Kunstler: Change You Won't Believe

James Howard Kunstler is usually worth a read. I say usually because he is prone to allowing his mommy issues to rear up in his weekly essays. Though, never an overt delusional Pod he clearly saw Obama as the best opportunity to defeat Clinton. While dressing up his Hillary hatred as a viewpoint with reasons - it was never more than contempt for her as a powerful woman. The same bile spewed forth toward Palin later- and would have, no doubt, for any woman.

He is relentlessly gloomy - which in no way makes him wrong. Just often hard to stomach. Like Brando's character in Apocalypse Now he is willing to stare into the abyss:
The American experience for a few generations has produced an adult population with very childish instincts, increasingly worse each decade. For instance, the desperate power fantasies among the younger tattooed lumpenproles -- those with next-to-zero real economic power -- suggest a certain unappetizing playing-out of resource competition.

Since my affection toward Hillary occupies a seat opposite Kunstler on the Titanic deck- I am coming to the conclusion that I am glad she lost. Less inclined politically toward Palin or McCain - but still seeing their likability - I'm glad they lost too. I see things as grim as well, though not as grim as Kunstler. Intending to pull for my country in the extraordinarily bad period we are entering, I wish the next President success...of a sort...This is markedly easier since my trust of the man about to take office is south of zero, and I have no emotional bond with him - other than mistrust. I think so little of Obama, he's bound to meet and even surpass my expectations.

The turn of events in Illinois these past 3 weeks do not bode well, however. Obama has exhibited all his worst traits in miniature: knee jerk lies, obstruction, complete ignorance of scandal management, (the scholar didn't learn much from Watergate or Monica.), lack of responsibility, and an inability to lead unless the entire team is singing his tune - which is, of course, not leadership at all. 3 weeks into Senateseat4sale-gate he's not risen above anything. All the media horses and men are trying mightily to pull him out of the muck of his home state - but still, it's sticking. He is now part of the circus. This is because at the core of the media project called Obama is an entitled man in over his head. Not a great statesman or leader. At least not yet. He appears baffled and annoyed that he is even being questioned - however timidly - about Blag and is currently taking cover behind his lawyer, the entire state of Hawaii, and Bushisms.
In 2009 the economy is going to be gut wrenching. Call it whatever you like, a depression, a downturn, a bad patch. The sting will be real. I wish I saw the empathy of FDR or the decisiveness of Truman on deck. We need both. I do see a man who has surrounded himself with bureaucrats from another era, gate keepers, and Yes Men. All fine if this economy was in a normal circa 1990 downturn. But we are looking at a complete reboot, which will not be easy. A new normal, very unlike the old normal, is coming.

We need a leader. So far, I just don't see one. Here's to hoping I am wrong.

So pull a tarp up chin high, and read Kunstler. As with all Peak Oilers I find him good on information - but bad on timing. They've predicted correctly that things are falling apart - but seem to be consistently off by a year or two. In 2009 they may have gotten it right.