Vilsack and Obama: Farmer in Chief my Ass!
Sharon December 17th, 2008
So Tom Vilsack is going to be Secretary of Agriculture, hmmm… Let’s see, rabid ethanol proponent…check! Enthusiastic supporter of GMOs and biotechnologies…check! Totally indebted to and under the thumb of agribusiness…check! Yup, it seems clear that Obama really took Michael Pollan’s “Farmer in Chief” piece to heart ;-P. Short of actually appointing, say, Monsanto’s chairman, it is hard to imagine a choice less likely to make real shifts in our food system.
But of course, as Rod Dreher points out (quite correctly) and as Carolyn Baker points out (equally correctly), so far there’s very little from the Obama administration that should make us feel secure that what’s coming is going to shift the status quo. Ultimately, Hillary, Geithner and the rest of the crew mostly can be described as people who did things not as badly as George W. Bush and his primary appointees – but that’s hardly saying anything of note.
I was in college when Bill Clinton was elected president, and I was almost alone in my social circle in refusing to volunteer for him – I’d supported a more leftist candidate in the primaries, and despite my acute desire to believe that Clinton would offer some kind of radical change, I couldn’t quite shake the reality of his positions out of my thinking. The same is true of Obama, who, for example, wrote of dealing with the mortgage crisis in terms of the moral hazard of bailing out homeowners – but appears to have few qualms about bailing out banks.
I had precisely the same feeling during this campaign – I preferred Obama quite dramatically to Hillary Clinton, and there were genuinely moments of hopefulness in his campaign. But I kept thinking, riffing on the late, great Molly Ivins, that you have to dance with them that brung you. That is, Obama couldn’t possibly come to power without indebting himself to people who are more invested in the status quo than in improving lives.
In order to be the president many of us hoped Obama would be, he would have to be willing to betray many of the people who brought him, and their hopes and investments in his future. This is no easy feat for anyone, and is probably less so for someone who came so far, so fast, with the hand of so many. It isn’t impossible – other presidents have done it. The man isn’t even president yet.
But presidents are known by the company they keep – the reality is that no man can supervise all the elements of the nation alone – they depend enormously on those people that Obama is appointing right now. He will not be out in the fields, or at the soup kitchens – he will rely on reports and summaries from those he appoints. And those summaries will be given by men whose viewpoints are already formed. Vilsack cannot but describe our food system through the lens of his prior investments, and this will be disastrous.
In 2002, the Atlantic ran a story by Mark Bowden called “Tales of the Tyrant” – it described what it was like to be a dictator, and imagined how Saddam Hussein’s situation must lead inevitably to his downfall. The deepest reason, Bowden argued, was that everyone lied to the dictator all the time – they couldn’t do anything else.
I’ve thought of that story a number of times in relationship to various presidencies. It is true that our presidents don’t routinely throw advisors who tell unpleasant truths into jail – but even the best of them are surrounded, not so much by people who lie all the time, but by people who tell their truth as though it were “the” truth. To some degree, of course, this is inevitable – everyone’s worldview is shaped by their experiences. But it is possible to bring in a diversity of viewpoints, to find, in multiple versions of the truth, something closer to reality. Obama has overwhelmingly chosen one, very narrow set of viewpoints – the viewpoints of people who have power now, and to whom he is already indebted for his power.
I don’t claim that there is no hope for Obama, but before he chose these people to surround him, there was hope that an ordinary man of integrity, hearing a range of viewpoints, might choose something different. Now, we have to imagine that Obama is an extraordinary man, one with the power to find unconventional paths to knowledge, and the willingness to override the viewpoints he has invested himself in. It gets harder to hope for change.
Sharon
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I felt, throughout the entire primary and election process, that people were investing Obama with their own hopes and dreams and that the man himself, though clearly intelligent, was only a man who is beholden (as you have pointed out) to powerful corporate interests. This has been aptly demonstrated by his cabinet choices thus far and his most recent one does nothing to dispel this notion.
Unfortunately, I think we’re on our own, here.
Arthur
Sadly, I agree with Arthur. There has been an inordinate projection of dearly held hopes onto the person of Obama. I agree that we’re on our own here. As hindsight develops, I suppose I am glad that I didn’t hold my nose and vote for our president elect. I couldn’t bring myself to do it, though I confess to getting swept up in the optimism at his election.
I cannot describe how deeply this appointment sickens me. How I wish we could have a president who would serve us up anything but “more of the same.” It looks less and less as if Obama is a thoughtful, intelligent and principled man, and more like he’s sold his soul to the devil, along with just about every other politician out there.
Yup- I supported him as he is clearly intelligent, articulate and seemed to have a clue- but he is appointing the same old same old. When you do what you’ve always done, you get get you’ve always gotten as the saying goes….. We are clearly on our own here people……..
ah- messed that one- up – should read “you get what you’ve always gotten”
gotta remember to proofread……
“Farmer in Chief, my ass!” is exactly right! Thank you for being bold in your title, and speaking for a lot of us. I happened to title my blog post on this “Oh, Crap!”
I am so pi$$ed, I’m practically speechless. Of all the choices, he makes the WORST possible choice. Short of, as you say, naming Monsanto’s CEO himself.
A lot of my hope has just died. Not that I was really depending on the government to do the necessary work anyway, but you know, it would’ve been nice to have a champion at the top.
Gah!
I know that many well-connected people have been working very hard for weeks to influence his choice in another direction – pretty much ever since Vilsack’s name was floated. Sadly, it seems their efforts were wasted.
Sigh….
Yup, it’s been that way almost across the board so far – Clinton recidivism and neocon holdovers.
Thus we get an economic team comprising “growth” neanderthals, including arch-criminals like Geithner and Summers (and I’m sure Rubin is still lurking).
Thus we get a defense and foreign policy team of Democrat warmongers and Bush holdovers.
He also just nominated a Sec of Education who’s an ardent supporter of NCLB.
And of course every policy suggestion he’s made so far has been for the propagation of the status quo – in economics (back to growth! back to business as usual! prop up the terminally vegetative auto “industry”! and that stimulus? roads, roads, roads!), foreign policy (try to keep imperial expansion going), war (he’s already openly said he intends to take personal possession of Afghanistan and the “war on terror” in general, and perhaps start a new war in Pakistan. We’ll see about Iraq.), health care, civil liberties (already waffling), executive power arrogation (already waffling)….
No wonder the watchword “change” has been replaced by “continuity” and “confidence”.
It’s a confidence game indeed.
Yup, it’s Change It Was Stupid For Cultists To Believe In.
[...] Casaubon’s Book » Blog Archive » Vilsack and Obama: Farmer in Chief my Ass! So Tom Vilsack is going to be Secretary of Agriculture, hmmm… Let’s see, rabid ethanol proponent…check! Enthusiastic supporter of GMOs and biotechnologies…check! Totally indebted to and under the thumb of agribusiness…check! Yup, it seems clear that Obama really took Michael Pollan’s “Farmer in Chief” piece to heart ;-P. Short of actually appointing, say, Monsanto’s chairman, it is hard to imagine a choice less likely to make real shifts in our food system. [...]
I favored McCain in the election. I figured an inept place holder would do less damage than an inexperienced dreamer. And I do remember the hope and disappointment of Obama I, Jimmy Carter.
The Department of Agriculture has a century-long history of promoting corporations involved in agriculture – tractor and equipment makers, chemical companies, seed and processing companies. The focus has alway been to the detriment of the farm family.
In a way, it is too bad that the US government has become so mercenary with food in the world. The Dept of Ag uncourages over production so that the State Dept can destablize, undercut, and indebt other nations, using farm produce. Which means that no Agribusiness or government functionary is going to listen for two minutes, to anything that doesn’t topple Cuba or embarrass Venezuela. It is a matter of national security, after all. It is too bad we can’t use sex-based adertising to defeat enemies. We don’t seem to be running out of that.
At least the Indy Car racing circuit has pledged to run next year’s races using imported Brazilian ethanol. Transporting their fuel from Brazil sure has to be sustainable energy.
Puppet Man — and I figured as much from the beginning — you’re kinder than I am Sharon. With each appointment, all that hope dwindles a bit more. Ani’s right — we’re clearly on our own. IMHO, Kuchinich was the ONLY one who was proposing real change. And that made him so dangerous, he wasn’t even allowed to participate in the major debates.
Molly Ivins didn’t actually say “You dance with them that brung you” — she was quoting some minor Texas politician.
She quoted another one as saying (and I like this much better) “If you can’t take their money, drink their whiskey, screw their women, and vote against ‘em, you don’t belong in politics.”
If only….
We may be presented with few choices on the ballot, but I make sure that I never, ever set aside my critical thinking and natural cynicism when voting for them. I knew that the enthusiasm and near hysteria which people were displaying toward Obama was bound to result in a very big let down. I’ve got news for people: this isn’t as bad as it gets, there will be much worse yet to come. Not that I would have expected anything better out of McCain. The hard, bitter reality is that the US political system is terminally dysfunctional and incapable of selecting truly good people that can lead the country to take the difficult and painful actions that we really have to take.
Seeing the end of the captain that steered the ship of state into the iceburg, our new captain has brought the previous navigators (who plotted the course that brought us into the ice field) back up to the bridge, while reassuring the passengers that “change” is for the best and that all we need is “hope” to save us. Meanwhile, the too few lifeboats are starting to fill up.
Oh, I know…I heard last night that Vilsac was the appointment. It makes me so so sad. I had hoped…..
I heard from the lady we get milk from that this country cannot feed itself if the agribussiness sytem breakdown somehow. Can anyone tell me if this is true?
Oy. And what is truly terrifying is that in two years, people will be so pissed at the mess Obama and his appointees have made of the situation that they will overwhelmingly vote republican, and we will end up with BOTH the worst of corporate handmaidens and religious zealotry with the desire – and ability to impose their version of religion on the rest of us.
Oh happy day.
Well, that is a fairly disappointing pick. I keeping hoping that they are “only Nixon could go to China” picks, but it is getting harder. Though I am content to let the man actually become president and start implementing policy before I call him a failure. Most likely events will catch up to the best laid plans anyway. At worst he seems a better Clinton, which would beat anything we have had in the last 28 years. As far as I can tell the last president who had a clue was Carter, but he apparently lacked the ability to get things done and inspire confidence (this not from personal experience, I was two when Reagan came in). Obama has intelligence and inspirational ability, now we will find out if he has wisdom.
Well- I don’t agree. As I’ve said over on TAE.
I think you are too idealistic- like Ilargi, who still thinks things really SHOULD work in a sensible fashion- all history notwithstanding.
You really CANNOT – move into the presidency- and then announce “ok, we’re gonna change everything!”
Can’t do that. Yes, indeed, you DO have to dance with them as brung you- for a while, at least.
Please, please- remember Gorbachev. He brought an end to the USSR- unforeseen, unbelievably, and pretty nearly alone. Sure- the times were right- but he knew how to work it; and had been preparing for it for decades.
Where did he come from? He was head of the KGB, first. About as nasty an organization as I can think of. But the little rascal- was just playing their game- until he TRULY had his power consolidated. Then- he moved.
Is that what Obama is doing? I don’t know; and he was not head of the CIA, like George the first- so there will be big differences. I DO think his actions so far, including his choices of staff, are consistent with that direction. They are all FAR greener than the previous administration- but they all have one foot in that world- they can still talk to, and deal with, the old power brokers. Who are not gone.
One of the major tactics here is called “giving them enough rope to hang themselves.” Specifically in the economic direction- that’s what it looks like to me. Yep, they’re going to continue to follow useless bank/auto bailouts for a while. I really don’t think the country is ready yet- desperate enough yet- for him to push radical directions (like my favorite- Universal Jubilee). We’re going to have to be MORE broke than we are yet before that sort of thing can fly.
Goldman Sachs just announced a $2.2 Billion quarterly loss- and Morgan Stanley lost $2.3 Billion. They still have that much money to LOSE. They are SO not broke.
Anyway. This can get to be a long and fruitless discussion. Just remember two things- this half-black nobody raised the most money anyone ever has, ran the best campaign anyone has, and won. He’s very smart. Very, very smart. Easily smart enough to NOT say everything he’s thinking. And- Gorbachev. Conform- submerge- consolidate- revolution.
It’s been done- and Obama knows it.
Regarding Vilsack specifically- everything you say is correct- but you left out one thing. He’s on record as being in favor of substantive overhaul of the farm subsidies- specifically, cutting subsidies that are production related, and putting the same money into conservation practices.
He might be able to sell that – a pretty big deal- only BECAUSE he’s an ethanol freak. Ethanol still has too much momentum for real change to happen. Let them go broke for another year, lose their subsidies because nobody can pay them, and they may get more reasonable.
No path forward is going to be ideal, or easy, or fun. And ignoring the powers that be has always been a quick way to meet a brick wall.
So. I still have real hopes. And I’m willing to give Obama a lot more rope yet.
Yeah, it’s getting harder and harder to have hope in anything but our individual selves and communities. Probably it’s an oxymoron to hope and think that something good will come from the Empire. Elected officials, especially presidential candidates, are finely groomed to serve the elites. I hope our local communities won’t mess up as well due to the wicked human tendencies of greed and power, for example.
Oh, and just to be clear — I didn’t vote for either candidate. Couldn’t bring myself to do it. I knew this (the status quo) was going to happen in my gut.
Greenpa makes very valid points. I hope you are right, Greenpa, I’m not willing to give up entirely on Obama.
Peace to all,
shamba
Greenpa,
I hope you’re right. At times, I have thought similarly. I know Castro did not kick United Fruit out of Cuba the day or the week after taking power.
I proudly voted for Obama! Nevertheless, after seeing his appointments I have little hope left. Obama will have to be super human to be able to initiate genuine change that will serve to alleviate the suffering of the vast majority of the US populace in the coming economic and environmental crises. Clearly, the people surrounding Obama will not facilitate the radical changes that are needed. I don’t see any Che Guevara around him.
Vegan- ” I don’t see any Che Guevara around him.” How about Michelle? She is so not a pushover.
Greenpa, I’m inclined to agree with Vegan – again, I don’t claim it is impossible, but it gets harder for Obama to see the situation clearly every time he puts a pair of Big Ag or Hawkish glasses over his eyes. It may be that he eventually intends to kick out all the old powers – but he had some choices here, he could have put fewer of them in power. It is certainly possible that he’s paying debts and giving everyone enough rope to hang themselves – but even if he is, it is a dangerous game – because he has to have some voice in his counsels that can tell him what is real. Maybe Michelle will be that person (although I’ve seen no evidence that food is high on her agenda) – Eleanor played that role for FDR to a large degree. But Eleanor’s role was facilitated in large part by Harry Hopkins who had the position of power to reinforce the moral imperative that Eleanor articulated. I think a Guevara equivalent is essential.
Again, I stand by this http://sharonastyk.com/2008/11/06/patriotism/ – it is possible that Obama will be greater than he is now in the course of his presidency – but I think it is important to remember that there are plenty of cases in which one’s promise is not wholly fulfilled.
Sharon
Well, I am not pleased but not throwing Obama out with the bathwater. I voted for him. I am not a zealot or a zombie follower. I did feel like he was the best agent for potential change. Like someone said above, Kucinich was my man but I recognized he would probably get NOTHING done if elected president as Congress would block him at every turn. I don’t know enough about this Vilsak but have been reading and am more than a little concerned, however, like Greenpa, I recall many figures we now consider great movers and shakers starting under less than ideal circumstances. I am willing to give Obama his chance to stand or fall and I, also, am ready to do the work within smaller communities that a large government cannot and will not be able to do. He is not any messiah but he is not a devil either. Let’s keep some hope for him while beginning to patch the leaks we can ourselves.
That “him” referenced above being Obama and, I guess by extension, the cabinet he seems to be appointing.
[...] thing. These initial impressions are based on pretty much zero real knowledge and are reinforced by blog postings like this. What I really wanted is Michael Pollan’s Farmer in [...]
It’s intereting how quickly the veneer has worn thin on Obama. So many people invested way too much faith in just another politician. All be it the best politician the dem’s put up since 1992, but just another politician none the less. “Change” and “hope” were catchy slogans that appeal to the majority of voters that are tired of Bush & Co. policy, but that’s all they were. Anyone who really thinks things will be different with a change of political party are either young and naieve or stupid.
Years ago I cleared my conscious and started voting 3rd party as the two party system has given us little if any difference for the past, well, forever.
I do SO want Greenpa to be right, but this — it just HURTS. I have Monsanto on the brain lately and went so far as to order my seeds all the way from Maine, a master-gardener no-no. Gotta quit checking the news and start readying up row covers, I guess.
Agribusiness is needed to keep the power in the hands of the greedy. Without centralized power, its hard to control the masses. This is about power, about being able to wield your power over others. The well being of others is not the driving motivator for these people. Its all about power and you can be sure they will fight to keep their power til the bitter end.
Cities and other places that depend on non locally grown food will be impacted as agribusiness fails. According to “Plan B”, there are countries that are dependent on our exported food. Not that they don’t have land to grow their own food but they’re out of the water needed to grow crops. Our own fresh water reserves have been shrinking rapidly due to the drain by agribusiness practices and populations that exceeds the carrying capacity of the land.
Seems like the planet is self correcting itself in response to our excesses. If you think about it, this economic collapse is the gentlest and “on target”, karmic thing that could happen. There will be less to consume. There will be less consumers. There will less emissions, less waste. Agribusiness will fail. Those of us who have access to locally grown food will be healthier. There will be less demand for “health” care as we know it. There will be more meaningful jobs. People will be less isolated.
So the transition will be roughest on those who resist change. The changes we fail to make of our own volition will be forced on us and those that survive will be the ones who are respectful of the land and know how to cooperate with one another.
While I was working as a park naturalist, there were two full blooded, Mohawk women on the staff and one told me that during Katrina, the native american indians were able to mobilize and get supplies out to the reservations that were impacted by Katrina. Wouldn’t it be karmic if the surviving natives get back their homelands?
I was so furious last night when I heard about Vilsack and went straight over to the Obama website feedback area to vent (and to threaten to vote Green in ’12). I’m really beginning to regret voting for the man, although I think he’s definitely better than McCain would have been. My dwindling hope is that his supporters will put pressure on him to choose policies that actually change things for the better and give us some inkling of hope left.
The man is not in the White House yet! Let’s give him a chance. I voted for him, not because I thought he was a messiah, but because he seems to have some good ideas, and seems to be able to maneuver in the system without getting caught up in it. And I do think that Michelle will act as a balance to some degree. Remember that they have those two little girls, and maybe he’d like to use his power to leave the world a better place for them . . .
BTW, I voted for Jimmy Carter, too, (my first election, and my family is rabidly Republican! Not a popular decision!) and I am still proud of that vote. He got a little bogged down, but he was and is a good man. I look forward to seeing what Mr. Obama will do.
Kat, I really don’t buy the “let’s wait until he’s been president a while” idea – he’s responsible for his choices right now. This isn’t picking on Obama, this is holding him responsible for what he’s already done. And even if you do believe Greenpa’s vision, there’s also the question of whether we have time to enact the “let them hang themselves” strategy or not.
Sharon
This is for those commenters who seem to be throwing in the towel today.
I am with KatJ: relax – its December 17th – more than a month before he is even inaugurated.
Its so easy for people who were NOT for Obama and “change” to trash the new admin prematurely. Lets take it for granted that this will remain their motivation.
Its also easy for those who consider themselves dems but, who for whatever reason they may have had, did not support the dem-nominated pick.
I have been an Obama supporter since early 2004 when I learned about him (we were both part of the first Dean Dozen) but I am not a rank and file party minion and I am certainly not a political pollyanna.
I am cynical and critical and choose to apply scientific method to most aspects of my life (being a scientist does this to a brain)
I also am rather disgusted with the Vilsak choice, how can’t you be if you have any sensitivity for eating actual “real” local and homegrown foods.
Any progressive with open, intelligent, experienced eyes didnt see the election of Obama as the END of the process – it is the BEGINNING.
I also do not expect to be handed a dream cabinet nor a dream Ag secretary.
A real citizen of an effective democracy doesnt see voting as the completion of their democratic responsibilities, rather, just one.
Its incumbent on all of us to keep the pressure on all level of governments and also to build our own local resiliency, quite outside of any perceived entitlements (I choose to do this via the global/Local Transition Initiative)
Voting, either way, doesnt give you the right to kvetch and throw up your hands.
You have to fight for the good because its THAT important and NO ONE is going to just hand it to you.
Couple rather incendiary thoughts on this.
First, I chose not to register to vote. I have not voted for New York State Senator since the now Senior Senator Moynihan’s last re-election campaign. After Kerry slipped in the shiv in 2004, I realized that some other agenda is at work in this vEmpire and I decided the best thing I could do was to not participate in the synecdochal-onomatopoeic cunting of my life’s energy. (Hence this syllogism: grunt is to peon as cunt is to vampire. Each is described in “frostwolfese” by the sound they make in their definitive activities.) (Apologies to Eve Ensler and Inga Muscio, but no one can revoke my poetic license. :p)
In Hebrew, the word for adversary is stn, frequently spelled “satan.” I pronounce it “suh-TAHN” but perhaps the Hebrew aficionados would be able to tell me if that is correct or not. I think of satan (as opposed to the Xtian vapor-fantastical monster) as the basis of how we structure this toxic brew called “civilization.” We don’t focus on the common good, but we divide things arbitrarily into “good guys” (satans in this corner) vs. the “bad guys” (satans in the opposite corner). This is a process that opens up SO MANY opportunities for manipulation and coercion it’s absurd. Waiting for Godot’s blasted landscape might as well be juridical chambers in the Rensselaer County Court. And each side sees itself as the “Good guys” and cultivates a perverse and IMHO rather wasted energy on the fight. Wasted, because there really are better things to do with our time.
As much as there’s a part of me that would like to stomp my little feet in Troy and to have voted for someone other than the Mayor, I just couldn’t bring myself to register so that I could participate in a compromised process requiring expenditure of precious spiritual calories for no gain. And I was still perfectly devastated by the Sacral-Authority-Complex cunting process in the California election that did its best to suck away gay/lesbian equality. While part of me sees “teh sex” [sic] issues as distractions for the stooopid ‘MerKKKan crowd, I do understand that, in their desperation not to see the effects of their own apathy and acedia, their own resentments and feelings of frustrated entitlement, that they seek convenient scapegoats and truly resent it when we decide to stand up for ourselves. “How dare you not let us beat you to a pulp and leave your bodies to rot on the street! The nerve!” Admittedly, I have done the same thing with various individuals and groups over my lifetime, and today I can shrug my shoulders and say, “wev. There’s something better for me.” And there is. I’ve experienced it.
Watching from the sidelines I could see that it was the progressives’ turn to drink the kool-aid. From a wider lens point-of-view, denial takes many forms. My partner read “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” and I imagine that once he finds out about Vilsack, he will find some excuse for BHO. He comes from a dyed-in-the-wool Texas Democrat family. Again, I choose not to say anything right now. I wrote the play in the link below partly b/c he said “Go live in a cave if that’s what you want!” when I was trying to talk about some of this stuff. It hurt me, but I couldn’t say anything about this because like Melody Beattie said in The Language of Letting Go, we can’t force anyone else to be where we are at.
http://troyalbanytrance.wordpress.com/one-act-play-this-is-all-gonna-go-away/
Some of the text following is taken from AA literature. But I’ve changed the word “Alcoholic” to “Capitalist” and “Alcoholism” to “Capitalism.” Where appropriate, I’ve added words that seem fitting such as in the next paragraph. I realize I’m going to make some people mad, but so be it.
“The Big Book of Capitalists Anonymous describes belief-in-markets-addiction as an allergy of the body politic and an obsession of the mind.”
“An illness of this sort — and we have come to believe that it is an illness–involves those around us that no other human sickness can. If a person has cancer, all are feeling sorry for him and no one is angry or hurt. But not so with the capitalist illness, for with it goes the annihilation of all things worthwhile in life. [Insert your own ideas of what is worthwhile and see if this statement rings as horrifyingly true for you as it does for me.] It engulfs the lives of all those who touch the sufferer [or are even six degrees removed, this recovering Civ-Addict would attest]. It brings misunderstanding, fierce resentment, financial insecurity, disgusted friends and employers, warped lives of blameless children, sad spouses and parents–anyone can increase the list.”
“Capitalism is a progressive disease ending in imprisonment, insanity or death.”
“Capitalism wants us dead. It wants us to believe its our best friend, and sometimes we have been coddled and comforted by the illness that is faith in the markets. It is a “friend” that packs less and less of a punch over time. It takes more and more of it to take the edge off.”
I think there’s a lot more where that came from. For me, all of this resonates at such a deep level, my shoulder bones are shaking…
“No other bankruptcy is quite like this one. Capitalims, now become the rapacious creditor, bleeds us of all self-sufficiency and all will to resist its demands. Once this stark fact is accepted, our bankruptcy as human moral concerns is complete.”
“We admit we were powerless over capitalism and that our lives have become unmanageable.”
While I agree that Obama’s choices suck I don’t think the past matters anymore. BAU will not continue. Obama’s people must already realize that. If not they will stumble around till they do.
We all agree big changes are coming. Administrative experience to guide us through the change is very important. I find it hard to believe someone as smart as Obama does not see the writing on the wall. Putting people without experience in charge of the paradigm shifts that are unavoidable cannot be a good idea.
I Obama attempts BAU facts on the ground will quickly show him the folly of his ways.
Even though I did not vote for Obama, I don’t want to see him fail, because I’m an American at heart and I want to see our country move forward in positive ways we haven’t seen in many years.
But, I’m not surprised, and I don’t think most of us rep or dem or independent are either. Like you said, you bring the company who got you there.
And lots of powerful people with money and agendas put Obama in the white house. And they will have their “say” too.
He isn’t the messiah so many of us hoped he would be for American politics . He might be a grand bit better than Bush, but he’s not going to be our answer to much of anything I’m afraid.
You all do realize there are still lots of USDA political appointments to be made, Under Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries, agency heads and deputy administrators, most of whom have some actual power? So all the complainers here should be lobbying for your preferences at those levels. After all, it’s good politics to balance an appointment which pleases one group with an appointment which pleases an opposing group. Set up an email campaign for Sharon to be appointed to the NY State FSA Committee. That should be interesting. (See this link: http://www.ethicurean.com/2008/11/24/usda-posts/ for a useful discusson.)
Bill,
Thanks for weighing in – considering your long experience in the USDA. Let me be the first to nominate Sharon! (As IF she had the time!)
Couple of thoughts, maybe three. First, the government won’t fix your life, you will or it will remain unfixed. Obama will no more do it than Bush, Clinton, the other Bush, or McCain for that matter.
Second, why are you all surprised that Obama picks losers? Didn’t you all notice Tony Rezko and all those other folks he was hanging out with?
Finally, next time somebody comes to town promising change and hope, maybe we should ask what exactly will you change and what do you hope for.
We may have just elected the only human on earth who will be worse than McCain. My plan to fix it is to cut a little more wood, get the seeds ordered, feed the chickens and otherwise do exactly what I would have done if we had a competent president.
And for the coup de grace! Prop H8 pastor ffffffffffRickin’ Warren is to offer the invocation at BHO’s Inaug! Get out the garlic and the pagan-blessed holy water folks! Bring forth the shamans and the witches to protect us from the toxic belief-addled fundiecunts. The vEmpire is still kickin’ I see.
The Dr. Seuss (fellow Dartmouth alum!) in me is tickled: Talk about satan, in the Hebrew sense! /irony, if it can be done.
Talk about EPIC FAIL!
Simple remedies for everyday folks: Increase a fundamentalist’s sexual potency. Send them an anonymous card describing all the fabulous loving and sexual things you want to do with that hottie! The key thing is anonymity here. That’s for their protection as well as yours. If you make it sound like it’s a same-sex crush, all the better! These people aren’t aware they suffer from a lack of connection to their sacred bodies. That’s why they’ve let themselves go off into the brackish waters of telling others how to live their lives. This is a small step, but this is as much for you as it is for them. If they are so far gone as to not appreciate that someone thinks they’re “da bomb” then offer your prayers and move on.
It’s not about you or me anyway. Sad though, that Obama is pandering to the self-hate crowd…
Hi Sharon
Have you ever worked in a major global corporation? (No snark, just curious
These corporate systems that have be created are so complex that no one person can understand them or even run them. Government is the same.
It could be someone’s life work to document the complexities in these systems. If you find anyone who can remotely pilot the boat you will hire them if you are Obama.
Here is my prediction for 2009. There will be no change. This is because systems in place have taken decades to develop over major history. It will take an equally long time to fix them. If one can even define what “fix” means.
Obama is a centrist. I don’t remember him running on a platform that said he’d enact all sorts of very radical/liberal green things – he’s status quo/center and the alternative was much more right-wing.
I don’t recall that Obama ever promised to become Dennis Kucinich once elected, and truly progressive news outlets like Democracy Now have been quite clear in describing Obama as a fairly centrist politician with many corporate ties. That said, I greatly prefer him to any Republican being in charge during the coming depression.
These ongoing betrayals by our leaders will only serve to teach more folks not to trust the politicians with their hopes and dreams. A very good thing, IMO, because we the people need to grow up and take responsibility for our collective selves instead of relying so much on corrupt charlatans who promise change and then betray the people.
I feel a song coming on…This one’s for you, Mr. Change-Promiser:
You say you want a revolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it’s evolution
Well you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don’t you know you can count me out
Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright
Alright, alright
You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We don’t love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well you know
We’re doing what we can
But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait
Don’t you know it’s gonna be alright
Alright, alright, al…
You say you’ll change the constitution
Well you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it’s the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of [Wen Jiabao]
You ain’t going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don’t you know know it’s gonna be alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright, alright
I also tend to agree with Greenpa’s point of view. I didn’t vote for Obama, although like someone else said, I was hopefully optimistic, given everything I had learned about him. Now it looks like the same old, same old. But I’m not so sure. Things with this man are not always as they seem.
President Lincoln surrounded himself with those of other party affiliates and those who wanted BAU. And then he changed the entire course of the United States. Time will tell what President Obama will do.
I also voted for Clinton, although I didn’t work for his campaign. He was too ‘slick’ for me to go out and support him, and I did see a whole lot of optimism then as well. The optimism didn’t last forever, alas, and I doubt it will this time either.
I guess it’s wait and see for us now.
Great article, Sharon, with some really good insights. Thank you for your thoughts. They made me stop and think, which is always a good thing.
Gracie
I have had no hope at all that he would do anything resembling what folk like us would consider “the right thing” (though I wouldn’t have expected it from McCain, either, to be fair). I figure it is up to me to do what I can, and to do what more I can to rally my friends and neighbors, so that as many of us as possible can take care of ourselves, whatever comes next. Thanks for the post, Sharon. It’s thought-provoking, as always.
I think folks who expect any major change to come from electing a Democrat or Republican are fooling themselves. It’s not allowed. I think this crew will do a better job with the collapse than the only other viable alternative, but they’ll be losing importance with each passing year.
It’s interesting to see all the Vilsack hate here because in my circle, it’s Salazar–any time you have a rancher with a cowboy hat and bolo tie in charge of public lands, it’s not a happy day.
All I can say to the kool-aid drinkers of Obama…How do you like your “CHANGE” now? I am amused to see the President-elect turning out to be exactly what I thought he was. A typical Chicago based politician. Hmmm change…change…change…. yep Some change keeps going to bailout the banks and “financial institutions”. How about some more pocket change to bailout out the automobile industry? Oh can’t for get even more pocket change to do another economic stimulus (appease the voters in the short term to try and figure something out) bill. Change….yes you can and the government will help. Give them more money of yours. Ooops I forgot. What is the cost? What freedoms will the government make you give up for it to support you? How about reinstatement of the draft and a mandantory 2 years of military or “civil service”? That can’t happen can it? Try looking at the US senate website bill HR 393. Been in committee a while but hasn’t been thrown out or die in committee. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:H.R.393: Interesting it is sponsored but 3 of the most liberal democrats. One under investigation. I realize all of you want to have a mandantory 2 year stint for the government not to mention that as well for your kids. change. change. change. How do you like your change now?
The reality is, we aren’t going to be saved by anyone. We have to do the best we can to save ourselves and ours. The machine is too big, no matter who is in. You don’t get elected president otherwise. That’s the facts, the electoral college, the favors, the way politics work.
The sad thing is that when it all hits the fan, Obama will be blamed. Four years from now, when the depression, peak oil, climate change, foreign wars, and God knows what else, have had four years to grow…then people will be really ready for any message of hope from any quarter.
And desperation, hopelessness, is a perfect breeding ground, historically perfect, for future dictatorships.
I have a few friends in the military. When you sign up you go to training. You can get out anytime until you swear the oath. Then they own you. Hmmm mandentory swearing of the oath….No ramifications there. lol Gotta love the “change” that could be coming. Mandentory military or civil service for homeland security. Sounds great….guaranteed employment and a pay-check. But at what cost? Welcome to the land of ostriches. How do you like the change possibilities now?
Goodness, such vile, raging hatred around here. A bit discouraging really, but here’s what I think.
I more or less agree with Greenpa, but also strongly believe that Obama WILL make positive decisions based on the facts coming in now. A lot of people are sounding the Oil Alarm, all over the world, and climate change is seen as a genuine, serious issue that needs to be addressed. I think he would have been a very good president in less troubled times, but I think he will do all he can anyway. Everyone seems to think that, despite all the mounting evidence that we need swift and serious government action, its still going to be BAU. One way or another, it CAN’T be, and the new guys will figure that out soon enough, and rather than ignore an serious and growing problem, it will be dealt with. Regardless of what you think of him (I tend to be center-left myself, so I rather like him even if he hasn’t made the best of decisions as of late), you can’t say that he WON’T do this or that. At worst, he’ll act because he has to.