Sheer poetry
Wo, what’s that?! Oh – it’s a blast of fresh air.
President Barack Obama has called for the US to become energy independent, saying its reliance on foreign oil and global warming posed threats…Mr Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to review its refusal of a waiver which had previously allowed California to set its own – stricter – vehicle emission and fuel efficiency standards. He said California had taken bold moves in implementing the standards. Mr Obama said: “The days of Washington dragging its heels are over. My administration will not deny facts. We will be guided by them.”
Cue the Hallelujah chorus! And Aretha Franklin singing The Star-spangled Banner! And Springsteen doing Eyes on the Prize and Seeger doing We Shall Overcome! Cue them all, cue everyone singing at once – cue the rocks and the trees, cue the stars and the little green frogs; from every mountainside, lift up your voices and sing –
My administration will not deny facts. We will be guided by them.
Welcome back to the reality-based community, all. Enjoy your stay.
(smile)
Arise, America, may the political road rise to meet you, may its wind be forever at your back. May its sun shine warm upon America’s face and its rain fall softly on your precious land.
May Obama’s presidency hold you all in the palm of his hand and may his full beautiful smile rain down on you and give you all the audacity to hope for a better future.
May Aretha’s hat shelter you from the rain!
So why tell us about it? We all know where to find loons (and some of them even take the trouble to comment here) so why bother linking to one?
It struck me yesterday as I read the blog – yes! – of the White House staff at http://www.whitehouse.gov that it’s really over . The last hideous, soul-sapping 8 years are over. I actually burst out laughing happily when I read the staffers’ entries detailing Obama’s executive orders and upcoming plans. It was all so. . . right out there in the open as it should be .
I don’t think those of you who don’t live in the U.S. can understand what this means to us. The Bush years exacted huge psychological toll on us. We had no idea how fragile the American promise of democratic ideals really was, and Bush’s near-destruction of it (sadly, with the backing of at least half the population) was like living literally in a horror movie. There were times I was quite convinced the American experiment was over, and I’d soon have to become an ex-pat.
I don’t mean to sound melodramatic, but it was like watching the slow, unbelievably cruel death of someone close to you. Completely demoralizing. And now to wake up to a reprieve – to know it doesn’t all just have to die – is joyous.
There is much wrong with America, and much that needs fixing. But the ideals we try to live up to when we’re at our best are very, very dear to me. That corny old fraud Ronald Reagan made a speech in his campaign that claimed it was “morning in America.” It wasn’t. But it feels like it is now.
Please indulge our giddiness for a while. We need it, and we deserve it. So do all of you.
Great stuff OB!
On 999/1000 days, where I am is about 10 time zones away from where any action is. So it comes to pass that I am always a late starter in B&W comments. Always will be.
But yes, I agree with Nick. Great stuff indeed. And a special award to Marie-Therese for her appropriate reworking of a piece of classic Irish poetry.
The stock markets may be sagging and the ME in the usual turmoil, but all said, its not a bad time to be alive.
Oh yes, I heard there was a blog! On ‘On the Media,’ I think (heard it there I mean). I meant to look for it; will do that; thanks Josh.
Greg, yeah, but I linked to a story about the loonies, not to the loonies themselves. (Funny though, the same site – worldnet – is where I found the source for John Meredith’s confident claim that Obama was a B student; it’s very weak paranoia-riddled stuff.)
I’m 8 time zones away from where most of the action is! There’s always a surge of comments during my night then usually silence as soon as I return. I just talk to myself…
Thanks Nick and Ian!
No problem OB, one feels the need be circumspect re: causes for joy, optimism and merriment currently, and this is perhaps no bad thing, but this article, frankly, put a little zing in the day for me.
It did help landing a job today after three months in New “No Labour Required” Britain limbo, but I’m big enough and ugly enough to know when to count my eggs, be conservative, and when to just revel in, and savour for as long as possible, the “moment”.
It was a great day when Obama won. And this was a nice flashback, and has some kind of redemptive quality to it for this middle aged “libral”.
PS does anyone want to do a house-swap ? I have a great up and coming property in a really thriving area of formerly industrial Midlands, England; I would consider a sea view over Big Sur. Offers welcome, please send photo from/of balcony and approximate distance to Neil Young’s house.
Nite B-)
Hey hurrah about the job.
Hee hee – Big Sur is nice but that drive is scary – how about Carmel? The view is pretty good from there too…See pictures at N&C last January.
Congrats on the job Nick S!
Re the house swap, can you see a gasometer,railway turntable or foundry from your place? I love industrial glamour and can offer ocean view balcony 5 mins from the beach and only 25,000km from Neil Young’s place.
“Funny though, the same site – worldnet – is where I found the source for John Meredith’s confident claim that Obama was a B student; it’s very weak paranoia-riddled stuff.”
No my source, which was an interview with one of his ex-teachers/professors on a very pro-Obama BBC 4 documentary broadcast last week. Just for the record.
The doc may still be available on BBC iPlayer, it occurs to me., It’s not great, the presenter is a bit of a ninny, but it’s not hopelss either.
One of these?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search/?q=obama
(With apologies to non-UK residents.)
I think it was BBC4, dirigible. I am siorry not to be more specific, it was my wife who turned it on so it maye have been an iPlayer show. It had a young black presenter and lots of interview.
By the way, I have just seen that Obama graduated from harvary Magna Cum Laude, for the record. So he didn’t end up a B student however he stared.
“My administration will not deny facts. We will be guided by them.”
I love how Obama so frequently makes subtle and not-so-subtle digs at the previous administration. My hope for Mr. Bush is that he is blessed with a very long life and can live to see history and historians continue to fail to vindicate his administration.
Sorry, I worded that too strongly – the same site – worldnet – is where I found the only match I could discover for John Meredith’s confident claim that Obama was a B student.
“My administration will not deny facts. We will be guided by them.”
I’m continually amazed at what people will believe. I know this site is mostly occupied by one-eyed Democrats, but you cannot expect me to believe that you can take this seriously from any politician.
When Iraq becomes a modern liberal democracy that acts as a model for the rest of the arab nations rather than being a threat to its own people and its neibours the historians will realy be harsh with G.W.B. Justin? As for the rest of his legacy he will be remembered(if at all) as a rather mundane president.