My advice to the next Democratic president
Posted on May 23rd, 2008 by Brad
Don’t eff it up.
Just don’t.
The public is very, very unhappy right now. You’re not going to get a honeymoon period. Hit the damn ground running with proposals to invest in better transportation infrastructure, to withdraw from Iraq and to fix our health care system. People are understandably not patient with the government, and you’re going to have to get shit under control quickly.
That is all.
I think at this point it’s safe to name names, as it were.
Also, seconding this so fucking hard. We need a (non crippled) FDR in the worst way, but I’ll settle for his cousin at this point. Except for the whole strikebuster thing. But then again, I’m a starry eyed dreamer.
We need a (non crippled) FDR
You might want to rephrase that.
FDR following Hoover was the first thing that came to mind. I need to lay off the metaphors I ‘spose.
No, FDR is fine, if a little overplayed. I meant that there is nothing wrong wiht being disabled. But I knew what you meant, so basically I was just being a PC asshole.
The public is very, very unhappy right now. You’re not going to get a honeymoon period.
Not just true, but profoundly unfair. Especially when you’ve still got Republicans in office who will attempt to undermine progress by any means, in an attempt to create a record of perceived failure.
It’s hard to show progress until the hole you’re in is filled first. And Bush never did know when to stop digging.
FDR had to endure years and years of being screamed at by right wingers and business organizations of being a failure and a socialist and a communist and etc. etc. etc.
But many of his programs directly and palpably helped the population — who were in much, much more desperate straits than we find ourselves today, given that 1/3 of the nation wasn’t even a developed country (the South) — and their support was key.
If you try to pull elite sh*t like NAFTA and line up with bullsh*t talking “Third Way” a**holes who keep pushing Republican programs that hurt average people and postpone genuine economic improvements via vulnerable “booms”, you’re probably going to have a really, really hard time.
If you actually, measurably, significantly help improve the lives of the vast majority of the population, you’ll be able to split the elite media, most of which will (as they did FDR) hate you as a bad bad bad man throwback to the mean old 20th century ‘Old Democrats’, and part of whom appreciate the stability and development you’ve brought the nation, including a lot of its richest capitalists.
In fact, the mood of the country is such that the new president CAN hit the ground running. As in 1932, people are pissed, desperate and WANT things to change. This is called a “mandate”.
Which is why we need ever single person who registered as a Democrat for a primary to vote for the candidate in the general. That’s the silver lining to the long primary – new Democratic registrations. They’re running like two-to-one in many states. If we unite for the general, we bury McSame and all the Repugs nationwide in a mandate-delivering landslide.
I get the feeling it’s been booby-trapped. As soon as the next president opens the door to the White House, the whole thing will fall in.
If in my lifetime a black man can be elected president, is it too much to hope that one day soon we can stop assuming that socialism = pogroms and labor camps?
God I’m so emo today.
Travis: I wouldn’t much worry about the term “socialism”. What will mean something is when its core principles come to be seen as simply common sense approaches to real issues. Let them name it then whatever they prefer, and attribute its origins to whomever they wish.
Secret plan of action for Barry X:
1) Smash the State
2) Seize the means of production and establish a workers paradise
3) ???
4) Profit!!
Some serious investigations into the oil industry, the military-industrial complex and the previous administration would be welcome, as well.
Bonus points if some of the players get jail time.
Actually I’m now fully into the idea of Obama as Teddy Roosevelt. All making his cabinet run through Rock Creek Park. All paying people to plant trees. All intervening in South American affairs. Oh. Wait. No.
My optimism is very guarded after these last 7 years, especially after the Rubber-Stampin’ 109th Congress segued to the Craven Cavin’ 110th. But it does exist.
I’ll be pretty happy if the next administration is sane, let alone good. I’m getting really tired of the whole through-the-looking-glass feeling.
All intervening in South American affairs. Oh. Wait. No.
How about “All intervening in South American affairs by stopping the US-based mega-corporations from continually raping the people and the continent”?
I’d be OK with that.
Dorothy, dreamin’ is free.
Dorothy, dreamin’ is free.
Until the LIEbruls come along and TAX IT!!!
Phew. Sorry, a bit of free-floating wingnuttiness hit me for a second there. For some reason there have been a bunch of those around the lefty sites lately.
At this point, I’d also like just a plain-vanilla sane Administration.
While I support the idealism of this post, the idiot/malicious media, the right-wing think tanks, the gigantic multi-national corporations, their PACs and lobbyists aren’t going away. All of these forces of the status quo will be fighting any change Barack wants to make like it’s an existential threat…because it is, to their oh-so-comfortable way of life.
In my eyes, the most important thing Obama has said is, “we are the change we’re waiting for.” Obama can lead but he can’t put the pressure on to push things through without us. That means the infighting, the silly “take my ball and go home” if the proposal isn’t exactly what we want…all that shit will have to stop if we want to see any of these changes pushed through.
Obama is unbelievably good at rallying support and that’s hugely important, but the follow-through will depend on us.
…the follow-through will depend on us.
Agreed. I’ve been impressed with Obama for pointing that out, too. A nice change from the color-coded TerraLert learned helplessness.
Don’t eff it up.
Methinks that the country/world/economy/situation will come pre-effed-up for the next administration’s convenience.
I wouldn’t much worry about the term “socialism”. What will mean something is when its core principles come to be seen as simply common sense approaches to real issues.
Right. What made the western world a wonderful place to live for a lot of folks was not a package of orthodoxies but a series of pragmatic and helpful programs.
What made the western world a wonderful place to live for a lot of folks was not a package of orthodoxies but a series of pragmatic and helpful programs.
Well put! I’d love to see the American people catch a clue about the fact that there is a difference between these things – or really, that the package of orthodoxies approach isn’t the only game in town.
Whatever term it goes by, something is either a reasonable policy or it isn’t. Or rather, the actual policy itself is something that may be advocated for or argued against reasonably.
That’s why I’ve always been miserably amused at how the market fundamentalists always get to play the hard-nosed rationalists on TV when everything rests on a mountain of zealously pushed irrationalities (“No, really! When we let our companies move part of their production to cheap labor areas with no tariffs we’ll still call it ‘trade’ and we’ll all do better! See! That headlining economist in our business magazine said so!”) and those who demand an actual rational argument based on evidence and reasonable extrapolation are the mean old liberal extremist wackos.
It’s cute when people believe the Democrats want to do the right thing, but are just to weak/spineless to do it. Yeah right. The Democrats aren’t even a labor party. They are just the not-quite-as-insane wing of the reactionary party. That said, I’ll take basically competent social democratic capitalism at this point, as a foundation to build on – it will open space for radicals to organize, to push transitional demands, etc..
Everything beyond some token nods to the “base” will have to come from massive popular pressure. The worst mistake leftists could make is to wait for Obama and an overwhelming Democratic majority to do the job. So, “no honeymoon” isn’t unfair at all – it’s the only way to go.
Remember Clinton? We must not let another president get away with “NAFTA first, health care later (ie, never)” or some such bullshit.
Also? Don’t diddle the interns.
It’s not enough for a Democrat to simply not fuck up policy. He’ll also have to be a chaste saint with perfect diction and a foot-thick concrete wall between him and anyone who’s ever met a lobbyist.
And the Republicans will still try to shut down his administration by launching a multi-million dollar congressional probe into why he’s not wearing a flag pin.
I mean, I don’t think it will be *that* dire, not at first. The Democrats are looking to get quite a decent majority in the House and we have a shot at 59 (well, 57 + Lieberman & Sanders) Senate seats. And we’re probably keeping Congress for a while.
So probably instead of fighting a hostile Congress, Obama’ll just be like Kennedy and get shot.
Eff what up, mate? There’s nothing left to be effed. I think you mean “Hurry up an un-eff things.” Which, as has already been noted, won’t be easy.
Perhaps you mean “At least give the appearance that you’re trying your best to un-eff things, talk to us often and don’t let the bastids railroad you.”
We can pretty much dispense with “next Democratic president,” as if the outcome is in any kind of doubt whatsoever.
It’s Obama.
“It’s not enough for a Democrat to simply not fuck up policy. He’ll also have to be a chaste saint with perfect diction and a foot-thick concrete wall between him and anyone who’s ever met a lobbyist.”
And a black Democrat? He’s going to have to be twice as better to be considered half as good.
Fortunately, the bar’s been set pretty low over the last 8 years.
Here’s how it goes down. Whenever some nutcase tries to assasinate Obama – and we all know that someone will try – he whips out a gun and clocks the guy right between the eyes.
After that Obama can do whatever he wants.
Fortunately, the bar’s been set pretty low over the last 8 years.
…except that, starting on about 1/21/09, the last 8 years will officially not have happened, according to the gadflies that will be the worst obstacles to any kind of meaningful progress. i.e., Dubya presidency = Highlander 2.
Part of the struggle is going to be forcibly reminding a lot of people – especially the ones whose purple faces will be screaming from our TV sets – just how much they kissed Bush’s ass and what they praised him for.
FDR’s policies, which were among the most progressive we’ve ever had (which is not a naive statement, simply among the universe of actual policies we’ve had) were the result of outside social protest & pressures, third party socialist campaigns, and upper class policy study and advisory groups — the latter of which directly participated in drawing up FDR’s programs.
There are times in which many prominent & powerful members of the upper classes back openly progressive policies, because unlike the simply mean and ultra-short term right wing capitalists, they realize that a better and more prosperous bottom end of the economy makes them even richer, even with higher taxes.
SamFromUtah has it. If Obama hasn’t completely healed the nation, paid off the entire national debt, turned Iraq into a Swiss-style vacation paradise, brought every troop home and trained them to run their own IT firm each and every one, given us all free health care paid for by elves, and removed all fossil-fuel related CO2 from the atmosphere by 3 am on Day 2, he will be pronounced a giant poopy head failure.
And please, don’t punk some group of your supporters just to show how “tough” and “sensible” and “independent” and (dare I say it?) “maverick” you are.
Yes, I’m looking at you, Mr. welfare-to-work, Norhtwest Forest Plan, NAFTA, etc.
I agree. Especially if Obama is the new president, he will have to move very fast.
Well, we can hope that at least Pelosi will keep impeachment off the table for awhile once Obama takes over. That might buy him some time to do good stuff – if he’s so inclined – and ride out the first few months of the anti-Democrat rage-aneurysm phase.
Just to be the contrarian I’d like to point out:
First black president. No honeymoon period my ass. The noise machine’ll drum up some offense, Fox, Big Pharma, Beck if he’s still on the air, the usual suspects. That’s it. Otherwise he’ll have the MSM sewn up with fear of being labelled racist.
Nah, just kidding. Considering how far everyone ran with the Jeremiah Wright thing, I expect Joe Scarborough to be doing updates on his impeachment petition by this time next year.
OTOH, If TBogg and the Hillary dead-enders get their way, President Grampa’ll have his usual press relationship.
“He’s so open and honest, there’s no need to do any digging to find out if he’s lying through his teeth. Again.”
Why do I suspect Hattie’s got a gun?
“FDR’s policies…were the result of outside social protest & pressures”
In a lot of ways I think you’re right. I’m also convinced that the political elites were scared shitless that the USA was facing a Soviet-style revolution unless something changed. Look at the times: the labor movement was getting stronger and fighting back, Communism was growing and organizers were all through the labor movement. Then the Laissez-faire capitalist system goes ker-whoosh and there’s hundreds of thousands of people getting ready to starve.
I believe some folks looked at that and decided to support reforms that would stop the momentum towards revolution.
But what do I know? Ooh, look a penny….so shiny!
That’s one of the travesties of the current FDR-was-a-liberal-fascist kick. They weren’t aching to force a liberal ideology on the nation. They were worried about massive civic unrest.
I find it very interesting that someone decided to start paying people to call liberals fascists. Usually when this happens it’s preemptive.
Speaking of Susan, is there anyone else who thinks that Juno was robbed?
What gum?
Shoot, meant to do that in the non-sequitur thread.
Shoot, meant to do that in the non-sequitur thread.
You can’t be off-topic unless there actually is a topic.
Well done!
Good News: the next POTUS would need BOTH Big Blue & HAL 5000 to calculate a way to produce a more serious series of fuckups than the current Lame Dork has done.
Bad News: this channel cannot be changed, nor turned off – it’s what you have to work with.
Despite all the ill-will your Administration has “shared” with the world, a lot of us are still rooting for you.
In the vernacular: just fuckin’ GIVE-‘ER, dudes!
There’s a saying in the IT world, but it has relevance to most other occupations as well. “Fast, cheap, or quality: pick two.”
By that measure, Brad, you’re asking for the impossible:
1) Fast: “Hit the damn ground running…”
2) Cheap: It’s got to be cheap, we’ve got 9 trillion dollars in debt.
3) Quality: “Don’t eff it up.”
Much as I agree with the sentiment, maybe it would be best for all of us to at least be cognizant of the impossibility of the request.
.
A proper example for us all:
King Tito Santana
what
Wasn’t he a pro wrestler? Is Panama like Minnesota?
Yes. Panama is just like Minnesota. They have lakes too.
I heard John McCain is unqualified to be president because he was born in the Minnesota Canal Zone.
Obama is unbelievably good at rallying support and that’s hugely important, but the follow-through will depend on us.
In other words, we’re screwed.
Look. It almost comes built-in.
Start withdrawl from iraq.
Begin passing and implementing reasonable domestic spending programs.
Reduce the ridiculous tax cuts to provide funding.
Funding for energy research.
That would be a great start. If it led to real government and health care reform, if we could get the private sector out of the “for profit” health care business and begin to reduce military spending, well, that would be a first term worth it’s legacy…
mikey
I second the funding for energy research, but let’s get money to states and cities stat to start implementing conservation and alternatives.
We’ve got lots of technology ready to go. People are just going to need help paying for it, getting it installed, and getting it maintained. Stat!
This post is made of true.
You know, I’d be happy if Obama just scrolled to the end of this Gravel post and went with the last paragraph.