Obama

A friend asked if I was still a fan of Obama. My response:

Are you asking because you are yourself no longer a fan, and were wondering if there are any holdouts among those you know? Oddly, I think I'm even more of a fan than before. Yes, I'm disillusioned, and had (clearly unrealistic) hopes for what he might accomplish when he was elected that have usually been disappointed. But I don't hold him accountable for that. I think it's remarkable that he has done what he has.

This is a very right-wing country, and the political process here is incredibly broken. It always has been this broken, but everything is easier to see now than at any time before Bush (because of the revolution in communications). In Miami, I've been heavily involved in politics on the city level (~100k people), the island level (~2k people) and the building level (~300 people). It's all exactly the same, it's all genuinely hopeless, and hopeless in pretty much the same exact way as national politics. Most people--not always the most visible--behave in a greedy and self-centered way, and are easily appealed to by disruption and noise, and by short-term self-interest. One can only turn around these personality effects slowly, and to a small degree. And right-wing politicians can easily get votes from them, especially now. (You live in a place where your congressperson was a Black Panther, etc., so it might be hard to see that all quite as clearly from there. Here--in Asheville--we're in another nuclear-free zone (we don't even have Lawrence Berkeley Labs), but if you throw a stone a few thousand feet you hit Jesse Helms.)

As for Obama himself:

- He has always had a lot of policy directions that he holds sincerely that I disagree with--especially regarding energy, but also in other areas. I knew that when he was running for president. I didn't care a lot. I wish he didn't, but policy beliefs are policy beliefs. There are bound to be big differences.

- One had to know that he was not Dennis Kucinich (in the sense that Kucinich would hold the line at every turn to fight for what he believes in). I have a very high opinion of Kucinich's policy views and courage. I do believe that it would be a disaster to have him installed as president (he--like you and me--is way out of kilter with the aims of the great majority of the US population). Obama has always painted himself as a true pragmatist. He simply tries to get the best he can, pushing as hard as he can, and compromising when necessary (as you said was critical in running the law review, which worried you). At the same time, his oratory is consistent, and always strongly expressing social justice and intelligence, hoping to turn around as many people as possible.

When Clinton compromised, it was out of total weakness. Obama simply plays the video game of "get the highest score", where points are awarded for making things better according to his definition. If he can get things moving in the direction he wants, then he applies his power in that direction. Where he can't, he gathers points as he can. That's how he is; and that has always been obvious about him.

I find he's remarkably skilled at that game, and I think we are fortunate to have him playing it for now. I doubt it can last. I don't think any other alternative can even come close to being that good.