I got to thinking about this reading this post over at JD's blog. Pointless torture? Nothing to see here, people, just move along... Another day in the U.S.A., circa 2008.
And it got me thinking about where I am now, personally and politically. And I realized that - and, mind you, I am a person that my beloved wife refers to as "clinically optimistic" - I'm burnt to the socket. I have no more outrage left. I am weightless, in free fall over a political horizon where, despite their egregious (and often criminal) failures, idiocies and betrayal of everything I thought my country stood for...there they are. The Rushes, Gingiches, DeLays, Feiths, Cheneys and Bushes. And their cybertruppen: the Drudges, the Blackfives, the Michael Yons. Unabashed. Unrepentant. Undeterred.I find myself unable to participate in the discussions about military minutiae and foreign policy trivia at places like abu muquwama and the new Intel Dump simply because a) all our wrangling and casuistry make not a hap'orth's difference in the actual policy, which I believe to be as fucking boneheaded as humanly possible and b) we're all frantically debating whether FM3-24 is or isn't making a difference in Iraq and whether engagement of the new Pakistan government is helping improve the military situation along the Durand Line while, in fact, we haven't the slightest idea what rough beast we've birthed in southwest Asia. In our Iraq misadventure, for example, we're in the same position as a bunch of Muscovites circa 1922 arguing about the virtues and vices of the Revolution. The immense political and social turmoil we, or at least, our dumbass leader Kommander Kodpiece and his neocon Legion of Doom in our names, have freed from their postcolonial and tyrannical confines may destroy us; would those sophisticated Kremlin-watchers have predicted the Stalinist horrors? And yet we natter on as if we knew, or could somehow contrive, the ends we desire.
In fact my government - which is to say, my people - seem to have reduced statecraft to the level of my five-year-old son: Gimme! Now! I want it! Give me nice streets and safe parks but don't tax me for them! I want Social Security "reform" but I don't want to raise the payroll tax OR have my benefits reduced!! My schools and highways and bridges may be falling but God forbid you ask me for some "sacrifice" to fix them...
In fact, the stupid seems burned into the panelling of America, and I just don't seem to have enough sandpaper in the world to get it out.
5 comments:
Man, talk about a mid-winter post.
Blah blah blah, spring will never come, blah blah blah.
One more thing, if you look for crocuses (a sure sign of spring) you might be surprised at how many you find. (here is one little flower for example: the fact that the internet is making small political donations a practical way of fund raising)
"crocuses", or is it "croci"?
There are promising signs in the Theater of American Politics pushing up these days. Sen. Feingold and his few crew showing how to volley and thunder against overwhelming odds.
At the very least, we know who the traitors are in our struggle to keep what we can of American Law and Justice.
Isn't one of your Republican Senators so desperate that he's trying to join himself to Obama's position?
Kinda lame, if you ask me.
I believe it was you that mentioned on your blog here that the local Democratic party group in your area was interested in you.
If you haven't, seriously, consider joining up with them. I don't know about them where you are, but the one where I am is having a tun of fun.
I have decided to out myself, here on your corner of the internet.
Go here:
http://www.rcdemocrats-hutchinson.blogspot.com/
I'm not in the first picture with the "USA" cake, but I'm in the second the second marcher from the left, and in the 3rd I'm leaning against a car, arms folded.
4th of July parade through town, causing trouble in Red State Kansas.
8-)
We've had this discussion before, Chief. You're looking into the future and finding lots to be uncomfortable.
I do this a lot and yet I'm optimistic about the future (my wife calls me a "cynical optimist" when she doesn't use stronger language). I think we're all going to be okay in the long run assuming some wacko doesn't do anything irretrievably stupid.
That doesn't mean that we aren't in for some damned rough times ahead but assuming we show SOME ability to learn from our mistakes the human race will be sadder and somewhat wiser in 50-100 years when all the dust from the current squabbles die down.
In the meantime I suggest you find the advice I offered a few weeks ago and follow it. You can't protect everything from the coming storm but you can protect the most vital parts and that should be enough.
"keep hope alive!"
Even though Jesse Jackson annoys me to no end, he does have catchy phrases that help in those moments where "hope may not be warranted at this point."
I think a lot of this has to do with "omg, this again?" and it seems that we, as a nation, re-repeating our mistakes...but it is somewhat like a pendulum where it swings one way, or the other...we just have to be patient for the arm to swing back...and I think thats coming much sooner than expected.
"Keep hope alive!"
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