Don't Get Too Excited

[poliphilo]

In order to have a run at the Presidency of the USA you'll have had to eat a lot of crow and tread on a lot of fingers. Obama, Clinton, Romney, McCain- these are not nice people. 

And all of them- long since- will have ceased to have much to do with people like us- that is to say people without power or the hunger for power. The people they mostly consort with are those they can do deals with, those who can give them money or deliver support.

That's the nature of politics.

Whoever gets in they'll be beholden to the same baronial powers, in hock to the same military-industrial complex. It'll be nice to have a change of face at the top- and if that face turns out to be black or female it'll be a cheering indication of how social attitudes are changing- but that's all it'll be.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I can't see any of the others spending time in a bookshop. (And Clinton's not a "he").

My concern with Obama is that he's all charisma and good vibrations with nothing much underneath.

[sculptruth.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say there's nothing much underneath, but drive, inspiration, and charisma and all around good-guy won't make things happen in the White House. I don't want to be sold a dream; I want action from whomever eventually ends up there.

Not that I don't think he's electrifying and all the rest-- I just want concrete dynamism. We need a force.

Clinton, while I don't agree with everything, just comes across a little better as someone who while not wildly popular, could potentially get the job done.

I am as yet undecided. Unfortunately, because of our antiquated voting system, I can't get out of work to Caucus this Saturday and Washington State's primary election is an overblown popularity poll because it's A) too late in the game and B) Democrats only choose their delegates from the Caucus.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Something that no-one here has mentioned yet is the dynastic element in Clinton's bid for power. It seems to me inherently unhealthy for power within a democracy to run within families.

[sculptruth.livejournal.com]

Oh people are definitely bringing that up around here, lately. It's not uncommon in our Presidential history though-- it's happened since the beginning. I guess that's why we don't think about it as much? It has a dangerous feel in this day and age, I'll admit.