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Chuck Ross

The Puzzling Failure of Obama and the Democrats: How We Suffered For Our Sanity. How We Tried To Set Them Free. They Would Not Listen. They Did Not Know How. Perhaps They’ll Listen Now. (But Don’t Count on It)

Nov 3, 2010

Now that the entire frickin’ nation has yelled and screamed through their ballot boxes—except for us loons here in California–perhaps Obama will get it, but I’m not optimistic.

[Aside: How do I know we’re looney tunes out here? Well, how can one be as true blue as we are, and on that starry starry night last night, as we’re about to blast off with Gov. Moonbeam again, not also legalize pot?]

As regular readers of this blog can attest, I’m no genius. But I do profess to know what I know, and I can be pretty stubborn about it.

And I think a lot of what I profess to know you know too. What always amazes me is when we’re pretty sure about stuff , but the people in charge of dishing the stuff out seem to be clueless.

A few examples.

Back when I was a kid I knew the Edsel was ugly. Yes, as an adult I’d love to have one today because it was such a failure it would be cool to own one now.

But wasn’t most of America sure at the time that this was the ugliest car they had ever seen and no one would buy it? So how did it ever come to market?

I remember watching “My Mother the Car” when it debuted on NBC in September of 1965 and thinking my god, how stupid. I am absolutely positive most other people were thinking the same thing. I’m still shocked that it lasted an entire season.

I think one of TV’s most brilliant programmers was the late Brandon Tartikoff. Another one of his ilk is Steven Bochco. But how did “Manimal” and “Cop Rock” ever make it on-air? Yes, be a risk-taker. But I’m sorry, most of us could have told them long before these shows got their final OKs that they would not be embraced.

New Coke? Please.

Did you know that McDonald’s once tried McLobster? We could’ve told them not to bother.

This one might be urban legend, or maybe not. I’ve always heard that KFC once tried liver on its menu. Huh?

Jay Leno every weeknight at 10 pm? Before it ever came on many of us shrieked and screeched “no way.” But it got on-air anyway.

Like all of the executives that made the decisions to give us this stuff—and many more examples you and I can come up with—I think our Chief Executive, President Obama, is a pretty smart guy.

But why he chose not to realize that there were only three issues Americans have cared about since he took office—the economy, the economy and the economy—we’ll never know.

Well, maybe we can know. We know Obama likes to appear on TV—as long as it’s not on a real news show.

So let’s get him on HBO’s “In Treatment.”

At first Obama will tell therapist Dr. Paul Weston (Gabriel Byrne) that oh sure, he addressed the economy.

Then Weston will point out to Obama that the president is really in a business where perception is reality, and the perception is that he really didn’t address the economy in a meaningful way. Wall St. and bank bailouts never resonated.

Then we might get to the nitty gritty.

Or, more likely, Obama will deflect, telling Weston, hey, buddy, I’ve watched this show, and with all your problems you’re trying tell ME what to do? I don’t think so.

Of course the message the country sent Obama yesterday was that actually it’s all of us who are watching him, and he’s not getting it.

He’s either going to get it and put on a blockbuster schedule or he’s gonna do something really stupid, like saying we’ll do some more Obamacare –just a little bit, maybe a half-hour’s worth at 11:35–and then tackle the economy after that at five after midnight.

Hmm. Last we heard, the chief executive who made a decision like that will be looking for a new job soon…

[apologies to Don McLean for the headline]

11 Comments

  1. American’s may be only concerned about the economy, but their choice to put Republicans back into office (the same folks that caused the economic meltdown in the first place), shows that the average voter does not really pay attention to anything but short, inaccurate soundbites and hateful, screaming attention getters. It will be a rude awakening when Republicans answer to the economy is to give more tax breaks to big corporations and the rich.

  2. Who IS this guy? Who allows him to make these inane comments…or more importantly, allows it to be seen? Really?! Some folks shouldn’t be allowed to write. It only encourages them.

  3. Totally agree with you CHUCK. Oregon is in the same boat as California. Most of the state are decent, blue collar republicans who despise big government and are tired of being taxed to death. Unfortunately, the left wing “lets pay for everything” democrats control the populus cities and Oregon gets stuck with a return governor who wasn;t any good the first 2 terms he served.

  4. Typical selfcentered Republican reaction. Notice that the Republicans didn’t say a damn word when we spent trillions of dollars to kill people in a totally unnecessary war, but when we are spending less than a 10th of that amount to save 35,000 lives each year that would have died needlessly in this country because they can’t afford to see a doctor, then these DAMN Republicans come unglued.
    My only negative comment about Obama is he did an absolutely terrible job telling the people this.
    If the Democrats back down and cow to the Republicans on this, then this country will truly go to hell as it should.

  5. Chuck if you think people voted for republicans for an other reason then the state of the economy, then you are not a smart man. Keep believing what you believe but if this country is doing well again in 2 years Obama will be in for another 4.

  6. Obama HAS tackled the economy. It’s too bad that people don’t see the long term positive economic effects his policies will have. It’s sucks that there’s no “fix economy” button in the oval office like Staples’ “Easy” button, because apparently Americans think the economy can be fixed simply with the push of a button.

  7. McLobster? Yea, it’s no myth. My wife and I ate them for a week or so as we drove through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia about a dozen years ago. It was a real menu item. Small lobster pieces, like langostino, battered and deep fried (as I recall). Taste was unremarkable, the only reason we continued to buy them was their low perceived cost and the thought, that perhaps it was an aquired taste (one we never aquired).
    I don’t know why Don McLean never lasted. His voice was far better than Dylan and his lyrics were often as exellent. Great blend of poetry and storytelling.
    Your Obama observations were well targeted and illustrated. Maybe the same strain of hubric myopathy that infected Bush was contracted by by our current prez. Sometimes its difficult to disinfect all surfaces before the new “lessee” takes possesion.
    Know what I mean?

  8. Keep up the good work, the rich love you.

  9. Funny how Republicans get the blame for the economic downturn, largely caused by irresponsible lending policies at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that President Bush tried to warn people about, but Barney Frank among others insisted there was nothing to worry about.
    The Republicans deserve blame, but there are plenty of Democrats to blame as well, such as policies that required lending to people banks knew could NEVER pay back their loans in order to avoid even the appearance of possible “red lining.”

  10. I have come to the very simple conclusion that people in this country (especially men) are so busy with their closed minded, self centered opinions, yet spend no time on possible solutions. Why are spending all of our time on prejudice driven, media endorsed ridicule and NO time at all on suggestive solutions or opinions on the actual R E A L I T Y of the slow current progress its taking to heal from the robbery we just endured?

  11. Its funny to me how all these middle class people who make less than 250,ooo a year have taken up Republican like a religion. Ha ha Im a white guy with nothing to lose so heed my word. As soon as an “African American ” becomes President BOOM! By the millions,ignorant selfish,prejudice middleclass(EVEN POOR) start hatin’ on welfare recipients, pregnant women, and anyone UNDER their income level. (Hmm the disease is spreading) These middleclass have no idea that they are supporting the very people that just SPANKED them out of their 401k (started in 2001, wake up) and invited the illegals over here and HIRED them to work in the big n rich owned corporations. 26 million people dont just RUSH over the border for no reason. The word got out! Go to America! All the rich folks are hiring us!Gas HAD to go up to provide for all the USED cars they bought(new car mnftrs go down)Our circulating economy got bombarded and confused cause of this!

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