Barack Obama's carefully nurtured image as a man of the people has been blown to shreds. Rob Urie, writing for CounterPunch, captures the event in one paragraph:
With Barack Obama putting his plan to cut Social
Security and Medicare expenditures into writing in his Federal budget
proposal the ability of those who voted for him to credibly deny his
years of publicly stating he would do so disappeared. The pathetic pleas
from liberals and progressives who only a few short months ago were
assuring the unwashed masses Mr. Obama was on the cusp of a ‘liberal’
renaissance if only doubters would join them in granting him another
term are today as empty as their assurances were then. And Mr. Obama’s
self ‘sacrifice’ of voluntarily giving up 5% of his own $400,000 per
year salary in solidarity with seniors present and future who will see
their Social Security payments reduced calls into question his
intelligence if sincere—the difference between the rich (Mr. Obama)
voluntarily giving up a fraction of their yacht allowance versus
millions of seniors choosing between eating and living indoors is
fundamental.
9 comments:
He is essentially in a minority government situation trying to negotiate with a partner who seems to have no understanding of negotiation or the consequences not negotiating.
I can't be that forgiving of him, DOC. He won his second term, promising to make good for his failures in the first, and, within just a few months, folded. It's not like he has to worry about re-election. He won great political capital and yet he consistently goes limp in the face of Republican obstructionism. He illustrates the modern fusion of Democratic and Republican politics. It's a formula for democratic disaster and submission to powerful special interests.
What else can he do?
Besides on the same day the American people elected a House of Representatives who are also standing by their principals.
In our system, an election would be called if the government was stuck in a similar state. I don't know how the Americans have survived so long with the contradictions they have in their system.
Actually, DOC, the American people cast far more votes for Democratic candidates in the House than Republicans. It was pure jerrymandering that ensured the Republicans seized their majority.
Those Republicans in the House aren't standing on principles. They used to have principles, long ago, but they've cashed those in.
What else can Obama do? He might try finding his own principles. All he has to do is read the promises he made the American people on the campaign trail.
What can do with those principles with nothing but moral authority against an elected body filled with immoral people.
Prior to his first election a lot of people tried to dampen the enthusiasm by pointing out that he was a moderate Democrat on every issue you could name.
Not many listened.
He's the first black potus.
That's the only thing that distinguishes him from the rest of his club.
It seems you're right, Dana.
Is it possible he has given up the ghost and has decided going down in history as the first black president will do?
I've often wondered whether Obama was gored when he chose Rahim Emmanuel as chief of staff when he was first elected. That's when "old boy" politics seemed to surface so disappointingly in the White House. It was then that Obama got into this weird compromise mode that has failed him ever since. Sure the American people are grievously divided but constantly standing down in the face of Republican obstructionism is doing nothing to heal those divisions.
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