AlterNet: ‘Yes, We Can’ — The Magic Behind Obama’s Message
http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/73014
This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 8th, 2008 at 5:55 PM and filed under Articles, Elections/Voting, Human Interest, Politics, Youth. Follow comments here with the RSS 2.0 feed. Skip to the end and leave a response. Trackbacks are closed.
One Response to “AlterNet: ‘Yes, We Can’ — The Magic Behind Obama’s Message”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Balderdash! “We” means exactly nothing. It is rhetoric, pure and simple. When a candidate becomes an electee (whether municipal, state or federal), the decisions are made by THEM – not by “Us.”
Our role in the process is two-fold. First, we elect those candidates who CLAIM to be for the things we are for, and hope that they deliver on those promises. If they do, we get the government – and “change” – we want. If not, we wait until the next election cycle and vote them out.
Second, we can “lobby” (in the broad sense of that term) for additional changes and policies during the electees’ term.
PERIOD.
The idea that the sweetly inclusive word “we” has any real, pragmatic, political power or significance is ridiculous. And when the fumes of Obama’s candidacy disspiate – and they will – ALOT of people are going to be extremely disappointed.
As for “unlike the Republican’s great communicator, Obama’s instincts and values are liberal,” obviously Obama is more liberal than Reagan. So was Ghengis Khan. But Obama is no MORE liberal than Hillary: their positions on Iraq, Israel, Iran and other defense and military issues (as well as health care, climate change et al) are virtually identical.
I am getting sick and tired of the free ride that Obama is getting here; he has not ONCE articulated – clearly and succinctly – what “change” he is talking about, or how he expects to effect that change AS ONE INDIVIDUAL in Washington, albeit as the president.
Peace.
Posted on 09-Jan-08 at 11:25 am | Permalink