Thursday, January 19, 2012

January 19, 2012

There it was, plain as day in the newspaper the other day, 80-something percent of Americans don't like the Congress.  Well, your first reaction probably is -  what's wrong with the other 20%?  There are probably more dysfunctional, inefficient organizations in Washington, but right now I can't think of any.

 

Another newspaper, another headline:  Americans are very divided over how they feel about President Obama.

 

That's a little harder to understand.  I wouldn't say he's been exactly Abe Lincoln or Franklin Roosevelt but I do think he's been a pretty good president – ending one war out of two.  In baseball batting 500 would be extraordinary.  In peace making, I don't really know. 

 

The fact is we seem to be in a national "let's blame somebody for this pretty quickly" mood.  Nothing wrong with this.  If I were a social scientist, I'd probably say this is cyclical. 

 

It's a little odd, to be sure, to see the Republicans beating each other up on a regular basis while Obama relaxes with his team  collecting quotes to use in the general election.  Still, it's very American. 

 

I take a certain amount of pleasure in primary fights.  I remember applauding Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama four years ago.  And I expect to enjoy Mitt Romney and his pals this time around.  As a field though it is a little troubling.  Every once in a while I think where are the grownups.

That is why we have all these primaries – to separate the men from the boys (sorry, no girls left now).  I'll stay with them if you will.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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