President Barack Obama told blacks on Saturday to quit crying and complaining and "put on your marching shoes" to follow him into battle for jobs and opportunity. AP
Follow him? If the President wants anyone to follow him, he had better start leading -- something he has consistently failed to do since his inauguration. He did not lead while the health reform debate devolved into a national joke and coughed up a bill that Americans still do not understand. He did not lead the march for job creation when the economy proved to be in much worse shape than his economic advisors had forecast. As a matter of fact, he did the opposite: he publicly made the Republican case for job-killing austerity measures while trumpeting his willingness to weaken entitlements on which the middle class depend.
The President said that "blacks need to have faith in the future and understand that the fight won't be won if they don't rally to his side." Suddenly, there is a "fight" in the President's mind.
Since the election, the Obama administration's working theory has been that the first-best outcome is striking a deal with Speaker John Boehner and, if that fails, the second-best outcome is showing that they genuinely, honestly wanted to strike a deal with Speaker John Boehner. - Washington Post
Some fight -- compromise your principles or desperately try to compromise them. Now, suddenly, it's election season, and he's magically switched from conciliating to fighting. Unfortunately, this is not the fight for the longevity of the American dream; it is not a fight for a restoration of a vibrant middle class. It's more craven than that. It is a fight for his own job. That is the only cause for which this President has displayed a "fire in the belly." Come election time, he is all feisty speeches, ultimatums and "bring it on," bluster. The day after the election, he is the Cave Man -- the one who caves to the slightest right wing pressure to sacrifice the promises he made during his election phase, like the promise he made to defend Social Security, like the promise he made to reform the Patriot act and to robustly defend labor rights.
As if chiding his black audience for laziness, he told them to "take off your bedroom slippers. Shake it off. Stop complainin'. Stop grumblin'. Stop cryin'. We are going to press on. We have work to do."
His audience applauded. How desperate are we to see a black face in high office that we applaud insults. We're supposed to stop complaining that Obama has consistently ignored the economic advice that turned out to be correct -- and continues to employ the economic advisors who have been wrong about everything -- who have helped craft the policies that have done nothing to heal an economy with tens of millions of Americans unemployed, underemployed, frightened, and desperate.
As if to preening before a mirror in his shiny suit of self-righteousness, Obama has tested a theory of governance that bespoke naivete to the point of dilettantism. Washington Post again:
...That was the thinking that led the White House to reward the GOP's debt-ceiling brinksmanship by offering Boehner a "grand bargain" that cut Social Security, raised the Medicare age, and included less new revenue than even the bipartisan Gang of Six had called for. It was also a theory that happened to fit Obama's brand as a postpartisan uniter and his personal preferences for campaigning on achievements rather than against his opponents. But though it came close to happening, the "grand bargain" ultimately fell apart. Twice.
The collapse of that deal taught them two things: Boehner doesn't have the internal support in his caucus to strike a grand bargain with them, and the American people don't give points for effort.
What American does not know that his/her countrymen value results over intent when it comes to politics? What American does not know that his countrymen admire strength and hold weakness in contempt? Barack Obama and his advisers did not know. Or were they so blinded by the bright, shiny image of themselves as Messianic post-partisans that they ignored the facts repeatedly slapping them about the face?
Obama has no right to demand that anyone follow him. He hasn't led us anywhere worth going. He hasn't even tried. He's been too busy polishing his mirror image as a post-partisan "better than that" non-politician, despite running as a bona fide progressive promising a bold, progressive agenda.
How many Americans' jobs and savings and houses and children's educations has he sacrificed to his preferred self image? Until he publicly acknowledges that he was wrong to do so, how can we trust him or follow him -- or vote for him again?
Obama urges black community to 'march with me' - CNN.com
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Then you stop crying and complaining about the previous administration and congress.
Leonce Gaiter, thank you for the integrity of your post.
Problem is the president's rhetoric never matches his policies and unfortunately because his record, despite efforts by his partisan true believers to elevate it, is so unremarkable, it leaves him with little more than rhetoric to run on. Did Obama actually think the 'Grand Bargain" to slash Social Security was an achievement he could campaign on? Chances are that his infatuation with Reagan and his ongoing effort to emulate him in 'reforming' Social Security is the very thing that caused his slide in the polls
He still makes references to cutting waste & reforming the safety net at a time when many Americans--especially black Americans are struggling, like it wasn't a consideration at all and he is supposed to be a Democrat--defending Democratic principles?
Bah, when I think of the overwhelming evidence of the past 3 years when he acted against Democratic party objectives, it makes it impossible to defend him now that he is back to his campaign rhetoric only to benefit himself.
The Presidency to Obama is the campaign performance. Not so sure it gets a second act
Not the general public.
As for me, Trust, once lost, is hard to restore.
I simply do not, at this time, believe that Obama will actually work for the middle-class or working poor after the election.
He's certainly not demonstrated that at all since his election - he's worked for the executives of big banks and big multi-national corporations. He surrounded himself with Wall Streeters - Daley, Immelt, etc.
Obama is a great speaker. Full of great talk.
But, his actions, at least so far, belie any intention at all to actually work for the middle-class, the working poor, the poor, the hungry, the unemployed, the disenfranchised of America. So far, his actions are all about the big corporations and going along to get along.
I don't want a Mr. Nice Guy. I want someone who will fight for the middle-class.
So far, that's definitely not Obama.
Actions speak louder than words.
Results matter.
These are the results from years of, mostly, Democratic leadership:
http://jaredbernsteinblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/chng_incsh.png
The result is one of corrupt kleptocracy.
Maybe if you stopped acting like petulant children and started devoting more of your energy toward electing progressive members of Congress, you could get more of the changes you seek enacted. Ever think of that? Instead, progressives couldn't even be bothered to help get out the vote for Alan Grayson and Russ Feingold, two of their biggest champions.