The blog combining two passions most people could give a rat's ass about.

Friday, November 5, 2010

The Microwave Generation

A lot of people are calling this election a referendum on Obama. I hope not. I hope it's a whole lot more. I hope it's a referendum of the two party system. Amongst activists disgusted with the two party system there are two philosophies: Join/create a third party or take over one of the established parties and change it from the inside.
What the Tea Party is doing is giving me some mixed feelings. On one hand it's great that the technique can be effective. On the other they seem in danger of radicalizing the Republican party. Radicalizing doesn't usually result in things getting more radical/awesome. It's usually radical/crazy.
If this election was a referendum on Obama that bothers me more. The extra energy of the right is coming in part from the extra funds being dumped into the campaign because of Supreme Courts ruling on Citizens United (basically individuals still limited on how much they can give to a politician but companies can give as much as they want).
The idea that Obama is an extreme anything is poppycock. Nothing Obama has done is beyond the trajectory of previous presidents of either party. Every president in my life time and probably longer has pushed the boundries of their powers a little bit only to be escalated by the next guy. Congress has done the same thing. This is why I think every president should be impeached at least at the end of their term if not earlier. I'll go into this later.

What I really think this 'referendum on Obama' is about is that the American people are too used to getting their cake and eating it to. This is a generality so if it doesn't apply to you then I am not talking about you (but put some real thought into if it really is about you). The proof is in the "keep the government out of my medicaid" signs.
Americans who can't afford to hire someone themselves want the government to provide these types of services but don't want to pay for them. A prime example is the recent Congressional race I was a part of, My district is staunchly Republican but a significant portion of the populous draws unemployment three months of the year when Branson shuts down for the winter.
When I took electronics at the VoTech in Reeds Spring the teacher told us we were the microwave generation. We've never had to wait for anything in our whole lives. I think he missed the mark a little because it isn't just my generation. We all have come to expect everything to be wrapped up in a neat little bow in a timely manor and it shouldn't require any actual effort from us.
I have my own reasons for not liking Obama. Much of it comes from the fact that he doesn't practice what he preaches (criticizes gitmo but starts an assassination program for example). But it bothers me that the right is treating Obama as if he is anything but a continuation of Bush. I keep hearing Boehner and others referring to 2008 debt ceiling as if it were an acceptable number.
The silver lining in all this negative intellectual dishonesty is that the left is coming back with humor as anti-venom. It's what I've tried to do. Then there was the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear and now there is this http://whatthefuckhasobamadonesofar.com/

2 comments:

  1. You made a very good point.We all are waiting for someone to get into office and actually do what they say they are gonna do. Im so sick of the president and his wife going on vacations we are the ones who need vacations.But yet nothing gets done at the home front cause Obama go on vacation anytime his people needs him we all should get out of the union since we are not treated united int he United States of America.

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  2. I don't think the problem is vacations. The presidency is aging him. The dude is doing stuff. The problem is he doesn't know how to stand up to republicans or lobbyist. Well that's his efficacy problem. There are policy problems too

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