Nancy goes off the rails

Once a week Nancy comes in the office to do some work for Joe with medical accounting. Her desk is right outside my office and we usually engage in typical office chit-chat. She is a very nice elderly woman and always seems to be in a happy or upbeat mood. (perhaps this is because she only works one day per week) We have a very friendly relationship as she has a daughter that is a few years younger than me and attended Peninsula High. When Nancy comes in the office she always turns on Rush and listens to him as she goes about her workday. I will make the occasional joke about the radio, Nancy tells me I should listen etc, and we continue on with our day. I know this will be hard for some of you to believe, but in an office environment I am strictly professional and never talk politics. I was able to abstain from all political talk during the eight years I was a teacher (when I voted for Bush twice) and always kept things friendly and cordial in the teachers lounge. So Nancy asked me yesterday how I thought Obama was doing and asked if I was happy that America was falling off a cliff. I responded by saying that it was Thanksgiving and it should be a time of togetherness. We just smiled and laughed as usual as I refused to take the bait. An hour later Nancy asked me again what I thought about Obama, I told her to give him time and proceeded to make a phone call. When I was done with my call Nancy again brought up politics. O.K I thought, this lady wants to get it on. I really did want to find out her opinions etc on politics because she is such a nice person. As Nancy began to tell me her thoughts about Obama her eyes bulged out, her voice rose to a fevered pitch and her she was shaking with anger. I asked her what Obama has said or done legislatively that could cause such a visceral hatred of the man and this is what I got back:

1) Obama is hiding who he really is. He is obsessed with power and will do anything to keep it.
2) Reverend Wright
3) Chicago politics
4) Socialism
5) Death panels-
6) He hates America, he wants to be European
7) He wants America to fail and is working to destroy America

I told Nancy that I heard all of these things (and worse) about Bill Clinton in 1992 and all the dire predictions (highlighted in an early blog post) did not come true. I said that I think Obama is a kind and decent man and that people who claim to be able to peer into his mind are just talk show hosts trying to get ratings. The more fear and outrage they can stir-up the more listeners they get. I told Nancy that I hold Bush accountable for Iraq and the deregulation of the financial sector. Nancy looked at me as if I was speaking Chinese and told me that our country was being ruined by Obama and "someday it will all come out." I said, hey you might be right, let's talk in seven years after Obama has completed his Presidency. I said Nancy, if I am right about Obama will you vote for him in three years? Nancy's mouth fell open and she looked at me like she just witnessed me murder a puppy at my desk. She slowly raised her finger and whispered one word.........................."Never"

P.S. I think Susan and Nancy should be BFF!

Obama-One Year Later

It was one year ago today that the United States of America elected Barack Obama President of the United States of America. So, as the far left feels deflated and calls Obama "timid" and the far right is going to "tea parties" to protest the various slights and hardships of being white and having an upper-class income in 2009, it is a good time to evaluate what is going on in our political world.

For instance, what would really be different if McCain had won? How would your life personally change? Would you really be any different or happier? Other than praying for the health of McCain, what would you do differently?

The same number of young people in the military would still be fighting and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. Amina's brother and NINE of my former students would still be currently serving in two war-zones.

We would still have a massive health-care problem, the economy would continue to bottom-out, and people would still continue to be happy or sad on a daily basis. We would still have freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to assemble, freedom to debate, and the freedom to listen or watch whomever we like.

I think that the reason that people are feeling let-down by Obama is because his campaign was such a fascinating horse-race that actual governing seems somewhat boring. He has not had a moment (like Bush after 9/11) where the country really rallies together. Instead we have a continual economic decline and the daily drip of bad news. People just seem sort of worn-out and want to take a break from politics.

Ultimately, the one-year mark means nothing, it is how Obama performs when or if something horrific happens on his watch and how he responds to it. His legacy will be how he asserts himself as a leader and thinker in the coming three years.