So, Barack Obama - the candidate whose watchwords on the campaign trail were Hope! and Change! - won. In the Orwellian parlance of modern statecraft, this of course means that Obama:
- Won't end the occupation of Iraq and bring the troops home immediately.
- Won't endorse a foreign policy of nonintervention.
- Won't shut down Guantanamo Bay and end the practice of indefinite detentions without trial.
- Won't encourage Congress - a Democratic majority - to repeal the USA PATRIOT Act.
- Won't close the 120 American military bases scattered about the world.
- Won't abolish the Federal Reserve or repudiate the institution of central banking.
- Won't end the pointless, immoral and destructive War on Drugs.
Yep. Breathe it in, America. Hope. Change. Democracy.
4 comments:
J.,
I know I'll sound like one of the millions who have gotten a bit intoxicated on the Obama Punch, but I think you're giving the man short shrift way too soon. I'll agree -- there's no chance of half those things on your list changing in any way, particularly abolishing the Federal Reserve, or the War on Drugs (and I whole-heartedly agree on your opinion of the latter), but when it comes to foreign policy, Iraq, Guantanamo Bay -- I really am hoping for a world of inmprovement on those items. We'll find out over the coming four years.
Regardless, I'm glad Obama's in -- despite your frustrations, believe me, he's a world apart from Bush. At the very least, I don't forsee any cringing while listening to the President give a speech. Intelligence and articulateness have been severely undervalued the last eight years.
Oh hell, I'll just come out and admit it -- I am drunk on Obama Punch. Go Obama!
Wayner,
Thank you, as always, for checking in. I always appreciate your perspective.
Don't get me wrong: I'm relieved McCain lost. Incredibly, he may have been more hawkish than even Bush. But electing Obama is hardly a win for individual liberty. He is making noises about closing Gitmo, so that is a step in the right direction.
But really, can you blame me for feeling frustrated? These are dark times for libertarians. Bush was staggeringly awful, but now we get the other wing of the same bird of prey. The state will just keep growing and appropriating ever more of our property and freedom, but it's called "change" because it's a new band of thieves. Amazing.
Obama will probably be more tolerable than Bush, but that's damning with faint praise. It won't be long before Obama inspires my first angry blog!
J
J,
Knowing you're looking at things as a libertarian, I can't blame you for your frustration, and actually understand how you can put Obama and Bush on the same level (though my inner lefty-dem-Lisa Simpson-viewpoint rebels mightily at that notion).
I look forward to reading your opinions (and certain outrage) at the coming policies of Obama's administration -- at least I know there will be reasoned thoughts and opinions behind your posts, as opposed to the knee-jerk rants of some of the pundits out there.
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