Bush Was An Asshole Neighbor; Obama is Family
Posted on: January 18, 2009
As Bush leaves town, and Obama takes over, and the nation prepares for this joyous occasion, I thought I’d take this opportunity to pee on the parade just a little. 
Maybe toss some dark clouds onto the horizon of these endless blue skies. Hey, somebody’s got to do it. Here is my simple, depressing thought:
Have you ever had an asshole neighbor? I mean, people you’d be better off just avoiding, but they live next door?
If so, you know that that is a problem. But it’s not the end of the world. I mean, you can build a higher fence, plant hedges and trees on that border, minimize your interactions, etc. Not optimal, to be sure. But at least manageable.
But then, what if a family member, who is living in your house, turns out to be an asshole? Now that is a problem. It’s an intolerable problem. It’s not manageable. It has to change, one way or another.
This all brings me to Bush and Obama. Bush is that asshole neighbor. Just ignore him and his ilk, and everything will be OK, albeit not optimal.
But Obama is family. He is One of Us. And therein lies the problem.
You see, if Brother Obama shows any sign of being just as venal as Bush when it comes to the two arch-villains of American politics, then, oh baby, we’d better all duck, and keep our heads down low.
Because if you think the shit has already hit the fan in America, you ain’t seen nothing yet if Brother Obama starts “palling around” with these arch villains.
And the scary thing is that, in these pre-inaugural days, there are lots of signs that he has been doing exactly this.
Man, to me this feels like what it would have been like in the first week of September 2001, to have had foreknowledge of the events of 9/11. You’re sitting there knowing that the world is about to blow up. What would you have done with that foreknowledge?
Well, what I’m doing is yelling … Duck!!!
8 Responses to "Bush Was An Asshole Neighbor; Obama is Family"
January 18, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Excellent analogy! I agree, he has to take it slow. But slow means showing progress in the right direction. So far, the early signals are not promising. I’m holding out hope that his words come the 20th will clear it all up.
As for what to duck from in America … random, unpredictable violence. e.g. the riot in Oakland a couple of weeks back over that egregious cop shooting.
January 19, 2009 at 9:15 am
What is different between the Oakland riot precipitated by the BART killing, and the LA riots 20 years ago precipitated by the Rodney King incident?
Not much, except that 53 people were killed 20 years ago, and 1 person was killed in Oakland (the black victim that was shot by the cop).
I think random unpredicatable violence has always been around.
The question is: is it escalating? I actually think it is not. Example, in the LA riots, there was no concern for loss of life. In the Oakland riots, perps wanted to destroy property but indicated they wanted no loss of life. Of course these 2 incidents are highly racially charged.
Actually, with these kinds of crimes, I think America will fair much better with Obama as president. I think these kinds of riots are fueled by an idea of oppression, injustice, etc. With a black man (okay so he’s only half black) as president, I think it sends a message out to those who hang on to the injustice/oppression card and helps give these people hope that the leader of their country is of similar skin colour – i.e. don’t play that injustice/oppression card.
Actually, I don’t know what the “duck” will look like, and I don’t think it will be anything like violence short of a civil war. I see America as being the “same old same old” story regarding violence.
January 19, 2009 at 2:33 pm
I don’t know if I’m right or wrong, but to tell you the truth, I cannot see America ever going through the turmoil that’s happening in Gaza. I just read this story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/world/middleeast/18doctor.html?em
It’s heart breaking. I just cried when I read and saw the video.
I don’t think that that type of violence would ever happen in Canada or the US. Do you want to know why?
First, I think the US has the longest history of democracy compared to anywhere else in the world (I believe, I don’t know for sure).
Second, strangely enough, I think the US as a country, is a very forgiving country. I think that wars that continue on and on have deep, deep historical roots. The US doesn’t seem to dwell on things and moves on.
Here’s a trivial example: Take Martha Stewart. In what other country in the world could a convicted felon now have her own successful T.V. show? None.
Here are other examples: A country where a black person was a slave, and a few hundred years later, a black person is the country’s leader.
The north/south divide of the civil war has no remnants in today’s society. The only people opposed to black Americans today are the loonie tune small fringe minority white supremacists (there’s always a few bad apples in the bunch).
So I don’t know what will happen with America, I don’t think it will be a Gaza thing, or even a situation where the military are in full presence within the country itself.
After thinking about it, I believe the “duck” will be a health/plague thing. I’m hoping not. But I think the economy will play into that situation.
I’m hoping I’m wrong.
January 19, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Thanks again Kathy. I think “Gaza” is just shorthand for one set of people dehumanizing another set of people. In this dynamic, the aggressor uses military euphemisms like “collateral damage” to refer to human tragedies like the one described in the story to which you link.
But all of warfare is like that. Even civil wars, between brother and brother.
I don’t know what will be the next great war of survival for America. I have predicted “People vs. Corporations”. But that prediction is just the conclusion of a logical syllogism arising from historical patterns. Yet, the whole idea seems meaningless to me. What would such a war look like? Who would be shooting and dehumanizing who?
It’s baffling. But America’s history says that some people will be shooting some people. It’s in the DNA of this nation. Not Canada.
It would be “nice” if the coming Duck! would be “just” about a bird flu pandemic. But like I said, history would disagree.
January 20, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Watch Mexico. Vigilante groups have formed in the last month and they are in a 4 way struggle with the govt/cops + soldiers + drug gangs. With millions of illegals set to stream back over the borders as the US job market collapses, Mexcian oil production collapses (Cantarell) and remittances collapse. IMO will erupt into Civil War within the next 5 years (most likely sooner).
Te idea that Canada will be immune from this is absurd. Just put a bunch of Quebecers and Albertans in a room and tell them their standard of living is going to be cut in half and ask them who gets to make the most sacrifices. Bloodshed within an hour I think.
Once Mexico essentially collapses, so does the sourthern US border. The US border states CA AZ NM TX are essentially filled with Hispanics who will not watch their relatives starve/slaughter each other with impunity. The US Army then becomes involved. The Corps get involved because they will support in all ways, the Fascism that is sure to descend on the rest of the US and Canada. Having lived in Canada as a boy and having travelled extensively – I’d say Canada is alreay much closer to Fascism right now. Last time I was there on a long bike trip I saw dozens of Canadian citizens – women and children – sitting crying on the side of the road as the Mounties used random stops/searches confiscated their vehicles 50 miles out in the middle of nowhere for ‘insurance violations’ – leaving the peope to fend for themselves. That kind of behavior on the part of the State cries for retribution. It will come – especially as the economy continues to collapse (SPX 150 summer 2011 as Peter and I have discussed before) and both the US and canadaian govts prove totally INEPT at protecting, housing and feeding their citizens.
Thats how it starts. Now add in a gobal collapse in oil production within 10 years and I’d say a Nroth American Civ War is the BEST scenario you could hope for.
Matt
January 20, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Wow! Very interesting stuff Matt. Thanks for posting.
I just think countries, like individuals, have distinct personalities. At worst, America is the swaggering bully who resorts to aggression to solve problems. At best, America is the strong leader who brings up the weak and defenseless.
Canada, at worst, is slow, almost catatonic, and paralyzed by inaction. A follower to the core. At best, Canada is a really nice place, with nice people, all who look out for each other.
I was born in, raised, and lived in Canada up until 25. Been in America the last 20 years.
I don’t know Mexico at all. But like I said, your comment was fascinating.
January 18, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Hmmmm. That’s pretty harsh, but you definately speak your mind, and as always, an interesting read.
I’m not familiar with the details of American politics, but don’t you think that maybe Obama has to walk the middle line? especially at the outset?
I mean, he can’t be anti-multi national corps nor anti-AIPAC. And I don’t think his philosophy is pro these 2 groups either.
I think he has to walk a fine middle line between being anti and being pro so that the country does not go into mahem and chaos, and so that there is a better chance he is not assassinated. If he is assassinated, then he will not be able to do the good work that needs to be done, that many people in America have faith in.
When he says that transition will be slow (or something to that effect), I’m sure he means VERY VERY SLOW. To do it quickly, I think would put the country in terrible chaos.
Analogy. Take a patient with terminally ill cancer (America). The patient has had tons of chemo (military spending, billion dollar corporate bailouts) that seemed to have initially helped, but now has wiped out this patient’s immune system (present state of America). So the patient goes, “shit, I have to find another way to help cure this illness and provide me quality life”. So the patient seeks different therapies, like natural therapies (enter Obama as president). Well, let me tell you, you’re not going to aggressively detox this patient to wellness. Why? They would be sicker than a dog, and detoxing them aggressively might wipe the patient out. So the patient needs to be detoxed very, very slowly, and at the same time nourished greatly. It’s a fine line, let me tell you. I see the US presidency and government working like this over the next 8 years. And hopefully at the end of it, America will be a much healthier country, and maybe not cured of it’s cancer, but living well with it.
Okay Chicken Little, after blogging for 5 years, how do you specifically see the sky falling? i.e. what is the American people suppose to be ducking from?