AMERICAN POLITICS AND DRIVE-THROUGH CULTURE

Americans are an impatient bunch, with the attention span of butterflies. They pay for their meals through one window, and collect same through the other window. A little hesitation trying to inquire regarding seasonings, or checking to make sure orders are complete, promptly infuriates the line with potential customers shouting obscenities. The institution of marriage has also witnessed the effect of this culture as would-be couples now consummate their weddings via the ubiquitous drive-through window. The history why Americans would routinely want to eat their cakes and still have them, cannot be traced very easily, but suffice to say TV viewing culture and the multiplicity of channels has accentuated this madness. With too many channels to choose from, Americans just seat there flipping channels after channels hardly completing a program. This attitude has infiltrated the political arena, and politicians are being required to transform the society through the wave of the proverbial magic wand. President Obama and his Democratic Party were the newest casualties.

Americans have grown too fat, too comfortable with our exceptional ism status and expect our leaders to possess God-like qualities in tackling pressing national and global issues, and when we couldn't find those qualities in President Obama and his Democratic party, we voted for the Republicans, whom we had roundly trounced just two years ago.

THE POLITICS OF THE PROFESSIONAL LEFT

I am willing to heap all the blames for the dismal performance of the Democratic Party during the midterm elections on the fragile laps of the Professional Left - those liberals who are so pure so refined for politics,that they allowed the Professional Right to define and interpret the political climate and discourse as they wished. The Conservative right is populated by individuals who have no business looking after the welfare of regular folks but have found the way of presenting a different but friendly face. Day in day out, Conservative talk show hosts drive home their talking points on any give national issues. The Right have so mastered the American pulse and temperaments, that they do not see the need even to pretend as to their real intentions. And this is because the Left is not capable of unmasking them for who they really are. Granted that talk radio is 1 to 9 in favor of the Conservatives, and they are leveraging this advantage to the max. This should have motivated the Left to devote more air time for politics and politics alone. Rather, they are all over the map discussing mundane issues like astrology, the world wars, sports and the like. Meanwhile, the Right is busy blaming the President for anything that goes wrong, while taking credit for any semblance of recovery.
Take for example the recent claim by Republican #2 man in congress that the news that private sector employment was increasing proved that the Bush's tax cut for the rich was fruitful. Even as I write, no Liberal voice has risen to challenge him. Senate minority leader just recently bragged that the President would have to tilt right for any compromise to material. How has the Left responded? Of course, its sheer arrogance, they said. If President is to survive the present Republican onslaught, it's not going to come as a result of liberal support and push. The Republican are just going to prove without fail that they are for the corporations, and the suffering masses would revert to lesser evil: the Democratic party.

THE INFEMOUS 911 MOSQUE

I continue to hear that we are not at war with Islam, and that Islam was a peaceful and friendly religion. I do not question these assertions, because it is not what one says that is the true reflection of ones beliefs, but what one does. Therefore, the imbroglio that has engulfed the nation following the decision of the Muslim community to build or refurbish a community center adjacent to 911 ground zero, wouldn’t have been if a sprinkle of sensitivity was brought to bear on the project.
This proposed project, and the bad blood and controversies it has engendered is an eloquent manifestation of the scorn with which the Muslim community relates to the wounds and victims of the 911 attacks. I get the fact that some Muslims also died in that attack. I equally get it that America is a beacon of freedom and civilized conducts, and should therefore look the other way. This is not an issue about constitutional rights, but an issue of sensitivity to the sensibilities of a grieving nation.
Think about this for a moment. Wouldn’t it be honorable if the Muslim community should at this stage, rethink this project site, citing the need to respect the mood of the nation in view of the 911 loss of lives? In my mind, this would endear Islam to most Americans, and become a veritable tool for evangelism. But this is not going to happen, because in the eyes of Islam, we are but infidels (sinners) who have only one right;the right of acquiescence.

THE REPUBLICAN DECEPTION TACTICS

It is beyond incredulous the way the GOP has perfected the art of pulling the wool over a people. Since that change in the occupancy of the White House, as a result of the election of the first black man to the oval office, the Republicans have stood defiantly between him and any meaningful legislative achievements in a profoundly disturbing way. Some used word like ‘waterloo’, and phrases such as, ‘I want him to fail’ by others, to paint a picture of their desired fate for the Obama administration. I don’t care what it is. Whatever Obama is for, the GOP is against, and whether such propositions could help majority of Americans is immaterial. Was it the health insurance reform efforts, the job bill, unemployment extension? The GOP opposed to them all. What is even more incredulous, perhaps with a dose of insanity, is that some Americans, mostly conservatives go along with this political calculus which is driven only by the need to return to power and the inglorious status quo. Whether Conservatives or Liberals, the fate of this great country befalls on us all, and the sooner we realize this fact and work together to change the course of the country, we might as well be willing to stew-in-our juice when things finally go sour.
Think about this. The GOP under George Bush had eight years to tamper with our immigration laws, abortion, gay marriage, constitutional amendments and similar hot-button issues. The party did nothing. The reason is essentially political, because it helps the GOP to muddle the political waters and shift attention from the topics that would unmask their insensitivity to the needs of the working people, and families. When you muddle the waters long enough, fishes get dis-oriented and gasp desperately for clean water. So also, when the political water is sufficiently muddled, the people are confused, and would most likely vent their anger on the incumbent administration. The Republicans know this; it has worked for them before, and has no doubt about its efficacy this election circle. Otherwise, why are we not discussing all the various attempts by the Obama administration to avoid economic collapse, to create jobs, to ameliorate the sufferings of the unemployed, and so forth? This would bring to the forefront the obstructionist tendencies and tactics of the GOP, which may in turn, help the DNC in November. It is cut-dry; it is cut-throat, and without a human face.

THE REPUBLICAN DECEPTION TACTICS

The Unequivalent Equivalency

Unlike John Edward's narrow "Two American" divide, actually there are four American: The Democrats, Republicans, Independents and the rest of us. The American political arena, is like the jungle; anything goes, eat or be eaten. The passage of the healthcare reform by the Obama administration, brought the worst in us, and reason and responsibility quickly taken flight. Both activists from left and right have chosen to own up to nothing, but rather are trading accusations as to who did cause which mayhem, even in the face of clear colloration to what was said, and the resultant actions. For example, Sarah Palin recently openly canvassed that motorists with an Obama sticker should be pulled aside and asked " how is the change thing coming out for ya?" We have heard of motorists being run out of the road because they spot an Obama sticker on their vehicles. The right will readily claim that similar actions were being perpetuated by those in the left. A prominent rightist talk show host was recently recorded saying, "we have to kill this bastards. We have to wipe them out. We have to run them out of town." Does these hateful rantings have anything to do with the proposed 'save the constitution' rally slated for April 19th. Americans are been called to grace the rally with guns and get the closest they could near to the nation' capital. Those of us who are alarmed by these happenings are simply told, the left did same during the Bush administration. The time has come for wise counsel to prevail, and for the ear to listen and comprehend. My late father would always say that if the ear would not listen and behave accordingly, when the head is beheaded, the ear goes too. Americans, nobody should sit on the fence. We should talk, and bring reason to permeat our discourse.

GOP - TIME TO GROW UP

The on-going GOP war-cry "Repeal and Replace" is nothing short of efforts to delegitimize President Obama's office. Never in the history of the United States has a minority party be in such hurry to repeal a law even before the proponents have the time to explain its provisions. This assertion takes credence from the fact that even if the GOP is to take back both houses of congress come November, the President will not let his pet project be rubblished by the Republicans.

So, the time has come for the GOP to face the realities of President Obama's election, and work with him for the betterment of the populace. Elections do have consequences, and President Obama should be allowed to run his government; make his mistakes and learn from them.