General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: This is what a REAL Democrat sounds like. [View all]JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)But when I compare him to the Roosevelts, the Roosevelts, both of them, were ready to take on anybody. They would probably be considered over-confident by today's standards. But they were both great speakers, inspiring speakers.
I understand that Teddy Roosevelt was asthmatic and had a peculiar speech style but spoke endlessly. On the other hand, FDR was disabled more severely but had a patient voice that inspired a great deal of confidence. I don't know if it is true, but I have heard that FDR had someone read to him when he was in college. Hard to believe. But his speeches were inspiring.
Obama is too afraid to really strike out. Teddy Roosevelt was a boxer although not all that great a boxer. Franklin Roosevelt had to overcome a tremendous disability. Thus Franklin had a fighting spirit too. I think it is that fighting spirit that we do not hear enough of in Obama's voice and speeches. He is a conciliator. It's a great personality trait. Brings harmony. But at this time, we need someone who is a fighter for ordinary people.
The economic power has so shifted to that frivolous wealth that you describe so well. And that is really bad for the US. Really bad.
There is no sense of duty any more. Both Roosevelts had a strong sense of duty to their country and to the American people rich or poor, no matter. Although FDR could have done far more to prepare the way for better race relations in our country, I do credit Eleanor Roosevelt for her enlightened and positive stances on that issue. She did what she could. Roosevelt's coalition in Congress included a lot of Southern politicians who could win elections on Roosevelt's economic stances but who would have lost had Roosevelt done the courageous and right thing on race issues.
We see today that the South still staunchly supports candidates who speak out of two sides of their mouths with regard to race. Every president has to be realistic. But presidents should dare to inspire voters to dream. Obama is doing that now on environmental issues. But he needs to have a ringing, emotionally stirring call to action that he takes directly to voters. He needs to practically sing his appeal about the environment and he needs to put a spotlight on environmental scientists and bring them into the public view very conspicuously if he is to win that fight.
The photos of the poor, the victims of the Depression, that were commissioned under the New Deal in part spoke to ordinary Americans and stirred up interest and compassion for FDR's New Deal. Obama needs to get photographers and story-tellers involved in recording and publicizing what is going on with our environment to back up his appeal.
In fact, we should do that on DU. We should have a contest for photographs that support immediate action to heal our environment.
I'm getting way off topic, but my point is that Obama needs to find ways to get his message across more effectively. The old press conference with a Saturday speech is not working.
And Obama needs to distance himself from the fraud and injustice perpetrated by Wall Street on millions of Americans and others around the world. The Weiss appointment may work politically, but sometimes a president has to take risks politically.
This is the time for Democrats to take strong stances that define our Party. This is not the time to compromise with a Republican Party that has done nothing but try to destroy the country and Obama personally and primarily for the past six years. So what if the Obama nominees do not get approved. If Obama nominates people with profiles that are really attractive to ordinary voters, he can do far more for the country than if he kowtows to the Republican penchant for mediocre tools of the corrupt corporations that run our country.