A Sterile View of Collective Action

[Geee]

Human Events:

Three things in particular amazed me about President Obama’s inaugural address.

First, I was surprised how much President Obama had to say that I agreed with. His theme of making “real for every American” the promise of our Declaration — “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” – is central to the Republican credo. What Republican could dispute that?

He’s the only president who has ever quoted the passage in full in his inaugural address.

President Obama may very well draw something different from that passage than we would, but that’s the heart of the argument we’re about to have.

Second, I was surprised by all the paragraphs that were missing.

The president made virtually no mention of the economy, at a time when millions of Americans are struggling and unemployed. All he said was, “An economic recovery has begun.”

He said, “The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult,” but he failed to mention the oil and gas revolution taking place in the United States that offers the promise of low cost oil and natural gas for many decades to come, if we’ll only seize it.

The president said, “A decade of war is now ending,” and spoke of “winning the peace,” but ignored the violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention new danger in Mali, Algeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Iran — and for that matter, Libya. He said nothing of Mexico, where just below our border lawlessness continues to rule.

[Valin]

Human Events:

Three things in particular amazed me about President Obama’s inaugural address.

First, I was surprised how much President Obama had to say that I agreed with. His theme of making “real for every American” the promise of our Declaration — “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” – is central to the Republican credo. What Republican could dispute that?

He’s the only president who has ever quoted the passage in full in his inaugural address.

President Obama may very well draw something different from that passage than we would, but that’s the heart of the argument we’re about to have.

Second, I was surprised by all the paragraphs that were missing.

The president made virtually no mention of the economy, at a time when millions of Americans are struggling and unemployed. All he said was, “An economic recovery has begun.”

He said, “The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult,” but he failed to mention the oil and gas revolution taking place in the United States that offers the promise of low cost oil and natural gas for many decades to come, if we’ll only seize it.

The president said, “A decade of war is now ending,” and spoke of “winning the peace,” but ignored the violence in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention new danger in Mali, Algeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Iran — and for that matter, Libya. He said nothing of Mexico, where just below our border lawlessness continues to rule.

 

 

Understatement of the day!!!