voters.” That is totally grounds for James Carville to dump her. Honestly, I don’t know how they live together; but that remark MUST totally have been reactive as I'm sure Mary didn't have a chance to hear Palin go off the rails as she gave her resignation speech because she was probably too busy plowing the sod on the farm. Mary! What's up with you? Do you believe Sarah Palin is a role model for your daughters? Sarah needs to be taken off stage left in that Versace straight jacket leftover from the campaign.

The good news is that half the Republican party has their knickers in a twist over Palin fantasizing about her role as a party leader, traveling about the country ostensibly representing all things conservative while channeling unintelligible speeches from some purported Alaskan Angel hovering over her shoulder. And, the bad news is that the other half are delirious with excitement that Sarah, their Alaskan angel, will be their saviour. All these repressed little Republican boys salivating in anticipation til hot Sarah comes to their home town. I know it's been said before, but it is so painfully obvious that if Sarah looked like the Duchess of Windsor, she'd be on a fishing boat out on the Bering Strait. I thought she might be resigning because her other daughter was pregnant or maybe even Bristol got pregnant again while practicing abstinence. But...whatever.

I can’t wait to see Saturday Night Live reprise this speech.

Randy Republicans

Sigh. The hypocrisy. That really is the question, of course, about these Randy Republicans who swing so facilely from keepers of the family values flame to ever so tritely apologizing before the media, and the world, about their salacious little indiscretions. It's really breathtaking how these dapper self-righteous right wing Lotharios keep parading up to the mics to commit symbolic seppuku as though it were some part of a Republican patriotic hazing, and then the word "apology" is spoken like some special absolution from Jesus. Their sense of invulnerability and entitlement has nothing over the Power of the Dick to render them amnesiacs about their families, their values, their promises. The fact that they are on record vilifying and condemning every one else who screws around, makes their fall from grace all the more delectable. Who cares who's screwing who? Everybody's doing it but nobody likes a hypocrite. I bet Bill Clinton would like to throttle these guys.

So far, interestingly, women have been missing from this parade of philanderers. Hopefully, they're too smart to be caught playing at work. But then again, somehow the aura of power as aphrodisiac doesn't play the same for women as it does for men. There is definitely a disconnect when it comes to female legislators as sex objects. Is it that men are afraid of powerful women? Are they a turn-off? But, oh, wouldn't it be lovely to be able to dab a little Power on one's pulse points to equalize the playing field? Having experienced the political life, I can tell you, you don't have to be a pretty boy to attract aggressive female attention. Just the smell of power, at every office holder level, as long as you're elected to something, women will be hovering around you like you're something special. Hey, forget online dating. Run for office and babes will come out of the woodwork for you.

So, who's going to emerge as the Republican presidential candidate in 2012 what with almost every potential candidate going to marriage and family values rehab? The last unscathed politician standing, so far, looks like it might be squeaky clean Mitt Romney. What a way to get to the head of the pack...by default. And Mitt could turn being a Mormon into an attractive alternative to people who are fed up with the sanctimonious Christian right, even though they were scared to death of him last year. That really was so last year.

Oh, did you see that Fox news said that Sanford was a Democrat. God, these people are wily. They later 'corrected' it but when their own farts stink, they look around as though it was the other guy.