Some wit coined the term “Barackopolis” for the stage set in Invesco Field where The One will deliver his acceptance speech tonight. Though the venue is not yet open to the public, there are innumerable photos and videos available of the grand stage set, which strongly resembles Hollywood notions of ancient Roman or Greek temples. The McCain campaign has already poked fun at this, by publishing tongue-in-cheek guides for how to dress appropriately to attend the speech – in togas, of course.
I'm more bemused than amused at this. It strikes me as a perfect metaphor for the Democratic party: the party of personalities, rather than of ideas or ability. The party that promotes a rock star, instead of a doer. It makes perfect sense that there would be a grand, high-tech stage for such a candidate. I'll be disappointed if the presentation tonight doesn't include an automated light show, heavily engineered audio, careful attention to video-friendly lighting, foot-thumpin' music, and (of course!) spectacular fireworks.
On the other hand, I'll be very surprised to hear any actual ideas, plans, or commitments...
And doesn't that fit the candidate perfectly?
So now we have one of our major parties producing an entertainment spectacular instead of a public debate on ideas and issues, and in place of any real platform of plans and commitments. Let's hope that the other party can rise above this, even if just a little.
Here's a ponder for you, though. Suppose, for a moment, that The One wins the election – that the rock star campaign wins the popular vote. What do you think that portends for our future?
You arouse my curiosity very much. I gather from your profile you are a rather intelligent person, being a software programmer and such, but your views, observations and opinions written here make me somewhat disillusioned. I am saddened that you, and numerous American’s these days, are demonstrating that intelligence is no way related to wisdom or vision wry---and I am finding that more common place these days in America. We are simply being told what to think---for our “team”. I really am sorry to have observed this, but from your comments here, it is obvious that you have committed your mind already to what you think you will see, hear, and how you have subliminally let your right-wing senses filter out the possibility of ideas, and the already well stated goals proposed by Senator Obama in his many speeches given to date.
ReplyDeleteI would be happy to take apart every single paragraph you have written, and will, should you like to open dialog here, but for now you state, and I quote; >> “Here's a ponder for you, though. Suppose, for a moment, that The One wins the election – that the rock star campaign wins the popular vote. What do you think that portends for our future?” << I would like to offer the following opinion…
You state the Democratic Party is one of “rock star” personalities rather than ideas or abilities. (Somehow I hear Fox Noise ringing in my ears) Can you offer any ideas or positive abilities demonstrated by the current Republican administration? You should have asked this question before George Bush was elected. Are you proud of where the Republicans have taken our country today? Think about this---really think: If you sit down and seriously ponder this, I would have to believe that if Republican philosophy were true, and undeniably the better way of governing America, then after eight years of control of the Presidency, AND Congress, things should be running pretty smoothly by now and our country should be in very fine shape. After all, the Republicans didn’t have to dig America out of any holes. The Democrats handed over a balanced budget with a multi-billion dollar surplus to George Bush and his cronies---and what did they do with it? It’s a sad commentary, but I’ll tell you what; it’s been the most pitiful display of ineptitude, lying, corruption, cronyism, deceit of the American public, with grievous violations of Constitutional Law by sleazy back-room Presidential signing statements designed to usurp the Constitution and hand ultimate power to the corporate fascist military industrial complex. And they are the ones that are determined to put profit over the very existence of our country. Profit above all is the new world order, and I would suggest you sit down, take a deep breath, and focus long and hard on the values and philosophy you expound upon, as it has been clearly demonstrated over the last eight years that the Republican policies are complete and utter failures, and it has finally come to pass that the right wing neo-conservatives have, and are, running this great country into the ground purely for greed and profit. If after hearing Senator Obama’s speech, you still do not “hear” any ideas or stated goals, I will be happy to reiterate them here for you. We all love our country, but we need dire change, and we need it now. We have the freedom of speech, but what we need these days is to open our ears to “the freedom of hearing”… Try another channel besides FOX…
Sincerely,
Your Jamulian neighbor
I don't watch Fox news. In fact, I don't watch television. I read (a lot), and I think. My opinions are my own, formed from what I've learned.
ReplyDeleteI'm not part of any "team". I don't much like either candidate, as I've made clear many times on this blog. I'm very disappointed with the Bush administration on many counts, satisfied on some others, proud of darned few (one of them being that they have maintained a focus on the threat of Islamic terrorism, though I find many faults with their prosecution of the war on terrorism -- again, as I've made clear many times).
Most of the alledged "ideas" I hear from both sides in this campaign are calculated pablum for the voters; simple, straight-up pandering for votes. I have carefully read every word of every plan and position that Obama has managed to publish, and I have his books. Have you? I could not find a single viable (meaning one that could actually be put into place) idea that I would sign up for. Not one, even ignoring the numerous flip-flops. That's remarkable, really -- I found several from Bill Clinton, for example, that I really liked (example: welfare reform). Then on top of that, his close association with Ayers (and less so, to Wright) I find downright scary. And it bothers me greatly that Obama has neither any executive experience nor any substantial accomplishments in public service (his record in the Senate is remarkably bare). So if I were to summarize my view of Obama, it would be this: no interesting or useful beliefs a the core, wrapped in a scary shell.
The McCain campaign's platforms and positions are almost, but not quite, as bereft of viable ideas. One piece of their platform -- and the only one that I really care intensely about -- is a continued focus on the threat of Islamic terrorism. That's enough right there to get me to hold my nose and vote for the man. There are a few other notions I like as well, especially their position on opening up oil exploration - they're not as open as I'd like, but they're a darned sight better than the uninformed positions of Obama. And, in stark contrast to Obama, McCain DOES appear to have a set of firmly-held beliefs guiding him, rather than just swaying in the wind of public opinion. He has demonstrated this many times. And while he has had close associations with shady characters, nothing amongst them even rises close to the nature of Obama's associations with Ayer or the Chicago political machine. So my summary view of McCain would be that he has a hard core of beliefs (many of which I disagree with) and is unswayed by opinion of the moment, wrapped in a rather conventional (but not scary) shell.