Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Not Cool. Really.


Although they may be successful, I find the new “Barack” fundraising appeals shortsighted and a little disrespectful.  (This comes from the “when I fell off my dinosaur,” part of my personality).

The ads invite you to “Meet, Barack and Michelle.”  Some of the ads offer you the opportunity to buy lunch or dinner with the happy couple.  While they claim you don’t have to donate to win – that is not really true.  You can donate as little as $3, or as much as $40,000. (What happened to campaign finance?) But whether or not you have to donate to enter to be intimate with the First Couple, is not the point.  (My personal favorite  is the lottery that flies you to the Democratic convention, covers your expenses and provides front row seats, not sure what front row is available) but this is not what I wanted to blob about. 

If you were given a chance to meet Dave and Iris or the President of the United States and the First Lady, which would you choose?  Don’t try to be kind, I know we’re far more entertaining.  But the President of the United States of America, is truly special.  Why would you diminish the importance of the Presidency, by calling him Barack, instead of Mr. President. He is not just a regular guy.  He is the Commander in Chief and someone who is supposed to find ways to make your life better.  He is the leader of the Western world.  He has access to every mode of transportation available.  He could even take a space ship if he made friends with Branson – which he could also do.  As much fun as Dave and Iris are, they are not going to change your life in any important way. 

Jimmy Carter, was just  plain folks, one of the people, like you or even me. He won the election in 1976.  It was thrilling when Jimmy and Rosalyn got out of their limo to walk down Pennsylvania Ave during the inauguration.  It didn’t take long before people all over the nation started to rethink the “ordinary” people tag.  This was best exampled in 1980 when Ronald Reagan defeated him.  Most people loved the Reagan glamour, and spending, and rhetoric.  They want their leaders to be exceptional and that includes, not just one of the great unwashed, (and I mean that in the nicest possible way).   I’ve said this before:  most people aspire to be rich, or famous, or even terrific parents.  The notion of aspiring to be middle class, requires a person to think of themselves as less than that.  Even people who have to choose between medication, food, and fuel, like to think that the decisions their extraordinary  (nothing to do with party politics), leaders make will guide them down a path to “more than they ever imagined was possible.”  Not all of want to take on that kind of responsibility.  We want the benefits of accomplishment,  without doing the work.

It is not cool for the President to agree to settle for less than all the titles and the pomp of this office.   People love to think that however they help the President will help the country, not just Barack and Michelle as individuals.   Allowing him to be called by anything less, diminishes his stature.  Romney is wealthy beyond most of our dreams, but generally that doesn’t make people angry.  Romney saved the Olympics.  He built a successful business.  He put people to work.  Any other information is peripheral. It would make more sense for the President and other elected Democrats to repeatedly say, “I am the President, and I know how to get things done.  But the Republicans and Tea Party people don’t care about you, or your life.  Their sole agenda has been to make sure this President couldn’t get anything done.  And in that they have done a brilliant job.”   We’re just sayin’.... Iris

5 comments:

Sean S. said...

Just what have republicans and the Tea Party blocked. Everything Barack wanted has been passed. He can't run on his record because his policies have been in place and the country is in far worse shape than it was 4 years ago. Name for me all the legislation that President Obama has put out there that would have improved the Economy and created jobs that was blocked by the Tea Party.

Eric Rose said...

Well I would rather have dinner with you guys. At least I would have something in common with David (photography) and through your blobs I almost feel I know you as well. As far as the President of the US being the "leader" of the western world, well that bit of propaganda always makes me upchuck just a little bit. The President of the US is not the leader of Canada nor any other Western democracy. The US can throw their weight around if they want but increasingly it's become evident to the rest of the world that the US has been on a diet. The US must learn to "play nice" and not threaten to take their ball and bat home if they don't get their way. Increasingly the rest of the world is learning to develop alliances that will even further decrease the US's economic clout. Eventually if they don't play their cards right they will get voted off the planet so to speak. Don't get me wrong I'm not anti-American. I'm against the bully tactics of the 1% in the US that have been controlling the US's foreign policy for the past 100 years. Times have changed. It's time for the leaders of the US to wake up and smell the coffee. However when you see politicians that run for the Presidency have no clue about the rest of the world it is not surprising that they feel the sun revolves around the US. Heck they don't even know anything about Canada, one of their closest neighbours and their largest trading partner. They insultingly believe we are just another State and hold the same values and attitudes as Americans. WE AREN'T and DON'T. So what's for dinner? Or are you coming up to see us. We have a comfy bed in the spare bedroom.

Anonymous said...

I would pick meeting Iris with her husband for dinner at the Red Rooster in Harlem,

Matt.

Anonymous said...

Iris,
I think you are being a little harsh and unfair to say the Tea Party and Republicans "don't care about your life." That is not true. I really enjoy reading your blog, and up to that point I was filled with warm agreement. Then you ended it with that statement. It saddens me. I have invested my life careering about others lives and sacrificed my time and physical health serving since the age of 17. I know many Conservatives that care very deeply about people and this country.

I can't say I'm not guilty of making blanket statements that aren't fair, like I think you did at the end, but I think we all do from time to time.

Matt

Pam said...

That 1% Eric is talking about is a global, not national power. The political drama is an ever thinning veil. Behind the scenes,the leaders are pawns of a much vaster game plan. Calling the President "Barack" is just another "brick in the wall", steadily diminishing the governing structure of nations. Of course, there are"people" who care, but while they are serving others, power mongers, the bullies, are serving themselves to resources that rightfully belong to everyone.
PS My choice would be you and David rather than the President and First Lady. The later would be another sham and just plain awkward.