Beyond 'Coming Together' (James Kunstler)

[Tace]

James Kunstler -- Clusterfuck Nation

The Iowa caucus set into motion a curious self-reinforcing feedback loop of inspiration -- that an African-American political leader could win an important primary contest in a Wonder Bread state, and that all Americans (especially white Americans) could "feel good" about living in a country where such a thing is possible. This is an understandable sentiment. Whatever else Americans have been conditioned to be lately -- blubbery, debt-crushed, tattoo-etched, Jesus-haunted, multiply-addicted TV zombies -- a residual kernel of fairness seems to persist underneath all that cellulite and avarice. Catching a glimpse of our formerly better collective selves, we seem moved to discover that it's still there, although the element of self-congratulation gets tiresome quickly.

In any case, it was satisfying to see Barack Obama whip Hillary Clinton's entitled, presumptuous ass in Iowa last week, and by a very healthy margin. All other things aside -- like, what he actually thinks about the state of the nation -- Obama is a more reassuring figure than the Lady Macbeth-like former first lady, with her retinue of policy earls and thanes, and the creepy figure of her Mac-husband ever-grinning upstage.

I could get behind Obama, if it comes to it, but these days another feeling dogs me -- that we live in a nation where a lot more people than just Hillary Clinton need to get their asses whipped (and then some), and I like John Edwards a bit better in the role. On the night of the Iowa caucuses, John Edwards made an appeal to the audience that just seemed more reality-based to me than Obama's platitudes about bringing people together.

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[NWHarkness]

1. "Coming together"

This is the concern I have with Obama.

In the interest of "coming together", what accomodations are the uninsured expected to make to the insurance companies and Big Pharma? What concessions should working people give to the union busting corporations in Obama's America? What rights should gays forfeit in order to get along with the religious right?

I will support the party's nominee, but this idea that, if we are victorious in this election, we will engage in a national policy of compromise with those who have done so much damage to this country is hard to swallow. I Don't want to defeat the right in the voting booth, only to turn around and surrender to them in the conference room.