I don’t usually venture into matters metaphysical in this blog, but I couldn’t resist posting this:

Okay, first let me say that I generally like Obama, though there are plenty of points where he and I disagree on things. Still, I did vote for the man, and I think he is lightyears better than the asshole who was squatting in the White House until January 20th of this year.

Nevertheless, I had one of those “spray coffee all over the computer monitor” moments a couple minutes ago when I saw the headline that Obama had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

I seriously had to double check my facebook feed to see if it was a headline from the Onion. Then I had to visit three other news sites, because I was afraid I had gone to sleep in October and woken up on April Fools’ Day.

Okay, I get that the man is popular. And yeah, he’s a damn sight better than the Shrub was.

But seriously, the man has been in office for ten months. Actually, eleven days shy of that. He hasn’t even managed to close Gitmo yet, and they’re awarding him the Peace Prize? Is the Nobel Committee smoking something illegal? And if so, where can I get some, because it must be some seriously good shit to make them completely take leave of their senses like this.

I can come up with only one theory that makes any sense at all, and it is this: the Nobel Committee is not so much rewarding Obama’s efforts as collectively mooning George W. Bush.

And while Bush no doubt deserves a good collective mooning, preferably with him viewing it from a jail cell where he will spend the rest of his life for his crimes against our nation, the Constitution, and humanity, I’m not convinced that it warrants giving what is to my mind the most prestigious award in the world to his successor after a mere ten months in office.

Because seriously, what are they going to do for an encore if and when the man truly accomplishes something deserving of such recognition?

Winning the Nobel Peace Prize deserves recognition, whatever the circumstances, however, and so I will say this:

Congratulations, President Obama. I just hope you eventually accomplish enough to be worthy of it.

-jane doe

Follow up: I wanted to say that I very much liked President Obama’s remarks on the subject of the Nobel Peace Prize earlier today. From the Huffington Post:

Obama told reporters in the White House Rose Garden that he wasn’t sure he had done enough to earn the award, or deserved to be in the company of the “transformative figures” who had won it before him.

But, he said, “I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations to confront the challenges of the 21st century.”

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/obama-nobel-speech-video_n_315324.html

And:

“I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee,” Obama said.

“Let me be clear, I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.”

I like his perspective on this. And it’s less cynical than my characterization of the award as a “collective mooning” of the Shrub.

I do think it’s really a “Welcome back, America, we’ve missed you” message from the rest of the world.

But then again, is that such a bad thing?

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/obama-nobel-speech-video_n_315324.html

Okay, if you’ve been paying any attention to the ultra-paranoid wingnut Rep. Michele Bachmann (R – Minn) or the late-night comedians who mock her, you’ve already heard that there are those on the right-wing fringe (also known as Republicans in good standing) who are objecting to the upcoming 2010 census as some sort of sinister left-wing plot.

A sinister left-wing plot mandated by Art. 1, Sec. 2 of that document of the radical left known as the U.S. Constitution.

Bachmann and others have announced their intention to boycott the census next year because…well, I’m a little unclear why, actually…apparently it has something to do with ACORN (the right’s favorite villain after Obama and the Clintons). And they are urging others on the lunatic fringe to boycott it as well.

Now, personally, I’m actually okay with large numbers of people in the red states boycotting the census, because the net effect if they do is that they will lose further representation in the House of Representatives, resulting in additional representatives being apportioned to the blue states. Fewer Republicans in the HoR? Sounds good to me.

However, I do feel obligated to point out to Rep. Bachmann that she might want to be cautious in her public statements about her intentions with respect to the 2010 census.

See, she’ll still be in office when it occurs (barring any revelations that she’s been hiking the Appalachian Trail like Gov. Sanford of South Carolina). And when she was sworn in, part of her oath was to uphold the laws and constitution of the United States.

And the census is required by both the laws and the constitution. As is participation in same.

Now, I’ve been known to criticize unjust laws and even engage in a little civil disobedience from time-to-time, in spite of my own oath to uphold the laws and constitution back when I was practicing law.

On the other hand, this blog (read by literally tens of readers) is about as high-profile as my own comments ever get. Nobody is pointing a microphone or a television camera at me.

Of course, they’d have to find me first, but that’s beside the point.

The point is, if Bachmann refuses to participate in the census, well, she’s pretty much giving a road-map to anyone who might be inclined to make an example of her by prosecuting or impeaching her for her refusal to participate every time she opens her mouth in front of a TV camera and announces her intent to boycott the census.

Just sayin’…

-jane doe

If you’re on Twitter (which I just joined a couple days ago in light of the Iran situation – @janedoe_tcm), I recommend following @persiankiwi for English-language “tweets” from someone on the ground in Tehran.

Intense and disturbing.

-jane doe

Matt Taibbi has apparently abandoned all hope. The system is completely fucked, and so are we. I’d leave, but where would I go? I’m taking suggestions, if anyone has any.

-jane doe