The logic of Obama’s address to Congress went like this:
“Our economy did not fall into decline overnight,” he averred. Indeed, it all began before the housing crisis. What did we do wrong? We are paying for past sins in three principal areas: energy, health care and education — importing too much oil and not finding new sources of energy (as in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the Outer Continental Shelf?), not reforming health care, and tolerating too many bad schools.
The “day of reckoning” has arrived. And because “it is only by understanding how we arrived at this moment that we’ll be able to lift ourselves out of this predicament,” Obama has come to redeem us with his far-seeing program of universal, heavily nationalized health care; a cap-and-trade tax on energy; and a major federalization of education with universal access to college as the goal.
Amazing. As an explanation of our current economic difficulties, this is total fantasy. As a cure for rapidly growing joblessness, a massive destruction of wealth, a deepening worldwide recession, this is perhaps the greatest non sequitur ever foisted upon the American people.
As usual, Charles is right on… but I doubt there will be a change of course until and unless the electorate weighs in in two years time.
Indeed, all of the things Obama has in store for us will only worsen the problems. Odd, no?
Bumper sticker I saw today:
Change is inevitable
Growth is optional.
’nuff said.
Folks, you can’t make big political change happen without a crisis to provoke the rubes to demand action. Mr. Obama has absolutely no vested interest in seeing the financial crisis solved until he has put his plans for ‘hopeandchange’ in place and solidified his program.
Cynical?
I prefer to regard my view as pragmatic and realistic. Before you consider me a cynic, please give time a chance to either vindicate or convict me.
What was it Rham-bo Emmanuel said:
“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.â€
and he repeated it later for the NYT:
“Rule one: Never allow a crisis to go to waste. They are opportunities to do big things.â€