NYT's Kristof: Franklin Delano Obama

[Pirate Smile]

Franklin Delano Obama

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
Published: February 28, 2009

Most presidents are tacticians, but President Obama is a strategist. His budget suggests that he aspires to be an echo of Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan, harnessing his charisma, vision and political capital to transport America to a different place.
The best measure of that is Mr. Obama’s “down payment” to move closer to universal health coverage from womb to tomb. That is something that Roosevelt also sought, a lifetime ago.

The absurd system of health coverage we now have is a historical accident from World War II. Because of wage controls, employers competed for workers by offering health insurance as a fringe benefit — and so we’re stuck today with a system in which the loss of a job is compounded by the loss of health insurance.

-snip-
“It was horrible,” she said of her dealings with the insurance companies. She said that when one executive told her indignantly that the company had already paid out a lot of money for Michelle, she responded, “I would give my life for you not to have to pay one cent for my daughter.”

Not surprisingly, Mrs. Morse fervently hopes that Mr. Obama will be able to move the country toward a national health care system. If he can lead us there, even gradually, he has a chance to join the pantheon of truly great presidents like F.D.R. himself.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/opinion/01Kristof.html?ref=opinion

[babylonsister]

1. We are so lucky, and need to try to help push his agenda forward,

even if through e-mails.

[theoldman]

2. I hope that Obama never becomes like Reagan.

Roosevelt was honest while Reagan lied to everyone including himself.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Unsane]

4. he blatantly lied about Iran Contra

[Jennicut]

5. Google Iran Contra.

[WinkyDink]

12. And Bitburg; Ed Meese; James Watt; David Stockman; Iranian Hostage Crisis/October Surprise; etc.

And then, for fun, Google "Hinckley Bush Connections."

[Captain Hilts]

6. Country's nuclear waste fitting under his desk. ICBMs recallable. nt

[Every Man A King]

7. Please fuck off... and go back to Freeperville n/t

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Drunken Irishman]

8. You're Ronald Reagan's zombie? OMG!

KILL IT!

[babylonsister]

11. The conservatives like Limbaugh and Hannity are lying to you about

Reagan. He was a charasmatic politician, but a lousy prez. Just look at the economics he fashioned for this country. Does the color 'red' ring a bell? Small government, and build that deficit.

And then when Iran-Contra reared its ugly head, he lost his memory. Convenient that.

[Drunken Irishman]

9. I agree, but I hope he implements his policies the way Reagan did his.

Reagan was one of the most influential presidents in American history, whose impact spans from basically the start of his presidency to now. Let it end with Obama and let the Obama Revolution begin.

[liberalsince1968]

13. That comparison doesn't do Obama ANY favors and I don't understand why so many use it.

Reagan was a disaster second only to Bush.

[Top Cat]

14. Fuck you!