Cartoon Copyright © 2008 Creators SyndicateYes, everyone thought that he was the messiah of change. That he was "different". However, as I've always said, he's just another politician.
People drank the whole Obama Kool Aid which promised them real change and a different kind of politics.
Some people likened him to JFK and some even alluded to the second coming of Jesus.
Hell, journalists in India asked where India's version of Obama is. (To answer that, every other politician who gives great speeches and does not do anything for five years or whatever term of office they are able to buy or bully into.)
Now that the primaries are over, it is time for the real Barack Obama to please stand up.
Mr. Change-the-world has not only flip-flopped on campaign finance, but to woo Christian evangelists is now ready to expand the Bush administration's faith based programs (source: Newsmax, click here).
Also, he's still "not there" on Gay marriage. Pray tell, what's to "be there" about.
Though to be fair, he does support repealing of Don't ask, Don't tell and DOMA.
The fact is, that to be successful, leaders have to be pander to the majority and different interests groups. If politicians start speaking the truth, and do not pander to any major public base, they become as insignificant as Ralph Nader. (Just using him as an example. I ain't a fan.)
A theory goes that 97% of the people in the world want to be lead, want a leader to look upto.
I do agree with that to some extent. That is one of the reason people flock to leaders who are good orators and tell them what they want to hear. People want to be given hope that their problems will be over someday and shown the light at the end of the tunnel like a carrot is dangled in front of a horse.
Good politicians also invent pseudo-truths which if said out loud and a number of times, turn into fact. *Cough* George W Bush *Cough*
However, I still think that Obama is a much better choice for President than great-grandpa McCain. For one, he knows how to work a computer.
For Obama, being a flip-flopper does not make him unfit for president. He's just doing what great leaders have done for centuries. Pandering to the population.
The moral of the story is, that the next time a politician comes knockin and promises to be different and bring about a change or do things differently, don't drink the Kool Aid without at least thinking about it first.
p.s. There is this really interesting article by David Brooks in the NYT called The Two Obamas (click here)
1 comment:
I guess that must be Obama's greatest achievement, doing so well in the political arena by pretending to be apolitical. Although I still think John Edwards would've made a much better candidate.
Post a Comment