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I have to admit it. Last year’s Thanksgiving column was a lot easier to write. Riding high on the victories of the season, my list included things such as "Jesse Jackson’s tears in Grant Park," and "the election of the first post-modern president."
This year, progressives aren’t feeling quite so heady. Ten months of the reality of an Obama presidency instead of just our projected fantasies have tempered much of the enthusiasm. Nonetheless, Thanksgiving is an exercise in counting your blessings in good times and in not-so-good times. So I have scraped together ten things I am currently thankful for, along with ten corresponding hopes for the coming year.
1) Al Franken. I hope that he never changes.
2) The fact that Lou Dobbs is no longer on CNN. I hope that he decides to run for president in 2012 and further splits the Republican vote.
3) That we are only involved in two overseas quagmires. Britian and Rome were in many more at the height of their empires. I hope that number is soon zero.
4) C-SPAN, where you can witness spellbinding moments of legislative history such as this. I hope that they show every moment of Lieberman’s filibuster of the health care bill.
5) The fact that health care reform has made it this far. I know, it’s being compromised almost beyond recognition, but at least it’s happening. I hope that it passes and finds enough success to pave the way for more reforms in the future.
6) The fact that we have a president who believes that global warming is real. More than in any other area, I hope he chooses what is right and necessary over what is politically expedient.
7) Blogging. I hope that it can continue to evolve and eventually fill the void being left by the decline of print journalism.
8) Sane Christians. There are a lot of us out there. I hope that we can become more vocal and receive more media attention without pandering or selling out our faith.
9) Net neutrality. I hope that Congress wakes up and squashes McCain’s abomination of an "Internet Freedom" bill.
10) The fact that Sarah Palin is NOT the vice president. I hope that she also runs for president in 2012, splitting the Republican vote even further.
Happy Thankgiving! For what are you feeling grateful this year?
4 Comments
Al Franken. I completely agree on that one. It’s like having a representative of the people making laws or something!
Here’s his official Senate portrait.
Here’s his Senate website.
Enjoy!
Thanks for this Jim Moss; you’re right, one must look at the bright side of life. BUT:
2. Dobbs will likely run for Senator from New Jersey first. He might win. He’ll take a lot of Democratic votes too if he runs for the presidency.
3. Sorry, but very wrong. We’re also involved in a war (through machines and the air) in Pakistan. Blackwater is actively involved there too. And then there is Iran. Foreign policy has not changed AT ALL under Obama; he hasn’t even changed Bush’s Defense Secretary and has PROMOTED most of Bush’s generals (like McCrystal).
4. C-SPAN. Where Barack Obama promised to televise all health care meetings. A promise he broke months ago when he met insurance companies behind closed doors and in secret.
5. This is health care reform? Sorry, it’s mandated insurance, a boondoggle for the insurance companies. A pig gussied up to look like reform. Don’t buy this from Obama and his friends.
6. Not sure. Stay tuned. Obama’s has almost zero achievements on the agenda he was elected on and has abandoned most of his promises.
8. Maybe. But lots of insane Christians out there too. The Catholic church under this arch conservative pope is heading farther and farther to the right.
Things I’m grateful for:
1. Al Franken. Agree with you.
2. Some of the public-minded politicians we do have (and do not support enough): like Bernie Sanders, Dennis Kucinich, Russ Feingold, Maxine Waters etc.
3. The Internet. It has really changed life; one can be far more aware of and stay in touch with others from it.
4. My ability to read, write and listen to music even as I grow older. I find lots of joy in books and music.
3.
I don’t believe that #6 is true. In fact, I am not at all grateful for Obama. I think he is no better than Bush, and in some ways, he’s even worse. Because some people are still fooled by him, he is very dangerous. He can do a lot of damage to our already “teetering” country. He is soooo needy, (even worse than Bill Clinton), that he will do anything to be loved by the wrong people. I believe that is extremely dangerous, and I am scared to death. My “hope” has turned to “fright” and “rage.” The 2012 Presidential Primaries can’t come soon enough for me!!!!!!