The Nonbeliever
Istanbul, Turkey, April 11, 2011
Salaroche

"You load sixteen tons, what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. Saint Peter, don't you call me, 'cause I can't go; I owe my soul to the company store".

Tennessee Ernie Ford could easily sing that song today and it would fit the times quite well. Today more than ever America owes its soul to the few moneyed people at the top.

And what happened to the Redeemer in Chief? The Yes-We-Can man? The Big Black Hope? Well, if the past three years are an example of his magical powers, he was just a mirage. Republicans walk all over that man whenever they want and all he does is thank them for their spirit of "bipartisanship".

I'm not voting for Obama next year. If Hillary doesn't give the presidency a shot in 2012 I will just vote anti-Republican in those elections, not pro-Democrat. Another four years of Obama-style hope would be another four years of wishful thinking while the American people's minimal safety net is further dismantled and the future of the country gets further shafted.

I no longer believe in Obama because he doesn't seem to believe in anything himself. He doesn't really stand up for much. I've been waiting for him to pull a genius political ace out of his sleeve, or a magical political trick out of his hat, but he doesn't seem to have any of those anywhere.  

The man is a good speaker, an eloquent idealist, an outstanding story teller and quite possibly a very good man too, but he's not a good politician. He doesn't know how to get things done. He lacks conviction. He doesn't take risks. He's not a real leader. At a minimum he's just a timid man who cannot stand and fight for his beliefs.

It was thrilling for some of us to get Obama elected, but the dream is way over. Time to bring someone else to the Oval Office, hopefully a true Democrat, if such kind exists, and not just another dreamer like Obama.

Salaroche