Sometimes It takes the Senseless Killing of 298 People to Help People Get Along

The world is a mess.  You would have to live in a cave to not realize it. In the editorial, "Will Flight 17 Sober Us Up?", by E.J. Dionne, Jr the case is made for cool heads, and bi-partisan action. Dionne is tired of the same old politics.  The type of politics that tows the party line, and constantly uses national and world events as another opportunity to attack their political opponent.  This is the arena our politicians play in everyday. It's a stab or get stabbed contest.  And for the republicans, everything is President Obama's fault.

Google Search: "Ukraine is Obama's Fault"

He's dammed if he does, and damned if he doesn't. He's at fault for letting Putin take Crimea.  He didn't act forcefully enough to arm the Ukrainians to fight the Russian separatists. He hasn't started filling tankers with liquid gas to replace the gas that Russia supplies to ALL of Europe.

Google Search: "Shipping Gas to Europe"

Growing up in the 80's I lived in a very military neighborhood.  I lived in Northern Virginia and most of my friend's fathers were Colonels or Lt. Colonels, or Majors, or Jar head-Squids or something.  My point is I learned what it meant to be obedient to the Commander.  I learned that you always show respect to the commanding officer, and even if the order was not the best order, it was an order and you follow it.  I witnessed this allegiance to the commander during the 80's, when Reagan was the King, I mean President.  Back then it was easier to follow the leader, he was white, he was Republican, and he funded the military with billions.  This continued into the George H.W. Bush years, the turn happened when Clinton was elected, and the tone of disrespect began.  Clinton also ruined it for everybody.  He disrespected the office by getting a "blowie in the ovie", and it's been a house of clowns ever since.  

I don't feel like Obama is a clown, I just think he lives in a "House of Clowns".  But if you live in a house that clowns normally live in, people will assume you are a clown.  Dionne want Obama to shed the clown moniker.  

He wants him to be more firm.  More out in front of the problem.  I am picking up what Dionne is putting down, I yell at the TV too from time to time.  But I don't think Obama is operating on a lead from behind position.  These are difficult times.  The human race has backed it's self into a corner.  The only way to solve any of these problems is to start over.  We went the wrong way some time ago.  Our dependence on Money, Oil, Prostitutes, Drugs, and Power has set us up for failure.  As we walk the tight rope to prevent escalation in Ukraine, we watch passively as Israel systematically exterminates the residents in Gaza, and somewhere out there is a rich white republican who is confident that it's all Obama's fault.  I hope Dionne is right.  I hope that the downing of Flight 17, and the senseless killing of those 298 people will not be in vain.  I hope that cooler heads will prevail and Putin will order the separatists out of Ukraine.  I hope we don't send weapons to Ukraine.  I hope Israel stops the killing.  I hope Hamas stops shooting back. I hope the republicans and Democrats can get along, and start to work on the real problems in our country.  I hope they can realize how their party-line rhetoric can make us look weak.  My mom always said to my sister and I that we could fight in the house, but when we went outside we fought for each other. That never left me.  I think that's what Dionne is asking for.  Keep the fighting in house.  And when it comes to international relations, follow the leader!