Robert Parry: Obama's Fear of the Reagan Narrative

[marmar]

from Consortium News:



Obama's Fear of the Reagan Narrative

By Robert Parry
December 28, 2010


At a closed-door White House meeting this month, President Barack Obama justified his repeated concessions to the Right as necessitated by its success over three decades in selling Ronald Reagan’s anti-government message to broad sectors of the American public.

The National Journal reported that Obama met with liberal economists Paul Krugman, Joseph Stiglitz, Jeffrey Sachs, Alan Blinder and Robert Reich on Dec. 7, just hours before a press conference at which the President criticized his liberal “base” for taking “sanctimonious” and “purist” positions rather than making the compromises required to help Americans in the real world.

In both venues, Obama defended his deal with Republicans on extending George W. Bush’s tax cuts for the rich as necessary to gain Republican support for extended unemployment benefits and for tax breaks to boost the economy and help working- and middle-class Americans.

However, at the earlier White House meeting, Obama told the economists that he felt handcuffed by the Right’s ability to rally Americans on behalf of Reagan’s “government-is-the-problem” message. "It was hard to change the narrative after 30 years” of Republican repetition about the evils of big government, one participant quoted Obama as saying.

“He seemed to be looking for a way to reassure the base” about where his heart really was on these questions, said the participant who spoke anonymously. “Or maybe it was just to reassure himself.” ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.consortiumnews.com/2010/122810.html

[ClassWarrior]

1. "At a closed-door White House meeting this month, President Barack Obama justified his repeated..."

"...tendency to bash himself in the face with a shovel as necessitated by a bunch of lying criminals' success over three decades in selling Ronald Reagan’s message that people with big ears should bash themselves in the face with shovels to broad sectors of the American public."

:eyes:

When do we start CHANGING the narrative, instead of bending over for it?

NGU.

[FreakinDJ]

10. That is a question the Working Class needs to ask itself

Especially those drawing a Union Paycheck

[BobbyBoring]

18. It's really amazing what the right has done

First, they convince WAY too many people that the media is a leftist tool.

Then, they convince WAY too many people that the only reliable source of the truth is the FAR RIGHT media, all fair and balanced and everything.

The major coup was The Tea Parties. The Republican play book says above all else, always appear to be in the majority and the leftist tool media and the far right media has done a great job.

What's sad is most of the drivel coming from the right can be dispelled with the slightest bit of thought and reasoning. One need only ask "Who is Roger Ailes" to get the skinny on Fox.

I do believe we can change the narrative but it's not going to be easy. We can start by demanding the TRUTH from media by actually boycotting their advertisers. This won't work with Fox of course but ABC CBS, etc will feel the pinch.

There's a start~

[OHdem10]

2. I thought we voted to change the Reagan Sellout of this country

to Big Business. The Government was the problem so
Reagan turned it over to the Corporations.

Orzag said on C Rose Show, We gave the Republicans
and Big Business a chance and they drove us into
a ditch. Now it is our turn (Democrats).

I am paraphrazing but this is darn clse to a quote.
It was so impactful on me I will never forget it.

Naturally, I was so very happy that the Administration
had a clear understanding of the real problem.

"Buck up" Mr. President, unless deep down you really
drank the Reagan Kool-Aid.

[Angry Dragon]

3. Trickel down economics still does not work Mr. President

no matter how you brand it or tie it up with a pretty bow

Voodoo Economics -- GHWB

[emulatorloo]

8. Where in the article does Obama say he supports "trickle down economics?"

From what I can tell he talked about how successful Republican Messaging had been, not that their message was "correct."

(and he is correct that Republican messaging has been successful)

[Angry Dragon]

17. Continued cuts for the upper class

more cuts for corporations

I believe his actions speak louder than his words

[FreakinDJ]

11. Trickel down economics - aka - Failed Economic Policies

[leveymg]

4. Obama has a bad case of Stockholm Syndrome: he now loves his captors and captivity.

Barack Obama is a prisoner inside Barack Obama.

[fasttense]

5. That is the problem with centrist thinking. It merely moves the country further to the right.

It reinforces stupid ideas from the right and offers no counter argument to change.

Obama has resurrected the dying RepubliCON party by failing to prosecute criminals, failing to hold anyone accountable (unless Fox news makes a big to-do about some liberal organization - ACORN, Vance, Shirley Sherrod), and supporting right wing free trade policies. The RepubliCON party was on a cliff after the 2008 elections. Obama rescued them by NOT taking action on prosecutions or holding people accountable; by reinforcing stupid right wing economic policies, and by selecting right wing people for positions of power in his administration. It's as if he only listened to Fox Noise and Rush Limpballs, and never heard a word about liberal ideals.

As a Democratic president he could have turn this country to the left instead of reviving a failed ultra-right wing agenda.

[Enrique]

6. the democrats have been working for a generation to defeat that narrative

and then Obama comes and sells them all out out of cowardice. He embraces the Reagan trickle-down lie just as it was at its most exposed as the lie that it is.

[marmar]

7. Please. The "New" Dems have been supporting this narrative since Clinton took over.

nt

[Enrique]

9. and the New Dems were nearly beaten

near totally discredited, even Obama asked to be removed from the DLC's list of "New Dems". Lieberman was reviled within the party.

Then Obama came and ran as a DLCer who somehow managed to convince a lot of progressives that he was some kind of anti-DLCer, and now he's governing as the ultimate DLCer. Which is extremely dangerous because the DLC is out to get Social Security.

[marmar]

12. I don't disagree......I just don't think this is new to Obama.

Clinton out-Reaganed Reagan, and Obama eagerly grabbed the baton.

[jaxx]

13. Ho hum another anonymous participant story.

Some of the leftist blogs are losing credibility with their constant carping and lack of real "quotes". You'd think they had an agenda to put down the President and the Democratic Party.

[somone]

14. He just needs to praise Reagan more often

and buy more Reagan books and movies

[southernyankeebelle]

15. I would have told Obama you were elected by a majority because we wanted

changes to help the average american not the rich. You needed to stick by your guns even if you lose in 2012 at least you would have gone down with honor and what you believed in. Americans would have relected you. Of course the weak democrats who only have pussies didnt back you up and now you see what happens. Stop listenign to Fox and do what the majority of the american people put you in office for. The only hope we have now is to give you 4 more years and hopefully you'll start defending the american people.

[zalinda]

16. Except that over 60% want the rich to pay more taxes

Does he not see these polls? He could have hit the repubs over their heads with the poll, but he didn't.

zalinda

[PurityOfEssence]

19. Frankly, it doesn't matter where his heart is; it matter what he DOES

If he's really so tender about how people feel about him, he should concentrate on his actions. I have no pity or sympathy for this, and I'm pretty damned empathetic by nature; he's in a position of great power, fame and financial reward. He's set for life, and will be retired in his mid-fifties, if not earlier with his financial prospects pretty much unassailable.

It doesn't matter that it pains him greatly to have to dance their merry tune and not push for what's better; the only thing that matters is that he does the right thing.