Forty-three to Forty-four

January 22, 2009

How close are scapegoats and saviors? Onto one, the people place their sin and despair; on the other, their virtue and hope. George W. Bush is the nation’s scapegoat; Barack Obama is its messiah.

Neither man sought these distinctions. For all the mockery thrown at Barack Obama, I don’t think he believes he is a messiah. Even when you throw in the pre-presidential seal, the Cecile B. DeMille sets, and the chants, we are still dealing, in my opinion, in the mortal realm of ego and not in the supernatural, an ego, by the way, that is not any more remarkable than many politicians’.

George Bush had plenty of quips filled with self-deprecating humor but he was not able to escape the relentless pursuit of those who would label him inadequate. With a mismanaged war and a reeling economy dominating his terms, he was the only one left in the spotlight once the search was on for someone to blame.

Neither man deserves these roles. George W. Bush invaded Iraq not on the flimsy evidence of weapons of mass destruction but on the desire to correct several decades of failed Middle East policy. His recession really belongs to legislators and policy makers of at least a decade ago. Does he deserve some blame? Sure. Does he deserve all the blame? No.

The thing that Barack Obama is most likely to do is disappoint. Unreasonable expectations have been piled on top of one another for some time and, the more the economy has worsened, the higher the stack has become. There is a great weight on his shoulders and, as people drum their fingers waiting for the war on terrorism to end and the economy to come roaring back, the criticisms will be unfair. Maybe he’ll be lucky enough to have a coat of Teflon on him like Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton did for at least one term. Maybe he’ll get lucky like FDR and his dramatic measures will catch the crests of waves created by the many other forces that shape and drive economies. Regardless, he doesn’t deserve to be looked upon as the messiah any more than George W. Bush deserves to be seen as the goat.

It is an easy transition for Obama supporters and a difficult one for those who voted otherwise. As someone who voted for McCain, I am having a hard time getting my interior bearings as we approach Inauguration Day. Knowing that I have deep reservations about an Obama Administration ruling with a Democrat-controlled Congress, I’m trying to adopt an attitude that will be positive for my own mental health and for my 1/306,000,000th share in the country’s civic life.

I am not anticipating good things. I am not hopeful, audaciously or otherwise, that the Obama Administration will act with principle or circumspection. I expect that they will act like Democrats. Their principal impulse and motivation will be to increase their power. All other considerations are secondary. That has been the case with Democrats and Social Security, Medicare, tax policy, foreign policy, education, immigration reform, civil rights, abortion rights and so forth. Why did they oppose Medicare Part D? Because by promising but never delivering prescription drug relief for the elderly, they held sway over older folks. Why do they now rail against No Child Left Behind? Because powerful interests that control votes and money are threatened by it even though schools will improve with a NCLB approach. Why are they always talking the talk but never walking the walk with immigration reform? Because they will keep union supporters happy while buying off immigrants with generous social programs rather than granting them meaningful status in the USA. Or, they will grab for all the votes with a grand amnesty that, like the last one under Republican Reagan, only makes things worse. How Latinos failed to vote for the politician who has done more for immigration reform than any other, John McCain, is one of those political mysteries that will only be answered after the end time.

The Democrats lack principle. Their philosophy makes principle impossible. Their policies will be marked by expedience and utility. Their main motivation will be amassing power instead of making a better country.

So, yes, when it comes to the new Administration and Congress, I am cynical. Like the first cynic, my aim in the next few years will be simple: to search for and insist on the truth. I recommend this attitude to all the other 305, 999,999 stakeholders in America. What truly builds a strong economy? What truly offers people the American Dream? What truly advances freedom? What truly binds a society together? And, as important as the “what” question the “why” question: Why is the President doing what he is doing? What is the true motivation of the Congress?

We are entering an era concerned with appearance, veneer, and presentation, strong on marketing and weak on substance. The truth may be at a premium.

Copyright 2009. Fred Sneesby. All Rights Reserved.