Fuck Obama

I have a fairly limited range of political issues that I care about, and most of the time these issues rarely are in play during an election, or, are in play but separated by many degrees. For example, abortion. A president can't overturn Roe v Wade (or O'Connors undue burden formulation, or whatever the present reformulation is) no matter how much he hates women or atheists.1 So voting for a president because of a pro-choice stance is sort of like, well, voting for someone who is a Yankee fan, he'll root for the same team but ain't going to take the field. An example of a sometimes "in play" political issue might be, let's say, Supreme Court nominees. 2004's disaster yielded the ascension of 2 spanking new replacement justices to the highest court. Back then, I was deathly afraid of what could be; today, I live in constant, deathly fear. 08 likely will see at least one Supreme Court seat unseated, because you know good ole JP Stevens probably is waiting for this Nov's election before announcing his retirement; he old. But the Democrats look to be a lock this time around - and worse case, McCain seems to goose-step less to an ultra conservative agenda - so whatever possible makeover in the Supreme Court seems kind of safe.

Anyway, pretty much the only issue I give a shit about this national election cycle is health care. I would not instantly say health care typically is an issue the President has a lot of sway over - standard disclaimer of the primacy of the legislature, the federal bureaucracy, big business and so forth. Yet, and never mind that the USA is way overdue for a comprehensive reassessment of her health care policy, Clinton's quest for the nomination lifts health care to be an issue above the standard campaign MO of over-promise-ignore-delivery.

Or, I should say the only thing I hope to see is universal health care. Mandated universal health care. Which means, for me: Hillary or bust. The other top candidates - and being politically unsophisticated I will describe as thus - approach health care from chiefly the affordability angle. McCain does not care about expanding/universal coverage; and controlling cost is sufficient for him, and his voters. Key buzzword includes "market competition." Which I assume is self explanatory, but if not: status quo.

Obama-wise. First, audacity of hope. Hope, like opium, is religion for the masses.2 I cringe whenever I hear that empty word. And then, it is especially incongruous that Obama shits on small town folks for their refuge in guns and religion, when his calling card to national attention, the 04 Dem Convention warm up keynote, is first "hope" and now with his campaign, another false idol, "change."3 Yeah, you miserable unemployed small town sons and daughters of bitches, gather round the fire and sing your employment spirituals: I get no kick from champagne, mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all... That's hope in the face of difficulty, in the face of uncertainty, the audacity of hope! Oh, de doo da day.4

I understand "hope" or "change" are standard political doubletalk, all candidate steep in that rhetorical bullshit, but much of the Obama phenomena springs from or is premised on it. Obama tells that the least fortunate, the most oppressed, the legions of hopeless should/need to look to a belief of things unseen or a belief that better days are ahead; that they should not expect government to solve all their problems; that people can/should rely instead on mysterious deep in the bones sense that a slight change in government priority could lead to a decent shot at life with doors of opportunity staying open - that, to me, is wholly repellent, and makes Obama a complete letdown. Most people are being crushed to hopelessness. Most Americans are being crushed to hopelessness. Hoping is not audacious. Which is probably to say that I am colored against Obama from the get go and generally.

Anyway, fine, it is unfair to cherry pick apart Obama's statements. Let's cut to the chase. Obama pays lip service to universal health care but he ain't down with mandated universal health care.5 As criticism, Obama implies that mandated universal health care, and of course Clinton, somehow stinks because it "force[s] people who don't have health insurance to buy it."6 Obama mysteriously contends universal health care means anyone who wants it can get it. Again, affordability. Let's assume the hope Obama was referring to was not some stupid blind optimism but he is talking about something more substantial. Oh wait, at least in this instant, we can't. You can pick it: disingenuous, naive, dumb, delusional, weak, mental ill, out of touch, elitist, simple; regardless, it's not good for Obama. People do not have and will not get health insurance for a variety of reasons. Affordability may be one part of it; but even if health insurance was affordable, without a mandate, the rest of the varieties may, and in fact does(!), prevail in folks staying uninsured. And while I would not mind letting those who have different priorities suffer when they confront their health crisis, unfortunately their suffering bear adversely against those responsible minded health insurance enrolled folks.7 Dude, let's eradicate the slander that says a sick person with no health care does not want health care.8

There it is. Obama as of recently had been front running the Democratic nomination process.9 It is a fair perception that Clinton's admission that a possible enforcement mechanism for mandated health care would be wage garnishment would hurt her chances, because wage garnishment - just the words itself - is scary, unpopular and confusing. Back in the what would be the eventual dark days of 2004, I expressed admiration for Kerry speaking out for minimum wage hikes and increased fuel economy even when it put him in a more difficult position with the general electorate and his traditional democratic base, because despite the political risk he stood behind his belief. I feel the same way for Clinton in this instance. It is mandated universal health care or bust for her too. I accept that political reality that compromise based government and big business pressure would sap some of the teeth from Clinton's health care plan. But a discussion that initiates from Obama's watered down starting position, those bitter small town losers will stay wallowed in their frustrations. A Obama nomination win would be the ruin of a beautiful dream/hope of universal health care, a dream that Clinton has fought on behalf of and urged the hopeless to expect and demand.10

Now, saying/writing "fuck Obama" might seem extreme or hyperbolic.11 But as mandated universal health care is the only thing I care about this national election cycle and a nomination of Obama is going to fuck up a fundamental step forward for America and Americans: in seriousness, fuck Obama.12


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1. (Masculine because, so far, the top seat has been all dudes.)
2. (Whee! Which really, in terms of scope and length of detrimental effect, is the more accurate order of relating things.)
3. (http://thepage.time.com/transcript-of-obamas-remarks-at-san-francisco-fundraiser-sunday/ has the small town snafu, which I feel was overblown but a legitimate criticism against Obama. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/demconvention/speeches/obama.html has the keynote speech. The breaks aren't the best with the keynote link but google on your own if you want a more natural formatting.)
4. (Blazing Saddles.)
5. (Never mind that a significant piece of his health care scheme is mandated (for the kids) and the penalties associated with preventing people from scamming under his system sounds mandate-esque.)
6. (From Jan 2008 debate between Clinton and Obama I believe, but probably repeated in some variation in one of the hundreds of other debates since. Which ain't saying I don't want more debates, because I do. And yes, that's a shot at Obama.)
7. (Okay, I assume none of you are as disingenuous, naive, dumb, delusional, weak, mental ill, out of touch, elitist, simple, etc. and can figure out the non affordability reasons and how the non insured would severely strain the system for the insured. Of course, if the answer is not coming too easy for you, no prob, ask and I will reply.)
8. (Modesty aside, I so wish Clinton would say something like this somewhere.)
9. (Ha. Recently = as of three week or so ago, which was, like, when I started this, I don't mind if you characterize this as such, screed.)
10. (By the way, despite favoring Clinton on the health care thing, single payer health care should be the way to go. And yes, go left! HR 676.)
11. (Though not the motley racists, radicals, political saboteurs, simpletons, and everyday, common sensed or not, folks who have already gotten i-mileage from the phrase, as I googled.)
12. (I'd be open if you have dirt on Clinton too. Or counterpoints for some Obama loving. Though at this point, I'm ready to go third party.)