Out of Touch?
President Obama gave an interview with Rolling Stone, the AP writes a story about some of the quotes in that interview.
I know the news and poll numbers have to upset him. He, and his advisors (many of whom are quitting now) truly believed that the sweeping victories in 2008 were a reforendum on conservative ideals. They truly felt that the country wanted a more progressive government. More government, in the form of health care, cap and trade, financial regulation, etc.
To my way of thinking, this country has always been centerist. And most people, most hard working people, middle class people, want to go to work, earn a living, take care of their families, and barbeque on the weekends. They want the government to stay out of their lives as much as possible. They want to pay taxes for roads, police officers, firemen and social security. They want to be left alone to live as productive a life as they can. They want a government that defends them, keeps them safe, and represents their views.
That's my way of thinking.
So based on that thinking, I don't think the President understands what it is that's set up this malaise. He has two problems. One, his base - the very progressive left of lefts - doesn't think he went far enough. He did not set up a single payer, universal health care coverage. He has not repealed DADT. He has not signed Kyoto or anything similar. He has not gotten out of Iraq. He has not left Afghanistan. In fact, he sent more troops to Afghanistan. People still use gas and oil to heat their homes, drive their cars. He has not made the sweeping change that they wanted.
Two, the independents - centerists, who were tired of a Bush administration and its unpopularity - are not happy because the economy is not back. A recession that seems to have been going on forever (since 2008? Maybe? 2007?) is not over. Jobs are still not present. Manufacturing jobs are gone, maybe forever. Businesses are going over seas. Sales are not up. Consumer confidence is down. Entire retirement portfolios were eradicated. And they are not back. Many people who were going to retire within 3-5 years now are facing 10-15 years of working. And maybe it's fickle, but the policies that the President has enacted over the last 2 years have not made things better. Health care costs are set to explode. (I'm terrified of the letter we're going to get in the next two weeks). Insurance companies are promising premium hikes to cover the coverages they now, under federal law, have to offer. The health care bill, and the way it was done ... over Christmas, a quick vote, no one reading the bill, I think that does not set well with the middle independent set. I think they are now tired of the one party Washington. And maybe a balance would achieve better results.
I don't know if all of this will cause another sweep of Washington. But I do think, that the President's yelling at the Dem voters to stop their whining, is not a way to get them excited. And maybe there is something to the last part of his quote.
Most of us really didn't want all that change to begin with.
"People need to shake off this lethargy. People need to buck up," Obama told Rolling Stone in an interview to be published Friday. The president told Democrats that making change happen is hard and "if people now want to take their ball and go home, that tells me folks weren't serious in the first place."
I know the news and poll numbers have to upset him. He, and his advisors (many of whom are quitting now) truly believed that the sweeping victories in 2008 were a reforendum on conservative ideals. They truly felt that the country wanted a more progressive government. More government, in the form of health care, cap and trade, financial regulation, etc.
To my way of thinking, this country has always been centerist. And most people, most hard working people, middle class people, want to go to work, earn a living, take care of their families, and barbeque on the weekends. They want the government to stay out of their lives as much as possible. They want to pay taxes for roads, police officers, firemen and social security. They want to be left alone to live as productive a life as they can. They want a government that defends them, keeps them safe, and represents their views.
That's my way of thinking.
So based on that thinking, I don't think the President understands what it is that's set up this malaise. He has two problems. One, his base - the very progressive left of lefts - doesn't think he went far enough. He did not set up a single payer, universal health care coverage. He has not repealed DADT. He has not signed Kyoto or anything similar. He has not gotten out of Iraq. He has not left Afghanistan. In fact, he sent more troops to Afghanistan. People still use gas and oil to heat their homes, drive their cars. He has not made the sweeping change that they wanted.
Two, the independents - centerists, who were tired of a Bush administration and its unpopularity - are not happy because the economy is not back. A recession that seems to have been going on forever (since 2008? Maybe? 2007?) is not over. Jobs are still not present. Manufacturing jobs are gone, maybe forever. Businesses are going over seas. Sales are not up. Consumer confidence is down. Entire retirement portfolios were eradicated. And they are not back. Many people who were going to retire within 3-5 years now are facing 10-15 years of working. And maybe it's fickle, but the policies that the President has enacted over the last 2 years have not made things better. Health care costs are set to explode. (I'm terrified of the letter we're going to get in the next two weeks). Insurance companies are promising premium hikes to cover the coverages they now, under federal law, have to offer. The health care bill, and the way it was done ... over Christmas, a quick vote, no one reading the bill, I think that does not set well with the middle independent set. I think they are now tired of the one party Washington. And maybe a balance would achieve better results.
I don't know if all of this will cause another sweep of Washington. But I do think, that the President's yelling at the Dem voters to stop their whining, is not a way to get them excited. And maybe there is something to the last part of his quote.
Most of us really didn't want all that change to begin with.
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