"Issues" are such a pain in the ass

[Cyrano]

So how will our newly elected Prez and congress deal with our "issues?"

To start with, how will they deal with our economy, unemployment, universal health care, an end to the occupation of Iraq, a price to be paid for war crimes, caring for our veterans, accountability for the biggest (governmental) heist in history and the shredding of our Constitution (just to name a few)?

And I'd also really like to see another "New Deal" for the vast majority of people who are suffering at this very instant. A new deal which brings back the American middle class that has been destroyed over the past eight years. And how about a "New Deal" for those who don't even own a pair of bootstraps?

A man with the odd name Obama is about to walk into the White House. He's facing a trail of destruction that is perhaps as great as that which FDR faced after years of Republican greed, indifference and outright cruelty which was the result of their ideology (both then and now).

Yeah, "issues" can be really boring. But what we're actually talking about is the human condition and the real lives of countless millions.

We are placing virtually all of our hopes and dreams onto Obama's shoulders. And I, for one, really believe we are looking at another voice of reason and pillar of strength, such as FDR, who can lead us out of the ugly place we are in. But he will need all of our help and support.

[derby378]

1. The Brady Camapign is trotting out a poll from Penn, Schoen, & Berland...

...in which they claim Americans want Obama to start coming after our Second Amendment rights within his first year in office. Never mind the economy, health care, Iraq, domestic spying, whatever - just get out there and start banning guns. Sheesh.

[Cyrano]

2. Where to start? Where to start?

Obama, can't cure the ills of the world. All he can do is try to move our country, and perhaps others, into the 21st century.

Many of the people in the world, and far too many Americans, have not even reached the 20th century.

So much work. So little time.

I am reminded of the scene in the film "Contact," from Carl Sagan's book, which starred Jody Foster.

When she was being grilled by a "Committee-of-the-wise" as to what she would ask aliens if she were chosen to be the first to make contact with them, her reply was, "How did you do it?"

"Do what?" she was asked.

"How did you manage to survive your adolescence?"

Carl Sagan was deadly accurate with this question. Can/will we survive Limbaugh, Gingrich and their ilk who (throughout human history) never have and never will go away and are a deadly virus infecting human thought and retarding the adolescence of the human species?

[derby378]

3. "Never" is a long, long time

All throughout humanity, we've also had the likes of Eratosthenes, Imhotep, Aristarchus, Galen, da Vinci, Einstein, Lisi (if his E8 theorem holds up), etc. All we need to do as a species is nurture and preserve information, not forget what we've learned.

[Cyrano]

4. I couldn't agree more, however

at this particular moment in history, the know-nothings (backed by the greedy -- i.e. Rupert Murdoch) own most of the megaphones that are blasting at us 24/7. And they will do everything they can to obstruct progress and the spread of truth.

We have been fighting back with the likes of Thom Hartmann, Randi Rhodes, Keith Olbermann, and Rachel Maddow. But the "THEMS" still control far too much of the media.

Nonetheless, regardless of the dominance of Faux News et. al., Obama won. It was a mega-fuck-you in the face of the wingnut noise machine.

Expect them to become more rabid in the days, months and years ahead as fair and equitable legislation is enacted under Democratic rule, led by President Obama.

Jeeez -- President Obama -- that sounds so satisfying. As someone once said, "Living well is the best revenge."

[genna]

5. How about a New Deal for Government Services?

We've been listening to Republicans tell us Government is the problem for so long; how many of our service sectors actually work correctly? They've corrupted those services with private contractors bilking the government and refusing to pay their employees in health care, retirement benefits, or overall protection.


What are we going to do with the government sectors which are supposed to be able to implement whatever policies Obama sets?

[Cyrano]

6. Government is not the problem

The real problem has been Republicans telling us that government is the problem.

And every time they get into power, they go out of their way to make government the problem. The last eight years have been an extreme example of this.

With Obama and the Dems now running government, we'll hopefully see government presenting us with more "problems" such as Social Security, Medicare, the voting rights act, the civil rights act, and so much more of the same that "those damn pesky Dems" keep inflicting on Americans.