Having given the president a much-deserved word-processor-lashing last week, it’s now time to pick him up and dust him off.
A good coach doesn’t just yell at a kid for doing something stupid and leave it at that. (I generally laugh at a kid for doing something stupid, which is part of the reason why I’ve never claimed to be a good coach.) However, after the laughter dies down, I do try to offer some help in the way of, “Next time that situation arises, why not try it this way?”
Not that I could ever actually be Barack Obama’s coach. If I were, I’d kick him off the team for smoking.
More than a few Dems let me know that they thought I was too hard on the president. Many took the tack of, “What was he supposed to do? The Tea Party jackasses were willing to hold their breath until the country passed out.” Well, he had several options, but when he looked at the multiple-choice question, he froze and circled “none of the above.”
It’s real simple (and totally useless) for the average citizen such as myself to say, “Well, I know what I would have done,” because we really don’t. We just think we do. But what would other presidents have done? That’s fairly easy to discern. I’m not old enough to remember Harry Truman, but from what I’ve read and heard, it’s reasonable to assume he would have taken the fight to Congress.
If Lyndon Johnson had been president, the minute John Boehner walked into the White House conference room, he would have discovered a half-open folder full of 8-by-10 glossies of himself and the lobbyist he had been shtupping. The negotiations would have taken a different tone thereafter. And if the Tea Party crazies had threatened to shut down the government and the economy with Bill Clinton in office, the man from Arkansas would have said, “Go ahead, bitches; do your worst. We’ll see who takes the blame and who comes out on top.”
But Obama chose to do nothing, and there’s only one other Democratic president who would have done that: Jimmy Carter. Nice man, humanitarian, builds a darn fine low-income house. But he was a crappy (one-term) president, and Obama’s heading down that road if he doesn’t develop a backbone. He can’t keep retreating and living to fight another day. If he keeps that up, his finite supply of “another day” is going to run out on Jan. 19, 2013.
Having said all that, I must add that I plan on voting for Barack Obama again in 2012. Who else am I supposed to vote for, Michele Bachmann? (One l, two n’s, no sense.) Ron Paul? The racist pizza guy? No, unless the Republican Party can pull a Jurassic Park and somehow genetically resurrect Abraham Lincoln, I’m voting for the Democrat. I might also settle for the resurrection of Teddy Roosevelt, who had a healthy cynicism toward the excesses of big business.
The thing is that neither Abe Lincoln nor Teddy Roosevelt would be welcome in today’s Republican Party. Heck, when Teddy Roosevelt started establishing national parks and monuments, much to the chagrin of the timber and mining interests, Roosevelt was effectively kicked out of the Republican Party halfway through his second term. He wasn’t even welcome back then! (I’ve always found it amazing that many Republicans don’t realize that “conservation” and “conservative” share the same root.)
Anyway, I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get President Obama jump-started in the right direction. I remember that Bill Clinton used the Fleetwood Mac song “Don’t Stop (Thinkin’ About Tomorrow)” to great effectiveness during his first campaign. Just think of the damage he could have done had he used Parliament’s “We Want the Funk” instead. I know that the official title is “Give up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker),” but most white people know it as “We Want the Funk,” because they heard it in a Target commercial.
The perfect song came to me pretty quickly. It’s a classic from the pre-Parliament funkmasters, Sly and the Family Stone. They made brilliant music until their leader, Sylvester Stewart (Sly Stone), decided to snort the entire layer of topsoil from the entirety of Colombia. Single-handedly, he made the Grateful Dead look like Amish. The song’s called “Stand!” and the lyrics go like this:
Stand! In the end, you’ll still be you, one that’s done all the things you set out to do …
Stand! There’s a cross for you to bear, things to go through if you’re going anywhere …
Stand! All the things you want are real; you have you to complete and there is no deal …
Stand! You’ve been sitting much too long; there’s a permanent crease in your right and wrong …
Stand! They will try to make you crawl, and they know what you’re saying makes sense and all …
That’s pretty deep. Plus, there’s this really funky horn/gospel shout-out breakdown at the end that would get even Sarah Palin’s bootie to shakin’.
So, that’s my advice, Mr. President, short and simple: Stand up to the Tea Party bullies. Stand your ground. Stand for something.
This article appears in Aug 11-17, 2011.
The Tea Party will hate Obama no matter WHAT he does. He needs to concentrate on getting people like ME to like him again.
Look at the issues and tell me who you can support. Do you believe basic healthcare is a birthright? Do you believe taxes are the price for civilization? Are you prepared to fight for your beliefs, or at least, your rights? Are you waiting for someone to make you do something?
Day after day,
Alone on a hill,
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him,
They can see that he’s just a fool,
And he never gives an answer,
But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning ’round.
Well on the way,
Head in a cloud,
The man of a thousand voices talking perfectly loud
But nobody ever hears him,
or the sound he appears to make,
and he never seems to notice,
But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning ’round.
And nobody seems to like him,
they can tell what he wants to do,
and he never shows his feelings,
But the fool on the hill,
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning ’round.
Ooh, ooh,
Round and round and round.
And he never listens to them,
He knows that they’re the fools
They don’t like him,
The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning ’round.
It’s interesting to note that Tom advises our black President while quoting a black musician and suggesting the best model would be Teddy Roosevelt, a man who embraced the prevailing racist attitudes of his day. Teddy felt that the lesser races (Negroes, Indians & Asians) might eventually be capable of evolving to a higher (white) level after 50 or 100 generations. Come to think of it, I’m sure some segments of the Republican party would welcome Teddy with open arms.
The Beatles ” I’m a loser” comes to mind. Actually, I have alot to thank Obummer for. Last year I knew eventually the economy would tank under him so I transfered my I.R.A. into gold. Ca-Ching !
This guy will never take advice from anybody. He knows it all.
Two very simple (amont many) things liberals can’t seem to understand, or don’t want to face reality:
1. If you already have an insurmountable debt, the last thing you do is add to it. If you are in that
situation, you CUT SPENDING immediately. You review priorities and work hard at reducing your
expenses, and live within the income you have coming in. Our squandering money on social
programs, plus all the abuse and graft inherent with them, would be an excellent place to start.
2. You can’t demand that just because you can’t control your spending you WILL take more from
your employer, tax base, or whatever. Saying the Bush tax was a ‘rich man’s tax is one of the
greatest lies the liberals tell. It would raise taxes for everyone if that tax was rescinded; people
who can hardly handle their tax burden now, all the way up to the people who use that money to
expand business and hire additional employees. All Obama seems to care about is hiring more
Govt. employees. That ain’t gonna get it, folks.
Being the extremely astute gentleman you are, I am sure you are fimiliar with our president’s famous speech of March 2006. In case you aren’t, following is a very famous excerpt.
“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of
leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government can not pay its own
bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from
foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies.
Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally.
Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here.’ Instead, Washington is shifting the
burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren.
America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”
Senator Barack H. Obama, March 2006
My goodness, how we can flip-flop on EVERYTHING.
p.s. Would some liberal please tell me some (only 1 good one would do) benefits from the $870
BILLION bail-out money Obama’s administration has squandered?
Does it count that helping the auto industry finally spurred development of much higher mpg vehicles? Just maybe that requirement was part of the deal.
JONNA, is that ‘just maybe’ worth $870 BILLION dollars?
What a pathetic article! First off the Tea Party (of which I am not a member BTW), is such a tiny minority in the House and many of them voted for this great “deal”. So stop being stupid and claiming they are/were willing to bankrupt the country. We are already bankrupt – and without their help! Both Dem & Repubs, and each of us, are to blame for our current situation. I am an Independent and will continue to vote for the person and not the party of ideology. While Rome is burning our Nero is planning his 9 day vacation..what are the Dems thinking??????
Its a FACT Obama does need to come back.
Obama needs to come back from where ever he has been hanging out for 30 years..
He needs to at least open the windows of his massive brain and let the reeeeeeeefer smoke out……
The only thing Obama has ever made in his life is his kids. Being his wife helped with that, means he has never built anything on his own..
Over educated unquailified and a perfect example and product of affirmative action……
The neocons are stuck in the 1980s wishing reagan would come back from the grave and save them.
The libs are still stuck in the 1960s…
The neocons and the libs are both worthless and distructive…
The libs what to give everything away and the neocons will sell our country to the highest bidders..
Obama kisses chinas ass and neocons like Rck Perry take their money in the name of Free Market enterprise..
Neocons always need a HERO
Libs always need a LEADER
Remember Star Wars
LUKE, YOU ARE OUR ONLY HOPE , SAVE US FROM THE EVIL EMPIRE.
Today
OBAMA, YOU ARE THE ONLY HOPE FOR A SOCIALIST GHETTO
The “racist pizza guy”??? Time to check your meds. Last I looked, Herman Cain was not anti-white and he certainly isn’t anti-black. Ohhhh, I get it. Everyone who opposes Obama is racist hater of black people, even if he is 100% black, unlike Obama.
Obama just told America to stop sniveling, buck up and get ready for austerity, this on a newscast on so-called public radio. Then the announcer offered, “Mr. Obama will be at a campaign fund-raising event this evening where donors will pay $35,000 per ticket to attend.” If Obama is our only hope, then we have no hope.
PS: I, for one, do not think Tucson Weekly staff should be allowed to drink during working hours.
It’s interesting to remember that history is typically written by the winner of fight not the loser. I deem this article as the loser of the fight trying to feel better by name calling. Yes the tea partiers (which I’m not one of) moved to have the debt ceiling raised under new conditions which make them the winners of the this specific fight. Let’s not pretend that your side doesn’t do stupid s#%t such as telling the public congress needs to vote on a 2000 page bill to find out what is in it. For those that don’t like the debt limit debate to have new conditions I quote the emortal words of Daniel Tosh, “nanny nanny boo boo, stick your head in doo doo.”
Danehey – you’re asking a lot from a man whose career before Washington consisted primarily of voting “present.” Except, of course, when he voted for the measure that okayed letting an infant who survived an abortion die.
If some of you think that Obama shouldn’t be re-elected in 2012, you should consider some of the probable candidates from the Repugs. One, in particular, who seems to be gaining ground is Governor Rick Perry from Texas. If doesn’t scare you, it should.
You might wish to Google the Rachel Maddow show from last night, or read the article that recently appeared in the Texas Observer written by Forrest Wilder. Rick Perry has been “anointed” by a very marginal Christian nut group (New Apostolic Reformation) that consider themselves to be the new apostles and prophets. Rick Perry is going to be the leader of this new coming.
Here’s a link to the article from the Texas Observer. http://www.texasobserver.org/cover-story/r…
You can’t make this stuff up, folks.
Uhhhh OK. But in the spirit of Eric Holder’s conversation enforcement program I prefer the song, “Don’t Call Me Inuit, Whitey”
The problem with not-so-bright/experienced Presidents (and we’ve had plenty) is that many of them believe they are bright/experienced Presidents and bring in a staff that’s even less bright/experienced, so they look good. The ones who succeed bring in smart folks, and listen to them. I don’t see that happening now.
In Texas we usually find the Texas Observer on the same shelf with The National Enquirer. Both full of opionated, sensationalizing, headline-grabbing, self-serving bull$hit.
Dear Parkmanaa,
Instaed of just cutting spending on things like, oh, I don’t know, LETTING PEOPLE GO TO THE DOCTOR WHEN THEY’RE SICK, we might want to let the wealthy pay their fair share. Of course, by, “their fair share,” I mean at least as much as the AVERAGE AMERICAN CITIZEN.
Dear Mackenzie Kong-Sivert:
Do you mean that 50.1% of American citizens who paid zero taxes last year (the first time in history that more people paid no tax than did). In that same group, the lowest 40% actually make money from the tax system because they get more credits than they owe. Or do you mean the 3/4 of taxes that are paid by the wealthiest 10% of American citizens? I just want to know what a fair share really is. Maybe, just maybe, all American citizens should have to pay something for cost of things like, oh I don’t know, going to the doctor when they’re sick. Even if the federal government foots the bill for the bulk of that cost, receiving that benefit without paying into the system is how our current deficit problem came to be in the first place.
Mackenzie, I have a better idea. Let’s round up the 100 wealthiest Americans. First we take all their money. Next we take everything they own from their Leer Jet to the cornflakes in their pantry. Now we can run the country for a whole month. What do people like you have against the rich? Did you ever stop to think that maybe they actually worked for their money? Who the Hell are to decide how much they should pay to the Govt.? It really sickens me the way Obummer has poisoned people’s minds with his class warfare bullshit.
I am now stupider for reading this article and the comments that follow.
It seems that people’s idea of “rich” is quite varied. When you equate the taxes paid by someone earning minimum wage to the taxes paid by someone making $1 Million a yr.–why do you think the millionaire should keep more of his money? Even Warren Buffet thinks his tax rate should be higher than his secretary’s–which, presently, it’s not. “To those whom much is given, much is expected.” Philanthrophy used to be noble, but in today’s world full of greed, cheating and thievery, it’s on the back burner. Those “without” are often scorned by the “Haves.” They look down their noses at homeless–that’s when they can’t avoid them completely. Dubya’s reign can be encapsulated in his comments after 9/11–“Go Shopping,” he said. (I didn’t). Did he say, “Help your neighbor”? No. When The Quants on Wall St.–with their high frequency trading in dark pools–control the stock market and our daily bread, we know something is horribly wrong. Obama had the power to change the dialog and protect middle/working class America. Instead, he chooses to protect wealthy Corporatists. This is why I won’t waste my vote for him again. With all the poor choices he’s made favoring the richest Americans and corporations, he’d have to become some sort of Superman to change my mind and get my vote. Since all the Republicans are just shills for Big Business…guess I’ll be staying home and saving my gasoline and time….unless we get a real Progressive to “primary” Obama.
Folks should be made to truly understand Keynes and Hayek before they are allowed to write or blog about the economy. Since that is impossible, as least they should be made to view the following video until they can sing/rap it in it’s entirety, ESPECIALLY TOM. Hey, the production value is very good and the mixing is very good, and the actual rap is… OK (for middle aged White guys who aren’t named Marshal Mathers). The Lyrics of the rap battle are spectacular and extremely prescient.
“Fight of the Century: Keynes vs. Hayek Round Two”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTQnarzmTOc
Tom, you are right again.
Made me think of the words, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. That’s Obama, or his gutlessness is because Big Business is holding his cojones for him and he wants for his campaign that billion dollars from the big corporations that run this country.
Obama doesn’t run the govt., he has little to do with our country. But he did lie to us, we thought he stood for something and we fell for it. I won’t fall for his lies again. Because of Obama, we may have Perry, the creepy Texan, as president. In Texas they say he is a mix of Elmer Gantry, Huey Long and a Chippendale dancer. Perry in his high heels, his jackass eating cactus through a fence smile, his dislike of medical care for children unless it is a state required HPV vaccine for young girls (which we fought to get rid of) for his close buddy with tie to Merck Drugs, education aid(he went to the remedial college of Texas A&M and made very poor grades)and his flirtations with the Chinese. Even tried to sell our toll road to the Chinese and we put up a fuss. Perry announced his run for presidency in S. Carolina because he knew if he announced in Texas an angry mob would show up. Perry hates the press, on camera he calls us mofos. Perhaps the media spotlight on him will show Americans who can think logically that he is a disaster. If they liked Bush, Perry will even out do Bush in screwing up this country. What kind of choice are we going to have?
It looks ugly.
P.S. Tom, you are right about Lyndon Johnson. He knew how to get things done. 8×10 blackmail glossies were mild compared to some of his tactics and they worked. He knew people’s secrets and weaknesses. We could use him now.
His tragic flaw, other than alcoholism, was his supposed dependence on and deference to “academic advisors and generals” and they led him to keep US in Vietnam.
Lust for war profits by big corporations is the financial and moral ruin of our country.
I wonder why Americans are not protesting in the streets and pulpits our invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Perhaps we have given up. I think I have.
@ bwhacker
perhaps he is referring to the millionaires that skirt their taxes and instead funnel them into orgs that do not I repeat DO NOT benefit the vast majority of most Americans.
“Because many millionaires and billionaires, it was revealed today, don’t pay taxes like you and me:
In fact, many don’t pay taxes at all. Now, those familiar with the Mack-truck sized loopholes written into the tax code (example: the wealthy who make their money off capital gains only pay a 15 percent tax rate, if that) shouldn’t be surprised.
According to a recently released IRS report (PDF), 1,470 millionaires and billionaires paid zero taxes in 2009.
The report states that donations to charity, investment in government bonds, and taking cash from overseas operations has resulted in a legit, $0-tax bill for these high rollers.
Of course, some Democrats in congress have been trying to eliminate tax loopholes and discounts as part of the debt ceiling debate. But while Republicans are gung-ho to cut federal largess in the name of a solvent Republic, they’ve been quick to protect those who live largest.
In fact, as we recently told you, the 400 richest earners across the land pay a 17 percent tax rate (yours is more like 35 percent).
If you’re not pissed off yet, read David Cay Johnston’s “9 Things The Rich Don’t Want You To Know About Taxes.””
http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/08…
I like turtles
Obama you are our only hope.
The sun will only rise if Obama has it rise..
The worlds problems will be resolved, only if Obama is reelected..
Obama is the smartest man on earth, just ask him ..
Pro Golfer wantabe by day, president by night