It's wonderful, isn't it, to contemplate the various intellectual loop de loops on offer in both the left and the right since the improbable election of President Obama. (I love writing that) Every sparrows fart is analyzed to death by both sides, looking for signs of... what... dishonesty? Corruption? Idealogical impurity? I'd venture that the bloviage spewed since the great event would fill ten libraries, were it to be printed.
The current financial meltdown only adds to the ideological voodoo being spewed by both sides. Dear sufferin' Jesus... it is to weep. Why won't everyone just take a pill and shut up for a while? Huh? Do the whole suffering world a favor and stop blathering!
Leave us consider the facts. Obama was elected in the midst of an economic shitstorm of biblical proportions, one which he was eminently aware of, and which he talked about at length. He said, over and over again, that partisan politics were not going to work anymore. He said that idealogy held no fascination for him. What he was interested in was the American project, the possibility that it could be perfected. He never said he knew exactly what to do, but he did say that the old ways won't work.
So, once elected, he hit the ground running in a way never seen before. He made appointments that were all over the map, and sent the left and the right into paroxsyms of praise and fear and loathing. Oh, the millions of words poured forth trying to figure out why this man would just go ahead and do exactly what he said he was going to do. "He's going to let who speak the invocation?" "He's keeping who at defense?"
Etc. and so on. Every move parsed into oblivion.
But... the shitstorm abides. It is now obvious, as it should have been for thirty years, that the ecomomy is a house of cards built on greed and dishonesty. It is also apparent that the whole Milton Friedman thing was Voodoo, and not worthy of serious consideration. Am I the only one who knew this at the time? It is also obvious to any thinking soul that none of the whiz bang explanations of the left, or the right, properly address the situation. Each contains a void suit. One is strong on individual liberty, weak on collective compassion. The other is big on compassion, but profoundly unwise regarding what to do with those who strive for greatness. Both fail to recognize that it's the definitions, the terms of reference that impoverish their particular view of things. We have to get back to basics. I think Mr. Obama understands this.
Left or right, "the persuit of happiness" is taken as holy writ. But neither has a satisfactory definition for or understanding of happiness. Great wealth does not conferr it, nor, obviously, does poverty. Fact is, it has nothing to do with money but that's another diary. What I'm on about here is the "blinders on" analysis of the new President's actions. I realize that his approval rating is through the roof right now. It should be. But what concerns me is what's going to happen when the rubber hits the road?
My hope is that he is the man he appears to be. If that's the case, he will operate in ways that confound everyone from time to time. How do we react? We step outside the comfort of our various opinions and ideaologies, and look at the thing as if for the first time. We learn. We pay attention. We listen. We park our bullshit outside, That's the only way this thing has a chance, and if anything deserves a chance, it's this man and this country.