Well, today is one of those days. Robert Shrum published an article for The Week entitled: "Rotten decade, remarkable year." As you can imagine, Shrum's article reads like a temper-tantrum at the Democratic National Convention – Bush ruined everything, Obama has/will solve everything.
We suffered a stolen presidency, the horror of 9/11 compounded by a war rooted in deceit and a reckless economics of greed that brought the country and the world to the brink of a second Great Depression. Along the way, the presidency, which should be an exemplar of moral leadership, trafficked in disdain for the environment, violations of constitutional rights and the exploitation of intolerance and fear.I suppose it is not even worth my time to directly challenge the several unsubstantiated arguments that litter this paragraph. Clearly, when Shrum says "we," he is referring to a very select group of wingnut liberals.
In the first month, we took a great step toward the fulfillment of our nation’s ideals—a step many thought impossible until it actually happened—with the inauguration of the first African-American president. It was redemption as well as fulfillment; Barack Obama could have been legally owned by his first 16 predecessors. His victory was a breakthrough most powerfully because his color was not a barrier to electing the president that a majority regarded as the best candidate.I have to issue with this paragraph. Shrum is right when he says that the election of a black President was a huge step forward for our nation. Certainly, it was an event which was inevitably going to happen, and I am sincerely glad that I got to witness it. (I would note, however, that I have heard many wingnut liberals label the United States as a racist nation. Hopefully, Shrum would not take part in that illogical argument.)
The next turning point was the stimulus package—or as the administration futilely sought to rebrand it, the economic recovery package—which in increasingly evident fact has triggered a recovery. Without decisive, deficit-expanding federal intervention, the battered economy almost certainly would have plunged off the brink. The stimulus was criticized, for different reasons, by liberals as well as conservatives. The bill was passed without a single vote from the cowering, culpable Republicans in the House.The 2009 stimulus package did not trigger a recovery. In fact, to say that our economy is in recovery at this moment would be completely disingenuous. Further, even if the government had anything to do with the stabilization of the economic crisis (which we won't know until we get more information), Shrum is giving far to much credit to Pres. Obama's plan. The "economics of greed" of Pres. Bush and the "cowering, culpable" Republicans passed billions of dollars of economic aid before Pres. Obama was even elected. In fact, the worst part of the economic crisis occurred in mid-to-late 2008 – before Pres. Obama had even won the election. It is laughable to argue that Pres. Obama is our economic saviour, when he wasn't even in office when the country needed saving.
The Republicans, meantime, will again do all they can to play on popular misconceptions about balanced budgets because they regard a downturn as their easiest path up the electoral mountain. Pointing to the “exhaustion of Reaganomics,” the conservative columnist Ross Douthat urges a new and positive “right-of-center agenda.” He can argue on; the GOP will keep drinking tea.This is epitome of what I fear most: making comments and analysis when I don't fully understand the subject I am commenting on. Clearly, Shrum has not done his homework: Reaganomics is still a vibrant theory that has hundreds (if not thousands, millions) of apologists. I have no idea what to make of the "exhaustion of Reaganomics" because I was not aware that Reaganomics had been exhausted.
As far as Republican's using "misconceptions about balanced budgets," I would simply remind Shrum that in the last election dozens of "blue dog" Democrats were elected on idea that Republicans were fiscally irresponsible. In fact, much of the majority of Democrats in Congress is made up of Democratic politicians who promised the voters that they would rein in the excessive spending of Republicans. Both Democrats and Republicans have taken on the mantle of "balanced budgets" – a fact that Shrum conveniently avoids.
The Republicans have announced that they will run in 2010 with a promise to repeal it [congressional health care bill]. Go ahead—make my midterm.
Tell Americans that you’ll role back the patient’s bill of rights and end the ban on preexisting conditions—provisions that take effect this year. Progress won’t be reversed here—any more than it was when the GOP warned in 1936 that Social Security meant regimentation for our workers and dog tags for every American. They spoke of repeal then, too—and their nominee carried two states.Shrum, once again, is ignoring reality. Reality tells us that a majority of voters, including unaffiliated voters, strongly oppose the bill. Reality tells us that there are many center-left Democrats who are losing in polls because their constituents oppose the health care bill. Reality tells us that the Republicans are looking at substantial gains in both the House and Senate in the 2010 elections.
Oh, and as far as the 1936 elections, every historian knows that Social Security was a side-issue in those elections. In the upcoming elections, the health care bill will take center stages as a major deal-breaker for many in the American electorate.
There were a few missteps as well, notably in the aftermath of the attempt to bring down flight 253 on Christmas Day. (Maybe we should have a rule: No one named Janet in the Cabinet.) But at least Obama righted the public response and, more importantly, set in motion a review of a faulty intelligence system. He also had the class, and wisdom, not to blame the Bush administration.First off, good joke about Janet Napolitano. It elicited a quick chuckle when I first read it.
However, when I read the last sentence I laughed out loud. Sure, Pres. Obama himself does not actually blame Pres. Bush – he just lets his staff (and bloggers) do it.
After restoring America’s image in the world last year, he will advance concrete achievements like a new arms-control agreement with Russia and international action to stop nuclear proliferation in Iran and North Korea.Wow. In other words, Pres. Obama will be able to solve the two most pressing international problems that America faces – even though these two situations have both deteriorated since Pres. Obama took office. If Pres. Obama accomplishes these two objectives, there will be no one happier than myself. If Pres. Obama can get the international community to stem the rise of Russian military power and defuse the nuclear situations in Iran and North Korea, I would argue that 95% of Americans (conservative and liberal alike) would be overjoyed. Unfortunely, as you and I (but apparently not Robert Shrum) know, that is very unlikely.
I will leave you with some of my favorites comments made by the readers of the article.
Joe the engineer: This was supposed to be on the Onion website, right? Right?
Jack Davis: So, Bob, what planet are you from?
Rick: Why is anyone still listening to this guy? He has a worse record in Presidential elections than the Buffalo Bills do in Super Bowls, and now he's trying to say that the last year was a success?
Tim: Oh, Bob, please stop smoking the Hopium pipe. Not only does that junk make you silly and incoherent, it will rot your teeth.
Colin: The extent of your thoughtfulness on economic decisions and ability to take the partisan blinders off is best exemplified by saying 1933 was a turning point.
Michael: This sounds like something fit to read from a teleprompter...
Doug Gibson: Bob Shrum the man in the plastic bubble.
Kyphysician:In the dcitionary [sic], under Sycophant... it reads, See Shrum, Robert
RKG:Should I file this under Fiction, Fantasy or Deranged?
No comments:
Post a Comment