Debating from the Hip

(Or how Barack Obama blinked as John McCain stabbed himself several times in the foot)

Last night was a hallmark. It prefaced a surrealistic blend of nonsense and common sense. I call it a blend, because Barack Obama, attempting a contest with John McCain, is similar to a battle of giants and dwarfs. In this particular case, a mental giant, and a stunted dwarf with bad shoulders.

I wish it could have been otherwise. I wish it could have ended there. One's intellect winning over another's, but there's the catch. In our society, we're not allowed to just show off our I.Q.'s and have done with it.

Such a dignified means of addressing an old world-view against a new-world view is not allowed, especially when it's forced to become a race between a thoroughbred and a worn-out plow horse.

I feel uncomfortable saying that of John McCain. I'm a satirist, not a sadist, and I certainly wish him his dignity, but over-weaning ambitions (such as in the case of unqualified people like Hillary Clinton grabbing for the brass ring), leaves me cold.

This government has become used to doing things backwards. There's no other explanation for it. We make enemies. We can't help it. We engender blowback conditions (ramifications), when we want something the other guy has and steals it. Then we sit back in amazement when the result rears up and bites us in the ass.

9/11? Where could I begin? How about the 1950's? A period when we flexed our muscles, and foisted our brand of materialism on emerging nations. A time when we supplanted budding democracies with totalitarian dictatorships.

When we trained the security forces of American-supported dictators (one of whom was Sadam Hussein), the wonderful techniques of torturing under hazardous conditions - between coffee breaks.

Little snippets of history, little dragon seeds planted in rich soil, epithets to rouse the ire of a peaceful people, who in their unknowing wisdom, let chaos fly in the name of gasoline. Now I ask you, does this make us the bad guy? We are as victimized as any other poor slob, who gets picked up after hours and taught to respect the will of his masters.

Yet, regardless of the countless examples we offer others, as to a more defined nature of American angst, people like John McCain refuse to acknowledge it. People like John McCain never escaped from their prisons, put there for killing, bombing and murdering those, who did not want their land controlled by colonialist nations.

He can't help it, though. He's a product of one-dimensional thinking. America is the right way, and any other way is to be ignored, and in some cases, expunged. Thus, we have two views of the world, and Barack Obama would like to bring us into the twenty-first century (if there's any money left in the treasury, which there is not), and now even if he takes the job how would he get any of his programs established?

The little gremlin in me whispers that I should send Barack a letter, advising him to give it up. I know he's a patriot, with a family background in putting his country first - and educating himself in the bargain - but really, to cure a diseased and staggering behemoth?

He's got more guts than I have. Me, I'd sit back and throw peanuts. I'd write poetry. Wriggling my toes in the surf, I'd look at the day in a sort of wonder, and ignore the wailing cries. If it got too bad, I'd get out my Sarah Palin Special and shoot the beast between the eyes.

I thought all these thoughts, and more, watching the debate, and gauging the effect on other analysts, and what they told me was that they were not sure of the outcome. Not sure of the outcome? Are they nuts? Let's get out our Sarah Palin Specials - and shoot the silly buggers between the eyes!