From time to time, HIPRB! feels the need to turn over the front page for a spirited diatribe on issues of the day (or on something else). Today is one of those days: my friend Bob Eddy takes issue with a thing or three out of the recent contretemps over raising the federal debt ceiling, and links us to quite an interesting examination of Barack Obama’s fear of confrontation.
That little congressional Mexican standoff was the sorriest and most shameful display of our democratic system that I’ve seen in a long time. And come Monday morning I brought up the Times with a heavy heart, knowing as sure as the sunrise what I would see—yet another capitulating choke by the president and his party that will once again lamely be defended with that upbeat and reassuring phrase that has become this administration’s slogan: “Well, better than nothing…”
“We tried, but…”
Like the coach telling the team owner “Well, we only lost by 10…”
“Our offense looked really good in the third quarter…”
“Our new kicker has some real potential…”
And of course I knew also that in the ensuing days we would be treated to the smiling but worn congressional faces of our brave representatives who rolled up their sleeves, set their differences aside, and hammered out a solution just before the clock ran out. Whew, another global crisis avoided! And once again we’ll all be reminded that democracy sometimes gets ugly, messy, and contentious, but that’s what makes this country great, and in the end rational compromise will win out for the betterment of the people and what’s best for America. You know what? Hey Harry, your catheter is leaking into your socks.
The saddest part? Watching the president of the United States spend 20 minutes addressing the nation to plead his case for a sharing of the fiscal burden, and John Boner barely taking 5 to sternly tell him that the dishes were piling up in the congressional cafeteria, and this is what his party will do and won’t do – sweet. I’ve got to admit, I was taken back by the bluntness of his rebuttal, void of any hint at compromise or even respect.
I knew from the moment Obama got called out as a liar that there was going to be trouble with this crowd. And I’m sorry, as much as Obama and everyone would like to think the hatred has nothing to do with color, come on, let’s be honest: no president in our lifetime has been this openly treated with hostility, disdain, and lack of decorum. Not that I don’t have my own issues with our president. You know, I wasn’t one of the foolishly naive who put him on a pedestal and thought upon his entering office we were all going to put on rainbow glasses and America was going to become Shangri-La West, but at the least I did expect some f****** backbone.
It just seems like his administration thus far has been more a cold slap of reality as far as what the president can do and (mostly) can’t do, than anything resembling hope and change. He regularly treats his voting base like his third choice for the senior prom, and like me they’re all screaming “When are you going to give up this ridiculous fantasy of reaching across the aisle, of working together for the common good!? Of expecting anything other than contempt and obstruction from this crowd!?”
Some say he’s playing the long game; I say the strategy has so far brought us next to nothing in the win column – it’s the age old “well now you’re pissing everyone off.” Stop this ridiculous quest for the Holy Grail of the political center where your number crunchers assure you the percentages predict the most votes…to be the off-white shirt that goes with the most jackets in your closet. When Leonard Pitts suggested in a recent column that it was time to start throwing some elbows on your way to the basket, my thoughts were “what took you so long to write this column?”
And of course, Obama’s haggling capabilities leave something to be desired…
Obama at a pricey estate auction somewhere in Georgetown, where he spies a 19th century French coffee table that would like great in his study:
“Hmmm…$2,000, seems a little steep…I’ll give you $1,975!”
“$1,990 and not a penny less.”
“Michelle, get my wallet!”
Anyways, it’s never too early to start thinking about campaign slogans. I thought maybe this one might look good on the presidential limo’s bumper, or certainly emblazoned across the side of the Marine One helicopter:
“2012 – Guarded Optimism & Mostly Disappointment”
This was a really good piece in the Times last weekend, pretty much sums it up for me.
I recommend the column Bob just referred to: it’s a very interesting examination of President Obama’s seeming aversion to confrontation, and not just confrontation with Republicans on the economy and the debt ceiling, and his failure (so far) to use the mandate he received when elected to get the American people behind him on substantive changes to strengthen the economy and regulate big money interests. Even if you think he shouldn’t have done anything in those areas, it’s worth the read.
HEY, IT'S PAT RYAN'S BLOG! 