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Obama's Masterful Speech
The sight of this new President before all of assmbled official Washington is, in its way, as extraordinary as the other standout moments of this past half year: Denver in Mile High; election night in Grant Park; the DC Inaugural. All of those showed Obama directly amidst throngs of the American people, yet even here, amidst the new official Washington, he speaks to -- and for -- the citizenry. Repeatedly in this speech, Obama presented himself as fighting for a people of goodness and resolve -- for a better, shared future for all Americans. This is a very effective way for him to marginalize political enemies and call elites as well as regular citizens to greater personal and social responsibility.
Several impressions:
--Obama spoke more quickly and firmly than usual. Confidence in the face of massive challenge was his message, and I think it worked, allowing him to reframe his themes of resolve in the face of crisis, and determination to lay foundations for a stronger national future. The language of patriotic responsibility, love of nation, and service to nation allows him to speak for and with all of us. The challenge to Congress to take responsibility was also clear. To get beyond short-term and petty considerations. He called out irresponsible elites, too, to give voice to populist anger. He "gets it."
--A lot of policy ground was covered, but Obama's speech did not seem wonky. The best policy news, from my perspective, was the announcement that he is moving forward with health care reform this year. His framing for this new round of a too-oft-repeated and too oft-failed struggle is brilliant: "Cost" is the fault he invokes, allowing him to point at once to the burden on the economy and the burden on people. This is quite different from the traditional Democratic rhetoric of expanding coverage to the uninusured, yet it includes that goal and marries it to the larger challenge of economic renewal and innovation.
-- In such marked contrast to the timid triangulation of Clinton, Obama offers a strong, positive statement of the role of U.S. government in national development, past and for the future. Government does not "substitute" for business or individual action, but it is an essential "catalyst." Regulation has to be there to make markets "healthy." Obama invokes examples across the sweep of our history to illustrate and motivate the new round of federal government initiatives he now promises to lead -- and he names the major challenges that require major federal investments: in health care, energy, and education.
-- Obama managed to invoke the need for greater fiscal responsibiliy in a manner helps to motivate major social reforms (health care as a way to contain costs as well as support American wellbeing) and in a manner that makes it harder for Republicans to fight higher taxes on the wealthy. This is politically brilliant. So what if reducing the deficit by half by 2012 is a pipedream -- all Presidents make that same promise (half the deficit reduced ty the end of their first term!), but HOW they frame this task is what matters. Obama is doing it in a way that supports reforms and social investments and higher taxes on the well-to-do.
-- Overall, I am in awe of how effectively Obama combined human empathy with a projection of authority, and patriotic Americanism with a realistic assessment of where we really stand in a competitive world. How often have we heard any major U.S. politician repeatedly suggest in a speech that America is, or is in risk of, falling behind other named countries in key realms (renewable energy production, education, retooling major industries)? Obama did that several times tonight -- to help explain why he wants us to spur ourselves to greater investments and efforts. But he did it without making us seem pitiable or weak, in the context of an appeal to pull together and shape a better future. Remarkable.
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37 Comments so far
Show AllMr. Obama has no program of change. He admits that Americans are over loaded with debt, yet his solution is more debt.
"...we still managed to spend more money and pile up more debt, both as individuals and through our government, than ever before."
"if we do not re-start lending in this country, our recovery will be choked off before it even begins."
So the solution is the same as the problem which got us here-more unaffordable debt.
Well, I don't feel better; I know we are going down with this plan.
Magnificent speech, except maybe for the "clean coal" and the more troops part. I was a bit disappointed that Obama made no mention of Geothermal Energy, ending our WOD that is ravaging Mexico now, of collectively privatizing banks by giving buyout shares to the public instead of to the politician/banks complex, single payer and other things progressives wanted. But he promised progressives much more than we could have dreamed of a year ago.
Herding progressives is like herding cats. But Obama needs our support if he is going to achieve even some of these things in the face of a unified Repuglican party that intends to make him fail by hook or by crook. Instead of helping Repugs sink Obama, we could direct our criticism to them and to complicit conservative Dems. If progressives can back up Obama and change some congressional votes, he might continue pressing for the more difficult progressive goals.
We can throw rotten tomatoes at Obama all day, call him a pawn of the oligarchy or worse and expound on the failures of capitalism, but other than by the remote chance of having a French style revolution, we will be pissing in the wind. Obama is the best chance progressives have to make progressive change and likely will have in over forty years of conservative rule by both parties. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain by supporting him. We have everything to lose by joining the Repugs in attacking him. Let's not blow this probable last chance.
ezeflyer,
"Regulations -- regulations were gutted for the sake of a quick profit at the expense of a healthy market. People bought homes they knew they couldn't afford from banks and lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway. And all the while, critical debates and difficult decisions were put off for some other time on some other day."
This is fraud of the banking system ("lenders who pushed those bad loans anyway"). Yet, he is not going to prosecute any of the malefactors. This is OK with you? Maybe I should take up armed bank robbery, since the moral hazard is gone. I get caught, like most do, and I plead: "let's not look back but forward?" And I ask the court for a few hundred thousand so my balance sheet will look better. Sheesh.
We deserve all the pain, we are headed for politically, economically, socially, and culturally.
Help rescue the Dem Party from the conservative takeover.
Check out:
http://www.democrats.com/
How about getting over the idea that MR. Obama is on "our side?" If you don't appreciate that he is a shill of the plutocracy, you can make change happen.
Mr. Obama has not ended the practice of torture. He now will rendition suspects to other countries for torture.
Obama just got in. He's got a lot on his plate. Don't give up on him yet.
"Maybe I should take up armed bank robbery, since the moral hazard is gone. I get caught, like most do, and I plead: 'let's not look back but forward?' And I ask the court for a few hundred thousand so my balance sheet will look better."
A reasonable plan if and only if you own enough Congresspersons or members of the administration. Otherwise, it will not work.
There was a quick passing reference in the speech that sounded a lot like privatizing Social Security. We should respond to that trial balloon.
Imagine if we had converted to private accounts during Bush years? Now there would be a lot more impoverished retirees whose individual retirement accounts had gone bust in 2008. We need to keep the floor of stability, security and dignity that is provided by social security. Fund it by raising the payroll tax cutoff ceiling or in some other fairly painless way. It can be done.
(That being said, I do feel relieved to have a leader who can form a clear sentence. I meet European tourists all the time in my neighborhood in New York. They used to ask how we could elect George Bush - twice. What could I say? Even our stacked deck system is not a sufficient excuse. Now our president is on a par with European leaders in terms of the sheer embarrassment factor. I may not agree with everything he does, but at least we are dealing with a normal human being who can respond to political realities. The previous one was a head case.)
Joe
"I ask Congress to move quickly on legislation that will finally reform our outdated (bank/wall street) regulatory system."
Nothing about prosecuting the criminal behavior of Mr. Bush's gang.
"And to encourage a renewed spirit of national service for this and future generations..."
Compulsory national service sounds like a regression to the bad old days of the military draft. This will go over like a fart in church.
His programs are always about the future, a future which will never arrive. Therefore, he can govern in the present saying: "I am doing this for the future," no matter how bad the consequences seem, it is for "our (your)" own good.
Mr. Obama is a two faces House Negro. He sounds progressive to the unthinking masses, but will lead for his boss in the financial system making us all debt peons like landless tenant farmers of the old South.
" We honor your service; we are inspired by your sacrifice; and you have our unyielding support.
To relieve the strain on our forces, my budget increases the number of our soldiers and Marines. And to keep our sacred trust with those who serve, we will raise their pay and give our veterans the expanded health care and benefits that they have earned."
So Mr. Obama in a time of unparalleled economic collapse, he is going to spend billions more on escalation of unnecessary wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Can there be a more idiotic failure of leadership?
And he promises to cut the budget in half by the end of his first term? Delusional. But, the public loves what the House Negro is saying.
This speech is mostly platitudes covered with boiler plate rhetoric.
"Idiotic delusional two faces house negro"? That'l work... with the "unthinking masses" and other Limbaugh fans.
" We honor your service; we are inspired by your sacrifice; and you have our unyielding support."
Any real American would do this, no matter where they stand on the war. Its certainly more than Bush ever said to the kids he sent to their deaths.
"To relieve the strain on our forces, my budget increases the number of our soldiers and Marines. And to keep our sacred trust with those who serve, we will raise their pay and give our veterans the expanded health care and benefits that they have earned."
This is the right thing to do. I know you are against the military, but this is the first step to getting rid of those bastard contractors and a service that is not understaffed will keep the National Guartd where they belong.
He also stated that they would stop the cold war weapon systems and useless projects.
A decrease in the military budget for the first time in years. A good start....if he does all he said. I'm still waiting to see the walk.
Tom,
Your heart is in the right place; but now that Mr. Obama has stepped into the guick sand, it is too late for us.
This war, the financial system failure and its response is enough to end the USA. It is only a matter of time.
Hoyt
I've got to admit, I just read his proposal for Health Care.....stupidity wrapped in deceit. Not happy.
But our country will survive and prosper in spite of any of these folks. We will even survive Pelosi and Reid!
Pax
i just read the text of the speech and found it clear and concise and reasonable in it's scope and expectations. no it didn't cover everything, but i am not an obama koolaid sipper(Rush you dink), didn't even vote for him, but i am impressed by the strenght of his vision in the face of incredible odds. Especially as ezeflyer notes, compared to the republican response.
Do we really want to just keep ragging on the negative, or do we want to see positive change. Against all reason for optimisim, i want to see change.
"Against all reason for optimism, i want to see change."
This above is the best definition of delusional thinking I have seen. Thanks.
If the solution, in one case, is trying to re-inflate the debt economy with more debt this is going to fail with worst consequences, i.e. wild monetary inflation or long term economic depression.
The smart money would call a bank holiday, send in the FDIC regulators and close insolvent banks. He has the intention of making banks lend more which is the problem to beginning with. He is going to give billions of government borrowed dollars to insolvent financial institutions. That is money down the rabbit hole.
Does not this cause you to question his plan? Can't you think for your self? Don't you see the unreasonableness of these plans?
tried to watch the speech last nite, couldn't make it. not b/c of the speech (read it online later), but b/c the knee-jerk sycophancy and fanaticism (>"fan") of the audience is so hard to take. men [and women] fit neither to be slaves or senators-tacitus. i know there are times when, for political theater, the "opposition" is supposed to sit on its hands, but that roaring adulation is some bipartisanship you can believe in. and maybe i'm being too stuffy and booo-jwah or whatever, but signing autographs? ugh. go to a sports game, please.
I agree. They're our employees, not movie stars. They love the limelight and perks. Maybe that's why they spend most of their time trying to get re-elected instead of doing their job.
I’m with you hoytdouglas.
The speech was generally inspiring and hopeful. But if you look at the details, past Obama’s trademark vagueness, it’s hard to tell what he actually means, when he talks about specifics.
Obama wants to get the economy back on track. The problem is however that even before the crisis started the economy was, in my opinion, on the wrong track.
Here are some excerpts from the speech:
“The concern is that if we do not re-start lending in this country, our recovery will be choked off before it even begins. “
“You see, the flow of credit is the lifeblood of our economy. The ability to get a loan is how you finance the purchase of everything from a home to a car to a college education; how stores stock their shelves, farms buy equipment, and businesses make payroll.”
“When there is no lending, families can’t afford to buy homes or cars.”
“Because when credit is available again, that young family can finally buy a new home. And then some company will hire workers to build it. And then those workers will have money to spend, and if they can get a loan too, maybe they’ll finally buy that car . . . ”
Here is a radical concept: What if the workers were paid enough to be able to save for a new car? What if the college education was free? What if regular folks didn’t have to rely on credit to afford basic things they need, and go bankrupt if anything unpredictable happens, like a job loss , or a health crisis? That would be “transforming the economy,” versus merely “putting it back on track.”
"Here is a radical concept: What if the workers were paid enough to be able to save for a new car? What if the college education was free? What if regular folks didn’t have to rely on credit to afford basic things they need, and go bankrupt if anything unpredictable happens, like a job loss , or a health crisis? That would be “transforming the economy,” versus merely “putting it back on track.”"
That's definitely what is needed.
He is still talking the talk, but he has yet to walk the walk. One without the other is a zero.
Thomas,
I think I am getting old I made several comments today on CD and I just cannot remember where I put them. (lol) If you happen to come across them let me know where they are. (lol)
Dante
I'll be glad to if I can remember what you said. (lol)
It's always encouraging, if not consequential, that so many CD commentators can see through the BS.
One problem Obama has is that I don't believe he's ever really "changed" anything. He was frustrated by his community organizing work and decided he could get more power and make things change but he seems to only half understand the nature of change.
His response last Fall to the bailout, the FISA law, and the promotion of Afghanistan as the main theater in the GWOT should have told folks he lacks courage and resolve to challenge the power structure. The race speech was a big plus but, ultimately, just words. For me, the final straw was Tim Geithner, Larry Summers, et. al. During the campaign I thought Paul Volcker and Buffet would inject a note of sanity into fiscal policy--after all, Buffet warned about derivatives 5 years ago and Volcker had the guts to "take away the punch bowl" when rampant inflation was threatening. Unfortunately, no such luck.
Man, that was a beautiful speech I tell you though my wife flanked me for getting lulled into it. Seriously though, yeah, I was a bit disappointed that he did not discuss Afghanistan and Pakistan nor did he make it clear as to whether or not he'd conced to Wall Street on tapping into social security, medicare, and medicaid for bailing them out. However, it's time to relax and wait another year. If by this time next year it's bad, then yeah, you were right and I was wrong but until then, just turn off your tvs and computers and go out and help one another. The president can't do it alone you know.
Terrance Mitchell
Redfield, South Dakota
Good comments, TMin, and ezeflyer also, earlier...
The Obama Team has the potential to accomplish a remarkable economic rejuvenation, and there are historical precedents...
The German people provide the precedent of a remarkable transformation in their economy, 1935-1940, in the middle of a worldwide depression. Yes, we are loathe to revisit the success of the German nation during the 1930s because of the heinous crimes of the Nazi Party; still the German people accomplished startling success
(borrowed from Alcyon's CD post on 2/10/09).
Also postwar Japan, particularly of the 1960s and 1970s achieved remarkable economic progress. Perhaps there are grounds to emulate their success.
It is encouraging that President Obama is directing this national recovery and reinvestment effort. I've got a lot of faith in "That One"!
Wonder if Miss Theda spends a lot of time with Michael Thomaskey over at the "Guardian"? Their similar style of writing about Obama: He doth bestride the narrow world like a colossus. Verily, he doth ascend to the highest, and touch the face of God. He cometh in clouds of wonder, and doth hurl the lightning as a javelin of redemption, etc, etc. Makes you retch.
I strongly disagree with the analysis above. David Icke has a much more realistic perspective, which reminds us that Orwell's "Animal Farm" is a more accurate comparison!
(Icke's comment)
The Myth Man Speaks
He constantly looked left and right at the teleprompter screens carrying the words of others that are his permanent crutch. And, in doing so, he spewed forth the usual bullshit to hide the truth of what and who he really represents.
And as the bullshit unfolded, the dark suits of the Federal pig trough launched to their feet and applauded with the frenzy that has been enjoyed by the long, long line of crooks, criminals, child abusers, drug-runners, liars and mass killers that have stood before them under the title of President of the United States.
In short, Obama stood before the most corrupt gathering in America and addressed the nation on behalf of his masters.
I like Icke's "problem-reaction-solution" dialectic and showing the historic bloodlines of European royal families to the economic power structures of today...
I respect Icke for having the guts to research and write about Poppy Bush running heroin and cocaine through the CIA and throwing pedophile parties in the beltway...
However, he loses me with the whole multidimentional lizard overlord thing...
It was a beautiful speech. I am in awe of Obama. By the end of it, I couldn't help but think, "America's back! This is the America I am proud of!"
My support for President Obama started in December of 2007. I had a custom sun shade made for my windshield declaring my support for Obama. I travel over 150 miles a day through five countys around Tampa Fl. Home of central command Macdill Air force base and all kinds of military contractors.
Remember the Talon and ( Counter Intelligence Field Activity ) surveillance programs. Add gang stalking torture surveillance to that , 24/7 harassment. For all 0f 2008 I was followed and harassed by right wing lunatics with bumper stickers declaring their support for Mccain/Palin, Jesus,and our troops .It is to difficult to explain, but these misguided brain washed fools are very happy if they are trying to drive some one crazy.
That was my cross to carry for my firm belief that our the country had been hijacked by exactly these people and agency's that Bush/Cheney empowered.
That is exactly why I know that domestic torture is being used by these far right lunatics on thousands of Americans nation wide.They are the stazi police that the DHS and Bush created.
After being followed and harassed by right wing republican religious lunatics for over a year, gang stalking torture style, election day arrived.
For one year, no matter what these whack jobs try to do to me, I showed my support for Obama with my sun shade.
Then he won. The joy I felt in my heart for Americas great expression of what we wanted to result in Obamas election can not be described.
I took the sunshade out of my car that night and have not used it since.My prayers were answered.
Seeing him last night , in front of congress, and not a republican was more than satisfying. Because I know , that Obama cares more about Americans and our troops than he does , Exon Mobil, Haliburton, KBR, Wall Street, Banks , and our Military Industrial Complex.
They can spy and follow me all they want, I don't care. I believe their wings are going to be clipped, constitutional law revived with justice dealt out for all.
Gods speed President Obama, worry not, you can not possibly come close to doing or saying anything near as bad as what we have already endured over the last 7 years.
BornFreeMen WARRANT LESS SURVEILLANCE TORTURE VICTIM, 2 YEARS AND RUNNING.
If you would like a copy of what my custom Obama 09 sunshade looked like, email me at bornfreemen@yahoo.com.
Great comment.
GOBAMA!
Ah, you're from Tampa? I just graduated from USF there...I miss it :-(
Paul Siemering
i am in awe of theda's ability to ignore his promise of more war and more terror.
How nice to see "Patriotic Responsibility" in some other context than war and bombing helpless third world civilians back to the Stone Age.
Let's hope that we can disentangle ourselves soon from Iraq and Afganistan and concentrate on America and solving our own problems instead of inflicting problems on others.
I wish the new President all the best but I have a lot of scepticism to overcome. I'm old enough to remember LBJ saying "we won't send American boys to do the job that Asian boys should be doing for themselves" just before he escalated the war in Viet Nam.
Coming soon to a conservative media outlet near you: Obama will fix Social Security by implementing socialized medicine and denying life-saving treatments to seniors in the hopes of killing them off so they don't draw on their SS benefits. No fricking joke, I already heard it on one of my monitoring assignment's radio shows a few days ago.
theda skocpol,
really, i watched obama speak last nite - in between nancy pelosi's updownupdown dance routine - and i walked away with a completely different interpretation than the one of which you write. really. regardless of the fact that the earth trembled, for some, on 01.20.09, nothing new was said last evening. just the same old shit we've heard now for two years. change. hope. we are so far beyond just talking about change. soon, his first 100 days will be a distant memory.
however, we will continue to bail out the banks with even more cold, hard cash. so they in turn can give the american people even more credit. joehope, does that make sense to you? this will not fix the problem. as hoytdouglas said, this is exactly why we find ourselves in the mess we're in. almost daily now we get reports of the abuses resulting from last autumn's welfare check to the banks. just wait for the just-signed rapid fire stimulant to hit the streets. we are in free fall with most americans having their heads buried in the sand.
and thomas more, if you really believe that - with increased military activity in pakistan and afghanistan along with pay raises and expanded health care/benefits for vets - there will be "a decrease in the military budget for the first time in years," then i want a hit of whatever you're smoking.
That is based on the expansion of the services which will cut down on the use of contractors and the stoppage of weapon systems that should have been cancelled years ago. And the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. And perhaps I should have said "a chance" in fact I think I did, but I won't go back and look in case I'm wrong because that would spoil my unblemished "right" record. (lol)