Just before Barack Obama got up to speak last night, I noted that his speech will be very important in where it focuses its attention. If it would mention the "failed policies of the last eight years", it would be a disaster. If it would talk about working together to move forward, it could be good. Thankfully, President-elect Obama chose the latter route.
While it was an altogether rather boring speech, with a couple of oddities - the emphasis on the thanks to his internal campaign team was somewhat disconcerting, and the "Yes we can" bit at the end was rather forced and lame (perhaps because he seemed understandably exhausted) - the overall message was reasonable and hopeful for those of us who did not vote Obama yesterday.
Today's Wall Street Journal has a pair of good pieces today that I think hint at what President-elect Obama's first responsibilities and tasks should be. The second one, written by former Vice President Al Gore with David Blood, will have to wait until after he is President: Promoting sustainable capitalism. While perhaps Mr. Gore has different ways of doing so when one looks at the details, it certainly behooves Mr. Obama to understand what policies will promote sustainable capitalism and which ones will not.
But it is the first piece, written by a lawyer who interned for Senator John Kerry, which notes what a disgrace the treatment of George W. Bush, the President of the United States, has been for years. President Clinton certainly took away some of the respect for office in this country, but it was the disrespect accorded to President Bush on a consistent basis by citizens of this country that has gone beyond the pale. In the end, however, it is up to Mr. Obama to resurrect the respect given to a President now in order to ensure that he is given the respect he deserves the next four years.
For the sake of our country, it is time to look ahead.
This is a democracy, not a dictatorship. Respect has to be earned. Bush has been one of the worst presidents in our history. And the last 8 years have been characterized by broad and profound disrespect for everybody to the left of George Bush. We've been called traitors and terrorist sympathizers and fake Americans.
ReplyDeleteAnd the right was no better behaved under Clinton. Eight years of peace and prosperity and the right acted like he was the devil incarnate.
I hope Obama will be able to improve the tone of discourse in this country. I turned the radio to right-wing radio for a minute this morning and it was pretty clear that hasn't happened yet.
And just last night, McCain gave a classy, classy concession speech. His crowd, on the other hand, was ugly and hateful.
I am confident that Democrats will be more gracious in power than the Republicans were. I thought Obama's best moment of the speech was when he talked to those Americans who did NOT vote for him, and said he was going to be their president too, and that he was going to listen to them, and that he needed their help.
George Bush ran as a uniter but governed as a divider. The right-wing media (FOX, AM radio, the right-wing talking heads on MSM neteworks) went right along with the divisiveness. I think it's fair to call Hannity and Limbaugh and Levin and Savage and Ingraham and all the others "hate radio."
I'm sure liberals will be more gracious. It's just in our nature. We are not authoritarians and we're not you're-with-us-or-you're-against-us.
His crowd, on the other hand, was ugly and hateful.
ReplyDeleteCalm down, they booed the guy who had just beaten them a couple of times. Don't make more out of it than it really was.
I'm sure liberals will be more gracious. It's just in our nature. We are not authoritarians and we're not you're-with-us-or-you're-against-us.
Well, we're about to find out...
"I'm sure liberals will be more gracious. It's just in our nature. We are not authoritarians and we're not you're-with-us-or-you're-against-us." A very easy statement to make when your candidate has won the election, and while it sounds nice it hasn't been born out in prior times. A liberal in pursuit of his/her objectives is just as authoritarian as the opponents are. Let's get real here. Winners can afford to be gracious.
ReplyDeleteA liberal in pursuit of his/her objectives is just as authoritarian as the opponents are.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. I was imprecise. Liberals CAN be just as authoritarian as conservatives -- the conservative-liberal spectrum is orthogonal to the libertarian-authoritarian one. It's just that in America in the last half-century or so, Democrats have been more libertarian (except fiscally) and Republicans have been more authoritarian (except fiscally.)
Obama strikes me as relatively libertarian (except fiscally.) For example, he took a more libertarian position than Hillary on health care mandates (he's against them.)
The blogosphere is partially to blame for the behavior of people towards Bush.
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of his, but the treatment he received did go beyond the pale. And I have to agree with JA that Clinton received unfair treatment as well.
Somewhere along the way we have lost sight of decorum and that has a negative impact on us all.
JA - I think that sums up my point well. The President of the United States should be accorded respect based on his positions. That does not mean the country is a dictatorship; you can speak out freely against all policies without maligning the President.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, you seem to find any opinions with which you disagree "hateful". Are they sometimes out of line? Sure. Are there tons of people on the left who are as well? Sure. Neither makes the other okay.
G - Well said.
ProfK - Agreed.
JA - Republicans are more libertarian on most issues other than abortion and gay marriage, which they feel are moral issues. We'll see what happens with the "Fairness Doctrine", which is one of the most anti-libertarian policy suggestions I've ever heard.
Jack - I'll agree that the blogosphere in general, for whatever reason (anonymity?) has contributed greatly to the lack of decorum in politics.
We'll see what happens with the "Fairness Doctrine", which is one of the most anti-libertarian policy suggestions I've ever heard.
ReplyDeleteObama opposes that, as do I.
i agree. bush has been treated disgracefully. it is one thing to disagree with him and work to change things. but to name a sewage plant after him?? childish, and i would argue ineffective. your opponents only see immaturity. i am a former "tolerant" liberal and remember when i would get militant about politics i always thought, being a liberal that i was GOOD and they were BAD, so i was justified in any treatment. when i see kids with bush = hitler stickers, i only pray my son won't be so ridiculous. i'm ALL for dissent, but go about it the right way. naming sewage plants??
ReplyDeleteconservatives are much more likely to get a pie in the face than a liberal. but of course, THEY deserve it, since they are bad, racist, sexist conservatives. /sarc
Obama is a Marxist anti-semitic communist who hates white people and will bring about the death of Israel. Now stop picking on poor old George Bush!
ReplyDeleteJA - Where does he do so?
ReplyDeleteAnon - Agreed.
JA - ?
>I'm sure liberals will be more gracious. It's just in our nature. We are not authoritarians and we're not you're-with-us-or-you're-against-us.
ReplyDelete::snort::
HAHAHAHAH
Oh mercy.
Liberals tend to be the biggest assholes around. A sewage plant named after Bush? Real kind. Hitler? War monger? Please. They just enjoy being venomous
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/10/21/2008-10-21_who_are_leftwing_haters_to_point_fingers-2.html?page=1
Liberals are some of the most intolerant people I've ever met. It never ceases to amaze me about them. Now, that said, onward, people. I don't want to hear another ridiculous Hitler/Nazi/Moslem piece of garbage. Thank goodness the comments on here are decent. I voted McCain. I'm proud to live in a country that got past race. I don't know if things will be ok. I know they sure aren't right now.
ReplyDeleteit's one thing for people on blogs to say stupid things. go to huffington post and tell me people aren't saying stupid things about bush, mccain, palin. i get that. but a city names a sewage plant after our PRESIDENT?? even if obama is a FLOP, i would never want to see that go on. i voted mccain, but i'm proud of our country and i support O as our president. yes, he's mine, too.
ReplyDelete