I Couldn't Resist
January 20, 2009
As some of you may have heard, there's a new boss in town. Hopefully The Who were wrong ("hello to the new boss, same as the old boss."). When I went looking for a photo of Obama I came across this one and it appealed to my sillier side.
I'm not of the Barack-Can-Walk-On-Water persuasion. He's bound to screw up, it's the nature of the job. I find him reassuring, though. I think it's his calmness, his ability to articulate a point--he actually appears to think about his responses for a second before making them--and, again, his thoughtfulness.
As for George W., well, I've often felt he was a guy I could talk to, have a beer with, share a dinner of burritos and tacos with. Maybe even hop on our mountain bikes and go out for a ride. That doesn't mean I thought he was a good president. I thought he was abysmal and I'm glad to see him out of the White House, and take your flying monkey Dick Cheney with you. George actually appears a little relieved to be leaving. Enjoy your retirement. It wasn't all bad. You handled the immediate aftermath of 9/11 fairly well, even if you screwed it up later. HIV funding in Africa, good job. Ultimately, Medicare Part D, also good, I think. Everything else? Well, not so great.
So, Barack. Congratulations. Don't fuck up. I think the presidency will transcend race. At the moment you're getting a little bit of a pass because of the African-American, skin-color thing, but that won't last. It's all about results. At the moment, I think you have more to worry about from your own party than you do the Republicans. I say that as a knee-jerk, bleeding-heart liberal who's always voted Democrat (except once, because I couldn't bear to vote for Geoffrey Fieger for Governor of Michigan). The Democrats are totally capable of shooting themselves in the foot, jumping around in pain, tripping and falling down a flight of stairs onto the tracks of an oncoming subway car. It's a gift. But I'm sure you know what I mean. No sooner had you suggested--prior to being sworn in--a stimulus package for the economy than your own party starting tearing it to pieces and screwing around with it. So I actually think one of the biggest challenges to your presidency won't be the Republicans, but the Democrats. All the Republicans will have to do is sit back and wait for it to happen.
Which brings me to my last thought on this. You've got a lot of plans. Good for you. But the presidency almost always gets derailed by events. God knows George W. came into office wanting to focus on the economy and domestic issues, then 9/11 changed everything. This is typical.
You're coming in with a lot of hope and support. It won't last. But you seem like a smart guy, which can sometimes be a liability in Washington. Leadership requires more than being smart. But I think if you can continue to give people hope for a better world without wallowing around in the muck, things should work out okay. I'm rooting for you to be one of our greatest presidents. The U.S. needs it and I suspect, so does the world.
Oh yeah, my vote is for the Labradoodle, although I'm partial to Labradors in general.
Cheers,
Mark Terry
posted by Mark Terry at 6:16 AM
7 Comments:
I'm of the dear-God-please-let-him-walk-on-water persuasion. This country sure needs it.
Funny about the Democrats. Gosh, sometimes that sure is true. (And frustrating.)
Interesting post, Mark. You make some good points. I just wish people would've talked to us Illinois folks before giving Obama their vote.
He has done virtually nothing for the state and is big friends with Daley, and the soon to be ex-govenor.
For the record, I am not an Obama fan.
If you think that he is clean on the money-for-Obama's-senate-seat thing, stay tuned. Illinois politics are too dirty for someone of his "noteriety" to be clean.
I think that he will fail miserably as president and in a few years we will see that his platform -- "change" -- will actually just be the continued satus quo.
For the sake of this great country, I hope I am wrong. I hope he does a great job. But based on his performance at the state level, I have enormous doubts as to his ability to do even an adequate job.
For the record, I am not a McCain fan either.
I think it's pathetic that with as many great people as we have in the U.S., our choice came down to Obama or McCain. Pretty pathetic.
But, we will see.....
David,
Interesting. I'd be surprised if they found dirt on Obama now if they haven't found it already, but I suppose it could happen.
I expect, in order to get things done, it's going to be pretty much business as usual. People from outside DC are always thinking they're going to come in and make a change and I'm skeptical. Never seems to happen. But if he can still manage to work with the right as well as the left and pull the gov't toward the center where it belongs some things will get done.
What's probably most unusual about Obama's presidency from the start is that because of the economic downturn/crises, etc., he gets to come into office and throw a spending package before Congress that's going to be close to a trillion dollars and there's a good chance it will pass.
Of course, you heard it here first: if Obama's package is $750 billion in spending, we can count on both parties to reject it, play around with it, and come back with $999 billion in spending full of favorite "earmarks."
Mark,
Again, for the sake of the country, I hope there isn't any dirt on Obama. It would not be good right now, or ever. I just think that he is/was too close for there not to be a smudge.
And don't even get me started on the bailout packages. I own two franchised auto repair facilities, and we are hurting. People are not spending money -- I see people packing the kids in the car and driving out of our shop with brake pedals going to the floor because they don't want or can't afford the repairs -- even after we have slashed the price just to get the work.
So, we are trying to do everything right and be honest with people, but our businesses are struggling. So... where's my bailout? All that cash going to the bozos at AIG & GM, but what about the little guy?
We started 2008 with 10 employees between our two locations. We are now at 5 employees total. We had no choice but to cut the payrol to survive. We are living the story of most small business owners.
So where's my bailout?
I'm not sure how this will all turn out, but I'm afraid we have a long way to go. My concern is that I don't think we have bottomed out yet.
BTW: I'm halfway through St. Barts Breakdown.
I love the flying monkey reference. lol
Although, I think George W came into office to avenge his father, hence starting the war in Iraq before finishing with Bin Laden. Where is that guy anyway?
Either way, I'm doing the happy dance today!
Go Obama!
Did you see his little girl give him the thumbs up as they walked away from the podium?
I saw his daughter give him the thumbs up - it looked like she was saying, "good speech" - I love the way he interacts with his family.
I agree with spy, let Obama walk on water for awhile.
kim
In my mind, the last chaos gold in the game is very important, in order to had more lc gold, I always work hard then to buy last chaos gold, so every mouth I do not had money to do anther thing.
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