To be honest, and I say this so often it should just be assumed, I wanted to write about this sooner. But while I would usually make something up about gained insight or whatever nonsense I think I can get away with that day I feel pretty good about building a successful case for justifying my never ending procrastination. You see I hoped to have this done by Christmas or sooner, just in time to take a shit on all the Who's in Whoville. But I’m glad I waited, or was too lazy to finish the piece, because with each passing day I think I inch closer to an understanding of that which I’m writing about (imagine that). So better late than never I guess. Just consider this a belated Christmas gift. No gift receipt included.

You know what I love the most about the holidays? No, it’s not the hypocrisy of giant multi-national corporations begging for handouts while they move their production facilities south (or north, I’m not blaming Mexico, although Vincente Fox, former president of Coca-Cola Mexico and tragically Mexico herself sure as shit didn’t help) of the border leaving thousands of workers unemployed turning the Northern Midwest into a virtual ghost town with the economy of a freshly invaded South American country whose dictator just cashed his IMF and World Bank check for “infrastructure improvements” just so they could save some money by hiring cheaper labor. Nor is it the dread that I feel as every political prediction I have made over the last year comes to fruition. For example I’ve been telling people for months that Obama was going to roll in the November election, which I realize doesn’t exactly put me on par with Einstein but I did say it, and that I also didn’t think Palin was going anywhere, anytime soon. Honestly I’m to the point now where I’m praying she gets a show on some network (probably FOX) so that the Republicans can’t blitzkrieg the American people by rolling her out as their candidate in 2012. Seriously, I can sleep better at night knowing she is spreading her stupidity via cable than I can while envisioning her looming presence in a few years.

But what I really love about this time of year is that feeling that a lot of people get around Christmas and New Years. It’s that ridiculous, irrational optimism that sweeps across our fair land filling our heads with dreams of gumdrops and candy canes and hope for a brighter tomorrow. Frankly the whole thing is nauseating. And I’ll admit I’ve been party to it. I too have bought in to the notion that change was possible. Hell, there were a few years there when I was a full blown subscriber. Not that it’s relevant but allow me elaborate.

As an ideological and hopeful young college graduate I dreamt of one day fighting the good fight and earning a living by helping my fellow man. I’ve since realized that most non-profits only want you to solicit funds and raise money and that real change almost always takes a backseat to financial matters and if you really want to help change the world, be prepared to be penniless and alone. Because the only place where activists huddle together in collective joy and love and kinship is the fucking movies and if you buy into the whole idea of loving your fellow man and receiving love in return as opposed to a big bucket of shit then I envy your idealism and I pity your naiveté.

"SPOT" BUCKTON AEE SWEEPSTAKES QUESTION: In 2002, which famous rapper won an award for Best Selling Title of the Year? Not sure what this is? Maybe you should find out!

And before you say “Wow that was really irrelevant”, keep in mind that I did warn you. I just wanted to illustrate that I’m not immune to the idea that the world will one day shift and the wrongs of the world will be righted. Hell, I don’t think any of us are. I gotta tell you that if I were just to accept that this world sucks and that it was never going to get any better, well then I’d just go all Mickey Knox on a bunch of mother fuckers and go out in a blaze of glory. And say what you will but it beats the fuck out of dying from cancer or from an overdose or some other pussy-ass shit like that. And let me issue an apology to all the great artists who have died of drug overdoses over the years. I wasn’t referring to you, you’re bad ass.

Anyway, with the inauguration of this nation’s first black president quickly approaching its easy to get caught up in the groundswell of hope and while I don’t wish to completely trash the man I spent the last couple months building up before he even takes office, he has made some questionable decisions in appointing his cabinet and outlining just who will comprise his administration.

Frankly, it’s hard to blame those concerned about Obama’s picks. I’ll do it anyway, but let it be known it was not easy. His choice of Pastor Rick Warren to lead the invocation at his inauguration later in the month has drawn a lot of heat from lesbian and gay rights groups, who point to Warren’s history of speaking out against homosexuality and abortion, as a poor choice for a man who based a great deal of his campaign on equality for the LGBT community. I just don’t believe that his selection of Warren says anything about the guy’s stance on gay rights. He’s made it pretty fucking clear he’s an avid supporter of equality for everyone despite sexual orientation and I really don’t think he’s going to go back on his word on that one.

Now his selection of Eric Holder for Attorney General has me a bit more concerned. Holder, who served under Janet Reno (insert joke here) during the Clinton administration, has a history of communication with pro-censorship groups where he supposedly has engaged in discussions concerning the prosecution of obscenity cases. These include a July 2, 1998 letter to Morality In Media founder Paul McGeady. In that letter Holder discusses having met with the organization and further saying, “Your commitment to this important issue is commendable and I fully share your concerns about the distribution of obscenity and child pornography" (don’t you just fucking love how they always lump those two together?). Of course, some will say, that was during the late ‘90’s and Holder may no longer hold the same beliefs or find himself in the same situation. The fact is we just do not yet know. What we do know is that since his time with Clinton’s administration he has helped broker a deal with the Justice Department on behalf of Chiquita Brands involving Chiquita’s payment of “protection money” to the United Self-Defense Fund of Colombia, a recognized terrorist organization (apparently doing so was morally superior to filming two people engaged in sexual acts). Now does Holder’s nomination scare the shit out of me? Yes, it does. Do I worry about what he could do? Absolutely, but I also think that the Justice Department and the AG are really just extensions of the president and as long as Obama chooses to cool it with the obscenity prosecutions, then I really don’t see Holder acting as a rogue agent and embarking on a quest to rid the world of what he deems to be obscene with the help of his backers at an international fruit company. Although it would make for a cool action movie.

That being said I think, or at least I hope, I know why he’s chosen to piss off whatever liberals actually comprise the Democratic base. Is it that he’s just a moderate and that if you want a liberal in power you’d better move to South America? Obviously, but what I think he’s trying to do is unite the country in the aftermath of one of the craziest elections in recent memory. He wants to bring people together to really accomplish something and repair America’s image in the world. See now don’t you feel like a dick for talking shit on him? His intentions are in the right place, even if the plan itself doesn’t have an alter boys chance in the Catholic Church of not getting fucked. You see unlike Bush and Cheney who just did whatever they wanted (I mean seriously those guys did not care what anybody thought) Obama is trying to start off on the right foot making the country more inclusive and rid our legislature of partisan party politics. The only problem is that it’s not going to stop the Republicans from running a propaganda-filled-value-based campaign in 2012 and it’s sure as hell not going to stop them from trying to undermine everything he may try to accomplish. I mean come on Barack, you have the majority in Congress, the most recent election can only be described as a proverbial beat-down and the only thing you can’t stop is a filibuster. Don’t waste your time on unity. GET SOMETHING DONE.

Wow, I guess that actually was pretty cynical after all but again I’m eager for shit to go right. The guy hasn’t even taken the oath of office yet and we’re already getting closer to a Republican administration that has the ability to, in less than two months, trash everything Obama might accomplish if he were to remain in power for thirty years. There will be plenty of time for brotherhood and unity and all that other shit, and believe me I want that part most of all, but first lets get some change down in black and white. I’m all for ideological change but first things first. Give us health-care, call off the Justice Department/Gestapo and for fuck’s sake give tax breaks to the mother-fuckers who need it and not the corporate CEO’s that have enjoyed living in luxury as Bush steered our country into financial ruin. After that, let’s talk inclusion. Let’s discuss peace and prosperity and puppy-dogs. But only after that.

That’s what I’m hoping anyway. Maybe, as everybody tells me, he won based on promises he won’t keep, although I will say that the people I hear that from are the same people who fear an Obama-fueled black uprising. Perhaps he’s just another corporate puppet like most of the other politicians but if I believe that, well then this is going to be my last new year because starting January 2nd I’m joining a cult that will at least make sure I’m dead before I have the misfortune of realizing I’ve been lied to. I’m just really eager to see where this whole thing goes. And I really hope he works out too. I hate Kool-Aid.