Imagine a different world

[Go2Peace]

Imagine a different world. One where, when Obama came into office he:

1. Filled his cabinet with a true mix of respected leaders from Universities, NGOs, Groundbreaking Political leaders, and visionary business leadership.
   
   
   
2. Placed strong principled leadership in the Department of Justice and told them that investigating Fraud in the lead to the banking crises is a priority as was moving forward indictments, so that the public would clearly understand the theft that occurred.
   
   
   
3. Placed a moderate but principled leader in charge of forming Bank Regulations, and creating regulations to not only decrease this kind of fraud, keep the meltdown from happening again, but to restrict the ability of corporate heads to reward it.
   
   
   
4. Released to the public all information about 9/11, and only withheld information that was truly national security related, not public image related, and allow the people to decide how they felt about it.
   
   
   
5. Promoted a strengthening of the Military and the economy, by pledging to reduce the Military budget by removing innefficient programs and cutting waste, and including it in the proposals to move the budget back to stability.
   
   
   
6. Create a 60 Billion $$ investment in alternative energy projects, with a third going directly to university research in US universities (instead of the 60 Billion $$ to the nuclear industry).
   
   
   
7. Proposed and actively **advocated** for expanding medicare and/or the public option, and place someone like Howard Dean who's entire job would be to Champion it. And if things still went the way they are today, split out the regulatory components, and then continue the fight for further progress separately, by building a Health Care Coalition and engaging health care advocates to help.
   
   
   
8. Engage the "Bully Pulpit" in the same way he did during the elections, to rally support and outline the real threats.
   
   

Imagine..

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Alternatively -

And Imagine, alternatively, if "Candidate" Obama had not delivered a forceful message of hope and change, and instead had delivered a message of BIPARTISANSHIP and compromise? He would have lost the election, just like he is losing the energy and commitment of his base.

Why do we now deny the power of that approach, and discard it for a new approach based on "pragmatism" and "Bi-partisan" hopes?

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I know there will be strong arguments against such an approach. But I believe that if he had come out this way he would have captured and energized the base which would have had his back. And even if we suffered a setback, and he was defeated in the election cycle, he could have masterfully countered the corporate propaganda and forced the Genie out of the bottle in a way that would engage the public to fight harder, which we do indeed need to happen.

I believe this can still be achieved even now. Because Obama's "Yes We Can" message was a good one, but somehow he stopped saying it, and we need to proclaim it again.

[Go2Peace]

1. People could not have had time to read my post yet. Why not read it and post a reasoned response

instead of unrec and run?

Honestly, is anything in here unreasonable or outside of Obama's campaign rhetoric? Why do you think the current approach is working? Seriously, I would like to hear the arguments.

[Greyhound]

8. I really think there is/are some script-kiddies that automatically unrec every post. n/t

[Go2Peace]

12. I wish they would change the rec system. It is gamed and encourages a few

to dilute discussion and I believe it is a core cause of the increased agitation here.

[DJ13]

2. Good post, K&R

And...... I even read it!

:)

[upi402]

3. imagine an oppsosition party

to the UNIPARTY we have to "choose between" now.
k/r


tyvm!

[lunatica]

4. I read it too

And I have imagined that. I'm hoping that as Obama starts flexing his muscles in front of Americans as President as in the Summit meeting he realizes he can galvanize us and Congress better than if he takes a back seat. It can't be an easy time for Presidents in their first year. There's simply too much to learn and do.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

6. When I first began teaching, my parents, both former teachers, gave me the following advice--

"You have to establish your authority over the classroom at the beginning of the year. If you give the disruptive students any leeway at the beginning, you'll lose control of your classroom and never regain it. You can loosen up later, after you've established credibility, but playing "Ms. Nice Gal" at the beginning and then trying to crack down on an unruly class doesn't work."

In other words, I think that Obama has already shown himself to be a pushover (as Clinton did), and he has either little time or no time to change his approach.

[Greyhound]

9. Exactly, the opportunity passed him by and he didn't even swing at it.

It's way too late to change up now that they know he's a pushover.

[Go2Peace]

10. I don't think it is too late, but he will need to have a serious shakup

[pscot]

15. Most boys understand this

before they get to high school. Let people start pushing you around and it won't stop. Obama seems never to have learned it.

[Go2Peace]

7. Obama has the ability to lead on these things and I doubt they are outside his desires

It just seems like he is listening to all the wrong people.

If things don't change I think history will see Obama as "lost potential".

I think he is also surrounded by too many that are enamored of him (for good reason, he is intelligent and has a lot of capability), but what happens is you can end up with "yes" men and women all around you and get insulated from the truth what is really happening. I have a feeling that may be in play.

I think might be as simple as inviting others into his internal team. He is going to have to realize that he needs to shake up and allow some alternative voices into his administration.

[lunatica]

13. Usually the mid term elections change the dynamics

That's why I think a President's first year is mostly about learning and making mistakes. There is a bubble of yes men there. Of people who kiss his ass and say one thing to his face and another behind his back. It's an ivory tower far away from the real world. Washington DC is a unique town that forgets it's not a regular city. People get caught up with the power and with having lobbyists forking over millions of dollars to them. It's a lot like Las Vegas. Unique and similar in many ways with a lot of pretending and shiny things to gamble with and for.

[Go2Peace]

16. That would seem to fit the pattern, I hope you are right

Good reason to be well involved in the coming elections. One thing I definitely agree with the "talking points" brigade here about, we have to engage for this november. As for me, I am focusing my efforts on Progressive Democrats. The best "message" we can give is to get liberal congressman elected.

[Enrique]

5. that will have to wait for a future democratic president

we need to figure out how to make the best out of the current democratic president (which is not the one you imagine) and democratic majorities in congress.

[Coyote_Bandit]

11. I have little trouble imagining that

you have just reinforced my desire to vote for a progressive Dem opponent instead of Obama the next time his name appears on my ballot (Dem primary). And you didn't even dwell on the clusterfuck of healthcare reform.

[Go2Peace]

14. That is what primaries are for.

Personally I just hope he will have a "epiphany" and turn around the disastrous course he is taking. I think he has it in him. But for some people it takes a "wake" up call before they change. I believe we have lots of evidence that there will be one (wake up call). Next few months will tell.

If he can't strengthen the movement because they cannot identify with him, the Republicans and Corporatists will have him for dinner. Despite what some here like to tell us, it is all in his hands. He can easily engage a lot of "people power". The question is: Why isn't he?

[gulliver]

17. Always nice to imagine different worlds.

The hard part is making the Earth act like the world you imagine. (And that begs the question of whether you can imagine something truly better.)

Really, I look at Obama as easily the best president in my lifetime. Breathing steadily while waiting for the Earth to change is the best advice, I think. It will change, but the engaging in the work required to change the real world is a damned sight harder than engaging one's imagination. You can't fight for ideals if you don't know they are ideals. It's a recipe for disappointment and loss, IMO.

[Go2Peace]

18. I know it is considered sacrilege around here, But the point is he is not

the best President of our lifetime. Well, mine anyway. He is missing the boat.

What do you think our President's "ideals" are? Where do you think we are moving toward? I am asking honestly, because I really can't quite tell.