President Obama is Nobody's Friend

Economic restructuring, healthcare, education, energy independence, environment, infrastructure, and foreign relations, say these words over and over. Repeat them like a mantra while you're sitting cross-legged smelling incense. Mutter them under you're breath while you're stuck in traffic. Masturbate to them if you are so inclined.

These are President Obama's priorities. With his policies in these areas, Obama plans to chart a course for America toward shared responsibility and away from the doldrums of "every man for himself," and "the rich first" in which President Reagan's policies left us drifting. These priorities embody the most important changes for which Americans voted.

Illustrating the truth to Mark Twain's saying, "Be good and you will be lonesome," Obama's steadfast concentration on major policies that will have the greatest impact on America's direction has left him with critics on both the left and the right.

Anyone attempting to undo Reagan's legacy has to expect to be attacked from the right, but the attacks from the left must sting a little.

In less than 100 days, Obama has taken on enough major crises and policy changes to leave most of us with our heads spinning (and engender cries that he has taken on too much). During the campaign Obama famously suggested that a president has to be capable of multi-tasking, but despite having good multi-tasking skills, I would hate to try to keep up with him. Still the left wants him to do more.

Hey guys, let's repeat our mantra—economic restructuring, healthcare, education, energy independence, environment, infrastructure, and foreign relations—and put the rest of what we want on the back burner.

I'm a good liberal. I would like to see marijuana (and most other drugs) legalized, gay rights reinforced and gay marriage accepted by the federal government, handguns registered and assault rifles banned, and members of the last President Bush's administration prosecuted for torture among other things. However, if I were president, I would work towards none of these goals at this time.

The Republican Party has suffered major defeats in each of the last two elections, and currently stands in disarray. Its leadership (such as it is) seems largely focused on keep a firm hold on its extreme right-wing base, a strategy that should leave it as weak and marginal party. The Republican Party's best hope for the near future is for President Obama and the Democrats to give it a social issue to rally around.

We might like to think we are in the majority on these issues, but attempting to push extremely progressive positions on drugs, guns, or gays would bring out a highly motivated electorate in opposition. Prosecuting official from W's administration could easily fracture this country. Either would endanger President Obama's ability to push through his policies on economic restructuring, healthcare, education, energy independence, environment, infrastructure, and foreign relations.

For me, I am content to support President Obama as he works through his major policy changes and let America continue its slow evolution into a country that will accept the progressive positions on social issues.

Maybe like Obama my position will leave me lonely, with only the 60% plus of the American public that still support the president. As Jimmy Buffett sang, "Be good and you will be lonesome. Be lonesome and you will be free." I can live with that.