When considering the goofy, hysterical, comical, ironic, and totally bat shit crazy signs at the anti-Obama demonstrations, there’s one attack in particular that makes me giggle uncontrollably. It’s the signs that say, "So, how’s that change and hope working out for ya?"
On this, the one-year anniversary of the total, freakin’ meltdown of the entire world financial system, I have to say without hesitation, "Fuckin’ GREAT, and getting better every frickin' day!!"
On September 15, 2008, just six weeks before the election, John McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin were in absolute, total denial of a total Global meltdown of the world economy. On the morning of September 15, McCain said, "the fundamentals of our economy are still strong." By the afternoon, he had to dial that back. His spokespeople said that McCain, by referring to the fundamentals, was actually talking about the American worker—even though by words or deeds he had never previously shown any concern whatsoever about the American worker.
In the last quarter of 2008, it was obvious to all but the 23%ers—the true believers that still supported the AWOL George W. Bush—that the Conservative Republican philosophy (or what they CLAIMED it was) was an abject failure. Bush didn’t do anything to try and salvage his reputation over his last five months in office. He rarely made public appearances, and he accelerated his already prolific vacations and trips and absences. When he did appear in public, it was for three minutes at a time, and then he disappeared again.
After realizing his error and tone-deafness, John McCain reacted by "suspending" his campaign to work on the economic crisis. His pro-active response? He spent a week running to the front of cameras, but proposed nothing of substance.
Six weeks later, a brilliant Black man was elected President of the United States with nearly 54% of the vote—the highest percentage of the vote by any presidential candidate in 24 years. Think about that for a minute-- an African-American receives A CLEAR MAJORITY of the vote in a national election. Wow. Just imagine how many percentage points he lost to people that couldn’t bring themselves to pull the trigger for a Black man—four points? Six?
When the Obama staff was put together, it was even more clear that the country made the right choice. You could be pretty well rest assured that Lindsey Graham, Joe Lieberman, and Mike Huckabee would have prominent places in the McCain cabinet next to Vice President Sarah Palin.
By January 20, thanks to the no-show leadership of the Republican administration that had allowed New Orleans to drown, Abu Ghraib to embarrass America throughout the world, the world financial system to collapse, anthrax attacks from Florida to Washington to New York, airplanes to take down the World Trade Center in New York, an attack on the Pentagon, a senseless 7-year war in Iraq, lies at the UN, roping some of our best allies into a quagmire, a doubling of our national debt, etc., etc., etc., the Dow was under 7000 (4000 points LESS than it was eight years earlier when he took over), we were losing jobs at the rate of 750,000 per MONTH (!!!!), and nobody was doing SHIT.
After January 20, 2009, the economy has stopped the unbridled hemorrhaging, most indicators have recovered, serious needs are being addressed, effective people are in charge of departments again, many abuses have been stopped cold, troops have been re-deployed more effectively, veterans benefits have been expanded, inequities have been addressed, and we’re no longer a pariah in the World.
There are still a lot of things to be done. I’m not happy with the maintenance of a few of the odious Bush era policies. I wish that the President would do more to achieve his goals—that 54% of us voted for in a national election-- through political force. I think the tone of the President toward his political rivals (who are mostly self-described enemies) is too civil.
But am I happy with the hopey-changey thing? DAMN RIGHT. Only an idiot 23%er could find the developments since January 20 anything but welcome and refreshing.