I suspect that around the world, many people are feeling like me: rather flat, deflated, a little empty. The euphoria of the Obama election is over and the reality of our crazy world again bites hard.

The financial scene looks more and more dire, the U.S. is still slaughtering lots of Afghan civilians, bombs are exploding in Iraq,  the Palestinians are still being killed, occupied and having their land stolen, Bush and the Forty Thieves are still in the White House, and Obama can’t do anything until the end of January when the transition period ends. Of course, one could ask why it takes so long to affect a transition but then, if the election took 21 months I suppose we couldn’t expect quick action with a transition, could we?

Now I imagine that during this transition period the lobbying will be in full swing. All of the principal, unprincipled power players in America and elsewhere in the world will be lobbying their butts off trying to get some advantage for themselves from ‘The Man’.

Yes, the Jewish lobby will certainly be in there pushing their missile-armed barrow full of fanatical ambitions. They’ve already had a win with Rahm Emanuel being appointed Chief of Staff, an appointment that astounds me. Why would a man of peace appoint a radical Jewish head-kicker to such a position?

Then there are the Corporations which have hundreds of over-sized barrows as big as dump trucks filled with demands like: no regulation, lots of handouts of taxpayer’s money, freedom to pollute, to rip off consumers, lower taxes, etc. And the Media Barons will have a barrow like a stretch limousine, all black and shiny and they’ll want the freedom to swallow up their opposition and set up bigger and bigger Media Empires which tell smaller and smaller amounts of truth (and treat their audience as dummies which most of them are).

In the queue will be a strange assortment of Christian Religious Fanatics who’ll have their white barrow bedecked with crosses. They’ll be pushing to get the President to support their many fanciful anachronistic causes, Hallelujah!, worthy causes like nuking Iran and bringing about the Second Coming and The Rapture and of course, to leave them tax-exempt and free to exploit gullible people!

Then the gun lobby will appear with an armour-plated barrow full of assault rifles and night vision goggles which they hope every patriotic American will own. Yes folks, with your Bible in your hand and an assault rifle in your arms, well, it’s the American Dream come true, isn’t it ? (but only if you’re deranged)!

Then there will be the Military. Yes, they’ll be there with full uniforms on and heaps of shiny medals and they’ll march and salute as they push their barrow, one covered with flags that allow them to kill at will. Their demands? More missiles, nukes, warships, tanks, more wars (it’s to protect our jobs…er, national security, you know, Mr President).

Then there’ll be those who represent coloured groups, and redneck groups, and white supremacist groups, and ultra-nationalist groups, and unions, and gay groups, and abortion groups, and representatives of poor nations and…there’ll be thousands of people with barrows all clamoring to be heard, imploring to have their demands met.

Yes, the party’s over. Poor Obama. Remember the old saying that every man has his price?

I wonder what his price is, whether any meaningful change will actually take place?