I really should have known better. I mean, honestly, I do know better. I have known that the vast majority, if not all of politics is theatre. It’s just designed to make us feel like we know what’s going on. It gives us the illusion of control and participation. And worse, it divides us, the people that the Constitution gives all the power to, into warring camps of Red versus Blue, Dem versus Repub, Donkey versus Elephant. Sure, there’s a smattering of Greens and Libs in there. But, there really is only a left and a right. Us versus them.

And it’s easy to see how this benefits the established political system. Because, if the People ever truly united to solve the problems of this country, most of the politicians would be out of work. Most of the corporations would be flailing for business. But, if you can keep the conservatives and the liberals at each other’s throats, each blaming the other for the problems and suggesting solutions that neither side will agree to, then you can have your way in the background.

Which is why I shouldn’t be disappointed in Obama, really. I bought into it, though. When he made that speech, on election night, I really thought maybe he would be different. Maybe as an African American, I thought, he had to fight against the establishment to rise to this level. Maybe growing up the realized that the people needed a protector. President Obama didn’t grow up privileged and handed things. And, being of mixed race, he had to experience life in a way that most other politicians did not.

Right?

I guess I was wrong, though. Somewhere along the way, you have to give up something to get to that level of power, I guess. How else can you explain:

1) Obama does little to nothing when Wisconsin governor Walker takes away union collective bargaining rights and demonizes teachers and other public employees.

2) Obama sends cruise missiles and war planes into Libya to defend the citizens being killed by their government just for protesting. But, he almost completely ignores the fact that Bahrain is doing the same exact thing. Oh, and never mind that we’re already fighting two other expensive wars, that we just spent over $100 million on cruise missiles flying into Libya when we’re laying off teachers all over the nation.

3) The supposed Health Care Reform was not reform at all, but just a bunch of sound and fury signifying nothing. The only result has been that our rates are going up now.

4) Guantanamo Bay prison is not only still open but Obama just suspended habeus corpus and military trails for enemy combatants. Good lord! It’s like Dick Cheney is still calling the shots.

With friends like these, who needs enemies? President Obama isn’t trying to build coalitions or compromise. He’s just selling out at this point.

But, I shouldn’t be surprised. Politics is theatre. The real issues never get discussed and get buried by distractions. And our government sells out us and the other people’s of the world. Our moves in Libya aren’t about freedom. It’s about oil. Period. Why don’t we bomb Bahrain? Because we owe tons of money to Saudi Arabia.

God Bless America.