The Real Obama

[ProSense]

The Real Obama

By CHARLES M. BLOW

Is this the real Barack Obama? I hope so. I like this one.

The president used Tuesday’s State of the Union address to detail a vision of America’s future, and his second term, in which the country is not in perpetual war, government plays an expansive role, Congressional obstruction is named and shamed and he is bold and unapologetically progressive.

<...>

The speech was a full-throated rebuke and disavowal of the conservative argument that government must shrink and cower. It was a rebuke of the economic theory that a government’s role in revival is to retreat and lift regulations. It was an embrace of the country’s growth and diversity and an elevation of those down on their luck. And it was a bring-it-on gesture to the gun lobby...He aimed much of the speech at a still-struggling middle class, but it was also an open appeal to the poor — those with jobs and without.

He proposed an increase in the federal minimum wage — from $7.25 an hour to $9 — and to “tie the minimum wage to the cost of living, so that it finally becomes a wage you can live on.”

And in what I thought was commendable for a president who has taken some knocks — including from me — for not focusing enough on the poor, he said:

“Tonight, let’s also recognize that there are communities in this country where no matter how hard you work, it is virtually impossible to get ahead. Factory towns decimated from years of plants packing up. Inescapable pockets of poverty, urban and rural, where young adults are still fighting for their first job. America is not a place where chance of birth or circumstance should decide our destiny. And that is why we need to build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class for all who are willing to climb them.”

- more -

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/14/opinion/blow-the-real-obama.html

"Holy smokes!" President Obama Releases Full Pre-K Plan
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022372550

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[OldDem2012]

2. FDR proved that government programs designed to employ as many Americans as possible....

...work in two ways....employing millions of Americans unable to find work any other way during the Depression (today's ongoing Recession), and 2) creating new tax revenues from the newly employed.

FDR also created huge public works programs that also improved the nation's infrastructure in addition to the other two points. I keep waiting for the President to recreate this program, because we really need it for all of the reasons stated above.

[sheshe2]

3. KICK & RECOMMEND!!! nt

[Bandit]

4. I have great Hope....but talk is cheap

I understand for a Government to function properly there has to be some give and take but so far it has seemed to be far more give than take on the Presidents side...I also understand his hands are pretty much tied by the Republicans so we are destined to receive only half measures at best, but I am very dissappointed in his ideas on Justice and how some don't ever seem to need to worry about anything they might do because the Obama Justice dept will Never prosecute...

[ProSense]

5. It's likely that the President

fully understands the law, and some of his inability to act is Republican obstruction and other limitations.

President Obama Shows No CISPA-like Invasion of Privacy Needed to Defend Critical Infrastructure
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022370043

It's also likely that his second-term will track more closely to his SOTU, as evidenced by his universal pre-school proposal and determination to use Executive Orders to address climate change issues.

Some of the things he talked about will simply be ignored by the MSM.

Washington Post Overlooks Obama’s Extensive Remarks On Climate And Energy
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/02/13/1589541/washington-post-overlooks-obamas-extensive-remarks-on-climate-and-energy/

HUD, HHS partner to provide permanent housing, services to low-income persons with disabilities
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022369197

[leftstreet]

6. He said the same things when he campaigned 4 yrs ago n/t

[ProSense]

7. Wait

"He said the same things when he campaigned 4 yrs ago"

...he proposed universal pre-school and a minimum wage indexed to inflation four years ago?

6 Game-Changing Ideas In The State Of The Union
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022365997

[leftstreet]

8. What happened to the EFCA? The Shovel-Ready Jobs Program?

Please

[ProSense]

10. So you think

"What happened to the EFCA? The Shovel-Ready Jobs Program?"

...universal pre-school and increasing the minimum wage is the same as "Shovel-Ready Jobs Program"?

I mean, it's interesting that your attempt to dismiss the OP is to claim he gave the same speech in 2009.

[leftstreet]

11. You're making no sense

Increased wages are great, but they tend to be even better when there are some fucking jobs

'universal preschool' Jeez, I hope that's not like 'universal healthcare' which was code for a mandated, for-profit money grab from the working classes

[ProSense]

12. Stop

'You're making no sense"

...projecting. You're the one who offered the ridiculous assertion that the President gave the same speech in 2009

"Increased wages are great, but they tend to be even better when there are some fucking jobs

'universal preschool' Jeez, I hope that's not like 'universal healthcare' which was code for a mandated, for-profit money grab from the working classes"

So you think the increased minimum wage would only apply to the unemployed?

Universal pre-school will be like this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022159929

It must hurt to be so angry that providing pre-school to all children is something to mock.

[EastKYLiberal]

9. He's not campaigning right now.

[ProSense]

13. Kick! n/t