On the death of the idealistic souls brought to politics by one Barack Obama...

[WCGreen]

Idealism. The philosophical theory that ideas are the only reality.

This sound pretty convincing to me. It is just that the reality so many (I confess, this old skeptic as well) of us bought into is not the one we are seeing unfold before us. Whether by youthful Hubris or naivety about the blood sport we call politics, people are coming to grips with a reality that only a philosopher could love...

Idealism. Impracticality by virtue of thinking of things in their ideal form rather than as they really are high-mindedness: elevated ideals or conduct; the quality of believing that ideals should be pursued.

Ah, this is the one that strikes right at the heart. The undone romantics who sob aloud when Romeo discovers Juliet in her potion induces sleep and takes the dagger to himself knowing that the promise of a tale of woe has been fulfilled.

Idealism. High-mindedness: elevated ideals or conduct; the quality of believing that ideals should be pursued.

Who among us doesn't feel betrayed by the actions of this great drama that has all but played out? We thought the country had finally come to grips with one of its most embarrassing shortcomings. Even though I have no horse in the game, I am on disability so qualify for Medicare; I grow weary of how callous citizens are and how selfish we are toward one another. With every shouted demand to "take back my America”, I have to ask, where does that leave the rest of us who have a different, more sane I am sure, view of our country?

I was raised to be thoughtful about everything I do. Well, not really. My parents were convinced my strident idealistic approach to the world would be my undoing. In a way it was. I turned to the drink and the drugs and back to the drink when I felt hopeless as a man and powerless as a citizen. But I came through it. Not with flying colors, mind you but with a determined mind to fight for what is right not what is expedient or popular.

I held such promise this time around, this latest dance with Health Care Reform. I know what it is like to not have insurance, to be saddled with a pre-existing condition, to be terrified about getting ill and not being able to afford the costs involved. In many ways, the people inside the beltway tell us these fears are being corralled, that costs will be reigned in, that we have won a significant victory. Forgive me if I approach the future of this, this "reform" they call it, with a jaded eye.

Cynicism. Skeptical, scornful or pessimistic attitude; an emotion of jaded negativity, or a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of other people.

This is, I believe, the healthy way all of us should approach politics from this point on. Maybe if we had tamped down our hopes, had a cynic’s eye toward anything coming from Washington we would have been able to better handle the result of this epic race to the bottom line of the Insurance Industry.

Now we all know it takes more than one candidate, one exceptional speaker, one high-minded ideal that held such promise for a different approach to governing.

Change. I believed it. I hoped for it. But with so many shouts of "ME", how can we expect anyone to consider the WE.




All my definitions are from Google Define.


Edit for one misplace word.

[gimama]

1. Beautifully said. Thank YOU.

YOU are as wise as Your Dad (Love the sig.line!) :)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. And promise it did indeed hold.

That promise held us in its grip, and would not let go...

Now, we are forced to see, to witness, the death of the dream we've held onto with such longing.

No wonder we feel betrayed, and by the man we elected to deliver us into the new world, the world of "yes we can."

Perfectly said!

K&R

Thank you...

[maglatinavi]

3. WCGreen

Very appropriate to the reality that sadly, we are confronting. But besides sadness, there is anger ... what happened to move on org??? Why didn't they raised their voice on time to debunk the railroading of "we the people"... kill the bill and start all over with the right reform, universal health care.... lets honor Teddy whereas Obama has not... Oh, I am so angry...:grr: :grr: :grr: and so sad :cry: :cry: :cry:

[WCGreen]

4. The one thing we all need to carry forward is tonot let this be the

defining moment in our political life. It is a major disappointment but we must stay engaged. The other side is hoping that when our idealism is shattered that we slink away and leave politics and governing behind. We must not do that. we must remain involved or we will surely lose everything.

[JohnnyLib2]

7. For sure!

[Electric Monk]

5. Bookmarking to read this again tomorrow. G'night.

[Goldstein1984]

6. Ideals may be abstract, and even out of reach, but they serve as

goals to be pursued. They keep us reaching and trying to be better than we are.

We shouldn't stop pursuing our long-term goals because of short-term disappointment. Granted, my disappointment stretches back into the Sixties, and I think things are markedly worse now than they were then, but I have children and grandchildren, and I feel somewhat responsible for the mess they are inheriting. If I give up now, then I abandon them. It isn't going to happen.

All the disappointments from Obama--I won't waste anyone's time by adding a well-known list here--tell me that the solution just isn't in hand. My personal belief is that massive boycotting of the consumer culture, if truly massive, would shake things up. But whether that is true or not, and whether a leader who could organize such an event comes along or not, I'm still fighting.

[WCGreen]

8. Idealy we should never be totally satisfied but, as you say, we should

strive toward the ideal...