Saturday, August 14, 2010

Obama and Public Healthcare: The Man Who Could Have Been

It’s not easy being Barack Obama these days: too many high hopes, too much opposition, too many complaints from the “professional left” (as his press secretary put it), too many problems with the economy, too many problems with healthcare, too many problems with Afghanistan and Wiki-leaks, too many Tea-Party rallies, too much pressure from Corporate America and Wall Street, too many Rush Limbaugh wannabes, too much debt, too many issues with the BP oil spill, too many issues with Israel and Palestine, too many issues with Lebanon and the Russians, too many issues with Iran, people saying he’s too progressive or not progressive enough, Republicans circling him like vultures, just TOO MUCH STUFF! So not surprisingly I’ve heard people say how much they just would not like to be “in Obama’s shoes”, it would just be too much of a hassle, they say.  I disagree, for I know exactly what I would have done.
  
Take healthcare reform for instance.  If Obama had been truly progressive and truly serious about securing affordable healthcare for all, he would have done the following as soon as he was elected: he would have addressed the American people, pointed his finger squarely at the Republican hacks and “Blue Dog” Democrat stooges and said, “People, you want affordable healthcare and these privileged, wealthy, Mayo-Clinic-visiting elites stand in the way this basic aspiration.  I campaigned on change, but I need your help to make it happen.  I invite you to come into the streets and show these Senators and Congressmen how you feel – healthcare is your right.  If you want it, come out and claim it!” Millions would have turned out, the Senate would have been forced to back down and national single-payer public healthcare would have become a reality in America.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Inspiration

Born anew, the phoenix rises like words from your trembling vocal cords that travel across the great divide, down the dark tunnels of my ears, before your wandering spark ignites the combustible liquids of my consciousness.  Smouldering embers rise into fires that refuse to die and soon the entire field of my vision is ablaze.

Your dancing form, your dancing words, basking in the heat of this inferno you have conjured continue to weave their enchantment.  My mind smarts with the knowledge that words can give life and hold power over life while my senses scream in exaltation of the obvious: inspiration is a lady.

In that moment, in one fiery glance I can see the entire universe unveiled before me.  The primal depths of the

Tao and all its mystery are suddenly illuminated in one blazing caress.  “See how it is all connected,” you whisper in a voice that resembles a volcanic eruption in slow motion.

With a roaring crash and a grinding splitting of rock my Gollum awakes to the tune of your ancient songs and gazes at the volatile vistas you have opened before its wondering eyes.

And just as quickly you are gone, your blazing features etched in my memory as I long for the enfolding splendour of your flaming red wings.  If I was a sculptor I would make a tastefully draped image of you playing a violin and label it “inspiration” in testimony of my affection but instead I am left with a blank page, sitting there before me - taunting my confused mind as it tries in vain to capture your glory.

I can only long for the day when you will smile in my presence again.