Sleeping Better
In a recent conversation, daughter Anna and I agreed that it was really nice now going to bed and waking up knowing that Barack Obama and not George Bush is the President. Under Bush we constantly fumed over what the scoundrel had done today and fretted over what he might do tomorrow. Hardly a day went by without some disclosure of another horror, and the realization that there were probably other terrors not yet disclosed.
With Obama in the White House, we are confident that he is acting openly and honestly in our best interest. I do not feel the need to monitor the news as closely now. I still follow political developments, most of which are much improved, with good legislation now being passed by Congress and signed by the President. There are still Republican obstructionists, but their numbers have shrunk and their influence is quite diminished. There have been snags in a few confirmation hearings, but they have either been overcome, as with the new Attorney General, or the nominee has quickly withdrawn, as with Tom Daschle.
I have folders full of notes for possible Sense articles, which will probably now never be written, though I may go through them once more before discarding. As with recent postings, Sense articles for a while will probably focus more on personal memories, with some tie in to current events. In another blog change, the visit count meter at Sense has been eliminated. It always recorded ever single page visit, rather than just each overall new visit to the site, so when it started acting up, I scrapped it.
posted by Tom Blake | 5:36 PM
6 Comments:
Tom,
It is far too early in Obama's tenure to fall asleep. He deserves the same scrutiny as previous presidents.
Because of the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the never ending Middle East crises, the polarised Congress, and Obama's personal characteristics (black, intelligent, urging virtue on leaders, intelligent and uppity wife, darling children) these are the most interesting times we have lived through.
You must pay attention to the history unfolding now and what Obama does and fails to do in reaction. I will miss your critical analysis that you so easily turned on Bush. Obama may be the Lincoln he aspires to be or another Bush, but we won't know if a sober analysis of his time in office is not done.
So don't go quietly into that dark night, rage at the stupid stuff Obama or the Democratic Congress will undoubtedly do, and praise the good things we hope they do.
John from Phoenix
John,
I will keep an eye on Obama, but his actions are above board and transparent right now, so the mainstream media is accurately reporting on his accomplishments, negotiations, compromises and obstacle encounters with Republicans. The Republicans are now the "loyal opposition" so they should take the lead in pointing out anything questionable from the Obama administration. When they do, I will examine it. But for now the Republicans are just chanting their same mantra about tax breaks for the rich being wiser than help for the poor. And they are continuing to select plays from the same play book that brought the Palin nominatiopn, selecting one of their few token blacks as Republican National Chairman.
Now I must challenge you on one thing you wrote. You called the new First Lady "uppity". You need to explain yourself. If you were intending to softly satirize racists who call any self-assured, accomplished African-American, and particularly a woman, by that epithet, then it did not come across well. If you seriously meant the term to apply to Michelle Obama, then I challenge you to explain what you know about her, from what sources and on what basis you have a problem with her and why you believe the adjective you chose is appropriate, given it's racial overtone. By way of illustration of the dominant racial aspect of the word, do a Google image search for "uppity".
Dad,
Rather than scrapping the article ideas, why not do a scrappy post where you list the maybe half-formed topics you are not going to engage with. Just a punchy little or not-so-little list.
Also, if you're interested in posting year end reading and viewing lists, along with faves and recs, I'm interested.
As far as keeping the vigilant eye open, I imagine when this "breath of fresh air" starts to develop a warble or wheeze, the engines of analysis will be ready to do service.
(And I must admit, the "uppity" gave me pause as well. I had to credit the author with exercising satiric license.)
Anna of the icy panhandle.
Tom,
I used the term "uppity" satirically. Maybe I should have enclosed it in quotes, or as you suggest not used it at all. I was not aware that the term was restricted to putting down blacks. I use the term much more generally. When my wife gets after me about being a slob, I tell her not to be so uppity. I guess I was using the term incorrectly, at least by the PC standards of the liberal wing (my wife is white).
You are not going to look for Obama's mistakes because that's the Republicans' job? I am amazed by your lack of interest in seeking hypocrisy wherever it occurs.
No comment from you about Obama's nominating three people to cabinet or other high positions who failed to pay income taxes in six figures?!! The man who ran on truth and honesty in government! Are you going to research this attack on Obama from the Republicans?
After knowing you for so long I should not be surprised by how partisan you are. But I am. We should be seeking the truth as best we can behind any government leader's actions. Party should be irrelevant. But I am speaking as a registered Republican with strong Democratic background and biases. Party is a tool for getting to good government. It is not a religion.
John from Phoenix
Anna and John,
I'm on your wave length, Anna. I may post a punchy list of the unused notes, and I am interested in the year end reading and viewing list. You are correct that I am just trying to enjoy the breathing room provided by Obama, for the good of my personal health.
Anna and I both seem to have figured you meant to be satirical, John, and I am glad you confirmed that. I don't know about the white, Republican senior citizen confines of Arizona, but elsewhere "uppity" applied to an African-American crosses the bounds of political incorrectness and enters racist territory.
Don't worry John, if I see Obama hypocrisy, I'll let you know, and I invite you to do the same. But Bush and Obama are polar opposites in that regard. Bush lives life as a hypocrite. Obama honors honesty. I did not say I would ignore mistakes by Obama, just that I would let Republicans take the lead in pointing them out. I suppose I am to the "left" of Obama, so whereas Republicans will criticize him from the "right", I could do so from the opposite end. But I am willing to give Obama time and room to see what he can accomplish moving our country back in the progressive direction, even if he does not move it as fast and far as I would like. If I come to feel that he is not doing enough, I will let you know.
Vetting tax returns of nominees is tricky. These are typically people with more exotic tax returns, as for example the Treasury nominee working overseas for an international organization. Not paying payroll taxes on domestic help has now become such a notorious pitfall that nobdy should fall into it. Daschle considering the limo and driver as a gift rather than income was a symbol to me of a degree of arrogance. When I first heard about his high roller job after the Senate, I thought he was not a good choice and when I heard about the tax question re the limo, I immediately figured he needed to do the right thing and withdraw, which he did. I thought Daschle was ineffective as Senate Majority leader, and knew from reading "Pigs at the Trough" that his wife was a high powered corporate lobbyist and that he was somewhat inclined to look out for corporate special interests.
Party affiliation is highly relevant, representing significantly different agendas. The Democratic agenda is quite consistent with my progressive goals, while the Republican agenda is overwhelmingly not. So I am a Democratic partisan. I have been critical of Democrats, like Bill Clinton, who at times seemed to be following some of the Republican agenda. I am so sick of Republicans, that I am not at all inclined to see them have any input, though I am willing to let Obama try to work with them and see how that goes. But if he gets off the agenda, like Clinton did, then I will criticize him too.
Daschle withdrew for one of two reasons: 1. He offered to withdraw and Obama accepted it, or 2. Obama ordered him to withdraw. Daschle was in no position "to do the right thing". It was all Obama. This is standard political operations whether it be national, international, corporate, faculty, or homeowners association politics. The head man calls the shots. As Obama said, he screwed up. So he dumped Daschle to make reparations for his sins.
I can agree with your sickness about the Republicans regarding tax cuts. We need a tax increase in Arizona and nationally too. Those of us who have jobs should pay more taxes to support those less fortunate. But I cannot agree that all Republicans are bad for the country. Jeff Flake is an honorable Republican from Arizona who deserves the esteem of all of us. He has been fighting earmarks and graft in government for a long time.
Blind adherence to ideology is very destructive whether the ideology is religion, politics, economics, or the Playboy philosophy. We must have a clear unbiased view of the next few months of Obama's leadership. Besides being true to our principles, taking an honest view of Obama's governance will provide us the opportunity to enjoy these times in an historical perspective.
John from Phoenix
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