The tire pressure issue is a good example of something unfortunate

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

The president is the only guy who can say something to all of America, and the whole world is made of the accumulation of small things. Many of the most useful changes are actually small things.

But small things sound... small. They seem beneath the presidency.

Jimmy Carter was right to ask people to turn down their thermostats, but it sounded un-presidential. The president it supposed to nuke energy prices or something.

I think of this sad reality every damn year when I note that any US president who is liked could save a gazillion lives by encouraging the custom of not shaking hands between Halloween and Valentines day.

(Handshaking may be the top flu vector. It's certainly high on the list.)

Every year the government develops flu vaccine and encourages people to get flu shots. Influenza is the second biggest budgeted disease at CDC. But while spending billions and investing the prestige of the government, the government doesn't make a big play at telling folks "hey, stop shaking hands!"

A custom of no flu season hand-shaking could save many millions of lives if it were the norm before the next 1918-style pandemic flu. (Which is overdue at this point) But it's just not the sort of thing in which a president invests his prestige. It sounds small. And regular guys shake hands, and not shaking hands sounds effete. And the nexus between the behaviors is not immediate enough to be seen. You don't get the flu five minutes after shaking hands, and the fuel savings from correct tire pressure are all but imperceptible to the individual driver. (And your teeth don't jump out of your head if you skip brushing one day.)

Another obvious human priority that people would laugh at is asteroid defense. Sooner or later we are going to get clipped with another mass-extinction comet/asteroid strike, but since such events don't happen within a typical life-time asteroid defense sounds silly.

But we would spend a gazillion dollars to get one kitten out of a well without even thinking about it. It's immediate and affecting.

I am all for proper tire pressure and find the McCain reaction to be effective politics, but utterly disgusting.

[skids]

1. Republican: Party Of The Flat Tire n/t

[kurtboss]

2. This is Why Obama Needs to Give Out Tire Gauges

Say they're inspired by John McCain's eager embrace of the idea. It would make the idea funny and reclaim the Meme.

So, passing out Obama tire gauges would have all these positives:

1. Steal the whole symbol from McCain who is using it to mock.

2. Invert the message and make McCain look petty

3. Make Obama seem a bit more light hearted

4. Reinforce the idea that McCain is obsessed with him

5. Get a newscycle and amuse the media

6. There is NO NEGATIVE RISK...someone earlier suggested this is risky because it could reinforce the symbol...don't worry McCain and Rush and Hannity will do that for us if we don't shut them up by inverting the whole thing


SOMEONE PLEASE GET THIS TO OBAMA'S TEAM...it's cheap, stupid, simple and kills a McCain attack...a no brainer

[cbc5g]

5. I completely agree...and Obama would make more donations on them than silly McCain

[Doctor_J]

9. He should also send out little nuclear power plant replicas

Senator McCain insists we need to spend 100's of millions of dollars to achieve energy independence. But we can start for $5.

[cbc5g]

3. I expected this...its Rove politics to drive up enthusiasm for the convention

The tire pressure thing is like 2004's sticker purple hearts. It won't have the same effect as the sticker purple hearts did though. Man I can't believe I even have to say that. Republicans are so fucked up in the head.

[writes3000]

4. I think it can be turned around though. Who benefits from low pressure tires? Big Oil!

Once again, the Republican party seeks to deceive the American people so Big Oil can benefit.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

7. Big Rubber benefits even more

Sorry, I just wanted to type "Big Rubber"

Seriously, though, I am a tire pressure scofflaw and my tires get uneven bands of wear very quickly.

[truthisfreedom]

6. Obama's already rolled out the "don't shake hands" suggestion. ALL of my friends fist-bump me now.

We never touch palms anymore. And we're all in our 30's and 40's.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

8. That's funny! I hadn't made the connection.

That "terrorist fist jab" might prevent a world-wide mass-casualty pandemic.

[cliffordu]

10. McCain's response is backfiring on him.

I hope he gets ridiculed for days.