During the news coverage of Obama's speech on Afghanistan, I heard him say something that struck me as so risible that I had to find out if I had understood it correctly. So I sought out the text of the speech and in reading quickly through it I found three things that jumped out at me:
1. "But we must be as pragmatic as we are passionate; as strategic as we are resolute."
Reading that line, Alanis Morissette singing "One Hand in My Pocket" springs unbidden to mind.
2. "We are a nation that brings our enemies to justice while adhering to the rule of law, and respecting the rights of all our citizens."
This from the man who among other things, refused (and refuses) to prosecute Bush administration crimes, who has expanded executive power, endorsed and even broadened Bush Co. claims justifying official secrecy, pushed for renewal of expiring Traitor Act provisions, wants to expand the ability of government to electronically spy on our communications, waged an unprecedented war on whistleblowers, and allowed the torture of Bradley Manning. I really don't think he is in a position to talk about "respecting the rights of all our citizens."
But this is the one that originally got me, the one that made me think "Did he really say that?"
3. "Now, we must invest in America’s greatest resource – our people. We must unleash innovation that creates new jobs and industry, while living within our means."
I assume that's his entry into the contest for the greatest number of vapid cliches in the shortest length of time.
But to the extent it means anything at all, it means "We'll work on our problems as long as it's not inconvenient."
The O-crowd figures they can get away with that kind of crap because they are counting on the left feeling it has nowhere else to go, that he can keep placating the GOPpers and playing footsie with Wall Street and expanding executive power and undermining civil liberties and failing to fight for those things he claimed to support as a candidate (his mantra appears to be "when the going gets tough, the tough get gooey") - all because hey, whadda ya gonna do, elect Michele Bachmann?
And as long as there is no price for them to pay for taking us for granted, none of that is going to change.
We are so screwed.
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3 comments:
We really are.
I felt like I was listening to a speech written-by-committee; it seemed to contradict itself in several key places.
That Afghanistan speech was merely for his upcoming re-election. It was all bumper sticker campaing cliches.
Daisy -
The contradictions likely were rooted in what Jay pointed out: It was really a campaign speech.
Jay -
I expect you're right, since everyone who cared knew there was going to be an announcement of some troops coming out; the only questions were how many how fast. No reason that required a speech instead of just a statement.
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