The Call For Change

The Call For Change

Americans are discouraged. Polls show an overwhelming disapproval rating for our elected officials and the reason is obvious. They consistently ignore the will of the people who elect them. 80% of those polled want a quick end to the wars which bleed our treasury dry and result in the slaughter and maiming of thousands of our young. After all, we aren't that gullible or stupid, are we? I mean, with all the power of the CIA, the NSA, and the Pentagon, with all the surveillance satellites and the billions in the budget, does anyone seriously believe we can’t find and eliminate a cave dwelling ferret like Osama bin Laden? It is an insult to everyone in this country to expect us to believe a small task force of the best trained military elite, with the best technology in the world, can't find and eliminate a few hundred terrorists.

So the result is to be expected. People who line up for days for the opportunity to buy the latest Harry Potter novel won't cross the street to shake the hand of a politician. Some might suggest a reason is our people no longer respond to words or ideas, but only to movies or books or music. I think the reason is because, after several decades of having our noses rubbed in one scandal after another, by the nation's leaders, we are afraid the corruption might rub off on us; or the stupidity. After all, anyone with half a brain would realize we can't insult the 1000 year old traditions of a seriously religious region and expect them to appreciate us; or that after slaughtering hundreds of thousands of their friends and family they will eventually embrace us and our ways.

And so while there is a claim for change, can we really expect any? We certainly won't if a Bush clone gets elected. A close reading of the web pages of the Democratic primary leaders doesn't really promise any sudden moves either. About the best we can hope for is only four more years of war and only another trillion dollars wasted. It is unfortunately too much to expect a politician to say what he means and to do what he says.

Someone said it earlier. Yuck, just yuck.