A speech that defines a new era

[babylonsister]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/feb/25/barack-obama-congress-speech


A speech that defines a new era
Michael Tomasky


In his address to Congress, Barack Obama turned the economic crisis into an opportunity for liberalism

Video at link~

snip//

It was a fantastic speech that defines a new era in this country. It's time, he said, to do things we've put off for too long. We've put these tasks off and we know it. And we can't put them off any longer. These things are, chiefly, energy and healthcare and education, and it falls to all of us to play our roles. The rich will pay more taxes. The New Year's party is over for those at the top of society. US politics has been defined by bashing poor people (or at best ignoring them) since Ronald Reagan's time. Now, it's rich people who are on the carpet.

But not only rich people. Everybody who isn't helping is part of the problem. Probably the best line of the speech was directed at people at the bottom of society – high-school dropouts. When you quit school, Obama said, "it's not just quitting on yourself. It's quitting on your country." That's a Kennedyesque call that signals to everyone listening that Obama is holding everyone to a standard of behaviour.

Foreign policy was slightly short-changed in this address. Obama said the right things about torture (which Republicans, or many of them, applauded – that may prove to be significant). He made an important point about being honest with the American people about the real cost of the war in Iraq. He touched on Pakistan and the Middle East and a few other matters. He said nothing wrong here, but these passages didn't quite have the brio the domestic passages did. Hillary Clinton may have been the one Democrat who left the chamber slightly disappointed.

But on the economy and the other domestic tasks, Obama was passionate and smart, and his framing was pitch perfect. I was watching on MSNBC, which featured those focus-group lines across the bottom of the screen, showing how people were reacting to his words in real time. There were separate lines for Democrats and Republicans. For nearly a third of the speech, both lines were literally off the charts – higher than could even be measured on screen.

He will have his ups and downs, and this economy will not respond to any miracle cures. But this is what we have campaigns for. Millions of Americans have been dispirited and humiliated by the last eight years and have been waiting desperately for this speech and the change of direction it signals. And Republicans, meanwhile, better hope they can keep this man off the TV.

[Cha]

1. Bravo, Michael Tomasky!

Domestic is what we need to be talking about first and right now, though..I'm thinking Hillary understands that.

"And Republicans, meanwhile, better hope they can keep this man off the TV" "Republicans" as in politicians aren't the only ones who don't like this..corporatemediawhores must be cringing every time they have to give Obama TV Time without them twisting every thing around.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Speech was a grand slam home run

with many gems--I hope they make a poster aimed at drop-outs--Don't Quit Your Country.

I was so inspired, I'm inspired to go back to school myself--and I have a Master's degree!

[Daveparts]

3. It was an apologist Speech

for bailing out the banking industry. Full of lots of flowery rhetoric about what we're going to do but the long an short was, "It’s an agenda that begins with jobs." Banking jobs,


"So the recovery plan we passed is the first step in getting our economy back on track. But it is just the first step. Because even if we manage this plan flawlessly, there will be no real recovery unless we clean up the credit crisis that has severely weakened our financial system."

"I want to speak plainly and candidly about this issue tonight, because every American should know that it directly affects you and your family’s well-being. You should also know that the money you’ve deposited in banks across the country is safe; your insurance is secure; and you can rely on the continued operation of our financial system."

"That is why this administration is moving swiftly and aggressively to break this destructive cycle, restore confidence, and re-start lending."

"Third, we will act with the full force of the federal government to ensure that the major banks that Americans depend on have enough confidence and enough money to lend even in more difficult times. And when we learn that a major bank has serious problems, we will hold accountable those responsible, force the necessary adjustments, provide the support to clean up their balance sheets, and assure the continuity of a strong, viable institution that can serve our people and our economy."

"I understand that when the last administration asked this Congress to provide assistance for struggling banks, Democrats and Republicans alike were infuriated by the mismanagement and results that followed. So were the American taxpayers. So was I."

"So I ask this Congress to join me in doing whatever proves necessary."

"But I also know that in a time of crisis, we cannot afford to govern out of anger, or yield to the politics of the moment. My job – our job – is to solve the problem. Our job is to govern with a sense of responsibility. I will not spend a single penny for the purpose of rewarding a single Wall Street executive, but I will do whatever it takes to help the small business that can’t pay its workers or the family that has saved and still can’t get a mortgage."

Billions for banks and pennies for U!

[SeattleGirl]

4. Um, what speech did you listen to?

:shrug:

[Daveparts]

5. I was listening to the speech

Where the President said "Responsible" home owners can get up to $2,000 in home interest refinancing on homes that have lost on average $36,000 in value in the last 12 months. But in the speech what I heard was an overt guarantee to prevent banks from failing regardless of how much it costs the tax payers.

The banks will be protected, but you, will not be protected from the banks. The banks will be aided no matter how irresponsibly they have acted but you will be judged on your responsibility no matter the circumstances.