Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
It may be more of the fearmongering that Rep. Paul Ryan disparaged yesterday, but I'm more upset that President Obama is this opposed to basic American virtues. From the Wall Street Journal:
Oddly, the White House website doesn't have the text of this speech, but here's a passage from ABC: "The one thing that we absolutely know for sure is that if we don't work even harder than we did in 2008, then we're going to have a government that tells the American people, 'you are on your own. If you get sick, you're on your own. If you can't afford college, you're on your own. If you don't like that some corporation is polluting your air or the air that your child breathes, then you're on your own.' That's not the America I believe in. It's not the America you believe in."
Obama explicitly rejects the American ethos of self-reliance. He sees dependence on government not as an evil, if sometimes a necessary one, but as a goal to be pursued. It reminded us of Peggy Noonan's observation last week that there's something not fully adult about the president himself: "Sorry to do archetypes, but a nation in trouble probably wants a fatherly, or motherly, figure at the top. What America has right now is a bright, lost older brother. It misses Dad."
It's sad, really.
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Jun '10
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
Every conservative I know believes that struggle is good. Overcoming adversity builds character. Self-esteem must be earned. In the mind of a progressive all these obvious truths are turned on their head. Life should be easy. No one should struggle. Self-esteem is conferred as a birthright. Conservatives prefer a father who is a firm taskmaster. Progressives demand a Sugar-Daddy.
Aug '11
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
On this, some fun was had yesterday on the Member Feed. ABC's opening paragraph in their coverage is jaw-dropping:
"At a million-dollar San Francisco fundraiser today, President Obama warned his recession-battered supporters that if he loses the 2012 election it could herald a new, painful era of self-reliance in America." (Emphasis mine)
Aug '11
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
Yesterday, my cousin sent me a link to this Bill Whittle piece from earlier this month. Not sure if anyone mentioned it here. In it, Bill Whittle talks about the remedy for the entitlement generation that is all out there "Occupying" places. His remedy? Try surviving in the wilderness without all the conveniences provided by those evil corporations. (Including, but not limited to, killing, processing, and packaging your food so that you don't have to get your hands dirty.)
But basically what he's saying is learn self-reliance.
Aug '10
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
Here's what I'd prefer: "We're going to have a federal government that tells the states, 'do your jobs. If your people get sick, help them in the manner that makes most sense for your state. If your people can't afford college, help them in the manner that makes most sense for your state. If your people don't like that some corporation is polluting the air, deal with the problem in the manner that makes most sense for your state. Maybe we can talk about a cost-sharing agreement.'
Sep '11
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
And I give you Louis CK. "Everything's amazing and nobody's happy."
It's work safe, from Conan. Another quote: "We live in an amazing world, and it's wasted on the crappiest generation of spoiled idiots."
Edited on October 27, 2011 at 5:33pmDec '10
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
How is his statement—and everything else he proposes—any different than the policies and campaigning that have kept Democrats in power since FDR?
Have the Democrats ever passed a bill that was not good for the party? How many bills have Democrats passed that were both good for the party and good for the self-reliance of Americans?
How many Democrats have been voting on these laws before most Ricochetarians were born?
Currently sitting House and Senate members by longevity of service (total years), except for reference Byrd, 1st, and Kennedy, 14th, deceased, and Biden:
Mar '11
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
It's almost like Mr Obama is from a different country, and doesn't understand the basics of what it is to be an American, and why Europeans came to America to escape Europe.
Like OWS, he is a product of the Bill Ayers education system.
Oct '10
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
"If you get sick, you're on your own. If you can't afford college, you're on your own. If you don't like that some corporation is polluting your air or the air that your child breathes, then you're on your own."
Of course, we'll still demand more than half of what you produce !!!
May '10
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
The legitimate functions of government are not evil or even onerous. The problem we have is that people have been taught (in our government schools) that solutions are always govt. based. Most of our societal problems are best handled by private solutions, churches, charities, etc. Defense, fraud, crime (legitimate functions of government) are best handled by government. The evidence for this is seen in the most socialistic areas of our country which are all disaster areas (charity [welfare], education, retirement, and increasingly medical care). Our founders knew that liberty is to be found by limiting government to it's legitimate functions so that those can be handled well while empowering government to do those functions. This frees up the people to handle the social problems at the most local level feasible where they can be dealt with most effectively.
May '11
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
Maa-om, Dad said if we don't vote for him he's going to cut off our allowance! That's not faaaaa-ir! Whaaaa!
Jul '11
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
Self reliance? I thought he was borrowing money in "our" name to give to "us" that "we" have to pay back. How much more self reliant can we get? All he is doing is selecting who the "our", "us" and "we" are according to his personal preference and charging a 50% government handling fee.
Jun '10
Re: Obama Warns: If I Lose, Get Ready for "Self-Reliance"
Superb point. The right way to analyze this whole subject. Regarding the GOP candidates, only Newt analyzes things this way.
It's cronyism plain and simple. Ideologically, it should be shredded by conservatives because it's so obviously just basic corruption masquerading as high philosophy.
Obama is a child and an out of his depth version. Peggy Noonan's description is so apt.