It Won't Be Like This for Long
So here we are, Obama’s second inaugural. Not exactly a day for rejoicing.
But I take heart in recalling the aching confusion on the faces of my liberal friends back in January 2005 when President George W. Bush laid out the Freedom Agenda with his second inaugural address. Bush’s words, aimed at foreign tyrants and the world’s oppressed, should comfort those of us here at home who fear that the “fundamental transformation” promised by Barack Obama will forever alter both the nature of our republic and the character of its people:
Eventually, the call of freedom comes to every mind and every soul. We do not accept the existence of permanent tyranny because we do not accept the possibility of permanent slavery. Liberty will come to those who love it.
Let's hope it comes soon.
Whatever you call yourself—conservative, Republican, libertarian, free-marketeer, center-rightist, pro-lifer, foreign-policy hawk, American exceptionalist—this will not be a fun day. There will be slogans and straw men to beat the band. We will no doubt hear about the forces of progress and those who stand against it out of narrow self-interest. We’ll surely be reminded how far we've come and that we don’t want to turn back now.
But while hunting up the above George W. Bush quotation, however, I stumbled upon this, from the March 1925 inaugural address of ol' Silent Cal himself:
We can not permit ourselves to be narrowed and dwarfed by slogans and phrases. It is not the adjective, but the substantive, which is of real importance. It is not the name of the action, but the result of the action, which is the chief concern.
The bad news? Four more years.
The good news? Only four more years.
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Comments:
Jan '11
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
"Eventually, the call of freedom comes to every mind and every soul. We do not accept the existence of permanent tyranny because we do not accept the possibility of permanent slavery. Liberty will come to those who love it."Eventually can take awhile. Not even enough people on Ricochet love liberty enough. If you doubt this then put up a poll and ask people here where to make a $1.5 trillion cut to the budget and be sure to get the specifics. If you're further doubting this then during your next heated argument in this forum, on some social issue, see how many people wish to make it a federal issue and won't extol the tenth amendment.
Aug '12
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
Here's to hoping. I have already seen a FB friend (whose News Feed has now been hidden from my view - this was the final straw) post the following yesterday, with several "Likes":
"Long Live Obama!"
May '10
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
Whether the Obama Administration represents a bend in the road, or a fork in the road will take some time to discover.
2nd-tier status most definitely seems the destination the Obama administration is determined to take us.
Regrettably once the United States gives up (a CoC-compliant way of saying p***es away) its stature and pre-eminence (technologically, culturally, militarily, any way you can think of) and eases into 2nd-tier status, we may be stuck there for a long time.
Jun '12
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
JVC1207
Here's to hoping. I have already seen a FB friend (whose News Feed has now been hidden from my view - this was the final straw) post the following yesterday, with several "Likes":
"Long Live Obama!" · 1 minute ago
Yea, second that. I am acutely aware that I likely sound like a tin-foil hat wearer but I can't help but think if someone is going to make a play for throwing out the presidential term limit His Most Magnificent Eminence is certainly the one to do it.
Dec '11
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
Only 4 more years? As Floppy states above, if anyone were to attempt to repeal term limits, it's the current president. We should not assume that he won't (or that others won't on his behalf) make a go of it.
Dec '10
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
It won't be like this for long?
Agreed. I expect it will be much worse very shortly. We live under a capricious and power abusive executive, with virtually nothing (Democrat controlled Senate and supine Supreme Court) to stop it.
It's not just that the people are largely ignorant of their right/duty to consent, and the complementary right/duty to refuse; It's that the executive will not be dissuaded from its objectives regardless. There's a word for that. Start with tyr... ends with rany... And, yes, the people have been useful idiots in helping to bring it about.
God save us, 'cause it surely won't be the Republican Party to do it.
Oct '10
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
Western Chauvinist: It won't be like this for long?
Agreed. I expect it will bemuchworseveryshortly. We live under a capricious and power abusive executive, with virtually nothing (Democrat controlled Senate and supine Supreme Court) to stop it.
... God save us, 'cause it surely won't be the Republican Party to do it. · 2 minutes ago
The first paragraph is where your expectations of the GOP belong.
Not only is the supreme court supine, the GOP is also, in a brothel called the congress, frequented by Democrats.
And as beautiful as the Darius Rucker song is, he is singing about good things which won't be here for long. Not so, the O administration. There is nothing good here, and even four years is far too long.
And it is the height of optimism to think that in four years things will start getting better.
Edited on January 21, 2013 at 4:31pmJul '12
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
I can't imagine any serious effort will be made to repeal term limits, but there's no doubt that unless it becomes so clear even to the information-deprived voter that we have boarded the handbasket and are well on our way, the Dems will run some Obama-Mini-Me (maybe Michelle!) in 2016, and Americans will vote for that candidate.
Then again, there's the chance that stunt casting might work. Can we find a conservative, gay, handicapped, Latino/African-American/Asian woman whose parents were illegal immigrants?
Jun '10
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
Obama knows his inaugural address is another opportunity to wow his core constituency with empty platitudes. His followers are like junkies looking for an emotional high, and that's the sum of it. None of it will have any staying power; what's said today will be forgotten tomorrow, or simply tossed out like yesterday's trash when the memory becomes inconvenient.
If there's a saving grace to this charade, it's that Obama is lazy and easily distracted. The way he handles crises is always more reactive than proactive. I don't think "fundamental transformation" has any real meaning beyond gorging the federal bureaucracy. Bad enough in itself, I suppose, but there's no plan here beyond catch as catch can. The president is lauded as a great progressive thinker (a contradiction in terms if there ever was one), but show me a single treatise or policy paper to support this supposition.
The president is a small man with a mean streak when he gets his dander up. If he's motivated by malice, it's only because so many Americans refuse to acknowledge his alleged brilliance. I won't be watching because there's nothing to see.
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
Don't sugar coat it, ~Paules, give it to us straight. ;)
My sole intent here was to offer a modest reminder that all things must pass. The president will surely get up to some hijinks during his second term that will outlast his term in office. My guess is: We'll survive it. Obviously I have no special information. It's just my feeling.
Surely our liberal friends never had a lower day than Bush's second inaugural. But in their (cracked) rearview, I'm guessing things don't look as bad now as they did then.
The circle turns; the pendulum swings; memento mori.
Dec '12
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
There are certainly people out there who want to see the 22nd Amendment repealed so that Obama can be re-elected. Thankfully, Bill Clinton wants a third term (through Hillary), so we have a powerful enemy of my enemy is my friend type ally behind enemy lines to prevent such from happening.
Jun '10
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
Matthew Hennessey
My sole intent here was to offer a modest reminder that all things must pass. The president will surely get up to some hijinks during his second term that will outlast his term in office. My guess is: We'll survive it. Obviously I have no special information. It's just my feeling.
I get that, Matthew, it's just that I would be a lot more sanguine if we didn't have a 16 trillion dollar debt hanging over our heads. I'd like to say, "this, too, shall pass," but numbers are notoriously stubborn things.
May '11
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
sorry, daily affirmation just doesn't do it for me
Jul '12
Re: It Won't Be Like This for Long
We're obviously all raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacists!