Farewell to Arbusco

The eight years of George W. Bush's administration have come to an end. If one good thing came from these eight years, its the bringing of people from my generation to political consciousness. I stood by without much interest as Bush became president and appointed his cabinet selections. Not until the invasion of Afghanistan in Nov. 01 did I begin to become interested in the foreign policy of this administration and the phenomenon of neoconservatism. By the invasion of Iraq in 2003, I had become informed through the countless books, articles, and documentary films documenting the dangers of the course we had set upon and the history of American involvement in other countries, much of it covert.

So if one good thing came from the Bush years is a scepticism of the promises of politicians hopefully combined with an interest in listening to our elected leaders and holding them accountable. Obama is picking his cabinet and this time I'm paying attention. I'm looking out for the involvement of his picks with various think-tanks and organizations, a web of which stretched through Bush policy-making and makers. I'm aware of the historical record of how presidents manipulate public opinion and play off fears and insecurity. Because of this awareness I can see that Obama is playing off the overwhelming public sentiment demanding a fresh start in Washington. His rhetoric of change is being bought up by the public without the kind of critical thinking that is needed. We can't simply cheer when Obama says he has change we can believe in. We need to demand that he spell out what is change is and how he will implement it.

The inauguration took place yesterday and it was the biggest spectacle I've seen since the rallies at Nuremberg, or the Olympic opening ceremonyif the Nazi comparison is too much for you. I plead with the American public to not get caught up in the fanfare, lets keep our attention on the shape his administration is taking in these very important first days. I will be just as critical of Obama as I was of Bush, I'm not celebrating any victory because I know neither Democrats nor Republicans represent my political ideals. I will be critical of Obama because I'm not partisan, I don't bring a home team mentality to politics, I don't identify myself with the nation or its unique form of nationalism. I stand outside that with my own beliefs, many of them coinciding with the foundational values of the American democracy that have been subverted. I'm trying to perform my role as an informed citizen in a superficially democratic society.