Scott Brown, Health Care, and why I didn't vote for Baracka Obama part 63

Alright y'all, I know what you're thinking, I just mailed in the month of January.  I posted three times.  What can I say?  January is a good month to take a break.  Crisan Bakery is one of the coolest bakeries on the planet, and yes it’s located in Albany, NY (I know you non-Albanians are jealous).  Anyway they close for the entire month of January because they can.  On February 1^st everyone is there gorging themselves with feta-puff pastries, Nutella croissants, and marzipan figurines.  And hopefully that’s what’s going to happen here.  I’ll re-open my doors and y’all will forget I ever closed.  Granted I provide nothing edible or drinkable for that matter. (Crisan’s homemade hot chocolate is absolutely ridiculous) So if you don’t find my writing to be the equivalent of a delicious baked good than…

Fine I’ve been unpacking all month!!!  Give a guy a break.

And on to Scott Brown:  Scott Brown was a naked model, he bought a truck, and ran for U.S. Senate and won.  Wow that’s interesting. 

Health Care: I still don’t have any.

Why I didn’t vote for Barack Obama part 63:

BECAUSE WE ARE ON A NEVER ENDING PENDULUM!

Don’t you see it?  I’m talking to the rationale members of the left that vote (not the rational members of the left that don't).  The ones that would like to see a single payer health care system, gay marriage, a reconfiguration of the criminal justice system, real environmental protection and so on. If you are the type of person that would probably vote for the Green Party but you see it as a wasted vote than you’re the person I’m talking to. 

Within the current electoral system when do you expect the left political spectrum to have more power than they do now?  Don’t you feel like you’re watching a seesaw before your eyes?  What happens next in this movie?  Do the Republicans take back the house? Or the senate?  Perhaps the presidency on 2012?  Here is what I do know; the Republicans will take back some house of congress and the presidency eventually.  And what will have been accomplished?  If the Democrats can’t pass a Health Care Bill with a 60 seat majority in the Senate and a 40 seat majority in the house, and one of the most inspiring presidents in the past 50 years, when will they accomplish the long list of goals that we all hope to see in our lifetimes?  When will the democrats lead us to a more just, fair, and egalitarian society? It will probably happen on an icy-cold night in Hell. 

Think about how much effort it took to get them in power.  How many hours and dollars went in to the elections of 2008?  What have they done for us?  I actually believe that Barack Obama means well (at least in comparison to most people that have occupied that position).  I just don’t think he actually has enough power to make lasting substantive change in this country.  As I’ve said before, it’s the wealthy corporations that have the most power and it has never been clearer.  

I truly believe that we could accomplish more tangible change in this country with grassroots community efforts, not grassroots campaigns.  The most substantive change in this nation has always come from community members getting together to make free breakfast programs, create health centers, and justice organizations.  Look at the issue of Gay and Lesbian rights.  Politicians are not responsible for the rights GLBTQ people are earning every day.  It’s the tireless work of gay, lesbian, and Trans activists that have put the issue of sexual orientation and gender identity on the map.  And it wasn’t politicians that were responsible for the rights earned by Black Americans or women.  We can thank groups like The Black Panther Party, The Gay Activist Alliance and the Women’s Liberation Front for some of the privileges that we enjoy today not LBJ or Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton.

I understand if you are still holding out hope that Barack can pull this together.   The man has a pretty spineless crew to work with but hope is hope.  I can respect hope.  However if the Democrats fall flat on their faces and accomplish nothing over the next 4-8 years can we please stop supporting them and start supporting each other.  That’s all I ask.