President or Pretty Boy?

Tonight’s The Night For Obama

Tonight’s the night when America finds out if it elected a President in November or just a Pretty Boy who can show his teeth only when he smiles.

President Barack Obama will address a joint session of Congress and the rest of us on reforming our health care system. That Americans spend more and get less on health care is beyond dispute, but rational debate has disappeared beneath a wave of partisan point-scoring, most of it coming from the Rabid Right.

The Rabid Right strums a tune of Fear and Smear, Resent and Distort on the mindstrings of the under-educated and under-employed who form their base. Those who fear any change as another shove down the ladder become the natural allies of those who grow rich on the status quo. It is an ongoing spectacle of the exploited supporting their exploiters.

That’s one part of what a President must say tonight and one of the topics a Pretty Boy will dodge. Consensus and bi-partisanship and good feelings are all very fine, but the big decisions are about Right and Wrong and a President is elected to decide.

Decisions made are hollow unless actions follow. That’s another thing that sets Presidents apart from Pretty Boys. A Pretty Boy will support “universal health care” fervently in all ways that don’t involve doing something. A President will show his support by getting things done, making change happen, leading the country, not polling it.

President Obama and the Democrats have the votes in both the House and the Senate to pass a Health Care Reform bill. Republicans will howl, but it can be done without a single Republican vote. The Constitution doesn’t call for universal love, it calls for majority rule. President Obama and the Democrats have majorities – we don’t know yet whether they will rule.

If what we get tomorrow night are clear health reform goals, objectives and timetables, we’ll be listening to a President.

If the political message tomorrow is “We’ll remember who supported us and especially remember who opposed us,” we’re listening to a President.

If the only appeal to bi-partisanship is one to “do the right thing, not the political thing,” we’re listening to a President.

So here’s a hope that tonight’s address will be a Presidential Address.

We need one.

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