I Was Worried that He Would Break my Heart, But I Didn't Think it'd be this Soon

So the FISA bill passed and Obama voted yes on it. That makes me cry a little. I guess my hopes were just too high.

I can think of three reasons he might've had for voting yes.

1. He didn't want people to say that he's weak on terror. He thought that that was the most electable response. It's all part of the game. It's okay to sacrifice a principle or two in order to get elected.

2. He gets a lot of money from the telecom companies.

3. He really believed that voting yes was the right thing to do. He is a big believer in the power of compromise. Everything in his statement is honest and sincere. He thinks that this is the best thing for our country right now.

I am having a really hard time believing that number 3 could be true. I wish I could believe it. Some of the reasons that I can't include: my feelings on the subject, Obama's own past statements on the subject, the votes of Hilary Clinton and others against it, and the biggest: there is no way that he could actually believe that, had this bill failed, the Republicans would've simply let FISA expire and stopped all wiretapping. His statement says that he thought that this compromise would be better than having no wiretapping. Seriously? He thinks that would've happened if the bill failed? I can't buy that.

So, for now I'm simply hoping to God that number 2 has NOTHING to do with it and resigning myself to number 1. I must've known it on some level, but I'm still saddened to learn that he's nothing more than another politician. The only change that will be effected should he win the presidency is the change it's reasonable to expect when an average politician takes over from an evil one. I'm teaching myself to harden my heart, to be more cynical and more disillusioned. Having illusions is a bad thing, right?

What would you do?

I have a small dilemma that is completely insignificant in the scope of things. But maybe you can help me. My friend's daughter is turning eight this weekend and we are going to her birthday party. I don't know what to buy for her present. If you ask either her or her mother what she wants, it's "Bratz and Webkinz", and only "Bratz and Webkinz". I object heartily to Bratz. I find them extremely offensive. As for Webkinz, I don't find them offensive, only a little stupid. And I really don't understand the point of owning more than one, when their real appeal is not the animal, but the login that comes with it. And she already has 4 or something. On the other hand, I also don't approve of judging other people's parenting decisions or trying to parent for them. I think that's misguided at best.
But, maybe not wanting to buy something that I don't like isn't quite the same as disapproving of a parent buying it. (Which I try to avoid mostly by not thinking about it. That works pretty well). Also, isn't making the child happy on her birthday more important than my silly scruples? I don't really mind being the boring one that always buys books and board games for the kids, but I wonder if my priorities are wrong here. Anyways, assuming that you felt the same as I do (and it's okay if you don't irl), and assuming that anyone still reads this, what would you do?