On November 26, President Obama received 12 stitches to his upper lip after being elbowed in the mouth during a basketball game. At the time, we figure there was a synchro in this episode. The Republicans had just taken back Congress and Obama was perhaps trying to keep a “stiff upper lip” about it. But that didn’t seem quite good enough to write up. Then this morning, there was an excellent opinion piece in our newpaper written by Margaret Carlson, a columnist for Bloomberg News that really pegged the synchro – and the power of metaphor.
The headline? Bruised Obama still unaware that he’s in a fight. Republicans, says Carlson, are “wilier” than Obama. Just a day after the big bipartisan meeting at the White House, all 42 Republican senators pledged in a letter to block all legislation until the president and Congress agree to extend tax cuts for everyone – including the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. In other words, nothing is going to get done. Nothing, zip, nada. Meanwhile, unemployment benefits have expired for 4 million people – Merry Christmas! – and the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and immigration legislation languish in congressional limbo.
“His recent busted lip, the result of a sharp elbow on the basketball court, seemed an apt status report on his presidency,” wrote Carlson.
OK, so she doesn’t call it a synchro, but it sure looks like one to us.
The entire piece is here.
sometimes it's just really difficult to even comprehend the present state of affairs – so very disappointing – and the thing is, to whom and where to go – for the fix?
I want to blow the whistle and stop the game. I'm making sure my friends read this post.
All I know is that,if the rules aren't changed soon,it's turning into a game you and I can't win.-)
What is different now from Republican inaction from the day Obama was inaugurated other than with the entry of the Tea Baggers no chance for cooperation? Who else would sponsor a program under Bush and vote against it when proposed in identical form during the Obama administration.
Ray
That's a living metaphor….
Adelita – good analogy between politics and sports. How would a dreamer interpret all this??
I followed your link to Margaret Carlson's article and between that and this post, you've given me a lot to think about. The metaphor that stands out for me is that government is a game, a sports event. Two teams with one thing only on their mind, to win. We have a leader on one team who isn't a tough enough player, who might be wounded and perhaps should be out of the game. And we have the team who believes they have the lead, who will bully, and stall for time and foul if they must to win the game. But this isn't a game. This is my life and liberty their playing with. How, I ask myself, can I go from bystander in this ridiculous charade of government to telling these bozos "Stop it?"
I'm happy to have discovered your blog. Thanks for the clear thinking and challenging posts.
T& R, I think he has a spine…perhaps a soft one. I would have been a bit more brutal and off-color. I think he needs to grow "a pair". They seem to be missing. There are a few females around him from whoim he might borrow an extra set. cj
Speaking out of both sides of his mouth?? So they sutured one side??
In the photo, it looks as if it's his lower lip,on the left side, where the doc took twelve sutures. That, in and of itself, (12 sutures), says volumes. In some of its negative aspects, 12/3 is the fence-sitter; indecisive; plays two sides against each other and the middle. A wiffle baseball bat to the back of his brain to wake him up may have done a more effective job of getting his attention! Humph. Look at this WV: "covedd" "covered"? or "caved"? Yeah, I think so! cj
Until he grows a spine.
Yep.
They'll keep tagging him on the chin until he begins to act with some degree of responsibility and rationality.
They're making sure his out of the game,by shutting his mouth before he can get the ball through the hoop.-)
Oh dear.
Sure does I agree.