President Obama is giving a speech today, and it is his one big chance to convince America’s school children of the importance of becoming homosexuals, getting lots of abortions, reading Marx, and keeping prayer out of their lives. I hope he nails it – otherwise what kind of future is in store for this country?Then tomorrow we get something that FDR did only once in nearly 12 years as President (and that was to declare war on Japan) – an address to a joint session of Congress. The President will speak on health care and I want to add my voice to the chorus singing “this better be good.”
Issues don’t get much more complicated than this, and the economic stakes are rarely higher. After months of public debate I’m only sure of two things: 1) the Republicans are against everything and 2) I don’t know what Obama really wants.
It’s time for him to make clear what it is he wants, and to beat the Democrats in Congress into submission until he gets it. If he does that, I believe he will ultimately get some Republican support, and he will certainly regain some of his losses among independents. He can live without the former, but not without the latter.
Barack Obama will never be an effective leader of the country until he can demonstrate the ability to lead his own party. It isn’t too late, but it might be a week from now.
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10 comments:
D,
You surprised me. Upon viewing the title, I thought this would have been about the upcoming event at the 'shoe.
I am on vacation, no time for politics.
I just thank God that I don't have a child in public school. As Obama gives his address at Wakefield High School (one of 4 public high schools in my home collective here in the People's Republic of Arlington) today, we can only hope his message of hard work, perserverance, and public service falls on deaf or unlistening ears throughout the country. Who knows what might be the result of a message like that let loose in our public schools?
I agree with your analysis of the importance of Obama's speech on Wednesday. He needs to be able to show douchebags like Kent Conrad and Max Baucus the open graves of what will be their political careers if they don't get behind what he wants. We'll see.
There is a certain irony that the conservatives who whine and moan over the lack of responsibility in the black community, as if any of them actually care, are outraged that an African-American President would be suggesting that kids stay in school.
With dropout rates in the 50% range in many major inner city schools, one would think that Comrade Obama's message would be hailed on a bi-partisan basis. If he gives the speech in English, half the kids at Wakefield won't understand a word he says. There are at least twenty or more languages spoken over there.
Try 60 languages at Wakefield. They have kids from countries that don't even exist anymore. Of course, that's south Arlington. We all speak Russian in north Arlington.
If he really wants to take a wide stance on bipartisan issues he should have Larry Craig up there excoriating homosexuality. Perhaps Mark Sanford could discuss family values.
He actually should have Glenn Beck or Rush Limburger with him and call them on the carpet directly in front of the nation.
As David Dinkins just said, you may campaign in poetry but you must govern in prose. Now is the time for direct action.
Look at me being with you 100%. Is this a first? Did everyone see David Brooks' column today lauding National Affairs and quoting a writer who says (referring to Californians having given all power directly to the people) " . . Californians have voted to tax themselves like libertarians and subsidize themselves like socialists".
Between the dirtbags in Congress, the criminals on K Street (and in that republican religious house)and Obama not, as yet, running the show - we are screwed - our newly resurgent 401s/IRAs notwithstanding.
I think this is the time to snag a deck chair on the Titanic.
Bird: thanks for the porn link! And Andre gay? That is beyond delicious. As you said when SOB first came out: one cannot define or even describe to anyone the craziness inbred in Charlestonians and South Carolinians.
In 1991 President George H W Bush gave a similar speech on education to the students at Alice Deal Junior High in Wash.,DC.. The Democrats in Congress denounced the speech and ordered the GAO to investigate its production and later called Bush officials to Capitol Hill for extensive hearings. The Washington Post stated that "the Bush White House turned a NW Washington junior high classroom into a television studio and its students into props." Dick Gephardt said "the Dept of Ed should not be producing paid political advertising for the president,it should be helping us produce smarter students. And the president should be doing more about education than saying 'Lights, camera, action.'" The GAO then went on to investigate the legality and cost of Bush's appearance. The GAO eventually ruled in Bush's favor. The Republican response to Obama's speech seems rather tame in comparison.
Judging from Max Baucaus saying the public option was dead when interviewed before the session, and that the President said it is still a pillar of his vision, there is a greater than 50% chance that Max needed to change his underwear by the time the minority party gave its rebuttal.
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