State of the Union

Tonight the President speaks to the nation.. I don't envy him...hopefully he will explain a few things.. the endless war, the Health Care debacle, the national debt, but most importantly I hope he addresses the economy- and perhaps he will explain what the hell he is thinking by implementing a spending freeze....?


I feel his pain...passionately...I mean Barack's getting pretty beat up these days and not just by the usual suspects over at FOX, but by his own supporters. The frustration and anger felt by so many of his base has reached a crescendo. He must be feeling pretty lonely. I wouldn't want to be standing in his shoes and by the looks at how grey the guy's become - you know it's a stressful job.

The White House is really freaking out. The fact they made a big fancy announcement that Campaign Genius, David Plouffe is back on the job. Where has he been? Oh, writing a book....

This administration's low approval numbers, the election in Mass, and whispers everywhere you turn how the base is slipping away, even the exchange between Ed Schultz and Robert Gibbs the other day ending in a few choice "cuss words" must have unnerved the powers that be.
Hopefully, David will whip their image back into shape..if it's not too late...

None of this is good or can be good, though when so many threw their hopes, dreams and confidence into this wonder boy and his people..and speaking as one who gave her heart to help win the Presidency for Barack... I admit..I'm depressed, discouraged and yes, disappointed.

It's not that I don't realize what a difficult job this man inherited..I mean could Jesus himself take over after the last atrocious 8 years and "fix" things? I doubt it.

It's complex, there are so many players, all vying for their piece of the power pie, the Military Industrial Complex, The daycare of Congress and the Senate, the special interests, Corporate America... to name a few.

I have defended my new President at every turn because let's face it these problems aren't his fault. This disastrous economy took us 60 some years to get to this place.. and with that mighty extra thrust from George Bush Jr...things got really f'ed up. It's a mess and not an easy one to clean up. Perhaps it's high time we re-evaluate the benefits of the free market? Just a suggestion.

Logic dictates one man can't miraculously change things overnight... it's hard work and change takes time.... time....
and all of those out of work folks I met firsthand in Ohio? Well, the jobs of yesteryear are gone and they aren't coming back..and it's going to take time before wind turbines can be manufactured in your empty factories..and never mind China making them so cheap now...

So okay..while all these things are true..the reason I'm so let down?

It's just that I BELIEVED in Barack and the things he said during the campaign. Remember the massive crowds? The unprecedented amount of young people? The energy? The excitement? The HOPE? Was it just so bad with Bush that we overcompensated with our zeal?

I believed in this man enough to leave my family for months, go to Ohio and work tirelessly for the guy. I believed that he was that unique man.. that would stand up to the way things were done in Washington. That he was unconventional enough. Smart enough. Charming enough... young and healthy enough... remember that line? "we are the ones we have been waiting for"..my god that was the essence of the movement. It was real, alive and we were behind him ready to bring real change to our country.

I believed Barack had it all... the whole package..smart politician, good character, diverse background..he was all of us, black white, poor rich... those unique combination of characteristics to honestly relate to all Americans.The fact that he was so inspiring alone would create the change we needed. And ..I hoped he would be instrumental in healing our country from the near fatal wound of the Bush administration. To be fair he has done that.

But then he got into office..and got sucked into the insular politics of Washington that tend to smother and stifle ...surrounded himself with ex- Clinton "politicians" who seem more concerned with the next election cycle.....than "Change". That inspiration, and charisma seemed to fade. The speeches, though good weren't cosmic any longer. Yes, he's just a mere mortal man. A mere politician.

I'm aware that running a campaign is not the same as running the country..but what happened to all those innovative snazzy cutting edge youth that were going to bring to the White House, this new sense of efficiency, transparency, and a fresh way of doing business? Perhaps he should have hired all those kids instead of those ex- Clinton folks.

And what the hell happened to that state of the art PR? It was so signature of the campaign? Now? They have let Fox News run wild with the message....

Then there is the war....Barack was one of six senators who voted against the war initially...and ran his campaign as the true anti- war candidate.

Jobs, jobs, jobs... so how come this administration has aligned itself so closely with Wall Street who keeps flourishing and getting their obscene bonus's when more and more average Jane's are losing their homes and jobs? Remember that nifty movie on Capitalism by Mike Moore?

So tonight the Pres gives his State of the Union address..I will be listening attentively..as I always do. Let's hope there are no inappropriate outbursts... from the Peanut Gallery.

But this time I will be listening a bit more halfheartedly... I'm hanging on..I'm trying....I haven't given up all hope....