After the Speech

[Smiley and West]

		Smiley & West reflect on President Obama’s much-anticipated jobs speech. Smiley: It wasn't big enough. It was not to the scale of the size of the problem. West: If you’ve got your heart in your slingshot, you can bring down giants.

[Jennifer Warren]

Very interesting post.  I hope I see more of your writing about this and other issues.  Very much on target stuff.  I do have one question, tho... is the middle east as hot as it looks on TV ?  I've heard that they get temps around 100 degrees or more...routinely.  Is that true ?

jamil brownson said:

addendum: I live outside the USA in the Arab world, were a pseudo-spring seems to be springing a leak, or holding onto a broken axel. Aside from what I hear from those who live & work around me, I travel extensively in Europe, Africa & Asia. People of all kinds ask me about Obama, almost all, speak of disappointment & disillusionment about the USA and its present direction -- business as usual, from environment to economy to military, is the general opinion. Africans are becoming cynical about "whitey" & Barak Obama as an Oreo with an Arabic label. US (almost quietly) backed NATO attacks on Libya, generally viewed in Africa as a neo-colonial act of war against Africans, coupled with French involvement in re-securing their former colonies within a political-economic vice-grip, deposing Gbagbo in Cote d'Ivore, etc.. The new US military Africom (Africa Command) funding, training & arming ruthless dictators to control their own people, spaks ill of US intentions. As Africa goes, so goes Afro-America, & vice versa, in a symbiotic resonance of racism mixed with imperialism. Ironically at a time when Mao's label of the US as a "Paper Tiger" seems to hold even more true.

[Jennifer Warren]

Bernie Sanders would be a good choice.  To tell the truth, tho, I don't think you'ld ever get him on the campaign trail.  Kucinich might be good... but as it takes hundreds of millions of dollars to properly fund a campaign...its really quite difficult for him to get his message out.  There are other progressive folks that might be good... such as Al Franken -- who has demonstrated that he's not afraid to rock the boat whenever its needed.

 

The list of progressives...real progressives who aren't afraid to use the full power and authority of the office to get things done... thats a pretty short list.  And most of the names that come to mind are people who would never risk their position to run for the white house...not without some serious backing...and how do you get that without having to owe favors?  

 

 

Deborah Dills said:

We need to press for another candidate-as per Bernie Sanders, to challenge Obama. Our family will not be voting for him again. We voted for him based on his promise to get us out of these freaking, costly wars.

[Jennifer Warren]

Just to be clear...and for the record... 

 

Firstly, I don't know if Obama is 1/2 black or not.  Thats not what I was agreeing to.  What I agreed to was the fact that Obama has spent his term kissing up to Republicans...by trashing any hope of the change he said he would bring to Washington.

 

Secondly :  I didn't vote for Obama because of skin color...but frankly, at the time..I didn't care WHY anybody else voted for him...as long as they did.

 

Sadly, I am now starting to regret all the work I put in for him locally... going door to door with flyers and talking to people, putting up signs...doing my utmost to raise funds for his campaign (and I raised just over $100,000).  It was a LOT of hard work which I did for NOTHING.  Why?  Because I believed in a national healthcare system...an energy policy which would get us off of foreign oil, and the restoration and improvement of our infrastructure.

None of these things have happened...however... 

Still, I'm quite excited about the Buffet Rule proposal.  Its something I've said for YEARS is needed.  That, and slashing our defense budget in half - by withdrawing from an empire style government into one which looks out for its own people...instead of the wealth of corporations that don't pay taxes or hire locally... are things which I believe are REQUIRED to get things on the right track.

 

Of course, that may be just my opinion - but I'm sticking to it.

 

Bennetta said:

This is what most of us think of your non-stop ranting:  "blah blah blah blaaaaaaaaaaaa............"

Deb Orr said:

Yeah... we all seem to be ignorant when we call you on your crap. Your comments are full of crap and you know it. When faced with your lies and the insults your throwing to the African American community...we are the ones that are ignorant. Your full of crap. Keep your POTUS BULL...we are not interested. When you start speaking the truth without the obvious slurs you'll be treated in the proper manner. 

Bennetta said:

I won't even dignify that last comment with a response.  You appear to be very IGNORANT and clearly have waaaaaay too much idle time.  You should utilize POTUS' American Jobs Act to try and find yourself a real JOB to take you away from your obvious compulsive internet companionship.  It was YOUR inability to respect others' opinions that cowardly swayed you to make this forum discussion and your defense of the president's job performance about race.  And he is 1/2 Black! Period!!!

Deb Orr said:

Truly spoken from a White perspective!

Deb Orr said:

Now your just being a total A h***. Now he's half Black? You all said he is a Black man period all through the election ...now you want to claim half.  Well no dice. If it makes you feel better to think that we voted for a skin color...go ahead. The rude awakening is just around the corner. We will continue to support the only intelligent person we see in this 2012 election and that is Barack Obama. The rest are some down right idiots and so are the people that vote for them ...I don't care what color you are. We've already experienced over 30 + residents of the other color and most of them weren't crap...I'll take my chances with  what I have. Go Obama 2012!!!

Bennetta said:

Jennifer W, Chris B, James F, Juliann H, Deborah D, C. Barrett and royd:  RIGHT ON AND WELL STATED!!!!!

So sick of listening to all of these delusional and whining OBAMA BATS trying to defend the president’s VERY REPUBLICAN POLICIES AND RECORD.  They seem to all be in love with the fact that they have their first 1/2-BLACK president BUT guess what... it takes more than shared color or culture to create presidential competence, character and courage.  Unfortunately, POTUS has turned what could/should have been a wonderful historical period of time for the U.S. and minorities worldwide into an embarrassing display of repeated concessions and over-the-top compromises.  EVERYONE KNOWS that he hasn’t contributed not one damn thing to the advancement of ANY Minorities, Civil Rights, Civil Liberties, the Economy and certainly NOT Jobs Creation!  I agree with prior comments that he has tragically conducted himself more like an Undercover Military-Loving REPUBLICAN which explains why he has NEVER supported any policies, programs nor funding beneficial to the poor, working or middle class irrespective of his recent attempt at voter forgiveness during his prime-time speech.  Shame on POTUS and his 3-year DELAYED JOBS PLAN!  When I think of all the time, resources and energy I and so many others spent getting him elected four years ago and then when he gets in office, he shows his loyalty and commitment not to HIS DEMOCRATIC VOTERS but rather to REPUBLICANS and a few Centrists.  BOOOOOOO!!!

[Jennifer Warren]

Thinking further about it -  What do you think of Clair McKaskill ?

Jennifer Warren said:

Bernie Sanders would be a good choice.  To tell the truth, tho, I don't think you'ld ever get him on the campaign trail.  Kucinich might be good... but as it takes hundreds of millions of dollars to properly fund a campaign...its really quite difficult for him to get his message out.  There are other progressive folks that might be good... such as Al Franken -- who has demonstrated that he's not afraid to rock the boat whenever its needed.

 

The list of progressives...real progressives who aren't afraid to use the full power and authority of the office to get things done... thats a pretty short list.  And most of the names that come to mind are people who would never risk their position to run for the white house...not without some serious backing...and how do you get that without having to owe favors?  

 

 

Deborah Dills said:

We need to press for another candidate-as per Bernie Sanders, to challenge Obama. Our family will not be voting for him again. We voted for him based on his promise to get us out of these freaking, costly wars.

[Deborah Dills]

I love Clair McKaskill. I was also thinking about her but couldn't think of her name off the top of my head. You are right that candidates need money and backing and that is why Obama "owes" Wall Street, lobbyists and the bankers who backed him in '08. They call in their marker each time he tries to do something like rein in the financial sector, or even with the public option and the pharmaceutical industry, which also contributed to his getting elected.

Until we take out the gross amount of money donated to campaigns (campaign finance reform) there will never be a fair playing field for anyone else who wishes to run for office. I sincerely believe that if Kucinich were to be in the primaries against Obama, the Liberals/Progressives just might give him a closer look-not like they did a few years ago in 2008. Kucinich is a funny looking man- but boy does he have a lot to say, just like Sanders does. Kucinich is running again in his own state of Ohio, so I don't think he will run for President.

 

 

[Tamam Tracy Moncur]

It saddens me that some people cannot walk in the shoes of a black person for a moment to even begin to understand why a person would have voted for the president because he's black. I voted for him because he's black and if he runs again I'll vote for him again for that reason. This is a two party system and has been almost since the inception of this country. I knew he wasn't going to be able to make any radical changes so I didn't vote for him based on promises. I live in the inner city and I have learned that when Republicans rule money disappears from programs that benefit the community, and when democrats rule the money trickles back in. The difference now is that a whole lot of white folks are now experiencing what black people have lived with for generations...unemployment, evicted from homes, can't  buy food, no medical benefits, no means of transportation, and the list goes on. Move over middle class because poverty is moving in!!! President Obama is not responsible for the economic conditions in this country let alone globally nor is he responsible for a world in crisis. It's just good for my black psyche to see a black man along with his beautiful black wife, and children occupy the  white man's "white house".

[Deborah Dills]

If you vote for Obama again because he is black, then you would be going against what Tavis Smiley, Conell West, and other reputable blacks will do.I don't mean to speak for Mr. Smiley and Mr. West, but they voted for him because he is black AND because of the policy changes he promised to pursue on behalf of the poor and the oppressed and under represented. And its because of these failures Smiley and West have called Obama out on his lack of integrity. 

 

Obama is responsible for some things-like downsizing the military and bringing our troops home. That was his promise to withdraw the troops out of Iraq the day after he was inaugurated into office. We could have save BILLIONS of dollars by doing just that. We could have had job creation from the get-go. As vets, my husband and I did vote for Obama based on his promises-and that is why we vote for someone in the first place. We were thrilled that Obama is the first black president, but that is not why we voted for him.  

 

[Bennetta]

Just to be clear...and for the record...

 

firstly, who said YOU specifically agreed to anything?

secondly, who said YOU specifically voted for Obama based on skin color?

Frankly, at this point, I could care less WHY YOU specifically did or did not OR would or would not vote for Obama or anybody else.

Jennifer Warren said:

Just to be clear...and for the record... 

 

Firstly, I don't know if Obama is 1/2 black or not.  Thats not what I was agreeing to.  What I agreed to was the fact that Obama has spent his term kissing up to Republicans...by trashing any hope of the change he said he would bring to Washington.

 

Secondly :  I didn't vote for Obama because of skin color...but frankly, at the time..I didn't care WHY anybody else voted for him...as long as they did.

 

Sadly, I am now starting to regret all the work I put in for him locally... going door to door with flyers and talking to people, putting up signs...doing my utmost to raise funds for his campaign (and I raised just over $100,000).  It was a LOT of hard work which I did for NOTHING.  Why?  Because I believed in a national healthcare system...an energy policy which would get us off of foreign oil, and the restoration and improvement of our infrastructure.

None of these things have happened...however... 

Still, I'm quite excited about the Buffet Rule proposal.  Its something I've said for YEARS is needed.  That, and slashing our defense budget in half - by withdrawing from an empire style government into one which looks out for its own people...instead of the wealth of corporations that don't pay taxes or hire locally... are things which I believe are REQUIRED to get things on the right track.

 

Of course, that may be just my opinion - but I'm sticking to it.

 

Bennetta said:

This is what most of us think of your non-stop ranting:  "blah blah blah blaaaaaaaaaaaa............"

Deb Orr said:

Yeah... we all seem to be ignorant when we call you on your crap. Your comments are full of crap and you know it. When faced with your lies and the insults your throwing to the African American community...we are the ones that are ignorant. Your full of crap. Keep your POTUS BULL...we are not interested. When you start speaking the truth without the obvious slurs you'll be treated in the proper manner. 

Bennetta said:

I won't even dignify that last comment with a response.  You appear to be very IGNORANT and clearly have waaaaaay too much idle time.  You should utilize POTUS' American Jobs Act to try and find yourself a real JOB to take you away from your obvious compulsive internet companionship.  It was YOUR inability to respect others' opinions that cowardly swayed you to make this forum discussion and your defense of the president's job performance about race.  And he is 1/2 Black! Period!!!

Deb Orr said:

Truly spoken from a White perspective!

Deb Orr said:

Now your just being a total A h***. Now he's half Black? You all said he is a Black man period all through the election ...now you want to claim half.  Well no dice. If it makes you feel better to think that we voted for a skin color...go ahead. The rude awakening is just around the corner. We will continue to support the only intelligent person we see in this 2012 election and that is Barack Obama. The rest are some down right idiots and so are the people that vote for them ...I don't care what color you are. We've already experienced over 30 + residents of the other color and most of them weren't crap...I'll take my chances with  what I have. Go Obama 2012!!!

Bennetta said:

Jennifer W, Chris B, James F, Juliann H, Deborah D, C. Barrett and royd:  RIGHT ON AND WELL STATED!!!!!

So sick of listening to all of these delusional and whining OBAMA BATS trying to defend the president’s VERY REPUBLICAN POLICIES AND RECORD.  They seem to all be in love with the fact that they have their first 1/2-BLACK president BUT guess what... it takes more than shared color or culture to create presidential competence, character and courage.  Unfortunately, POTUS has turned what could/should have been a wonderful historical period of time for the U.S. and minorities worldwide into an embarrassing display of repeated concessions and over-the-top compromises.  EVERYONE KNOWS that he hasn’t contributed not one damn thing to the advancement of ANY Minorities, Civil Rights, Civil Liberties, the Economy and certainly NOT Jobs Creation!  I agree with prior comments that he has tragically conducted himself more like an Undercover Military-Loving REPUBLICAN which explains why he has NEVER supported any policies, programs nor funding beneficial to the poor, working or middle class irrespective of his recent attempt at voter forgiveness during his prime-time speech.  Shame on POTUS and his 3-year DELAYED JOBS PLAN!  When I think of all the time, resources and energy I and so many others spent getting him elected four years ago and then when he gets in office, he shows his loyalty and commitment not to HIS DEMOCRATIC VOTERS but rather to REPUBLICANS and a few Centrists.  BOOOOOOO!!!

[Deborah Dills]

Very interesting video -The Ed Show-Wth Dr. West explaining his position on Obama. Hopefully you will find it enlightening. I did. As for Melissa Harris-Perry and her comment about incarceration rates-Obama's administration has continued to incarcerate African Americans at an astronomical number-because of Eric Holder (the AG) and the crack down due to the "war on drugs". 

 

http://www.thenation.com/video/160747/cornel-west-and-melissa-harri...

 

 

[Deborah Dills]

My vote-either if Kucinich runs for Pres. or not-as I will write him in as my candidate of choice.

Three years ago, Dennis went on the House floor, stood up for America's Main Street, and attacked the first round of bank bailouts - describing them as yet another vehicle to transfer wealth upward, leaving most Americans stuck with a raw deal: 

     "When Wall Street makes a profit, it is their profit. When Wall Street loses money, our
     people lose money. 700 billion dollars. Why aren't we bailing out those millions of Americans
     who are losing their homes?" 

Three years later, his words still ring true. We continue to shape our economic policy in ways that reward the wealthy and protect the banks, all while we're told we can't restructure mortgages and that there's no money to put our people back to work rebuilding our broken infrastructure.

 

This debate isn't over. The Fed is now considering sending our tax-payer money over to Europe to help out - you guessed it - the banks. That's why on Friday, Dennis reissued the same warning and called on the government to stop the black h*** of bank bailouts.

As he said on Friday, we know these unending bank handouts aren't helping struggling Americans. Of course, the banks are not investing in our infrastructure; they're not helping homeowners with inflated mortgages; they're not rebuilding our schools or creating jobs. No - the banks continue the same practices that got us into this mess: global speculation, deceptive financial "products," and excessive leveraging. And we pay the price. 

Like Dennis said in 2008: 

     "I would predict, Mister Chairman, that we will be right back here in a few months with the
     same kind of problems because we are not solving the underlying matter here; which is a
     distortion of the economy because of speculation run wild on Wall Street.

 

We must fight this as Obama has chosen not to rein in the Fed and Wall Street. His appointments such as Tim Guithner is proof positive that wall street, speculation and more bail outs are in our future.

[Tamam Tracy Moncur]

Why arn't the poor and the oppressed considered reputable and capable of making their own decisions? Neither Tavis Smiley nor Cornell West can speak for me. They are intellectuals sitting in their ivory towers, and these are intellectual conversations that we are having that have nothing to do with the price of tea in China. I am part of a soup kitchen in Newark, NJ and we fed 109 men, women, and children last night. Now that's real! If you really want to feel the heartbeat of the inner city stop by sometime and give us a hand and experience what real intelligence is.

Deborah Dills said:

If you vote for Obama again because he is black, then you would be going against what Tavis Smiley, Conell West, and other reputable blacks will do.I don't mean to speak for Mr. Smiley and Mr. West, but they voted for him because he is black AND because of the policy changes he promised to pursue on behalf of the poor and the oppressed and under represented. And its because of these failures Smiley and West have called Obama out on his lack of integrity. 

 

Obama is responsible for some things-like downsizing the military and bringing our troops home. That was his promise to withdraw the troops out of Iraq the day after he was inaugurated into office. We could have save BILLIONS of dollars by doing just that. We could have had job creation from the get-go. As vets, my husband and I did vote for Obama based on his promises-and that is why we vote for someone in the first place. We were thrilled that Obama is the first black president, but that is not why we voted for him.  

 

[Jennifer Warren]

Alan Grayson?  Very interesting idea you have there.  You can bet that the media would crucify him...so unless there was enough money to sink an aircraft carrier, he wouldn't stand much of a chance.  Still... Yeah, I could get behind him.  Maybe we could get him into a Senate seat?