lumière des étoiles

Any one but W
2004-01-16 10:08 a.m.

Yesterday, while relaxing with a cup of the hot, spicy Chai I got for Christmas, I watched snippets of W.'s speech on his new big idea: A gazillion dollar program to send people to Mars. Oh, by the way, lest you think that made him sound idiotic, considering he "leads" a country ravaged by unemployment and growing poverty - a country which was able to come up with a staggering 20 new jobs PER STATE last month, he did manage to impress the masses with his majestic phraseology once again. This time, the most moving part of his speech was his nod to the "spacial engineers" who were able to come up with the programs to land a robot on Mars. Funny, when I was growing up I thought they were called things like astronomers and geologists. But what do I know? I'm not smart enough to be president!

I also watched a few clips of Carol Moseley Braun's interviews with different talking heads. In my recent study and research of these dem contenders, I noticed a few things about Braun: She's intelligent, articulate, empathetic, cautious, and practical. Which means, at least according to Chief political correspondent Howard Fineman, she is "in the wrong line of work".

Well howdayalike that, as my father, a liberal to the core, would have said. It's more than a little frightening to me that the presidential hopefuls who make the most sense and seem like the most intelligent never have a chance in hell. Sometimes they're too black, too female, too jewish, too gay, too liberal, too passive. Too hippie, too marxist. Too leftist. Too practical.

It's a shame, really, when so many people seem to see potential in candidates but don't get active or concerned enough. It just adds to frustration, too, when all people talk about is the two front-runners - in this case, two men who sometimes (all the time, in W's case) act more like two little boys.

That was a fast one Braun pulled yesterday, dropping out of the running to back Dean. Kind of makes me wonder what the both of them have up their sleeves. Could she be named as a VP potential? Could she have a solid place in Dean's cabinet if he's elected (I wish I could say when...)? Can you just imagine the potential and possibility of a new administration? We'd leave these dark ages behind - let go of this administration that doesn't ever seem to think.

What I fear, though, is that this administration, which doesn't seem to be concerned with long-term issues, and in fact is willing to sacrifice the future for the instant gratification of the present (think Iraq, think Alaskan Oil Drilling, think Timber Industry), is becoming representative of a cultural dynamic.

In the new Newsweek, for example, there are extensive articles on both the Bush administration and the Atkins diet. How appropriate, I thought, since both cut major corners. Atkins promises short-term results without too much concern for long-term issues which might develop. Sure, you'll lose ten pounds by next month, but in a year develop vitamin deficiency since you're depriving your system of whole grains. So your cholesterol might spike. Who cares? You'll be a whole pants size less; just worry about that other stuff later. Or better yet, when you find out you have heart disease sue Dr. Atkins. Sue his publishers. Sue Oprah. Sue everybody. That is, after all, the fastest way to make a buck lately, no? And the reason that my crystal clean driving record and non-bling-bling vehicle still cost me about fifteen hundred dollars a year to insure.

Oh, just tell me that we haven't begun to imitate our crappy administration. Or, that our crappy administrations' impulsiveness, recklessness, and irresponsibility isn't representative of a cultural trend. Tell me that.

Lie.

Please?

xoxox