Crisis of Faith

 

When Obama turned his back on the will of the people in 2009 with regard to the Public Option he earned himself the 2010 election in which he lost control of the House and effectively, owing to the filibuster and the super majority, control of the Senate.  He is apparently preparing to turn his back on public sentiment once again by putting Social Security on the table in the Fiscal Cliff negotiations.  I submit that if he does the 2014 election will make the 2010 look like the 2012.  To put it plainly, even though it looks now to be a likely national overthrow of the Right owing to strategically stupidity of the Republican Party, the president’s party will be beaten and beaten badly.  He will spend the last years of his presidency living the meaning of the phrase, "lame duck."

I am angry, and I am frustrated.  For the first time in my life I am about to swear off of politics and never touch a ballot again.  What in hell is the point?  The American people are simply chump change in a high stakes poker game between indifferent and insensate people who care for nothing but their power, their elections and their legacies.  Party affiliation, philosophy, background, or promises aside they are all alike. 

Activists like me are driven by idealism.  It is what fuels our commitment, heats our blood and ignites the fire in our belly.  Suddenly and with surprisingly little regret, I am beginning to see the deep spiritual truth of the one statement of Jung's that I have never agreed with.  "Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol or morphine or idealism.”