After two terms of George W., the presidency of Barack Obama has been a soul-crushing disappointment. Instead of real change and comeuppance for failed policies, we got more status quo. There hasn't even been a dividing line between before and after, now and then. It's just more of the same: economic disparity, xenophobic foreign policies, domestic spying, and zero hope of anything getting better, ever. If most Republicans and Tea Partiers weren't mentally defective, they would recognize this president as a true ally.
Good morning! It's 74 degrees in the Motor City on this last day of May. How's everyone doing? Great! How 'bout them Tigers? Oh, yeah, they lost again to the Pirates. But the Red Wings... They did? Damn.
So don't splain to me how at least Obama is better than the alternatives. Not only isn't he better, he isn't even different. No matter who they shuffle in and out of the big chair, the 1% will keep their boot heels firmly on our necks, and half the country will think that's just fine. Idiots.
Counterproductive cynicism, you say? Sure, I'll cop to that. It's my right. I'm just months away from the scary side of 60, I spent my 401(k) surviving the great recession (which wasn't so great; it sucked), and I finally snagged a fringe job with no benefits that pays a quarter of what I was making in early 2008. I've earned my pain and won't apologize for it. That doesn't mean anyone should sympathize: they wouldn't and I'm not asking them to. But I'm also not going to pretend that a double rainbow is waiting on the horizon for anyone, whether they're a jaded fist-shaking oldster or a young person just starting out. Sorry, kids.
Hey, let's check in with the traffic copter. How's things on the commute, Captain? Semi turnover on the Lodge. Drivers, you might want to avoid that area. Speaking of flatulence, did you hear that letting it out is actually good for you? It's true!
The betrayal is the worst part. I really thought Obama would make a difference. Sucker. I should have known better. After all, I lived through Nixon. When he resigned, I saw those rainbows coming. But they never arrived. Ford pardoned Nixon like that was the right thing to do, "for the country" don't you know. The Vietnam War continued and would still be going today if the Fords, Kissingers, McCains and other militarists had gotten their way. Luckily, we got our asses kicked and now Vietnam is just a pleasant place to complete a task on The Amazing Race.
Nothing changed! Not even when Carter was elected. There was a bit of navel gazing about the wrongs of the past, some fooling around with alternative energy, and then ... enough of that. Time to elect Reagan and get back to business.
So it was stupid of me to get fooled by Obama. Even if he wanted to effect real change, which he doesn't, the brakes have been stomped by the rest of the political and economic establishment. Does Obamacare count? No, it doesn't. The little bits of progress made in health care will be absorbed by the system and turned into the same profit-making model that we have now.
Bitter much? Hell yeah, but with an explanation, yer honor.
You should get down to Belle Isle for the Gran Prix this weekend. Weather's going to be great, if it doesn't rain. Motor City's coming back, just you wait.