A High-Toned Young Christian* Man**
Maureen Dowd's sister Peggy believed that Barack Obama, "the dazzling young newcomer, could change Washington."
The Constant Weader does not share Peggy's concern:
Can we all concede now that no one can "change Washington" as long as K Street is King & the sole project of nearly every elected official is self-aggrandizement, seeded with self-preservation? Let's get over it, people. And that includes you, Mr. President.
The "tone" in Washington may be of concern to your sister Peggy, but it isn't to me or to most other Americans. I don't much care if those smarmy little creeps we call "Senator" & "Congressman" tear at each other in the most vile of terms ever heard under the Capitol dome as long as they'll work together to put the country back to work & get us the heck out of Afghanistan.
Oh, sure, the level of decorum & gentility the late Sen. Robert Byrd demanded would be ever-so-sublime. But how much good does it do? The Justices of the Supreme Court are – or so they claim – supremely cordial to one another, yet cordiality & fellowship haven’t made, for instance, Justice Scalia less of an idiot. Maybe if Justice Stevens had throttled that pompous, thoughtless dope a few decades ago, the Constitution would have been better served.
In the Congress, most Republicans & quite a few Democrats have no plans whatsoever to do what is even close to right for the people who gave them their jobs & pay them their unearned wages. And they have learned to be very, very good at talking the Peggys of the nation into believing that what's good for their K Street benefactors & the Koch brothers is good for Peggy, too. Why, one day she might become super-rich & then she'll appreciate that tidy tax break they're reserving for the rich! And when she's super-rich, the fact that they've whacked the guts out of Social Security & Medicare won't mean so much to her! AND she'll be glad to know she saved us from socialism just in the nick of time.
I'd like to see President Obama, since he's already going down for the count, really take off the gloves, & you can tell Peggy I don't care if he does it on the White House lawn or in Peoria. I'd like to hear him say, "If redistributing the wealth from the super-rich to the middle class makes me a socialist, then -- yes, I am a socialist." He can elaborate: "If trying to see that everybody has affordable health care makes me a socialist, then -- yes, I am a socialist. If ensuring that women have a right to equal pay is socialistic, then you betcha, I’m a socialist. If raising the minimum wage – which does indeed redistribute the wealth – makes me a socialist, then I’m a socialist. And I’m proud of it.”
Then he might add, "Yes, folks, I am black. Take a look at this skin. Take a look at my census form. Right there next to 'race' it says 'black.' Now, get over it." Then, in a fit of super-candor, he might say, "No, I'm not a Muslim. But then I'm not much of a Christian, either. Since I know how to think for myself, organized religion doesn't do all much for me. Oh sure, I tried out Christianity to please the public & look where that got me -- Jeremiah Wright. (Hey, how did I know he was a nut job? I hardly went to church.)"
And then he could say, "You know, when I got this gig I tried getting along with Republicans, but they don't play well with others. Never have. Never will. They are not motivated to help you. They want government to fail. They don't care what happens to you. And they sure don't want me sending you a little more cash & a little better job & a lot better future for your children. Because every time I help you, it hurts their special interests. And that is all they care about it.
"So there you have it, my fellow Americans. I'm a black, halfhearted Christian socialist who believes his job is working for you. Your alternative is some white Christian guys who only work for themselves and want government to fail you. Take your pick."
Honesty may not be the best policy. But pandering has not worked out all that well for the President & real Democrats. Perhaps a shot of truthiness would set them free.
Huh. Frank Rich pretty much agrees with me. Except for the Christian bit.
AND/BUT, as Cenk Uygur notes, the Obama Administration's facile deals with the devil(s) will likely cause many of us "fucking retards" to stay home.
* Or not.
** With apologies to Wallace Stevens, & a hat-tip to my friend Ned.
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