1 down, 47 to go (or could that be 97)

One month into President Obama's term, and the storm clouds are already gathering over the White House. One thing that has become clear is that the change in ragime is more than a change in the rug. I know many people are questioning his judgement, but surely it can only be a good thing that Obama is holding himself accountable for his actions?

Ah well, 1 month down, another 47 to go - or if we get really lucky another 97.

Hugs,

Rachel

Turning of the cogs - 7 days of anger

It has barely been a heart beat since Barack Obama won the election, and already I have the feeling the compromise necessary to achieve his goals will be too high a price to pay. We do not know this man, and all of us are willing to given him the benefit of the doubt so that he can prove himself.

Call me a cynic, but from what I have seen of the state of the world at the moment we have no time to give him this benefit. It breaks my heart when I see the actions of a handful of dedicated fanatics in Mumbai, the callous disregard in Zimbabwe, and the dire straits that are inflicting the British economy. What we need is not platitudes, or words, or even half a**ed actions; rather what is needed is a firm hand on the global tiller, and an assertive approach to problem solving.

The Mumbai attacks were brutal, effective, and will probably stall the Afghan process by a few years if India vents her rage. Barack Obama is impotent until the New Year, and Bush has no options open to him due to the squandering of his political capital. The best course of action will be for India to back away from a military solution, and put immense pressure on Pakistan to either extradite or try those to blame for the atrocity. If Pakistan balk at this then India will confront her with an unbreakable military will, and the world will stumble as a result.

Zimbabwe angers me in so many ways, not least because I am sick to the back teeth of the British being blamed for this calamity. It is NOT our fault, I repeat it is NOT our fault. 30 years ago we were responsible for the issues, but now it is manifestly unfair to blame us for the actions of an effective and brutal dictator. He is a bully, thug, murderer, and many other vicious epithets, and ultimately the Zimbabweans themselves need to take responsibility for him. Yes, that's right, the Zimbabwean population need to accept that they caused this horror by re-electing him, and not standing up to him seven years ago when he first started land re-distribution.
Britain did not force Mugabe from paying off his cronies, Britain did not throw the lifelong farmers off their legally owned land, and Britain did not put incompetent cronies in positions of authority. Mugabe, and Zanu PF, were given a free reign by the majority of the population while the good times rolled, and now that his dreams have soured into their nightmares they beg us for help. We offered help, but Mugabe and the Zanu PF machine spurned it. We have no moral responsibility to this country, and we have no moral obligation to send them aid. As a human being I feel sick at the suffering inflicted on the population, but unlike some I think a military intervention would destroy any hope of a lasting solution. Somalia anyone?
Ultimately only the population of Zimbabwe can save themselves, and only once they have sought their own salvation will Britain be able to help. What hope I once saw at the elections has been shredded by the inoculated indifference of the Southern African leaders. They are complicit in the slow strangulation of Zimbabwe, and let them be the ones to answer for the horrors we all see.

Finally we are faced with the destruction of the British economy due to the greed of all of us. We, the fat middle class, have borrowed vast sums to spend on the moment, and now the music has stopped we bleat like sheep for help. Our greed caused this, and now we must accept that we will face a torrid time because of this greed. Like the Mumbai fanatics we stuck dogmatically to our guns until we were spent, and like Zimbabwe we fail to act in the face of flailing leadership. I am just as complicit as the next person, and it is only with the grace of fate that I am not facing an abyssal pit of financial hardship, just yet.
No amount of bailing out or cutting rates will convince me to buy a car or house, and no amount of whining and pleas for pity will convince me that we, the British, did not make the hangman's noose that now surrounds our collective necks. Who wants to live like a pauper when we can live like a prince today? We over spent, and now, simply put, it is time to pay for the party. Are we heading the way of Iceland? Probably, but it will be a long, slow march into the abyss.

In conclusion I am angry at my importance, angry at our impotence, and angry at the collective impotence of our leaders. What is the answer to all of this? Suck it, and see? No, there are no answers, rather there is a realisation that our civilisation is facing a new dark ages unless we accept that the old way is dead, and the future is a path we tread fearfully and darkly.

Rachel
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Turning of the wheel

In 100 years time historians will look back on this era of humanity, when very few of us remain, and ponder this turning of the celestial wheel. The age of hate, greed, envy, me...me...me is tantalisingly coming to an end, and with one voice the American people are ushering in a new age of hope, compassion, and hopefully lessons learned.

I went to bed hoping that 50.1% of American voters would help turn the wheel, and to my absolute astonishment, and utter glee, a significant majority have mandated that America will move into the next age. No jaded emperor was able to stop it, not heavenly mandate from the corporations or the pulpit could fudge the inevitable, indeed the whisper of change so promised in the 2004 key note speech has become a mighty roar, a tsunami, a hurricane of tumultuous change.

On January 20th 2009 the world will awake to the dawn of this age of hope - let us hope that Mr Obama has the presence of mind to have someone quietly whisper in his ear 'you are mortal', and then let us dare to hope that the maladies that presently afflict this blighted world will start to be salved by this man who is destined for greatness.

Rachel
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Lipstick on her bible

Several years ago I came to see the true way, and thanks to a very cutting remark by Dr Richard Dawkins I saw reality for what it truly was. I renounced the faith which had been of such solace since I accepted Jesus, and I entered into the wilderness of no faith - my current expression of my values is nihilistic atheism, in as much as everything is destined to die eventually. I also believe that everyone is responsible for their own actions, and destiny is both in your hands, and in the hands of others.

With this piece of my background in mind imagine my bewilderment at the array of religious froth that is clouding the current US presidential election. Colin Powell secured a place in my pantheon of heroes with his comments about Muslims - America is supposed to be blind to faith, and regardless of a person's creed, or lack of it, they should not be judged for their views.

The radicalisation of the right in America is scary from a British point of view, and though Obama attends church one suspects that he is utterly open to new ideas, than the dogmatic theology that dogs Sarah Palin. Indeed her dogma about the need to spread the word of the Lord has backfired spectacularly as she is proving to be an even bigger hypocrite than her running mate, the boy who stood under the burning deck.

Point of fact - Jesus preached humility, material poverty, and above all love thy neighbour and enemy. Indeed so adamant was he that wealth stood in the way of entering heaven he entreated the rich young man to give up his material life in order to follow Jesus' teachings. Where is this in the ideology of the nouveau Republicans? Barry Goldwater was the last dyed in the wool old school Republican, and ever since the Elephantine elite have succoured from the teat of the enfant terrible of the religious right. Its okay to bash those queers, as long as we only get blow jobs from our pages, or something like that.

In conclusion it is a shock to the system to realise that the country the world depends on for its ecconomic wellbeing is being led by greedy, narcosistic men, and if McCain/Palin win in two weeks time then it won't be a pig in lipstick on the steps of the Capitol, rather it will be the Harpy's lipstick staining the honour of America in the years to come. The destiny of the world lies in the little crosses being marked on ballot papers across the USA in the coming weeks, and all of us a hoping that the citizens of the land of the Eagle make the wise choice, and elect Barack Obama as the next president.

Rach

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Fit to lead?

The boy stood under the burning deck, while all around him heroes died. Icarus fell from the pale blue sky, and dined at the Hanoi Hilton. The love rat slammed his wounded love, and romanced his meal ticket in lust.

Last night I watched a nauseating political video that John McCain endorsed slamming Barack Obama, and questioning this noble gentleman's ability to lead. So, this morning I pondered this piece of grist on my way to work, and I got around to thinking about Senator McCain - just what exactly has he done to show his leadership credentials?

As a Lieutenant Commander he was involved in the most serious post-world war two incident aboard a US aircraft carrier, and there is a lot of insinuation that he was the direct cause of the tremendous loss of life. What is not supposition, though, is that he fled the scene, while brave men valiantly fought to save their ship - is this the sign of a leader? No.

As a pilot he was notorious for loosing planes, and his time spent at Ho Chi Min's pleasure was in most part his own fault. By his calculation if being a POW commends you to high office then the detainees of the a certain Cuban facility are perfect role models for their home political system. Is this a sign he is ready to lead? No.

When he returned from his stint inside his devoted and loyal wife stood by him, but how did he repay her trust? By cheating on her with a rich heiress, and if the insinuation is correct marrying this blond rich woman before he was finally divorced from his devoted ex-wife. Is this a sign of someone ready to lead? No.

Damning others for their minor indiscretions is part and parcel of politics, but accusing someone of not being ready to lead because of their youth is both callow and dishonest. President's Bush snr. and jnr., Clinton, and Reagan were all state governors, and even the wretched harpy Sarah Palin has more leadership experience in her little finger than John McCain has in his whole body. John McCain could not be less qualified even if he tried. The Republicans vainly hope that the American people will buy this idea that just because he has spent five terms in the senate he is ready for the oval office, and then accuse a junior senator that his one term means nothing - neither man is a tested leader in the sense they are aiming at. The line that separates them is that when John McCain was called upon to be a true leader he panicked, turned tail, and ran beneath the burning desk.

The sign of someone ready to lead? No.

A cold November's day not so far away.

I sit here in a rather chilly York bedroom reading, pondering, and watching the world, and especially squint at the myopia that is the United States of America, or rather the circus that is its presidential elections. Part of me is enthralled by the whole process - we Brits has the cozy comfort of a hereditary monarch ensconced above us without the need for muddied politicking - but the bigger part of me winces every time I read about the awfulness that in the GOP campaign. 

Come on... on the one hand you have an eloquent, if slightly distant, Barack Obama, and on the other you have the disaster zone that is the McCain/Palin camp. Okay, so Gordon Brown is hardly JFK, but at least he knows when to keep stum and let his very intelligent wife do the talking (sound familiar?). If the cowboy on Pennsylvania Avenue has done one good thing in the last eight years of all things torrid that would be to dispel the myth that Joe Sixpack is good for the nation. Now if I were a god fearing rural type then maybe I could bye into that notion, but no, I am not. In fact I an Economist reading, Guardian spouting, Liberal Conservative who had come around to Barack Obama faster than W chasing tail... cough... 

Indeed, such is my general antipathy to a certain former resident of the Hanoi Hilton that I know that unless Americans follow the true path on that November day not so far off this world will surely be a far poorer, and ultimately more desolate place. Tea and crumpets in Tehran any one?

Rach

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