An American Quilt

Most pundits still treat the November midterms as any other similar election cycle; when, in fact, previous metrics are no longer relevant. The November midterms will not hinge on anything as flimsy as accusations of scandal. In normal times, scandal, smear, and innuendo even, could turn elections - as could race, looks and/or a glamorous trophy wife, cute kids and a dog. November will bring on recycling day in America, when we put all our stuff considered crap out to the curb. Inventory will have been very carefully taken.

To appreciate the difference this time around you only need look at the media. Nobody is paying much attention to the media anymore. In fact, major media endorsements - like POTUS himself - have become a liability. People will read fawning puff pieces in the NYT about the vaunted Cuomo legacy, for instance; and that will be enough for people to vote against square-jawed Andrew (formerly of HUD). Similarly, they will read scathing attacks on Tea Party candidates in the same elitist, left-leaning, partisan rags; and that will be enough to make up their minds.

Scandals are no longer to be believed. These are seen as petty smear contrivances that are usually effective only against Republicans. We are now in a post-partisan phase. The ‘anybody but Bush’ crowd has been swept aside and replaced with ‘anybody but Obama’ types. The media will do its best to paint both as one and the same.

Strangely enough, the country is now as unified as it ever was. It has become accepted that Obama occupies the extreme fringe of our American quilt. The people will not rest until this fringe is severed from power. The anti-Bush mania was only a warm-up; a dry-run based on late night frivolity. This time it’s serious, however. The question remains: Will normal methods suffice in abnormal times?

http://pkoelliker.blogspot.com/

'The Glass Bead Game' (continued)

Jerry Seib is entirely too cautious in predicting the outcome of what the incomparable Hermann Hesse would agree is America’s version of the ’Glass Bead Game‘. These elections, as any others, depend on the overall perception of the disenfranchised electorate. Insofar as the federal government has seen fit to insert itself into virtually every aspect of American life, the exercise becomes an essentially meaningless referendum of Obama’s performance in office.

The only difference is cosmetic. During the last cycle, the media did such a bang-up job in demonizing George W. Bush and Republicans, the only choice left for the public to make was ‘other’ Obama was sufficiently ‘other‘. This time, the media will be powerless to affect the outcome.

When Obama was up for election back in ‘08, it was merely a matter of rearranging the political deck furniture. The clarion call for ‘change’ was mere fluff. This time, a real sense of alarm has descended like a black cloud over America. People will vote out of fear. And their vote will favor Republicans.

The game remains a game. As I have previously stated elsewhere, Obama retains power for at least the next two years. Unless Republicans mount a serious effort to impeach him, he will continue to determine the direction of the nation. As things continue to fall apart, (enter the media) Republicans will be blamed - and defeated in 2012.

Prosperity will continue to diminish, but will appear as robust in relation to the greater diminishing prosperity of others. It will be enough to keep the markets from collapsing and the people happy.

The game continues as scripted. Republicans will take control of Congress in November.

Curtains

More evidence to underline what we already know. Nothing new here. What is noteworthy is why team Obama doesn't appear to care. By the end of his first term POTUS will have had the opportunity to serve with both a Democrat majority and a Republican majority (in Congress). He has already succeeded in destroying the Democrats. After the midterms, he will have had at it with Republicans. There is nothing to suggest that Republicans will mount a credible opposition. By Barack Hussein Obama’s second term, both parties will have been thoroughly discredited leaving only the executive branch as a viable option.

In the meantime we will continue to talk politics – as if it matters. “…human beings will never abandon politics because politics is too convenient and too attractive as a theatre in which to give play to our baser emotions. Baser emotions, meaning hatred and rancour and spite and jealousy and bloodlust and so forth. In other words, politics is a symptom of our fallen state and expresses that fallen state.” (Quote taken from J.M. Coetzee’s new novel, ‘Summertime’.)

We are now well into what appears to be our post-political period. Most of us are not yet up to speed. We cannot envision our nation without the obligatory political jousting. Like entertainment (such as sports, books, movies, and the like) it engages the emotions and consumes our time and energy. For the Obama administration, it also serves as a convenient diversion; to distract us from the real issues at hand, namely: Will we submit to tyranny or will we stand up against it?

This is not to say that the Obama administration is any different from previous ones. It may just be that this administration is less adept at maintaining the curtain with all the pretty pictures on it.

STAND DOWN

If anyone still thinks that Bush Derangement Syndrome (BDS) and ODS are the same, you are out of your mind. Be that as it may, the time has come for us to step back, lie low and avoid the trap that is being set for us. Bill Clinton let the cat out of the bag today by exposing the Democrat strategy of provoking the opposition (us) into doing something stupid. Clearly, none of the Tea Party events so far have been violent. What violence there might have been was manufactured out of whole cloth or perpetrated by the Left.

The media is waiting breathlessly for something to happen and run with it. In addition, they, along with the Obama administration, are fanning the flames. It’s a far cry from Bush telling everybody to stay calm after 9/11. Bush worked tirelessly to avoid conflict within our increasingly polarized nation – even at his own expense. Obama is doing just the opposite. Why?

He is looking for any excuse to declare a national emergency and postpone November elections. Do not doubt me. He is not above orchestrating an ugly event. I suggest you attend no more rallies. Talk show hosts: get off of your soap boxes and play soothing music for the duration. Bloggers, take a breath. Be secure in the knowledge that the American people are up to speed. There’s nothing constructive anyone can do now to turn this thing around.

Come November, we will start with Congress. If we can win majorities, we can move to impeach this dangerous president. Don’t blow it. Don’t give him an excuse to rob us of the one chance we have to put him back among the loyal opposition. November may well be the last chance we’ll ever have of taking our country back.