President Obama

As someone who was to the left of Senator Paul Wellstone (and a former constituent) I'm glad that Bush is gone but don't have illusions that Obama will be the Great Black Hope. But I think he'll be better. Here's some more of what I'm thinking.

I think he's pretty exactly one tick left of center for the Democratic party (which makes him center-right in England). But the context is so far-right that his direction is going to be Left.

I think he might be organizable. And as a community organizer, I hope it will be easier to radically organize under his administration. (check to see how the police state powers are or are not curtailed.)

I think - wait, I HOPE that he will 1) raise taxes overall, and 2) improve the climate for union organizing. This is the 'economic minimums' standard I have for him. In other words, he can do a bunch of goofing around on other stuff, but if he comes through on these two things that will be real progress.

I expect the troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan to be down significantly in one year. I hope they will be down to next to nothing in two years. Insofar as he is a center-left Democrat, and Democrats have proven far too eager to bend to the military-industrial complex, this is the area I think he's most likely to try to hedge. But if we organize well, we can push him, I think.

My thoughts! And yours?

Mark Twain's War Prayer

Mr Twain wrote a story about how God is good - for us - and bad for our enemies. At least according to those who want war. Are they godly, those who want war? If they're honest, this is how they would sound...

"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it -- for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen."

And besides this, Bush abdicandum est*.
(*Bush must resign)