O-baaaaa-ma (Ba-Ram-Ewe!)

You may remember a cute movie from the 90's called, "Babe", featuring a talking pig that turned out to be a really good sheep dog because she learned the secret code for getting sheep to obey: Ba-Ram-Ewe!  These supposed secret words, previously only known to sheep, immediately turned them into cooperative, docile creatures.  Our dear president apparently found similar secret code words to woo the electorate: Yes We Can!  In 2012, will he be able to say, Yes We Did?  Over half of popularity poll respondents these days might say, No We Didn't -or-We Really Should Have!

I really like Baa-rac O-baa-maa, and not just because I can use him name to further the sheep theme.  What's not to like about a professor of Constitutional Law?  What's not to like about a good speechifier? He tells a great story and that actually counts for a lot with voters.  The story introduction, or rather, the cover on the book didn't seem to match up with the first few chapters we've read so far.  The disillusionment so many of us felt when our dreams for real change faded is on us, not him.  We held up the expectation for the man and the office and until a few fundamental things change, there is no one who can come into that office and make any real difference, beyond switching the decor.

The political process in Washington and in most states, is really messed up now - remember, you read it here first.  It is so twisted that individual politicians who sincerely campaign on changing things and believe they will, now instead find their hands tied by rules, and find themselves gagged by wads of cash.  Waiting in D.C. to greet each newly elected representative or senator is over a half-dozen of their very own lobbyists.  Might as well slap the cuffs on right at the airport, and begin stuffing them with large, unmarked bills.  Depending on which source you believe, there are some tens of thousands of registered lobbyists in Washington, and the Supremes have now laundered their money for them - so it's all good.

I'll reference another favorite animal story, Charlotte's Web, a book about a spider who can write words in her web.  What's written on the web in Washington is just a whole lot of dollar signs.  Those who get caught in it can't possibly free themselves until they're voted out.  (Term limits? No, that's a solution for another problem perhaps, and that just ensures nobody will gain enough experience to effectively function, should the system ever get back on the rails.)  The answer, as I've called for in an earlier post, is to get the money out of campaigns.  Spare, public financing, period.  No opting out.  Declaring a six month window for campaigns with no TV commercials would be adding frosting to the cake.

How can a bunch of Sheep actually come together to take back some authority for the story of this country?  I dare to imagine this is not a rhetorical question.  There will be specific directions in future posts, so stay tuned.  Until then, keep the faith, Baa-Ram-Ewe!