The age of dissent under Obama
26 April 2009
by
lolife
Filed under
Politics
My opinion on dissent has not changed — it is a good thing. Actual debate is always good. And right now some actual debate is occurring. For example, Krugman, who I like, doesn’t like Obama’s bail-out plan. Neither do some other economists I read and listen to. I think Obama has gotten a wide range of advice from many experts and he did what he did. Was it the right thing? I don’t know. I guess we’ll see. As I’ve said all along, the point of any such bail-out is to increase confidence so unparalyze people who are paralyzed. Will it work? I don’t know. I’m OK throwing in with Obama, though.
As to foreign policy, I really think if you are focused on bows and smiles you are dangerously distracted. Those things don’t matter one bit. Obama is setting a new tone. That is the strategy. Smiles and bows are, at most, tactics in that strategy and are more probably just one man’s natural reactions. I agree with a strategy of friendlessness and fairness. I think we should and I expect we will negotiate strenuously for our own best interest. But acting nice is totally allowed.
My peeve, as mentioned in a couple previous posts, is this: Bush was in office 32 times longer than Obama has been. If Obama continues a Bush philosophy, like the bail-out or the budget, the Republicans complain. I’m sorry guys, you lost your right to complain about the bail-out and the budget when your party did the same thing. When Obama changes a Bush policy, such as torture, the Right is quick to call it catastrophe. Listen to Cheney try to tell us that torture is necessary.
The Right is gleeful that they can be the opposition party now. That’s fair. But they are such ‘tards about it. Their QB lost 32 quarters of football. Obama has won 1 quarter of football, IMHO, but even if you think he lost, it’s the 1st quarter. Are you really going to start the drama about America dying inside already?
I hope Obama is successful at getting the economy going. That’s not one man’s job but I think he is a great person to have in the chair right now. I hope Obama is successful at making the world a safer and more peaceful place. I hope his plans for energy independence are actualized and effective. And, if so, I expect the Right Wing to cry that the sky is falling the whole goddamn time.
Such is life. We have a better man at the helm now.