Bitter Bitter Bitter

Most people have heard the recent comments made by Barack Obama in San Francisco.  But just to remind you:

"You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothings replaced them....."And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."  

Once these comments came to light....it didn't take either Clinton or McCain long to pounce on these remarks as a way of showing that Obama was an "elitist"and out of touch with mainstream American values.  Clinton...all of a sudden....was seen drinking boilermakers and beer with some of the proud "gun owners" of PA.  She was trying hard to show she was one  "them".  One of us.  Now...never mind that her and Bill have not held a real job (outside of politics) for over 30 years.  Never mind that she has made millions since Bill left the white house.  She is so far removed from blue collar she can't tell what shade of blue it is.  And McCain?....Well he is so tied up with advocating for continued war in Iraq and a new one in Iran...(infact he still confuses shia and sunni's and who is doing what over there) he has had no time to develop a plan that addresses the current economic mess that this country finds itself in. 

The fact is...some Americans are angry and frustrated...and yes bitter.  And for good reason. Economic failure...political corruption...a president who has lied to us time after time, endless war with a military on the brink of breaking, and no end in site.  No one wants to think they are bitter...but the fact is at times in our lives when we feel we have been abandoned or forgotten...it is easy to look to lash out or blame others for our struggles.  And yes...to cling to those things in our lives that bring us comfort like religion or hunting or whatever.  Scapegoating is not a new thing.  Hitler used it effectively to blame the jews for the economic mess that was Germany in the 20's and 30's.  Remember...he was democratically elected initially.  Obama's statement was not untrue...it was real...and any politician who ignores the frustration and anger among those hurting the most in this country will get a real slap of reality in November.  They will find out who really is out of touch.  Let's hope so.