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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming

June 04, 2005

I'm Disappointed By My Lack Of Disappointment

I remember when I was young and carefree and could get disappointed by politicians. But that was long ago.

I thought of this when I read an exchange at Body and Soul between Barack Obama and a constituent about the CIA's "rendition" policy. Obama shows all the fiery spirit of boiled spinach.

That's okay; it's what I'd expect from him. The whole idea that any politician will ever be a genuine leader is a 99.7% fairy tale. The best you can hope for is that, if there's ever a huge social movement pressuring them, they will stop sucking so hard. And even then they'll be slightly sucky. Changing things is up to us, not them.

Still, it makes me wistful for my naive youth, which ended sometime in the late 1800s.

Posted at June 4, 2005 02:08 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Aw, cheer up, Jonathan. I folded completely and declared you the winner of our fight.

Posted by: Harry at June 4, 2005 02:12 PM

Yes... that's just the kind of nefarious, underhanded move I'd expect from you.

I WILL NOT LET YOU DESTROY ME

Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at June 4, 2005 02:15 PM

You're quite old for a penguin. Perhaps you are a Galapagos tortoise who believes that he is a penguin?

Posted by: Aaron at June 4, 2005 04:31 PM

Goo goo ga joob.

Posted by: I am the eggman at June 4, 2005 07:37 PM

Goo goo ga joob.

Posted by: I am the eggman at June 4, 2005 07:38 PM

What about Gandhi? He sure as hell did not suck...

Posted by: En Ming Hee at June 4, 2005 09:07 PM

Well, Gandhi is probably in the 0.3%.

Posted by: Sam Mc at June 4, 2005 10:00 PM

Was Gandhi a politician?

Posted by: at June 4, 2005 10:46 PM

There are plenty of politicians who are significantly less disappointing. Not many people pay attention to them. They are the politicians around whom a movement could be built. Soggy legumes like Obama are useless, and damn proud of it.

Posted by: Harry at June 5, 2005 01:47 AM

Gandhi was the defacto leader of the Indian National Congress Party after World War II, though younger men and women appeared to lead it.

Posted by: at June 5, 2005 01:52 AM

Democratic Party politicians rarely take principled stands against the evil right wing, and hoping that they will can only lead to disappointment. They are too busy taking the political agenda farther to the right themselves. I have no faith whatsoever that the Democratic Party will ever take us out of the wildnerness of right wing politics.

Posted by: The Haikuist at June 6, 2005 11:22 AM

YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE ONLY REVERTING BACK TO BEING DEMOCRATS AND NEEDY WHEN IT IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED THEY ARE THE DOWN FALL OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY. WE GAVE INTO EVERY WHIM AND IT DESTROYED US. THE REPUBLICONS ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR VOTES. I SAY LET THEM HAVE IT. THAT WILL BE ONE LESS HEADACHE. MEXICAN VOTE ALSO. CAUCASIANS ARE THE MINORITY ANYMORE. THEY HAVE NO RIGHTS UNLESS THEY ARE OF COLOR OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND. GOD BLESS AMERICA YALL.

Posted by: LOIS ACKER at June 6, 2005 05:11 PM

Is the charmingly insane comment above spam, or something composed especially for this site?

It appears to be the latter, although given the spam I've seen, I can't be sure.

Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at June 6, 2005 06:00 PM

I'm a little less concerned with the insane person (though, as your friend Jon, I am very proud that your wonderful site is reaching so deep into Internet's crazy-ass underbelly), and a little more concerned about the person who posted "Goo goo ga joob" TWICE.

Posted by: Robert ToTeras at June 7, 2005 12:03 PM

hi people
sorry no time to read all these delightful essays

trying to find robert toteras the rascal owes me five bucks!

if you see him online or at a porn flik, tell him to write or call Cori in kerhonkson.

Thanks all!

Posted by: cori at September 8, 2005 10:24 PM