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There is far too much to say about this three minute clip of Obama's press conference today than I have time or stomach for now. One or two paragraphs after the clip.Yes, this is the debate we had about the public option all over again. He was wrong then and he is wrong now. The public option is the least-cost, least administratively complex way of providing universal healthcare to all Americans now. He knows it and so does everyone else. But it wasn't good for the insurance industry. So he compromised the best interests of the American people and fiscal responsibility away to the insurance industry. And, no, Obama has not achieved "healthcare for all Americans"; not even close. And his Republican successors, who he doesn't demand compromise anything substantive or enduring, will tear up his "signature piece of legislation" a day or two after he vacates the White House.
And today: the principle of progressive taxation with representation is not an "abstract ideal"; it's a concrete policy issue, and without it we would have had no "American Century." His compromises with enemies of tax fairness are not noble; they're cynical and craven.
This clip is the arrogant, sanctimonious manifesto of that phony kind of centrist whose truly abstract ideal is to imagine that he can raise himself above the fray of partisan politics. His statements are marred with faulty logic and festooned with distorted historic examples. He plays at distancing himself from the extremes on both sides of the spectrum, with a few stern words for Republicans (not in the clip), yet giving them them what they want. Then he deeply insults the ideals and motiviations of his base; in a year from now he will whine about his liberal primary challenger.
Underneath it all, what strikes me about this clip is the President's petty tone. I'm sure he's trying to sound defiant, but he sounds arrogant and wounded.
Voters did not elect Obama to be a centrist and an appeaser of failed right-wing ideologues, but President Obama pretends to believe differently. And because of that, in 2012 we will most likely have a new President. What a pathetic performance.
December 7: a suitable day for a nice stab in the back, I guess.
don't think a primary challenge is an issue now. There's no way he's going to run for reelection. But I guess instead of using that freedom to actually do something useful he's going to let Mitch drag him behind the pickup for 2 years-- shooting for martyrdom.
ReplyDeletebtw-- taxes are not high enough. They need to be raised across the board, and especially at the high end. Corporate taxes need raising too, and enforcing. The inheritance tax should be doubled from what it was in 2001. Look at the facts-- the highest standards of living in the world have the highest taxes. Period. And we're on the path to becoming Haiti.
Anon: I'm now certain that there will be a primary challenge, and maybe not just from the left. I agree with your general sentiments about tax fairness, but your deployment of rhetoric would probably get you kicked off my win-win team of negotiators (or at least muzzled with a rag soaked in chloroform).
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