Hard for People To Change or Even Understand

A friend I recently encounterd agreed that things didn't look good for Israel with this current administration. (It was "this administration" not "the Obama administration" although he knew it was all one and the same.) "But, I'm still for health care reform," he quickly added.

I explained that I understood, but that that wasn't what we were talking about. If he wanted to discuss healthcare, that was another discussion. In fact, I too was in favor or healthcare reform, but the bill that was passed was anything but a reform bill. It was nothing but the mindless expansion of an entitlement that would only hasten financial grief for America.

"You'd rather see people starve or die, I suppose," he shot back.

I explained that I was pleased that services would be expanded, but that we couldn't keep doing it the same old way. Medical costs were much higher in the States than in Canada or Europe. In fact, they varied widely within the U.S. Why wasn't there any effort made to understand why this was so and to try to apply the lessons that might be learned? Perhaps then we could begin to get a handle on costs that were shooting into stratosphere.

But, you can see how he couldn't help but divert the conversation away from Israel. I tried to pull it back, but it was of little use. "Yeah, sure," he continued, "what Republican has concerned himself with healthcare?"

And, of course, he had a point. But the real question was how good could a healthcare bill be, if it made more perilous America's already perilous debt situation?

My friend and I, though from different ends of the political spectrum had the same problem. The country was bumping about and passing bills, but in the process creating ever bigger problems. And some of these problems were difficult for the average citizen to understand. For example, what led to our latest financial calamity? Was it something Congress did? Was it the banks and their bankers? Was it the mortgage brokers? Was it the public that had signed up for mortgages far bigger than they could ever hope to repay? Was it the Federal Reserve?

Most of the public has very little idea of what the Federal Reserve is, or how it operates. They hear cries for more regulation, not realizing that the banks have been one of our most heavily regulated institutions. Also, they have little idea of what Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are, or what they do? And this situation continues despite the stacks and stacks of books that have been written on our recent economic meltdown.

Is it any wonder that even well educated people, people relatively prosperous, and people up in years, are fearful of where this country is going? Is it any wonder that they distrust both Republicans and Democrats? (What was Bush W doing during his two terms? What were the Democrats doing when they had achieved majorities in Congress?) People desperately wanted hope. And so that's what they did; they voted for hope. They voted for the first African American in American history.

Now after a year in office, we see that while he speaks as smoothly as ever, Obama is nothing but the same old, same old. In fact, he seems a bit oilier. He spins far faster than his marble mouthed predecessor. With back room deals straight out of old ward politics, he uses his majorities in Congress to pass the very worst sort of legistlation under the most high sounding of names.

Were can the people turn when the candidate offering hope betrays them on issue after issue? The Tea Party is their answer. It's got the Republicans praying that this group will help to rehabilitate them. It's got the Democrates wheeling out their arsenal of dirty tricks and media campaigns. You've got Bill Clinton trying to tie them to the Oklahoma bomber McVeigh. You've got liberal reporters trying to tie them to racism. And, that's only for starters. Wait until we get closer to election day. It'll make old fashioned ward politics seem squeeky clean by comparison.