Man, it's so hot.
It's hot in here.
I think it's hot in here.
Don't you think it's hot in here?
It's hot in here.
Sound familiar?
This temperature tirade, the being human being what he and she is, is a pretty common occurrence in the warmer parts of the year in whichever particular parts you call home.
And even in the chillier parts of both year and place when "baby, it's cold outside" is augmented, thanks to frugal (read: cheap) office management and/or menopausal co-workers with keys to the thermostat lockbox, with some form of whine, bitch and/or moan directly addressing the attempted indoor adjustment to the outdoor atmosphere.
Damn, it's cold out there.
But, don't you think it's hot in here?
At some point, inevitably, even the most accommodating personality types grow weary of the drip, drip, drip of the complainer's Fahrenheit frazzling and wishes, even verbalizes, that said complainer agree to a quid pro quo.
We will acknowledge that the temperature leaves a great deal to be desired.
In return, you will shut the hell up about it.
That seasonal sensation has been on my mind for the last few weeks as I wander around cable channels listening to the "discussions" focusing on the Obama administration and its performance to date.
Most recently, of course, in the past week or so since The Affordable Health Care Act inches closer to becoming a legislative reality.
That's Obamacare, by the way, for the three people left on the planet who might still be interested in calling something by its correct name.
Fox News, to no one's surprise, is doing round the clock programming trumpeting one, simple primary theme.
Barack Obama is an abject failure as president and the day can't come soon enough that his second, and final, term expires.
I have a problem with their approach.
But not necessarily for the reason you might knee jerkingly suspect.
The problem with finding nothing, ever, that is positive about anything or anyone is that, invariably, your credibility begins to show signs of wear.
It is a fundamental bedrock principle of humanity that, with the exception of Satan (and, well, okay, maybe Miley Cyrus lately), there is always, no matter how infinitesimal it might be, something good to be found about something and/or someone.
If you're not a follower of the Fox, spend any idle fifteen minutes you have and give them a look/listen.
What you'll hear will make you question whether there really is a shred of good in everyone.
Miley and Mephistopheles excepted.
And you'll also, from time to time, be entertained by a new dance sensation that is sweeping the right wing nation.
Fox trot?
Ha ha.
We're talking the Obama Pivot.
It goes like this.
You put your right hand up /you put your other right hand up
Then you lean to the right / then you lean further to the right
And no matter what the subject / or the attention people give it
You lay the blame on Barack / doin' the Obama Pivot
From that basic choreography, you simply add in a little variation on the old Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon game that was all the rage a couple of Congressional election cycles ago.
Here's an example.
The line at the local DMV was very long today.
It seemed like there were even fewer employees there to be of assistance than usual.
There are even rumors of cutbacks in the staff.
Most likely because of the health costs to the Department of Transportation caused by Obamacare.
Even when you think there's no connection, this terrific two step finds one.
My friend didn't get the deal he was looking for in a new truck.
The dealership just couldn't give him the note he could afford.
They offered him a smaller car with better mileage, but he wanted the big pick up.
Unfortunately, those 8 cylinder super cab jobs are gas guzzlers.
And gas is close to four dollars a gallon.
Twice what it cost before Obama took office.
Here's my problem with the dance and the approach to fair and reasonable dissent that it doesn't even pretend to attempt.
It doesn't even attempt fair and reasonable dissent.
And, at some point, it makes anyone with a thread of reason in their brain see the agenda for exactly what it is.
Blind, passionate hatred.
Hatred for Barack Obama.
Hatred for, at least, his presidency, at most, even his existence on the planet.
Old human truth.
When you truly love someone, no matter what, they can do no wrong.
When you truly hate someone, no matter what, they can do no right.
If you have no personal feelings one way or the other for somebody, but disagree with the way they handle their job, you try to express your disagreement without automatically doing it disagreeably.
Those who dance the pivot fall into the second category.
And in place of reasoned dissent and any attempt at contributing sensible, practical suggestion for solutions to what they perceive to be the problems at hand, they simply repeat the mantra.
It's his fault.
Man, it's Obama's fault.
It's Obama's fault.
I think it's Obama's fault.
Don't you think it's Obama's fault.
It's Obama's fault.
At some point, inevitably, even the most accommodating of those who are unhappy with the man's performance in office grow weary of the cha, cha, cha of the pundit's pivoting and wish, even verbalize, that said pivoter agree to a quid pro quo.
We acknowledge that the performance of the man who, barring impeachment or passing, will be in the job until January 20th, 2017 leaves a great deal to be desired.
In return, you will offer reasonable, measured, civilized suggestion for solutions to what you perceive to be the problems at hand.
Or you will shut the hell up about it.
We all know it's hot it here.
