22 Jan 09 Don’t Look Back In Anger
Look Back In Anger, was a 1956 play written by john Osbourne, and made into a film in 1958.
I always think that a postive outlook on life is the best one, even though that can be difficult at times of course.
Perhaps now, with a US President, this is true.
Whatever your politics, or ideology, the direction that the previous administration was going was obviously not doing very many people much good, so almost any change of direction has to be a good thing. The new administration needs to have some time to get its feet under the table, and be allowed to get to work.
There will always be the ‘doom and gloom’ brigade that are never happy whatever decisions are made, and are basically people that always find someone else to blame for their own misfortunes or lack of status in life.
For most people, the Government doesn’t make or lose you your fortune, you do.
So Don’t Look Back In Anger, Look Forward In Hope.
Tags: anger, change of direction, decisions, doom and gloom, feet under the table, fortune, government doesn, john osbourne, misfortunes, new administration, previous administration
21 Jan 09 The Rest Of The Year And Beyond
It’s January 21st today.
Yes I know that you know that.
Still it’s a significant date.
Why?
Well, We’ve got the ‘holiday’ season out of the way. (On a personal note, I’ve got my birthday out of the way as well). We’ve long since taken down all the decorations. We’ve got back to work, and done at least one full five day week.
Yesterday, we got the new man installed at the White House.
So, now, all that remains, is the rest of the year, and to revive the economy we all need to quit partying and get back to work!
Let’s give President Obama a little time to see if he can turn rhetoric into firm action, and see if Congress and Senate are going to help this to move along smoothly, or be obstructive.
Of course, not everyone wanted to see him elected, but elected he was, and with none of the Floridian-style fixin’ and fiddlin’ that went on eight years ago. A clear mandate in other words, that folks want change.
Many people aren’t sure what changes they want. Lots of folks can’t agree on which changes would be best even if they know what they’d like to see. Most people, however, Obama supporters or not, seem to agree that a change of direction was needed. Many felt that the previous captain of the ship was enjoying the view, but not issuing many useful orders from the bridge anymore (if he ever did).
I personally don’t give a damn what party he’s in; I don’t care what color he is (although I understand the significance of that to many people). I always find it ironic (and this isn’t just a US thing) that some of those big political noises (politicians and media) that bang on the most about patriotism, always seem to put their party before country.
To those that want to trash him before he’s even started, simply because he’s not in your party (and partisan politics does way more harm than good in any case), at least give the guy a chance to succeed or fail.
Politics aside, though, I’d like to be able to be sitting here in four years time, and say that even though he’s screwed up a few things, he’s helped to turn the nation around somewhat, and that he did what he thought was best for the majority of Americans as a whole, and that above all else, he’s proven himself to be a person with decency and integrity, not just at home, but on the world stage too.
Tags: bridge, change of direction, congress, economy, fixin, floridian style, holiday season, i don t care, little time, mandate, new man, partisan politics, patriotism, personal note, politicians, rhetoric, senate, white house
05 Nov 08 The Morning After The Night Before
I’ve never wanted or intended to fill this blog with politics. There are plenty of other places for that, and indeed other blogs to which I contribute which do a fine job in bringing political news and opinion to the web.
However, it is the morning after the night before. The parties will have wound down by now. Some people will have a sore head. Some of those sore heads will feel sore that they didn’t come through last night; others will be jubilant. However, once all the cheering and crying and consoling have died down, there is the serious business of getting on with business as usual, for everyone of us.
It’s my view that this country certainly needed a change. God knows we need a change of direction, a break from the discredited Republican elite that has been driving the global economy into the abyss. I’m sure that the GOP will spend quite a lot of time licking its wounds, and wondering where it went wrong.
Firstly, it had a huge weight around its neck in the form of GW Bush, who has arguably had one of the least successful presidencies in US history. Instead of Bush reaching out to the world, he turned his back on it. In this global age. no country, however big, can afford to do that. Like it or not, it is important to be seen as a friend and a supporter to most of the world, and not simply as a bully that wants all its own way. Just as in school, that is no way to make more friends, or garner support for your ideals. You have to negoiate with people, persuade them that there is a better way, and remember that your own way isn’t always the only way, and sometimes isn’t the right way for them, even if it seems the right way for you.
Many things that the outgoing administration seem to have held up as the right way, are seemingly not so at this point in time, particularly with the global economy in tatters, largely fuelled by a credit crisis that began right here in the USA.
That’s another reason why Obama was successful last night. Folks wanted change, and more folks saw Obama being the author of change than they did McCain.
Many folks, don’t have any or very much trust in politicians. They’re often seen as self-serving egotists who are ‘in it’ for their own ends. They speak but don’t deliver. Experience tells me this is often the case. Obama might prove to be one of those. I hope not. I always hope, in any election, that, whoever is elected, they really do go on to make the changes needed to help make nation and world a better place.
I’m not afraid of an African-American as President, in fact I look forward to the day we no longer even notice race or gender in elections. It should be insignificant.
I am not excited at the result, not jubilant or estactic. I am cautiously optimistic.Then again, that’s how I treat life. Never be so optimistic you can’t see the hole in the floor because you’re dancing too wildly. At any point in time, you’re at where you’re at, and you’ve got to find the positive aspects of that, and move forward to where you want to be.
That is true for the United States right now. Things could be a lot better for many people, but things could be much worse, for many many more.
So when the corks have stopped popping, and the euphoria on one side, and the despair on the other, has died down, let’s hope that, whoever got your support, that the people in this great nation, can work together to re-vitalize the American Dream.
There is always hope for a better brighter day tomorrow.
Tags: abyss, blog, blogs, bully, change god, change of direction, credit crisis, global age, global economy, GOP, gw bush, many things, night folks, point in time, political news, presidencies, reaching out to the world, republican elite, serious business, wounds
