President Obama (doesn’t that sound nice?) gave, I think, a speech that was appropriate for the day. This is not a time for soaring, cheerful rhetoric. This is a time to roll up our sleeves and get to work — and Obama’s speech hit those notes perfectly.
Obama’s speech was about working together to meet challenges. That’s easier said than done, of course, but Obama’s speech was specific in calling on Americans to end the spitballs between the parties, and to work together to help our nation:
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
That is, of course, spot on. The truth is that we need our government to function efficiently and wisely, to spend more money when necessary — but not rashly, and not foolishly. And that will take the type of Republican we haven’t seen enough of lately — the pencil-sharpeners, the bookkeepers, the men and women who don’t question whether government should exist, but rather whether government is working well.
Obama also did take a shot at former President George W. Bush (doesn’t that sound nice?), in calling for a return to the ideals that made our nation what it is:
As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
This is, of course, what we weak-kneed liberals have been saying for seven years: America is worth defending because we hold fast to our ideals, our belief that, in the words of Patrick Henry, we prefer death to the denial of liberty. Terrorists are scary, but they are not so scary that we should suspend our essential liberties and stain our national character to fight them.And fight them we will:
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
And that, of course, is the way we fight terror: by refusing to be terrorized. By saying, simply, that you can knock down buildings and can kill our people, but you will not make us into something we are not. Too often, these past seven years, we have succumbed to the temptation to take the shortcut, to give in, as it were, to the dark side.
And that is a shame, because as Obama noted, we are so much better when we stand in the light:
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
Today, as a man who fifty years ago might not have been able to vote, as a man whose parent’s marriage was illegal in many states, as a man whose very presidency would have been seen as impossible three generations ago, and was seen as unlikely as recently as a couple years ago — as this man takes office, America can take solace in the fact that we have finally begun to embrace our patchwork heritage, even in our nation’s highest office. And that is truly wonderful, and cause for deepest joy.
A good speech. The initial inaccuracy “Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.” grated a bit on my ears, but one of his strengths is speaking, and he did a very good job today.
I’d go so so far as to say that in some cases it’s not been because of such skill and vision but in spite of them. Although I imagine that we’d have different views of recent examples of such, it’s still a lesson that those IN high office should keep in mind.
I’d say the greed and irresponsibility of many. Those who took out a loan they couldn’t afford are as guilty of greed as those who offered it. It was truly a collective failure. So, too, is our failure to make hard choices. Those of us who elected officials that failed to make hard choices must share culpability with the officials themselves.
Hear, hear.
Is this a call to people to understand that they are entitled to the right to pursue happiness through hard work, but they are not entitled to it’s achievement? If so, I can endorse that.
And who deserve to keep the reward that they have achieved in proportion to the risk they take and the effort they put in.
Well, now – a Vietnam reference equal to the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and WWII. Very nice.
Once again a call to the idea that sitting around waiting for someone to give you something or that considering that you are entitled to things is not what built this country and not what will solve it’s current problems and move it forward.
The condition of our sewer and water systems in the major cities is apparently still one of the best kept secret looming disasters – but I agree on the issue of our infrastructure. The Bush Administration has had a terrible attitude towards science. Raising health care quality while lowering it’s cost is going to be a very difficult trick – I imagine what he’ll really try to do is to shift it’s cost from it’s consumers to the taxpayers in general. The failure of seeking out and developing alternative energy sources goes all the way back to the Nixon Administration (hey, I remember when gas going from 40 cents to 75 cents a gallon was a disaster). And transforming the schools is going to be as much an issue of transforming the parents as it is transforming the schools themselves – while there is definitely room for that as well, children sent to schools unprepared will not excel.
Actually, very few question whether or not we should have a government. Republicans and libertarians are not anarchists. But they do question what it’s job is; whether it is the job of the government to find people jobs and care and a retirement. Many say not – that’s the job of the individual. The government has a role in ensuring that no one interferes with your ability to work towards these things, but it’s your job to work for them, not the government’s job to give them to you and insulate you from your lack of industry or will.
As we all have seen, an Illinois politican should be well versed in this problem.
This country has taken shortcuts in every war its ever fought, even the cold ones. I too think we need to be held up to our ideals and change when we are found wanting – but let’s not pretend it’s a new problem.
Perhaps the best line of the speech.
All citizens – rich or poor, black or white, man or woman, Democrat or Republican – all citizens. All must take up the difficult task, all must take up their duties and responsibilities. If President Obama can inspire this nation to do that, then I’ll be grateful for his Presidency.
A good speech.
I agree. He made a few choices in what to mention and what to leave out that I found odd, but overall a good speech. Now let’s see where he’s going to go with actions…
The initial inaccuracy “Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath.” grated a bit on my ears
Of course, only pedants like us would notice it. Had he said, “43,” more people would have been goofballs.
Incidentally, nothing grated more than John Roberts blowing the oath….
I’d like to invite the commenters here to crash this blog posting and add their comments.
Set Obama’s Bar
I must not be a pedant, because I need to ask the question: Why 43 and not 44?
Because Grover Cleveland served non-consecutive terms (defeated for re election but elected four years later), each term is counted as a separate Presidency.
Thanks, now I am all eddicated like the rest of youse!
Ron F:
You couldn’t be more wrong. It would be nice to just dismiss all the people who wound up in bad loans as “greedy” but some of us were just trying to secure modest shelter for ourselves, and made the mistake of thinking the professionals we’d hired were representing our interests and telling us the truth.
For more in this vein, This American Life had a terrific and sobering show about the mortgage crisis and the various roles that were a played in the drama leading up to it.
The problem is that a realtor doesn’t get paid unless you buy the house and the mortgage writer doesn’t get paid unless you take out the mortgage. So unless you hire a private lawyer and pay him or her by the hour nobody in the transaction is working for you. Let the buyer beware.
I’m afraid I have little sympathy for the person in that first link (nor did I see any obvious hint as to their gender, BTW). I see no reason why the government should step in, take money from me and bail him or her out. He should have stood up and walked out of that office 3 paragraphs into that story. He should never have bought into “Oh, property values are always going to go up”. Heck, I’ve been saying “This bubble is going to burst and these folks are going to end up upside down” for 3 years – it happened back in the late ’70s and it’ll happen again. And finally he should never have signed off on a deal that he didn’t understand and hadn’t agreed to. That broker clearly was not working for them, she was in the deal for herself. As far as I’m concerned that first link supports my case instead of countering it.
some of us were just trying to secure modest shelter for ourselves
There is also no evidence in that link that they did not already have modest shelter.
I’ll try to get the time to look at the second link to see if it changes my mind.
Elusis, I’m sorry your situation is so screwed up. But you made a lot of mistakes in buying your house. For on thing it’s very rare in most states to loose your earnest money.
Just out of curiousity, how much research did you do before you started? I read a couple of books about the process and the process you followed set off a lot of red flags.
John Roberts blowing the oath – I was on the elliptical machine at my company’s fitness center and missed exactly what happened there. It sure sounded like somebody messed up, but I wasn’t sure I’d heard it clearly and wasn’t sure who messed up.
Now let’s see where he’s going to go with actions…
Indeed. The man gives a fine speech. And the ability to articulate a vision and inspire people to adopt it is a skill that President Bush sorely lacks and one that an American President needs.
But actions will count in the end for the person sitting in the Oval Office’s big chair. The President can’t vote “present”. He’s asked people to follow him. Let’s hope he can lead by works as well as words.
You can make a lot of value judgments about what you think I should or shouldn’t have done (and I knew when writing that post that people would), but you can’t possibly call me “greedy” with a straight face.
Elusis, sorry for the Monday morning quarterbacking. You’re right, it’s easier to spot mistakes after the fact. I read your post again, and I agree you don’t seem to have been motivated by undue greed. But I am curious how much research you did into how to buy a home before you did it for the first time. If you don’t mind my asking.
I’m really pleased to hear even a little bit of acknowledgment for atheists and non-Christians. Has Obama been the first to do this in a Presidential inauguration speech?
DSimon, I read an article in the NYtimes that suggests the answer is “yes.” I was damn glad to hear it.
Wrt foreign policy, Doc Maddow nailed it: not hawks, not doves, but owls.
I couldn’t help but hear a pause before non-believers and thought that there was a hint of ‘and even you crazy people who don’t believe in God’ but I agree that this is a step in the right direction.
I also wonder if the Obama team makes the transcript available. I know that they’re avoiding writing and and and in the list of inclusion but the visual of ‘— and non-believers’ bothers me tremendously. Maybe I’m just over sensitive to how the written sentence isolates the non believers from the rest of the list.
I also can’t help but think of one of my favorite Simpson quotes. Reverend Lovejoy is speaking to a group of people and to be inclusive says ‘…be they Christian, Jew, or miscelaneous’. Apu responds ‘it is Hindu, there are 800 million of us you know’.
Classic stuff and good to remember. The ‘— and non-believers’ may be small in number in America but if more logical groupings were made in America and the world according to beliefs & values instead of to an identifed religion I think it would be easy to see that these American non-believers are often a very strong voice of in the majority.