President Obama, would you please turn the lights back on?
It’s like Barack Obama turned off the lights when he walked out of the White House for the last time (as president). I don’t have a KOS profile—this is my husband’s—but I come here and read diaries frequently. I feel so down today that I’ve decided to use it to express my depression and this plea to President Obama.
Come back.
I know he has plans, that he doesn’t intend to stay silently on the sidelines, but I think timing is crucial here. He must return before people like me give up and crawl away. We must SEE the plan, see that little spec of light in the distance, see it coming toward us, see it growing stronger.
In the White House, he was a blazing sun, shining down on us, making us feel warm and wanted.
But the White House is dark now. There are no lights in it any more. And as we look around us, we see no lights either. I realize that progressive/liberal leaders were taken by surprise by the turn of events, but it’s been months now and all I see is bickering.
What I’ve never been able to understand is why Democrats can’t do like Republicans and decide on simple, coherent messages that resonate with large swaths of the public...and keep it out there. Another thing I can’t understand is why I can think of things that would obviously work—as have many folks on DK—but they don’t happen. Right now, I’m watching a FB discussion about bringing some moderate forward—a compromise to enlist the non-deplorable Trump voters—and bring that person forward NOW to act as a constant, public anti-Trump.
I’ve seen some individuals’ testing the water, or rumors or recommendations about them (most recently, Zuckerberg, Gillibrand and Cuomo—not that I would recommend any of them for the current situation...Hickenlooper, maybe). But isn’t it obvious that the Democratic party itself needs to openly encourage someone to step forward NOW and start running NOW?
Image how President Obama could work with that person. He wouldn’t have to endorse the individual, but he could support him as the anti-Trump,enabling that person (I’m using “he” because the FB discussion makes an argument for earning the white mail vote back that way, for now—giving up the Mrs. President idea temporarily) to garner media attention and, and…
Well, and just give us some HOPE back. Turn some lights back on. Let us see something in the distance, a little speck of hope in an otherwise dark landscape. Obama himself could “give” us that, if he chose to, and I’m pleading with him here to do so. The FB discussion suggested another billionaire, but an enlightened one, a billionaire moderate man, in fact. The truest “anti-Trump” whose traits could stand up, toe to toe, against Trump’s to the most people possible in the electorate. Yes, a MODERATE. Ideally, an independent, in fact.
Think about it. If we don’t compromise, we risk so much. I fear that, for example, Bernie Bros won’t support anyone who doesn’t align 100% with their vision. I fear that among a lot of Democrats, in fact. I fear that some folks are so hardened in their positions that they can’t see what is right in front of them: That the pendulum swung...and then swung again. Do we want it to just keep swinging wildly back and forth forever? Or do we want it to settle the fuck down...and do so before we pass some point of no return on the huge issues Trump is going to make worse. Do we really want what we want so badly that we are willing to RISK everything for it?
I think the swinging pendulum signals the need for moderation now. For me, I could live with a bit dimmer light, as long as there IS light! We no longer have the White House, but what about a LIGHThouse? Someone(s) who can show us the way through the obstructions before us?
President Obama, turn some lights back on. Bring before us some people who can shine the light on 2018 and 2020 NOW. Now, now, now, now, now. The electorate needs focus. Voting in 2018 should be MADE a part of the national psyche! We can deny thatTrump’s tactic of distraction and overload WORKS? Why is it that no one (of those who talk the talk we hear and read) seems to know how to counter Trump strategy.
Well, I think this is how. Let’s toss our own new, shiny, bright object out there—and KEEP IT OUT THERE lighting up every terrifying action this administration (and its congressional enablers) make.
Spotlights in the darkness, sunshine amongst the clouds.
Oh, where are you? President Obama, where are you? What do you intend to do?
Your absence itself feeds the darkness.
