Did you watch the President’s speech last night? Whether you agree with his spend-more-money tactic or think we’ve spent too much already, there was an unexpected insight on a very liberal blog. The Huffington Post is an extreme left blog, but I check it every week or so to see what angles they are using to promote the current administration. Today I found a very interesting column over there that reminds me of the CdA City Council.
Andy Ostroy’s column, titled “Why Obama’s Jobs Speech Failed”, included this:
The president made a huge strategic error in addressing a joint session of Congress. The speech should’ve been short and sweet. Fifteen minutes. And delivered from the Oval Office, where Americans would’ve taken it much more seriously for it’s focus and gravity. Instead what we got was the standard pomp and circumstance show, complete with all the smiling, cheering, glad-handing, back-slapping and odd merriment that typically accompanies these bi-partisan charades. The inappropriately festive setting utterly contradicted what was supposed to be the dire message and tone, and set the event off on the wrong foot. I sat at home like millions of others I’m sure and said, “Arrgghh…a bunch of shifty politicians patting themselves on the back again while the rest of us suffer.”
No matter what you think about the content of the speech, Andy’s observations about the setting and tone are compelling. Especially his thoughts on “shifty politicians patting themselves on the back …” I often think the same thing when I watch the CdA city council meetings on Channel 19. They were at it just last Tuesday as they passed the $77 million dollar budget for next year that includes the big raises for all city employees…all while we have 12% unemployment in our town. But they were joking and complimenting each other and having a good old time.
Your thoughts?
Gag!
Comment by Wallypog — September 9, 2011 @ 3:20 pm
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table they are not.
Comment by concerned citizen — September 9, 2011 @ 4:17 pm
It was in every respect a campaign speech, nothing more. In that regard, it was inappropriate because rather than properly portraying the issue as an important one of long-term national interest, he reduced its import to just another 2012 campaign issue. Like Jimmy Carter, Obama has failed to fully realize that he is the President of the United States. Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton all had more presidential presence than the incompetent there now.
Comment by Bill — September 10, 2011 @ 9:43 am
Interesting observation, Bill, coming from one who had a close-up view of how those past presidents conducted themselves.
Comment by mary — September 10, 2011 @ 3:33 pm
See http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/09/10/valerie_jarrett_no_jobs_bill_yet_the_president_is_going_to_draft_the_legislation.html
Comment by justinian — September 12, 2011 @ 12:19 am
Has anyone seen the bill the President wants Congress to pass? The one hundreds of unions have already endorsed?
Comment by Pariah — September 12, 2011 @ 8:51 am
Oh, don’t you know, Pariah?…it hasn’t been written yet! Bogus bunk.
Here’s an interesting analysis about the government’s role in “saving” the economy. Should they help or should the government get out of the way? It’s the age-old question reviewed here:
http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-governments-role-fix-economy-072531745.html
Comment by mary — September 12, 2011 @ 11:10 am
I stand corrected. Apparently they were busy this weekend and got at least the front cover page of the bill completed. You can see the photo of it and read about it here:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/09/12/obama-prepares-to-send-congress-his-jobs-bill
(I have found that whatever he says not to do is exactly what he’s doing)
Comment by mary — September 12, 2011 @ 11:20 am
(Read, “This is my game; not political.”)
Comment by Gary Ingram — September 12, 2011 @ 12:02 pm
Exactly!
Comment by mary — September 12, 2011 @ 8:35 pm