Recovery of the "Dissatisfieds"

One of the favorite sayings in 12-step recovery program lingo is, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, each time hoping the result will be different."

Our current president is going about his business in that mode. Yesterday, on Veteran's Day, he did not go to Arlington National Cemetery to honor our military dead. Instead, as he has since 9/11, he made a political speech attacking the patriotism of Democrats who question the war in Iraq, characterizing them as hypocrites. And he sent Vice President Cheney to do his job at the National Cemetery. Over and over, their choices are political, rather than substantive. I am dissatisfied that the current administration is unwilling to adjust in the face of plummeting public support for the current direction.
Despite the shame of Abu-Garaib and the Supreme Court's ruling that enemy combatants have basis human rights, this administration and like-minded Republicans are still fighting against our nation's core values of human rights and freedom. That Supreme Court ruling, exposure of "black" torture sites in secret corners of the world, the military's insistence on following the rule of military law with interrogations - none of these facts deter those in power from their pursuit of lawlessness. They act above the law over and over again, hoping that we will not notice. I am dissatisfied that our nation appears to the world as if arrogantly operating outside the rule of law.
Despite being under a possible indictment, Karl Rove still sits at the center of power in the White House, claiming to be winning the battle of ideas. And neocons still staff the Vice-President's office, despite the indictment of Lewis Libby, a neocon "darling." Over and over, isolation from wiser counsel, such as what to do about Ahmad Chalabi under FBI investigation, and divisiveness within the administration's staff prevent them from taking the smart approach to solving these serious problems. I am dissatisfied that the executive branch of the government is not up to its job of executing the laws of the land, those passed by the legislated branch, and sanctioned by the judicial branch.
Let's take a look at our current president's ability to govern just based on who voted him into office. The latest population figures I could find put the number of U.S. citizens at 290,342,554 in July of 2004. The 2004 voter turnout was 122,293,720. President Bush won 62,041,268 votes or 50.73%. Senator Kerry won 59,028,548 votes or 48.27%. According to these numbers, Mr. Bush never got what he called a "mandate." As a matter of fact, in 2000 he did not even get the majority of the popular vote.
Obviously I am not the only one who is dissatisfied. Currently not even all those who voted for the president are satisfied with his job performance, according to the latest poll numbers. As I think about it, a growing number of people, many millions, including Republicans, may be nearly as dissatisfied as I am. There is growing disagreement even in Congress. Moderates and right wing conservatives have not been able to come together enough to pass a budget. And Bush's ally, Tony Blair, UK PM, suffered a parliamentary defeat for his policies on terrorism.
Let us hope that all of us "Dissatisfieds" will not fall into the trap of doing the same things over and over again hoping for different results. We cannot just constantly complain, hoping our complaints will bring change. We cannot silently fume forever, hoping someone else will speak out and take the heat. We cannot repeatedly vote in incompetents, hoping they will eventually learn how to govern. These are the stances of the 12-stepper's "insanity." We all have to get into recovery, throwing off the addiction of magical thinking.