What Would YOU Have the President Do?

[Segami]

There were varying reactions to the President’s recent speech at Knox College this week. My reaction was that the speech was deeply dishonest in light of the President’s previous policies, actions, and results, and I intended to do a critique, but Michael Hudson and Yves Smith beat me to it. In a fine post at Naked Capitalism, entitled “Michael Hudson Shreds Obama’s Orwellian Speech On Middle Class Prosperity,” Michael Hudson, with occasional added comments from Yves, deconstructs the speech paragraph by paragraph, and sometimes line-by-line, pointing out disingenuous assertions and outright dishonesty. In her introduction Yves remarks on the context:

The worst is that Obama apparently plans a series of Big Lie speeches on his “vision for rebuilding an economy that puts the middle class — and those fighting to join it – front and center.” That’s at best an afterthought, since he’s given the economy over to an at best indifferent and at worst predatory elite that have no interest in giving it back.

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/07/michael-hudson-shreds-obamas-orwellian-speech-on-middle-class-prosperity.html

The reaction to the post was vigorous with most of the discussion supporting and amplifying the views presented. However, there was one comment which said:

Have you mentioned the fact that he’s right on every issue mentioned?

Would you rather have a FDR, or Truman or Johnson as our president? These men, while great, are not that much different from the current President.

What would u have him do? Enact single-payer health care, small class sizes and the best teachers imaginable, a minimum wage at $21.00 an hour and an average wage at $40 (where it should be), and a lower private debt burden across the board with a wave of one of his “Hope and Change” wands?

I am proud to have voted for this man. He can’t do it alone. And going after him while offering no positive alternatives yourself to me is the height of contemptibility.

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/07/michael-hudson-shreds-obamas-orwellian-speech-on-middle-class-prosperity.html#comment-1317998

Of course, that persistent rationalization offered by the world’s Obamabots is my cue. What I want him to do falls into two major categories. First, there are necessary first moves he can probably get done which will facilitate passing all the other policies I propose. Second, there are the policies that will restore prosperity to poor and middle class over time.


Get rid of the filibuster

He can start by convening Congressional Democrats: House and Senate, and telling them that the middle class and American Democracy are simultaneously threatened and that he can’t save the situation and ensure a Democratic victory in 2014, unless, as a first step, the Democrats in the Senate agree to get rid of the filibuster entirely, and immediately, and accept majority rule in the Senate on all matters not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution. Of course, the House Democrats have nothing formally to say about what the Senate does. But their presence is important for impressing upon the Senators the importance to the national party of doing this, and then going on offense against the Republicans, so that the Democrats can retain control of the Senate and enable them to once again get something to run on, so they can get a majority in the House. In saying this, I’m not saying that returning Democrats to power will get us to Democracy. Far from it. But I do think that it will slow the evolution toward plutocratic fascism, and create opportunities for enacting new and helpful policies provided the right Democrats are elected. I know, I know. That’s an awfully big qualification. But people certainly can work for that result.



cont'




http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/18100-what-would-you-have-the-president-do

[pnwmom]

1. Obama can't get rid of the filibuster. The Senators seem to think they're in charge of the Senate.

They believe in the concept of "separation of powers" for some reason, and don't want to cede any of their power to the Presidency.

[JaneyVee]

2. Quick! Think of a past liberal or progressive President. Obama is better than them.

Amazing how this article assumes Obama isn't dealing with the most racist, bigoted, ignorant, hate filled obstructionists in US history but by all means, lets just keep letting Republicans off the hook.

[Herlong]

3. I don't give a damn what does

We are ones who can change things. Waiting for Obama to do something is just bogus.

[uponit7771]

4. Doesn't matter, the purist left wouldn't be happy if he walked on water. They bashed Clinton, Carter

...and now Obama.

Why should people take them seriously

[Oakenshield]

5. I'd have him bombard the conservatives with exceutive orders.

The moment they try to dispute one, then swing another at their empty heads. If they're going to fight dirty its god damn time we did the same. I'd have the President take the gloves off.

[MannyGoldstein]

6. I think the Trans Pacific Partnership will save the middle class

Like all previous free trade agreements, it will raise America's standard of living.

It's being kept totally secret until it's done because people would riot in the streets when they saw how great it is.

Huzzah!

Government-Paid Persona Manny

[liberal_at_heart]

7. If I could get the president to do something it would be making campaign financing public,

make taking money from lobbyists illegal, repeal Citizens United, and make it so that Congress members could not accept consulting positions with lobbying firms or banks after they leave Congress. That is what I would have the President do. My single issue is education but I am willing to put that aside if getting money out of politics was the only thing I could ask the President do. I would do this because none of our issues will ever be solved until we get money out of politics.