It is the economy stupid

Bill Clinton famously kept his first Presidential campaign on message with the constant reminder to his staff that the American people's main concern was their economic condition.  Thus his mantra to them:  "It's the economy, stupid."

I was reminded of this while reading Eric Alterman's piece on President Obama's inaugural address, which Alterman notes was full of Liberal issues and hopes, save one:  what to do to shore up the ever declining economic fortunes of the poor and the middle class.  Yes, Obama talked about Medicare and Social Security, but what the fuck are we supposed to do to survive economically until we get old?

I think about this economic plight every time I read someone ranting righteously about the drone strikes--I know they're right, but at a time when one in six Americans lives in poverty, one in five had trouble finding enough money to buy food, and almost 50% are one major economic shock from poverty, it's highly doubtful the American people are going to rise up in indignation.  Hell, I'm a dyed in the wool, old school Liberal but after thirty years of killing myself to make a living and still living paycheck to paycheck, I'm a hell of a lot more concerned with where my family's next meal is coming from than the effects of a drone strike thousands of miles away.  Call me a selfish asshole if you like, but if I feel that way can you even imagine how little those without my core beliefs feel?

I'm proud to be a member of a party that is at the forefront in civil rights, fights for the environment, and believes in peace first, war as a last resort, but if more and more of our fellow Americans keep falling into poverty and can't feed themselves, or pay the rent, or get a decent education for their kids, I don't think any of it is much going to matter.

Peace,
emaycee