Sprint to the Right

[Gaspar]

I guess we all expected President Obama to slouch towards the middle after the midterms, but it seems he's taking a quicker pace.  I never imagined such a complementary OP/ED bestowed upon a polar opposite.  This will no doubt get the HUF/KOS crowd in an uproar.

It will be interesting to see his follow-through.  I am hopeful that this is not simply an effort to pander to the Right now that the Left has all but abandon him.  The unfortunate thing is that I admire the sentiment of this article, however it shows a clear lack of principals. 

I respect President Obama, however I strongly disagree with what I perceived to be his core principals.  I admire his willingness to compromise on key issues, however if he continues to show a complete abandon for the principals that got him elected in favor of whatever he perceives will get him re-elected, I will lose all respect for him. 

I think I would rather have him as a liberal/progressive than just a political yes-man.  I don't know what he believes in any more.  It is unfortunate that he squandered these last three years, when he had a real opportunity to do exactly as Regan did, putting the country on a bold new path toward accountability and real change.


By Barack Obama yesterday in USA Today
Ronald Wilson Reagan was a believer. As a husband, a father, an entertainer, a governor and a president, he recognized that each of us has the power — as individuals and as a nation — to shape our own destiny. He had faith in the American promise; in the importance of reaffirming values like hard work and personal responsibility; and in his own unique ability to inspire others to greatness.
No matter what political disagreements you may have had with President Reagan— and I certainly had my share — there is no denying his leadership in the world, or his gift for communicating his vision for America.

President Reagan recognized the American people's hunger for accountability and change — putting our nation on a bold new path toward both. And although he knew that conflicts between parties and political adversaries were inevitable, he also knew that they would never be strong enough to break the ties that bind us together. He understood that while we may see the world differently and hold different opinions about what's best for our country, the fact remains that we are all patriots who put the welfare of our fellow citizens above all else.

It was a philosophy that President Reagan took to heart — famously saying that he and Democratic Speaker Tip O'Neill, with whom he sparred constantly, could be friends after 6 o'clock. It's what led him to compromise on issues as contentious as Social Security and tax cuts. And it's what allowed him to work with leaders of all political persuasions to advance the cause of freedom, democracy and security around the world, including reducing nuclear weapons and imagining a world, ultimately, without nuclear weapons.

But perhaps even more important than any single accomplishment was the sense of confidence and optimism President Reagan never failed to communicate to the American people. It was a spirit that transcended the most heated political arguments, and one that called each of us to believe that tomorrow will be better than today. At a time when our nation was going through an extremely difficult period, with economic hardship at home and very real threats beyond our borders, it was this positive outlook, this sense of pride, that the American people needed more than anything.

When the future looked darkest and the way ahead seemed uncertain, President Reagan understood both the hardships we faced and the hopes we held for the future. He understood that it is always "Morning in America." That was his gift, and we remain forever grateful.

[waterboy]

Principles. Unless you are referring to his academic institution administrators.

He can't really win your admiration at all by the ground rules you've laid out. If he stays true to (your) perceived liberal ideology then you would admire him? Not likely. If he moves to what you perceive is the center then he is merely pandering to stay in power. Then, ignoring the fact that he has achieved more in his first two years than any president I can remember reading about (maybe TR or FDR did more) and under the most trying of circumstances, you blissfully wish he had rung up the deficit higher and faster than your idol, Ronnie.

If you want to pay a compliment to the man have the guts to do it with your right hand instead of the back of your left. The only reason I can deduce from such a post is that you just can't stand it that he isn't what you perceived or would like to take the shine off of his actions.

[swake]

Principles. Unless you are referring to his academic institution administrators.

He can't really win your admiration at all by the ground rules you've laid out. If he stays true to (your) perceived liberal ideology then you would admire him? Not likely. If he moves to what you perceive is the center then he is merely pandering to stay in power. Then, ignoring the fact that he has achieved more in his first two years than any president I can remember reading about (maybe TR or FDR did more) and under the most trying of circumstances, you blissfully wish he had rung up the deficit higher and faster than your idol, Ronnie.

If you want to pay a compliment to the man have the guts to do it with your right hand instead of the back of your left. The only reason I can deduce from such a post is that you just can't stand it that he isn't what you perceived or would like to take the shine off of his actions.

All Gaspar knows about politics is what the right wing talking heads told him.

Please see his knowledge about the stock market and economy as reference as the Dow nears 12000

[Gaspar]

Perhaps you are both right.  We'll have to see how this plays with his base.

. . .as for the statement

. . .achieved more in his first two years than any president I can remember. . .

Wow!

[we vs us]

Oh, Gassy, there's just no pleasing you.  

First you're incensed that he's a raging Communist-Socialist-Chicagoist and will turn the country into a smoking collectivist ruin, and now that he's done some pretty loud and strategic genuflecting before the Invisible Hand of the One True Market God, you're worried about ephemera like "principles."  Seriously?  I suggest you spend some time thinking about the practical ramifications of our representative democracy, and how you wanted him to make a change like this after the elections.  He's being responsive to the will of the people.  Some might say overmuch, but that's for us plebes to kvetch and/or blog about.  

To a significant degree, our system of government has naught to do with the personal principles of our representatives and everything to do with how well they are transparent channelers of their particular chunk of the demos.  

These people, they do what we tell them to do and change opinions when we change them.  Looking feckless is simply baked into the role.  

EDIT:  Also, what Waterboy said.

[Gaspar]

Well, at least it's good to see that the raging liberals are still in awe of his magnificent holiness. 

Perhaps this change of tone will do some good in taming the moonbats.  Perhaps the days of a lost generation getting their news from MTV and Comedy Central is over.  The end of the Keith (nobody but Starbucks will buy advertising with me) Olbermann days have come. 

I too shall tone down my rhetoric as President Obama seems bent on making it harder for a Libertarian like me to criticize him.  It will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out.

[Townsend]

Well, at least it's good to see that the raging liberals are still in awe of his magnificent holiness. 

Perhaps this change of tone will do some good in taming the moonbats.  Perhaps the days of a lost generation getting their news from MTV and Comedy Central is over.  The end of the Keith (nobody but Starbucks will buy advertising with me) Olbermann days have come. 

I too shall tone down my rhetoric as President Obama seems bent on making it harder for a Libertarian like me to criticize him.  It will certainly be interesting to see how this plays out.

Nearly suffered pulmonary aspiration on that one.

[RecycleMichael]

Well, at least it's good to see that the raging liberals are still in awe of his magnificent holiness. 

It is a burden that Obama and I share.

Thanks for noticing.

[Conan71]

Obama is a revisionist.  Reagan presided over the worst economy in American hisitory, hated Americans and American workers.  Oh, and he killed little kittens too.

[Townsend]

Oh, and he killed little kittens too.

Drinking kitten brain juice helps fight the onset of alzheimer's.  Not a cure though.

[RecycleMichael]

I think Obama and Reagan are good leaders to compare.

They both dramatically practiced deficit spending like no one before them, had real challengers within the own party, and both had a way of communicating their message that people respected.

Listen to Obama tonight, then turn off the pundits and think for yourself.

[Conan71]

I think Obama and Reagan are good leaders to compare.

They both dramatically practiced deficit spending like no one before them, had real challengers within the own party, and both had a way of communicating their message that people respected.

Listen to Obama tonight, then turn off the pundits and think for yourself.

I think I actually will tune into the entire address for the first time in probably 15 years tonight.  I'm approaching it with an open mind.  I was listening to KRMG coming in from OKC this morning and Jamie Dupree was saying that other reporters have a tendency to report on anything unrelated to the speech itself and will probably focus more on the "date night" aspect of the event and not the speech.

As far as the GOP response, I hope it's not the usual hard party line RNC claptrap, but I suspect I will be disappointed on that point.

[Red Arrow]

Listen to Obama tonight, then turn off the pundits and think for yourself.

Good advice for any political speech.