By Jeff Golden

Author’s Note: Obama’s reminded us every way he can that he’s not Superman. Hearing the bliss of the last week, I’m not sure we’ve fully heard him. He aptly pointed out last week that what we’ve won is not change, but the chance to create change.

Last week I used this space to write to Joe the Plumber.  I asked if he’d be willing to cool his jets before jumping on the campaign to make life as miserable as possible for the new administration.

I asked him to “try on the possibility that Barack Obama is not an agent of evil.  That his plan to raise the marginal tax rate — the rate paid on just the highest increment of income — on the wealthiest Americans from 35% back up to 39%, where it was ten years ago and less than the top rate in almost every other democracy, doesn’t qualify as raging socialism or class warfare.  That his plan to withdraw gradually from Iraq in deliberate cooperation with Iraq’s neighbors may not be surrendering to terrorism or trashing our national security.  That a full-on plan to develop green energy won’t send you and your family into a cold cave to eat roots and berries.  That we’ll have to step outside our comfort zones — yours, mine, everyone’s — to deal effectively with what’s coming.”

I haven’t heard back from him yet.  But think how busy the poor guy’s been.

One reader didn’t think it’s realistic to ask Joe to give any slack when he’s apparently not getting any in return:  Obama is off to a bad start in reaching out to conservatives, or anyone who thinks he should not have been elected. 1. Choosing homeboy pitbull armtwister Emmanuel [sic] as CoS (a man who said “F**k Republicans” on the record); (2) not calling on a Fox News reporter at his presser…  (3) evading a question on taxes, despite changed economic realities since Aug; (4) dissing Nancy Reagan.

Which just shows how much is in the eye of the beholder: people I know see the selection of Rahm Emanuel and other early Obama moves as worrisome steps towards Clintonian pragmatism that leans more right than left. continued

Source: Ashland Daily Tidings

Jeff Golden is the author of As If We Were Grownups, Forest Blood and the new novel Unafraid (with excerpts at www.unafraidthebook.com)