Throwing Grit in the Gears

I notice that I'm not the only one to object to the idiotic American political necessity to end with a "God Bless America" for all political speeches. It is nutty. I was annoyed that Obama used it in his joint address to Congress on health care last night.

Here's a bit from a posting by James Fallows that nail this issue:

This may be a small thing, but:

I hate, hate, hate the lazy modern presidential habit of ending all major addresses with the phrase "And God bless the United States of America" or simply "God bless America."

I love the Irving Berlin song. I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment. But a little chunk is hacked away from the national brain each time a president gets out of a speech not with a thought or original phrase but with this mindless pablum. This has become the political equivalent of "Have a nice day!"

I noticed that during the presidential primary Obama tried to resist the America flag lapel pin, but finally caved. Sad.

I should have recognized then that he didn't have the steel in his spine to really make it big in politics. Oh, he will be an OK president. But he had a chance to be a great president, but he blew it. He doesn't have the fire, the vision, or the drive to shape America. Instead he caves in to criticism. He wants to win over everybody. That might work in a normal world, but US politics are so poisoned that is an idiotic approach in that context.