Op-Ed: Mr Obama, Democracy and The Great Lizard

Perhaps democracy and capitalism have run their time. With all the excesses and corruption still so apparent in the system, how can it survive economically?

Concerning all my frustrations with Democracy — I have come to the basic but confused conclusion that Democracy as an ideal is wonderful. However, I nevertheless entertain a constant feeling that Democracy also allows it's own freedoms — without fail — to self-corrupt in all sorts of excessive ways, such that its own outcome must mimic a Great Lizard that is slowly and deliberately devouring its own tail — In much the same way that I seem to notice that Democratic societies always end up digesting and feeding off the remnants of this self-same corruption, whose excesses and greed seems always to advance and fire the lifestyles of such modern democratic societies, only to be farted out the other end — hypocritically and through its own repressed guilt — as "politically correct" behaviour, whose useless diversions must be forever preened and demonstrated for our social benefit. This main event, as you must realize, is self-perpetuating and always cycles and whiffs endlessly. But there is always a little dirt and corruption left under the carpet to fester and grow again. The dark insufficiencies of Democracy always makes sure of that. When I consider and compare the workings and achievements of socialist states or the various blatantly corrupt dictatorships throughout the world, the situation is not so different from the workings and excesses of modern Democratic governments. In Africa and the Mid-East and other less developed countries there is exactly the same goal to reach for power and control within its lands. But the rule is more tribal here and way more overtly harsh in its own political achievements — there is no soft Conservative or Liberal or Socialist tenets as among the lawful developed countries. When the rule is tribal or even non-secular and fundamentalist, then it is Shi'ites against Sunnis, ANC against the rest in South Africa, Sunnis against Kurds, Somalis killing Somalis, Mugabe still unbelievably entrenched in a fully trashed Zimbabwe, Israelis against Hamas and Al-Qaeda against the whole damn Christian world. A classic example of Democracy's excesses within politics must surely be exampled by Bush Jnr's undeniable plebiscitary rule where, once elected, this President did exactly as he pleased, ignoring and avoiding both The Senate and US Congress as well as all consensus and debate. Bush Jnr and Cheney were both oilmen. Interesting that when Wall Street effectively influences the US govt(as now) then the dollar is manipulated and kept strong. The other competing shadow influence on the US govt. — the massively powerful and rich oil cartels much prefer a weaker dollar, which forces the price of oil high. In the last few years of Bush Jnr's rule, he managed to deliberately crash the dollar. Ah, but never mind all the gaffs and political mistakes, never mind that this man doubled his own beloved country's National Debt so effortlessly, Bush Jnr successfully managed to pay back all those supporters that really mattered didn't he? So, at the end of his rule, Bush Jnr completely evaporated all respect for the US government, turning his leadership banner into nothing more than a bold flag with a big banana at its center. President Obama appears to be far more canny, eloquent and funky than his predecessor but no less dangerous. In his oratories, he can play his American audience like a fiddle - the media apparently still loves him because he has promised them all hope and change in excess. But when you look at his achievements so far, they are very few. He talks up a storm, but how effective is he? I mean in light of the fact that he has to save not only America but the rest of the world from Economic Armageddon, just liking the man isn't enough really is it? Sure he's kicked off his massive spend policies to stimulate the US economy, but if all this spend and further debt doesn't work, then what? Where are the contingencies? When will he pay back all this debt? Ah, but that's no problem is it — with Ben Bernanke at the helm and the printing presses in top gear inflating away all that debt. We can trust him can't we? And what of Obama's foreign policies? So far — in regard to the global financial crisis — Europe has outplayed him easily by ignoring his economic inflationary advice on mega-borrowing and spend by doing just the opposite. Regarding aid and support for Afghanistan, Europe has again ignored Obama's wishes and gone its own way. And what of Russia and China? Russia is constantly outplaying President Obama now, unimpressed and bored with his verbal oratory, intent and focused only on the expansion of Russian influence within the realms of South America and the Middle East regions. Obama has made no tangible impression here. And what about Obama's China policy? Outright failure here too, Clinton did not get promises of an increased rate of US Treasury Bond purchase from Hu Jintao. Amid deepening suspicions, all Premier Hu wanted were reasonable guarantees that the US Treasuries they owned would remain safe against default. Clinton ran home with her tail between her legs as China now continues to purchase all the resources on the planet, spending her dollars slowly but surely in an attempt to extricate herself from her 'Dollar Trap'. And what about Israel and Iran? Here, Obama appears to be unbelievably withdrawing American support for Israel. He has already pandered his peaceful intentions to all the leaders in Iran. They were terse, unbelieving and indifferent in their replies. So they are allowed to continue their nuclear development, unhindered, while Israel sweats it out with all fingers now tightening on that nuclear trigger. And meanwhile, Obama has sliced back considerably on all US defense spending while submitting the incredibly hypocritical excuse of saving money for the nation. In his foreign plays it would appear that President Obama has failed so far in his overseas policies all the way down the line. What is predominant in his home policies is that he is spending hugely on his pet infrastructure and social projects, which in themselves will take many years to bear any fruit. And his policy of spending massively in order to re-stimulate the US economy back to normalcy cannot possibly work in my opinion because there has never ever been a historical instance or precedent within the world where this type of singular government spend policy (together with the ruse of Quantitative Easing) has ever saved any country from spiraling deflation. So when I reflect on President Obama's current policies at home and abroad, I am again inevitably reminded of that Great Lizard, turning and twisting backwards in its pain and suffering, suddenly opening its jaws in frustration and biting down hard on its own primordial Keynesian tail. And as the shock and pain of this action hits the poor beast — it merely opens its jaws in a reflex from within its own anger and stupidity and savagely bites again…and again…and again.