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"A: purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through art b: a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension".
The capitalist republic of the United States of America has a brilliant stability mechanism built into it. It needs that stability mechanism because, inevitably, a society based on a class of workers ruled by a class of owners that exploit them creates real tensions. Of course, most of us don't see things in this "proletariat/bourgeoisie" way. We have been trained to believe in a "middle class" and to focus on differences in "race", gender, and sexual orientation as well as on foreign enemies.
The domination of two political parties that both espouse capitalism would be impossible without a slight difference between them. The difference is that one of those parties is slightly more sympathetic to the plight of workers and appeals to their hope for change without really offering them anything more than a slight respite from the more brutal, "hands off" capitalism of the other party, which the workers are terrified of.
Although Republicans best advance the interests of the ruling class, the Democrats are permitted to rule periodically to allow for working class catharsis. Without this opportunity to "vent", the working class would build up too much steam and might actually organize to effect revolutionary change, overthrowing the system whereby the vast fortunes of a few are built on the backs of the vast working majority.
This is Obama's role: working class catharsis. Channeling the hope and revolutionary energy of the oppressed into a politician, who, like his party, has already been bought and paid for by the ruling class. As an added twist we can feel good that a man with dark skin attained the highest office in a land founded on slavery. However, as should already be obvious, having dark skin is no guarantee that someone is committed to the interests of the working class. We need to wake up and build a society based on the following principle: "from each according to his[/her] ability, to each according to his[/her] needs".
