Curb Your Enthusiasm

When will it be Mitt’s turn to excite the Republicans? Realistically, he’s the odds-on favorite to be the standard bearer in next year’s two-man race for the White House. So why aren’t the party faithful cheering Mitt? Maybe because many believe he’s the GOP’s John Kerry. Bright, articulate, seasoned, and … boring. The presidential election is lacking enthusiasm for both parties. The Democrats’ base of socialist liberals, union bosses, gays and barely-American Hispanics are all lukewarm about Obama. They feel he’s been too cautious on closing Gitmo, defending public workers’ outrageous pensions, and championing immigration reform, environmental issues and sinful same-sex marriage. So, the time to enjoy the 2012 political season at its finest is right now – watching the round-robin of GOP hopefuls pick each other apart on stage at debates leading up to the Iowa caucus and early primaries. Pop some corn, crack open a cold one and settle in to your overstuffed chair in front of the TV; it’s the best political entertainment we’re going to see for quite a while.

The Machine

Does it matter who’s in the Oval Office? On a friend’s advice, I ordered the Matt Damon movie, The Adjustment Bureau, from Netflix. The premise is that greater forces are at work, maintaining everything in order, according to an over-arching blueprint. Deviation is pointless, because “enforcers” of the orchestrated plan do whatever is necessary to keep it on track, regardless of what any individual prefers. It’s an acceptably entertaining film, though not an entirely original concept, and may be truer than is comfortable. I avoid believing conspiracy theories. You know, 9/11 was planned and aided by our own government and the moonwalks were staged. But maybe there’s something to this “big plan” idea, invisible hands guiding, pushing us down a predetermined path. Does it make any difference who’s President? Obama ran on a platform of “change” which pinko progressives would argue has not materialized; our troops remain in Iraq and Afghanistan, shrill partisan politics is no better, oil companies still enjoy big tax breaks and those responsible for tipping us into the “great recession” go unpunished. George W. Bush proclaimed himself a “uniter” in 2000, but there was no hint of that during his 8-year tenure, and he brandished “fiscal” conservative credentials, inheriting four years of federal budget surpluses but never balancing a budget of his own. The saintly Ronald Reagan also ran as a “conservative” but raised taxes in 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1986, pushed to increase the government debt ceiling repeatedly, including to over $1 trillion for the first time in the nation’s history, and he granted amnesty for millions of illegal aliens in 1986. So what gives? How can we square the presidential candidate’s campaign promises with their eventual, historical track record? Are they all liars? Does the reality of compromise once in power shift priorities and agendas? Or … is there a cadre of special interests at work, so powerful that no White House resident can resist their cosmic force? No, that couldn’t be. Sounds too much like a left-wing conspiracy theory!

Priorities

God, Country, Notre Dame is the inscription over the eastern door of the Sacred Heart Basilica on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. It is meant to convey the conviction of graduates: service to God above all, then to country and alma mater thereafter. Got me thinking about politics and priorities. The party of “no” during the first two years of the Obama administration, Republicans successfully ran last November on putting job creation first and foremost. And they captured the House of Representatives by a vast margin. Six months into this new Congress, what has become of the promised “jobs” agenda? Eliminating funding for NPR and Planned Parenthood grabbed headlines. Read my lips, no new taxes – even for the richest 2% of Americans, for corporate jets or for oil companies – has been a familiar refrain. I’m sure these important issues are aimed squarely at employing more Americans. Some in the lamestream media now suggest that the GOP’s overarching strategy for the next 18 months will be to derail efforts aimed at spurring the economy and job growth, and thus Obama’s re-election chances. Robbed of oxygen, the fire will be snuffed out. Which comes back to priorities. How about: God, Grand Old Party, Country. Now that’s an agenda I can believe in!