How Did You Like The Play?

"Aside from 'that,' Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?"

This morning, I'm wondering if today we refuse to discuss any bad news. We just shove it aside and listen to good news about green shoots, a 3.5% good quarter, or some other such things. I'm wondering if it is worst (sic) than we acknowledge.

Obama, acknowledging that our national security interests are at stake in Afghanistan by sending 30,000 more, while at the same time acknowledging that our national security interests will expire in eighteen months by withdrawing, represents America correctly -- both he and we collectively refuse to acknowledge bad news. In this case, I believe the bad news is that a perpetual war where we eventually "declare victory" will have the same outcome regardless of date. I believe it might be worser (sic) news if we brought these few hundred thousand troops home to 17% unemployment (U-6). At least they are gainfully employed overseas, just like all our former manufacturing jobs we exported because we wanted to save a few dollars on a toaster.

I asked last year, before the election, if he could have the capability to "declare victory," reach in, and suck out our troops. Clearly, he doesn't, or won't, or whatever. While my two sons aren't going to be fighting over there, they will likely spend a fair portion of their lives working to pay it off, because I'm not paying for it...I've never been asked to pay for it. This bad news perpetuates but with Obama in charge it doesn't seem so bad, does it?

Remember, there were a few million like-minded right-of center Republicans who also felt betrayed by their president in the 2001-2008 time frame; all of today's doves will find plenty of company, all of them falling into an unrepresented "middle," facilitating our two party government's inabilities. But bad news persists regardless.


By the way, where have the green shoots gone? Are they now little trees, growing our 70% consumerist economy back to life? Are they giant oaks, meaning we are completely out of recession and our "way of life" of debt fueled hyper-consumption can resume? Or have the green shoots withered, as shoots are wont to do without a solid base of minerals, soil, and nutrients. I dunno...I think our green shoots have died but we refuse to discuss it; we refuse to accept that fiscal stimulus, cash for clunkers, $600 stimulus checks (remember those?), and $8,000 buy-a-house-now programs have done little. Bad news persists regardless.

That interviewer in 1865 must have been trying to see the good news in an otherwise shitty circumstance. Bravo.