Land of Oz

Inauguration 2009

First, I didn't watch it. I caught bits later that night on the news and over the internet, but didn't pay a lot of attention to it. After all, it has happened 40-odd times before. However, I did read the text to his speech. The guy - and his writers - really has a way with words. That's a nice change of pace. I'm glad so many people have such high expectations about what Obama might do, but I don't really share them. I really hope he can do just a teeny portion of the stuff he wants to, but the bottom line is that it's still Washington D.C.

I don't really expect any fundamental changes in how things do, or more likely, don't get done. There's 222 years or so of entrenched bureaucracy in D.C. that won't give up its power easily. There's no way to get a good health care bill passed unless it's packed full of little tidbits like pig museums for Arkansas or maple syrup hall of fame centers for Vermont or special tax breaks on wooden toy arrows to bribe, er convince, people into supporting it.

You know what impressed me the most about the 2009 inauguration? The fact that somewhere around 2 million folks were able to get together, cheek-by-jowl, and nary an arrest was made. Considering you're lucky these days to walk through a suburban mall and not see a riot, that was amazing. Maybe it's a sign of things to come.

Mr. Obama - I wish you the very best in yours (and ours) next 4 years.

Labels: celebs, government

New President

Today is the first full day of President Obama's term. There are a lot of folks who have high hopes for this guy. I hope they're correct. The problem is that he's just one guy, and a politician at that. Think of all the entrenched interests in Washington that he will have to fight to get even some of what he's promised accomplished. There are senators and congressmen who are so insulated from the real world that they have no idea what's going on, except as it helps them and their interests.

And now Obama joins their ranks. Yesterday he wanted to go to church three blocks away. "The trip required 20 Secret Service agents, a 14-car motorcade, precautionary gas masks and a specially armored Cadillac limousine." His life as one of the people has ended. Anything he writes or emails or says will be studied, picked apart and critiqued. If one of his kids trips on the stairs going to school, it'll be national news. If his wife changes clothes from J. Crew to Polo, it will make a significant change in the sales of both companies. If Obama changes from Blackberry to Samsung, the world will know of it and discuss endlessly what it really means.

Mr. President, I wish you the best and hope you can pull the USofA out of its hole. I hope you can make strong ties with the rest of the world and once again make our country someplace to be looked up to. And I really hope all the entrenched assholes give you a chance to do so.