Our Countdown

So, finally we have come to the final count down for the Bush Administration. It has been a long and very damaging eight years. The Constitution has been denigrated and called just a piece of paper. Wars have been started with lies. People have been tortured. Spying on citizens has become a normal course of action. The good of the majority has been subjected to the whim of the few.

But now, we have begun to see that the light at the end of tunnel is not in fact, a train. Like most, I hope for the best possible outcome. But, I also realize that the man we have chosen us to lead us out of the wilderness, is a man. With all of the problems that are inherent in the species.

We know already that he is a great orator. He may turn out to be a great leader. That is my most fervent hope. For the problems he faces are great. And, they are many. With more arriving, seemingly by the day.

The world's climate is headed for a very questionable future from the hands of man. It only remains to be seen how bad it will be. We are mired in a war of choice in Iraq. Afghanistan is drawing us in and there will certainly be more deaths for all in that place. The US, as well as the world economy is crashing like the Hindenburg. Our health care system is anything but. Peak Oil is bearing down upon us, with seeming scant notice by the populace at large. In part fueled by bullshit shoveled ever so heavily by our own government and big oil.

Those of course aren't all of the problems, but it's a pretty good starting list. I have already stated that I believe him to be entirely human. So, do I want him to be in any way ordinary? Not a chance. Just to bring the country out the other end of his Presidency marginally improved will take a Herculean effort.

Indeed, we have seen over these past years, what mediocrity, ineptitude, deception and cronyism can do for us. It has taken us from world leader, to nearly third world. From surplus, to indebtedness that will haunt our Grandchildren. From beacon to the world, to one to be mistrusted and feared. Not a great legacy.

Now. In this time. We are in need of true leadership. We are in need of someone with character, who will not shrink from telling us the truth. Who will expect from us our measure of sacrifice. Who will be tireless and fearless in the face of his/our daunting tasks in the days, months and years ahead.

Rick Warren

It's not uncommon, nay, it is expected, that when a newly elected President begins actually naming names for posts in the government, that there will be some dissent among the Party faithful.

Yesterday, PE Obama named Rick Warren to pray at his Inauguration. What ensued was a shitstorm. Mr. Warren is a known homophobe. Not exactly a plus among the Democratic rank and file. Not among the blogosphere. And, specifically, not among the GLBT group and their many supporters.

As one might expect, there was a truckload of diaries posted almost immediately. Some, of the death to the infidels type. But, most of the WTF variety. And, I must say, the latter are of the type that were of most interest to me.

Very few of the diaries had anything to do with praying. For a goodly many of us, praying is tantamount to the childhood game of wishing upon a star. Rather, they were based upon Mr. Warren's homophobic thinking. An always amusing, but very sick stance, to me. Love thy neighbor. Except if he/she is a GLBT, a Muslim, or (insert group).

We may in time know the reason for this WTF choice. It should be interesting, whatever it is. Suffice to say, that my own thinking is very straightforward on this matter. The guy's name should never have come up. For any reason. That being said, I voted for PE Obama to make the choices. He made his. Time to move on.