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Obama’s Pathetic Post-Mortem Response
The President's post-mortem press conference underscores why he lost, and why progressives should no longer invest hope in him.
While he accepted responsibility for the defeat, and while he acknowledged that people were "frustrated" and wanted "their jobs to come back faster," he failed to even mention the massive housing crisis that he has so ineptly handled.
On top of that, he adopted the messaging of the Republicans. He talked about the need to reduce our deficit so we don't "leave our children a legacy of debt" and so we're not "racking up the credit card for the next generation."
Those lines could have come straight out of the mouth of Rand Paul!
And like Rand Paul, he saluted business and the free market: "The reason we've got an unparalleled standard of living in the history of the world is because we've got a free market that is dynamic and entrepreneurial and that free market has to be nurtured and cultivated."
Then he pitied big business.
"You just had a successive set of issues in which I think business took the message that, well, gosh, it seems like we may be always painted as the bad guy," he said. "And so I've got to take responsibility in terms of making sure that I make clear to the business community as well as to the country that the most important thing we can do is to boost and encourage our business sector."
Really??? That's "the most important thing" he has to do? Wow!
He also backpedaled fast on expanding the role of government, conceding without qualification that some people thought "government was getting much more intrusive into people's lives." Amazingly, he said, "I'm sympathetic to folks who looked at it and said this is looking like potential overreach."
Rather than represent an ideological alternative, he tried to blur the ideological lines. "None of the challenges we face lend themselves to simple solutions or bumper-sticker slogans," he said. "Nor are the answers found in any one particular philosophy or ideology."
And just as he did during his long waffle on health care, he said, "I'm eager to hear good ideas wherever they come from."
He repeatedly mentioned the need for "civility" and "consensus" at a time when it's more important than ever to slug out the ideological differences.
He also embraced some of the substance of the Republican Party agenda.
Sounding like John McCain, he endorsed the idea of cutting "earmarks" several times.
He said he wanted to "accelerate depreciation for business," which is about the least efficient way to jumpstart the economy.
He said he wanted to push natural gas.
And he even waved at restarting "our nuclear industry as a means of reducing our dependence on foreign oil and reducing greenhouse gases."
That's his vision?
This is pathetic.
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131 Comments so far
Show Allso o-ourprez is either a lying, bought-and-paid-for war criminal, or a pathetic wimp;-or both....
I vote for "both".
"Was Obama picked and installed by the financial rulers and the corporate MSM not just to continue their neo-liberal global policies but to actually destroy the Democratic Party?"
And to shift the population's anger at the Bushies and neocons over to the Dems, thus insuring the Teapublican return after a brief 4-year hiatus. Yup. You got it.
What he is, in my opinion, is an inexperienced leader whose entire experience on the national stage prior to attaining the White House amounted to a partial term in the Senate. The Presidency is no place for on the job training. He embodies the same ineptitude and cowardice as does his party as well.
What he will be, again in my opinion, is a one term president.
I certainly hope so.. The Obomber has to go..
I believe he's both; but there's more to the picture. People want change, but they are not in the streets, they're doing cyber protests or internet action. Wow, what a load! In the past people demanded change. It took almost a century for all people to be given the right to vote; yet we have the lowest turn out at the polls in any developed nation. People have become sheeple. The economy didn't tumble overnight just because of a housing crisis and fraud. Wages have been stagnant to many for over thirty or more years, jobs have been disappearing overseas for decades, and people have just accepted it. Now we have a mess on our hands. This president said that he would keep jobs in our country, yet more and more companies are going"offshore". Many in congress support this in the name of cheap labor. Some communities have been built around businesses such as Maytag in Iowa that recently went to Mexico. That means they are no longer an American company.Companies that leave now tell their workers to retrain. Retrain as what? Not everyone here is designed to be a doctor, lawyer, or stock broker. Also many people with degrees even those with experience are getting laid off. The society had small farms factories and mom and pop businesses not too long ago. Now there are ugly big box stores that often import from companies doing business that hire cheap labor forces that work in terrible conditions. People are angry, but let's not shoot ourselves in the proverbial foot. If you want to see big business not run this country or others , simply stop buying their products. If possible make or grow your own.Very few politicains also mentioned that this country is broke because we are in at least two long term wars with no pull out on the horizon. The wealth in this country is also concentrated at the very top 7% a staggering number with the middle class virtually becoming non existent. Also, look at the money that is spent on campaigns that could be used to help with jobs, food, rent, etc.
"This is pathetic."
Katrina Vanden Huevel, I hope your listening. Your eternal optimism is wearing thin.
O'Bomber sez: "The reason we've got an unparalleled standard of living in the history of the world is because we've got a free market that is dynamic and entrepreneurial and that free market has to be nurtured and cultivated."
***
Who's "we", Kemo Sabe?
That is a total LIE.I say lie because there is no way someone with his experience and erudition could possibly believe that.
Societal needs such as housing, hygiene, medicine and education would have been improved and developed regardless of the system of economics.
The truth is capital has fought every investment in the common weal, fought until they could find a way to exploit it or exploit other people into paying for it.
It's a lie and he likely believes it, too, Morticia. This is the sort of drivel that Milton Friedman and the Chicago School of Economics boys foist upon the world - with much destruction. By the way, this sort of thing goes good with facism. That's sort of what Obama is saying: the state exists for the good of the corporations.
-TIA
It is also demonstrably untrue by every objective measure! Just a few:
US UNHDR Ranking for the US has never been at the top; in 2009 was 13.
US Life expectancy - 49th
US GINI index 85th, or 49th from the bottom
The differences in these rankings is small and the US certainly is among the club of 40 or so nation with a relatively high standard of living. But to assert that it has a uniquely high living standard, and that it is a consequence of "free markets" and not a history of regulatory and redistributive measures, and union organizing which assured the working got some of the wealth generated in those markets, is completely bullshit - just like Milton Friedman as you wrote.
This is not hard when you compare us to third-world countries.
This was a story on Marketplace on Friday about our well-being ranking in the world:
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/11/04/pm-income-inequality-pushes-us-down-in-wellbeing-ranking/
How amazing that you skip right over 8 years of Bush and Cheney who have been war criminals for much longer, to lay it all at the feet of the Democratic Party. Not to mention when it all got a great start with the 8 years of Reagan and 4 more of Bush 1. I have no love for what the Demos have become but while you are demanding impeachment and punishment for Obama and the Dems, where's your voice for the other war criminals and the Republicans who have been playing these games for years?
Obama once again proves he is a purebred neocon.
Obamabots will once again prove that they haven't got a clue.
You got that right I foresee a long game of Dimocrap Repigliecon ping pong in America's future, even beer pong is better than that. 1/2 :)
Are there more than a half-dozen Obamabots left in the U.S.?
I thought I was the last hold-out, and even I caught on months ago.
I haven't heard anyone but those on the Dem payroll (or those hoping to be) defend him for a long, long time.
I'm sure I was the last one here at CD to advocate patience and giving him one more chance.
Bring America Back !!!!
***Who will step up and save us from these Team Obama
wimps and faux leaders ??
***Feingold ? Kucinich?? Crist??
Truly these years will be known as the Awful Obamas.
"This is pathetic."
Well said. No mention that this election was bought, and who it was bought for? Pathetic.
The other side has said it won't compromise with 'evil'. Thats an excellent strategy for our side as well.
I notice that BO is not called "articulate" so often anymore. I thought he rather stumbled over his words the whole time since inaugeration. These excerpted quotes make it appear he's getting worse. Bush had pharmaceutical assistance and perhaps BO does, too. Whatever his true agenda and hidden goals, if any, they are certainly not well-served by his continued mush-mouthed pronouncements. "Skilled politician" my arse. Both content and delivery are "pathetic".
"inaugeration"
A good thing to call it, considering that he's been screwing the country ever since and his betrayals have become boringly predictable ...
The thoroughly rotten and corrupt two party system will not produce a leader with any interest in working for the American people and to think otherwise is the height of foolishness. Until the progressives give up their addiction to the democratic party and start bulding a new one there is little hope of change.
Amen brother.
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross."
spoof
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y54FRMedT_s
Great production values but ultimately more apologist b.s. for Obummer's indistinguishable from Bush policy record. Hint there aren't two sides in U.S. politics, there is one one side which is being an enabler of corporate greed and empire. The Fox v.s. MSNBC political drama is just pretend to keep the rubes thinking we have a functioning democracy.
"that "the wars" didn't even surface as in issue in this whole campaign"
Nor off-shoring. Obama's in India today saying free-trade with India is a "win-win".
Rich M,
You forgot to include: Tom Donilon, Obama's recent appointment as "Deputy National Security Advisor". He has NO background in foreign, military or world affairs but does have a resume of interesting jobs that have helped ruin the American economy.
As chief lobbyist for Fannie Mae from 1999 to 2005 he successfully pressured Congress to give Fannie Mae the green light to speed past any sound regulation. He received a cool $15 million from Fannie Mae for his success in convincing Congress to gut regulations. Mr. Donilon was also a top executive at Fannie Mae when they were using "creative" accounting to pay themselves $Millions before we all found out they were cooking the books; they eventually got fined in the hundreds of $millions. Of course, Fannie Mae is now a ward of the state!
But who knows, maybe he's building an arsenal to actually save this country from the banksters who are destroying it.
"...debacle for the Democrats."
No, the election was instead a Debacle for the American People. And it was a Pathetic Failure for the Left.
That Dim Party will just be driven further into the hands of its rightwing, pro-corporate, Clintonista, Dim Leadership Council; instead of, say, into the control of a Kucinich or a Nader, who apparently can't deliver the votes.
So no 'debacle' for the Party, just for the Left, which should have driven that party to carry the 'Left' label proudly, and to be more and more progressive by supporting leftward-leaning candidates. Or even at least it should have supported the so-called and MSM-so-tagged 'leftwing liberal' Party itself, as a simplistic public referendum on 'socialism'. Because right now, there is really nothing else around, much as I might sincerely wish. And yes, the lesser of two evils is still better than the GREATER of two evils.
As for the failure of the American people, only 10% of the under-30 voters even bothered to vote... this while 2+ shooting wars are being waged by American young people. And less than half of all the eligible voters voted, this in a time of economic and cultural crisis. And because of this, now the newly re-Republicanized government will provide the new Debacles for the American People.
And you can guess which half it was that did not vote... the more liberal half, the more 'bipartisan' half. The Hate-voters were all driven out of their dark warrens to vote, with spittle flying, by Flush Limpload, Fux News and the other Merdecock and corporate-media MSM outlets, with the simpleton's cry of "no taxes and no soshulizm". Leftists, liberals and progressives sat on their hands, and were even urged to do so. And got their heads handed to them.
Good show, leftists. Disempower any even half-hearted liberal or left-leaning direction or limp-left party, so the nation's MSM can trumpet the 'American people' want a "change" from the "socialist" direction of the so-called liberal party. Great going, progressives. You got what you wanted: Defeat of even the weak-kneed liberals, Triumphalism of the Teabaggers. The rapid return of the Rove Republicans. Thanks a bunch.
So the big news is that the less-than-25% of people that are Rabid Right, or that hate the 'guvmint revenooers', or are the, yes, stupid teabaggers have determined things for the other 75% of us. And the Repiglicans will claim this depravity as a 'mandate'. And this happpens even after 8 years of total moral and ethical and managerial and financial and intellectual failure by the Repiglicans. This election is just like the filibustering for 60% in the Senate, just like a 2/3rds majority necessary for anything.
Democracy fails.
That is the real debacle, that the majority of the American people- who are liberal and left-leaning in their stated beliefs aand desires, anyway- don't seem to even care much anymore. And guess what the politicians then do? They go where the votes are... rightward; or they do not get elected and disappear. And guess what the members of the MSM do? They go where the corporate bosses tell them to go... rightward; or they get disappeared.
So this election was a failure, not for Democrats or even Obama so much (he remains President now anyway, and he is swayed in the breeze by advisors, polls and elections) as it was a Total Failure and Debacle for the Left.
And you can bet that this will be the Main Repiglican Rabid Right Spin, Corporate Media Messaging and Rightwing Bobblehead Talking Point for the next two years.
Why should progressives vote for a party that thinks of them as "f*cking retards"?
If the Democretins were to do something when they were voted in that did good, or at least less horrible than what they have done, or even maybe lived up to a campaign promise here and there, they would have given people reason to vote for them.
Yes, we are still up to our necks in needless wars. I am sure if a candidate was to stand up and say we need to stop this wasteful carnage, they would have gotten votes.
Why blame "the left" for refusing to vote for a corporate party?
Not to mention supporters of Genocide in Gaza...
FVHorn, you're mistaken when you rail, "You got what you wanted: Defeat of even the weak-kneed liberals, Triumphalism of the Teabaggers. The rapid return of the Rove Republicans."
This is not a debacle for the left at all; it's refreshing. Actually, 98% of the progressive caucus remains, while half Rahm's Blue Dog DINOs (neocons) lost, so in a sense this was a purge of self-serving Emanuel Republicrats from the party who had no business in it. Elections are blunt instruments but those facts are very revealing.
But the more important point, as others have noted, when there is no measurable daylight between the actions and policies of two parties who both slavishly serve the military and Wall Street, then it's time to end the pretense. Give the duopoly all the rope it needs now to hang itself and end a corrupt system, so that we can rebuild something on entirely new ground.
RichM,
Perfect, Perfect, Perfect, and all verifiable!
If I may add to your list...and this is for the Obamabots...that in today's New York Times, there is an article about the Obama Administration issuing a waiver this week of a 2008 law, "The Child Soldiers Protection Act," allowing military aid to continue to four nations using children as young as 14 in the military. Our tax dollars will be going to Chad, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Yemen, to help keep those tyrants in power, conscripting children into the Army.
One final comment. We vented our anger and frustrations with the previous administration's activities for eight dreadful years, and now, nearing two years of the Democratic Party controlled administration, we are still frustrated and angry. Is there any reason why informed people should not vote for third or fourth party candidates?
If real liberals and progressives voted their conscience rather than for their fear of a"Republican" victory--and this is for you die-hard Democrats--they would abandon the party which has betrayed them and regroup in other parties whether the Greens, Peace and Freedom, or the Socialist Equality Party, Socialist Labor Party, etc. and have the numbers to turn things around for the better. Forget about those "intellectuals" pandering to the Dems, telling us to change the party from within. It isn't going to happen!
Hear! Hear! Well said RichM, especially the conspicuous, deliberate avoidance of any mention of war as a salient election issue.
The wars ---those we know about and not--- are inarguably the primary factor in all extant domestic and international economic crises; they are manifestly unwinnable, self-perpetuating and counter productive; they profit only the MIC and AIPAC; they are criminal and morally repugnant as irrefutably proven now by Wilileaks documents; they are deeply offensive to the international community; and they are now arguably the number one existential threat to national security. That war would not be raised as a factor in the Democrats' engineered forfeiture of the midterm elections, amid pointless distracting trivia that you note, is proof of media malpractice and testament to a corrupt system entirely beyond redemption.
And people keep saying Obomber is smart? Well, perhaps, but we know he's a sellout. That's for sure.
Hah! He's fooled you, Rich! He's actually playing seven-dimensional chess and he IS bringing down the banksters -- in the most insidious fashion.
See, remember how FDR saved the capitalists from destroying themselves by installing a modest governor on their engine of greed? And how they ran lean and clean for a few decades only to coax Grandpa Caligula into removing the governor and opening the throttle?
Well, Massa Mensa will not see that error repeated, I tell you! He's going to keep shoveling the largesse at these cancers until they swell up and explode like overfed ticks, showering all the little people with their ill-gotten booty.
And, oh, the coast-to-coast party that follows will be a thing spoken of down through the ages.
I can't be sure that's not satire, Goebbels, but assuming it's not, you could be right.
As far out as it is, I've toyed with the same thought myself. Clinton too might have been motivated by the same end. Think so?
Obama is smart,like an evil genius or a super slick con man, but like a leopard that is finally showing its spots, many people are finally seeing him for what I called him before he was elected: a consummate con man!
He can't even pretend to be smart anymore, or empathetic, or creative. Nothing says compassion like hoping on a plane after an electoral shellacking and flying to India to give away more us jobs.
Smart?
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Obama-to-use-teleprompter-for-Hindi-speech/H1-Article1-622605.aspx
There was comment on HuffPo about this but I couldn't see it in the article that I read and a link wasn't left. I was trying to find it. Thanks. I only read a few of the comments at the end, because I'm hurrying to get back to work. But I thought this made it rather clear:
"He can bamboozle them better with his teleprompters. Stand back and wait to be mesmerized by the great Obama. He an say "See - we are just like you !!!!! We have slums in Chicago that resemble the slums that you have here. " He wont say why he or Valerie Jarrett never did anything to clean them up, he'll conveniently leave that out...He will tell you what you want to hear and then turn and do something else..Enjoy the show....most of America has already seen it and we are passing ona a re-run. Obama is a one termer only... you can have him in 2012."
I always hate giving Repubs credit for anything, but the voting present and the teleprompter were two that have actually been proven by this man's actions. The article states he takes it with him wherever he goes. I do recall the picture of Obama with the teleprompter at a grade school somewhere in early 2009, and I thought that was really strange. You can't speak extemporaneously to a group of little kids for a few minutes? Don't teachers do that everyday. The use of the teleprompter is more and more making this man look like a puppet who has to be spoon fed everything. He may not be exactly King George in the speaking department but it certainly seems like his silver tongue was manufactured by Madison Avenue just like the rest of him. When he does speak off the cuff some nasty stuff comes out -- little slips here and there, enough to make me feel that he really doesn't like us, the unwashed masses, the 90% or so of us that are being crushed on a daily basis.
The NYT also had an article that I found interesting about "recasting" the India trip into a jobs mission. I guess that's the order of the day for all trips from now on -- just call a jobs mission.
Don't worry-- the jobs will come back when they can pay us as little as they pay them in India.
Oilbomber doesn't have any vision; he is obviously either clueless when he doesn't have a script to read from, or he flees into neo-liberal ideology or standard patriotic self-congratulation, such as the free market is our version of paradise, and America is the greatest country in the world and in history ("unparalleled standard of living in the history of the world"), both of which are instances of utter piffle.
Seeing the elephant-donkey faceoff (Shellacking vs Furious) I thought the Dems should change their power animal. Then again donkey associations like "fool" or "at a stubborn standstill" "need to be whipped into mooving" come up. So no change unless the Dems decide to be the change we can believe in!
It's worse than that. Please see my comment under article
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/06
It applies here too.
Russ Feingold for President 2012!
Why do you suggest a sponsor of Genocide to run the country?
"The President's post-mortem press conference underscores why he lost, and why progressives should no longer invest hope in him."
It took you this long to figure this out?! I had this guy pegged in 2006, and in fact I cringed when I heard his speech at the 2004 Dem convention, as in 'oh God here's the next generation of corporate bullsh*tters'.
Obama in India today: "Obama said the relationship between the countries is "creating jobs, growth, and higher living standards in both our countries. And that is the truth."
He's just the latest corporate puppet in the White House. His stage persona is "Community Organizer/Black Activist". Bush's was "Texas Cowboy", Clinton's was "The Man from Hope", Palin's is "Mama Grizzly" and McCain's was "Maverick". All corporate theater, all BS, and it works on the rank and file, both Obamabots and Tea Partiers alike.
Whenever somebody is compelled to punctuate a statement with "and that is the truth", it usually isn't.
I admittedly hadn't heard of Barack Obama until late 2007-2008, but I had him pegged from the minute he voted for the FISA Bill, continued funding for our war in Iraq, and his promises to escalate, extend and expand our war in Afghanistan. My opinions were re-inforced when Obama took the exact same positions as John McCain during the last pre-POTUS election debate on Foreign Policy.
Funny! It's like professional wrestling.
Joe
Great analogy! It's been theatre for a long time but has degenerated from Stratford-on-Avon to WWW.
Cassandra, I don't remember seeing the Stratford-on-Avon part in 60 odd years I have been on Earth. You insult all those great British Shakepearans.
Russ Feingold for President 2012!
BTW watch http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/1044358/