It's Like, are we even swimming in the same ocean Thing

Dear America,

I may be wrong.

But I doubt it.

(just views from a t-shirt)

so this morning 

my wish...is to just begin writing.

Done.

Next:

my hope... is to just bring the last few days together in one, cohesive.... considerate... sensitive... little miss pink fancy-pants manner.

Indeed.

There are no rules here.  

I can do, and I can say, whatever I want, any way I want.

I'm not the president of the United States and I'm not running for president of the United States.

Enter the Washington Post's post:  Why was President Obama standing during his Oval Office Address?

Backdrops and photo props and white coats, oh my.  Remember when the president was just beginning to sell us on his health care plan (c. 2009)?   Obama specializes in engineering  a feeling -- and upon this Rose Garden Occasion, it was the feeling of complete confidence that the medical profession is fully supportive of the Health Care Law to come...

Every detail and every action in every address is set up to say something visually, carefully placing into the subconscious a long lasting message into memory; and embedded to give us a sense of saying something, and even witnessing it with our own eyes --  without actually saying a thing.

For most Americans, an address from the Oval Office is reminiscent of some pretty important moments;  while just the grandeur of it, juxtaposed with the vintage desk top that is mindfully cleared from anything that might possibly pose a distraction, carries the capacity to almost take our breath away long before hearing the words, "good evening."  All together, it's magnificence in motion and masterminded to meet the moment in history.

And what say you, Washington Post -- surely, begrudgingly, bringing to bear a wee bit of confusion perhaps between the eyes and ears?  As if  when the president symbolically STANDS UP to ISIS with pomp and podium HE appears all the more Leader-ish...stronger, leaner, meaner as Commander-in-Chiefer for the American people and anyone else around the world watching.

I missed that old desk and the customary feeling of confidence and American pride back behind it.

I think the final point at the Post sums it up best:

It's the desk that really signals to the viewing public that this is where the president works; this is where he makes key decisions. The desk is the most important prop on the Oval Office set, and Obama didn't use it.
In many situations, there are benefits to standing. But in the Oval Office, Obama was trying to have it both ways.

Trying to have it both ways DEFINES HIM and his presidency; while this masterful use of props and propaganda, words without action, the divisive words with community action, writing policy without mandate, while lavishly lying to the American people, large and small,  on pretty much everything, continually tearing us apart here at home and unconscionably driven to fully diminish, if not totally dismantle, America's STANDING all around the globe.

Trying to have it both ways DEFINES HIM and his presidency:

• DEFINING his foreign policy fighting a war without force OR the intent to win OR even the ability to call and know the enemy by name
• DEFINING his "freedom to bear arms" gun control 
• DEFINING his "free market" Obamacare, changing policy in our healthcare system fundamentally, and transforming one-sixth of the nation's economy
• DEFINING his "free spirited" Executive Action for more open border(s) [whether they come by illegal crossing or by refugee] and thereby undermining the national security of all Americans on American soil [which is a crime in and of itself]

This business of having it both ways DEFINES his EVERY WORD in EVERY ADDRESS --  whether it comes from the podium or the Oval Office or BOTH...

Oh sure,

he wades knee deep 

in the waters of America's foundation, 

stumbling over liberty, 

throwing around some self-reliance 

and free enterprise 

and hard work, 

making a few ripples of 

standing on principles, 

values, 

and who we are 

-- but then --

seamlessly 

and yet totally out of the blue  

he begins to make his descent into the chilly waters of social justice, community reforms, the stubborn reality of a history not entirely pure or even close to being beautiful.  Almost without taking a breath, he makes his way into the deep, dark, crevasse that is every liberal's star spangled star buck belief:  America is not entitled to any of it -- and besides, would not the whole of America be better off under the government control of shared resources, shared property, shared wealth, under the weight of shared crony capitalism and the burden of shared climate change wealth redistribution--  isn't THAT really the next big thing?    [recalculating....you mean, something more like socialism? something that is the antithesis of the free market republic America is intended??   no, no, just something more of a socially re-engineered America, fundamentally speaking...]

It's like are we even swimming in the same ocean?

This presidency has been gifted a generous amount of leeway when addressing, when policing, when demagoguery-ing, when leading by executive ordering, when war-ing, when responding to opposition-ing, when leading without really wanting to take the lead at all.

This presidency has been crafted in the art of having it both ways -- and when it comes to leadership, that is nothing to write home about, let alone respond with standing ovation.  

Make it a Good Day, G

On another note:  did you hear what Syed Farook's dad said, mind you --  aloud -- and for all the world to hear?

“I told him he had to stay calm and be patient because in two years Israel will not exist any more. Geopolitics is changing: Russia, China and America don’t want Jews there any more. They are going to bring the Jews back to Ukraine. What is the point of fighting? We have already done it and we lost. Israel is not to be fought with weapons, but with politics. But he did not listen to me, he was obsessed,” Farook explained to US correspondent Paolo Mastrolilli.

For more -- go here.