Posted on 09/11/2009 10:26:52 PM PDT by pissant
I believe I may have an insight into why so many conservatives crazy-hate Barack Obama: He's a liberal. A true liberal. An unabashed liberal. Yes, there's a liberal in the White House -- and most Americans aren't disgusted by that. In fact, most approve of him. (His approval rating is on par with that of Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan eight months into their presidencies.) Worse, he's a liberal with an ambitious liberal agenda. And even worse, he might just succeed in enacting it.
During Obama's speech before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night, he presented a strong case for his version of health care reform. He focused on how this legislation would help those who already have insurance but whose health security is put at risk by the blood-sucking practices of insurance firms (such as denying treatment to people with pre-existing conditions).
Related: Obama's Hated Because He's Librul? Mr. Corn, That Is an...Arguable Statement!
He said he favored a public option (that is, a government-run insurance program that would compete with the privateers) but indicated he could sign a bill without one. He denounced Republican rejectionism. He called out Sarah Palin for her false claims about so-called "death panels" without naming her -- and teaching Rep. Joe Wilson a lesson in how politely to call somebody a liar. He vowed Medicare recipients would nether be killed off nor cut out. He promised his plan would not add to the ballooning deficit.
Much of what he said was indeed left-of-center -- even though he tossed a sweetener at Republicans (medical malpractice reform demonstration projects) and took a shot or two at liberal House Democrats who have threatened to vote against any legislation without a robust public option. But Obama is well-skilled in not coming across as an ideologue. That was one key to his success in 2008.
He talks about reaching out to the other side; he expresses a desire for bipartisan accommodation. It's not all show. He does have a pragmatic streak. When he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, he was known for brokering the differences between the opposing ideological camps, not for leading one or the other. There's no denying his own views are mostly progressive. He has said he would favor a single-payer, Canadian-style health care system, if one was being built from scratch. But his pragmatism has caused him to choose another course. Clearly, he'd rather be seen as a let's-work-together policy builder than as a liberal crusader.
Which is why the big finish of his speech was so surprising. After presenting his health care reform plan in pragmatic and reasonable-sounding terms, he then embraced the No. 1 liberal crusader of recent decades: Ted Kennedy. And he wrapped his health care reform initiative in the Kennedy cloak.
Obama read from a letter Kennedy had written him after he learned he would soon die. The dying senator had told the president that health care reform is "that great unfinished business of our society" and that it "is above all a moral issue." Kennedy added: "at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country."
This kind of talk tends to drive conservatives crazy. And Obama went on not only to praise Kennedy's decades-long effort to achieve health care reform but to celebrate the whole wide stretch of what can be termed Kennedy liberalism. He did so knowing that this entire notion of Kennedy liberalism ticks off plenty of folks:
For some of Ted Kennedy's critics, his brand of liberalism represented an affront to American liberty. In their mind, his passion for universal health care was nothing more than a passion for big government.
But Obama said that was wrong, explaining that Kennedy's passion
was born not of some rigid ideology, but of his own experience. It was the experience of having two children stricken with cancer. He never forgot the sheer terror and helplessness that any parent feels when a child is badly sick; and he was able to imagine what it must be like for those without insurance; what it would be like to have to say to a wife or a child or an aging parent -- there is something that could make you better, but I just can't afford it.
This led to an eloquent summation of Kennedy's view that also was one big bear hug of liberalism:
That large-heartedness -- that concern and regard for the plight of others -- is not a partisan feeling. It is not a Republican or a Democratic feeling. It, too, is part of the American character. Our ability to stand in other people's shoes. A recognition that we are all in this together; that when fortune turns against one of us, others are there to lend a helping hand. A belief that in this country, hard work and responsibility should be rewarded by some measure of security and fair play; and an acknowledgement that sometimes government has to step in to help deliver on that promise.
Obama was saying that liberalism is as American as apple pie, that it does represent the fundamental values of the nation. And he was doing so while pitching his health care reform initiative as a non-ideological act of pragmatism. That is, Obama successfully used the arch-enemy of the right to sell a big government initiative that he was promoting as a common-sense solution to the troubles of the nation's health care system. Insta-polls indicated people who watched the speech became more supportive of Obama's health care plan.
It must painfully frustrate right-wingers to watch Obama pull this off. It must drive them nuts -- the way that Ronald Reagan aggravated liberals with his ability to drape hard-right views with folksy popular appeal. While trying to win over independents and moderates on Wednesday night, Obama offered up a full endorsement of liberalism. And it worked. No wonder conservatives can't stand the guy.


Is David Corn the one with the speech impediment?
I think he’s counting chickens that haven’t yet hatched and I know he’s lying about Obama’s polling numbers.
I guess Mr. Corn already lives in his own little world of Marxist uptopia.
utopia
Okay Cornball. Now tell us why the left hates Bush, Cheney and Palin. Mention any of those three names to a lefty and immediately a Norman Bates look comes over their face.
I happen to love Camile Paglia, Sen. Joe Lieberman, and even the late, great Pat Moynihan. All of these folks are/ were flaming liberals. But they often show(ed) some open-mindedness and intellectual honesty.
But President Obozo is a corrupt, incompetent, lying, overconfident Marxist buffoon with no class.**
** Memo to Libs, please do not confuse "Style" with "Class." The former concept is centered on how you dress, pose, and speak. The latter is really about character.
I am not sure if the right word is hate. Obama being a natural born sneak, cheat and liar is affiliated with those who are un-American, openly wish to destroy the American way of life and have allied themselves with pseudo, crypto and outright Marxists, in applying their agenda.
You know, it still blows my mind that Barack Obama got elected in the shadow of Islamic terrorism, it really does. I mean, it’s like someone named “Hans Mueller” getting elected after World War II.
It had to be full-scale fraud!
Don’t forget Ronald Reagan...I was enagegd in an online debate on BarryO’s school speech with a Liberal friend the other day. After a few exchanges he somehow managed to trace the whole thing back to the Gipper.
I was amazed...
That too!
Obama isn’t a liberal. He’s a hard left Alinskite.
1/3 fraud, 1/3 ‘tired of Bush’ syndrome, and 1/3 the fact the GOP put a RINO cadaver up against him.
It does trace back to RR. He was one of the first to realize the dangers Communism posed in the US.
Alinskite = Alinskyite
something like that. :-)
President Reagan will drive a lefty over the edge in a heart beat. They hate Americans. President Reagan was an American.
We could discuss but we would be considered racists.
No, he’s a marxist.
I’m a liberal. Private property? Check. Limited government? Check. Pursuit of happiness? Check. Personal liberty? Check. John Locke? Thomas Jefferson? Check.
Most Democrats are populists and socialists. O is a marxist and a bit of a mafia mouthpiece to boot.
Nailed it. Nailed it.
Bu bu bu but Obama is a centrist, David and everyone else told us so during the campaign!
Gee David, you just outed him. But that will backfire too.
Lets not forget that he ran as a “Centrist” and the willing media portrayed him that way.
So he is a liar.
Obama is not an American. Or he was sick the day the teacher told the kids to put their hand on their heart during the National Anthem.
Give Corn credit for not attributing it to racism.
But it’s the Communism, Stupid—not Liberalism.
And Obama is not going to succeed. The Tea Party Movement and the 9\12 Movement are already bigger than the anti-war movement in the sixties, nineties, or oughts.
Obama is not a liberal, he is a radical muslim communist.
Bingo!!!
No Acorn he is more than a Liberal! He is a Marxist/Fascist! There is a big difference!!!
>> I am not sure if the right word is hate.
Today’s popular definition of ‘hate’ is often associated with some form of hostility or criminal intent. Prior to the era of political corrections, it simply meant to dislike something intensely.
On the other hand, the Left would argue that killing does not necessarily involve hate. For example, does the abortionist hate the burden he kills off? Do the proponents of government health care hate the elderly whom they say do not deserve life extending medical treatment?
But in reality, the Left uses the term ‘hate’ to stain the image and reputation of those they dislike.
I disliked Corn’s opinions intensely from the moment he first appeared across the tube. Does that mean I hate him? Nah.
Personally I find it impossible to love or hate any politician. I can agree or disagree with their politics but I simply cannot expend any emotional energy on any of them...
Excellent point. Corn’s way off the mark, intentionally so.
And don’t forget Sen. Scoop Jackson, who was instrumental in convincing the USSR to allow Soviet Jews to leave the country in exchange for grain during their famine.
“What comes to my mind is a vampire seeing the wooden cross or a silver bullet heading right at them”
A silver bullet wouldn’t be that bad. It doesn’t kill them, right? That’s werewolves. How about a wooden arrow headed right for their heart? That’s more like it.
One day conservatives will realize that there is a war going on here at home.
Until then, we’ll get to watch the left run roughshod over the fundamentals of the American system of government.
Joe Willson is a great example of how the right is being b*tch-slapped regularly by the left.
They kick our teeth in by lying, cheating, forcing and deceiving and these conservatives say: “Oh, that’s just those pesky Democrats again.”. A Republican dares to speak out against the blatant, insulting lies of our President and both sides of the aisle are ready to hang him high.
It’s unbelievable.
Conservatives better grow some eggs, roll up their sleeves and start getting dirty or things are going to get ugly here in the US.
Manners mean something in a civil society, but only when both sides value manners. When manners are valued only by one side then the other side will beat them to death with their wonderful manners.
These are wicked people. All that’s on their minds is defeating you, the conservative. They don’t care how they do it. They are using the rights’ insane fetish with the ‘high-road’ to steal this country from us.
I blame the right as much as the left for all that is happening. There is no opposition really. A few family picnics, called Tea Parties, and all the manners in the world aren’t going to stop the hard-left from taking this country and it’s people to hell.
I want to remain free. Conservatives think they are preserving something by their rigid adherence to the ‘high-road’ but they’re really just preparing for their new lives as the left’s well-mannered slaves.
“1/3 fraud”
That would be the whole “tax cuts for 95% of Americans,” bipartisanship, oppenness, spending cuts, strict oversight, and so on. He sounded almost like Reagan at some points. I wonder why the hard left didn’t call him on that more often. Or maybe they did, I don’t pay that much attention. All I’m saying is if they were expecting universal healthcare, climate change reform, pulling out of Iraq, immediately closing Gitmo, and prosecution of former Bush officials, they should have paid more attention.
Not that he didn’t break all those centralist promises, nor that leftists shouldn’t be pleased with what they’ve got. But he isn’t exactly what they wanted him to be, that’s for sure (and we reap the benefit).
accusations of "Hate"
accusations of "Racism"
accusations of fear mongering
acusations of causing climate change
and then there's the Manufactured Crisis carousel
etc
And much of what Obama said was a lie.
Fantastic post.
Although, could I talk you into using the term Political Corruption, for PC when someone else can determine what you can believe, say and do; violating universal freedoms and common sense!
I was using his name Corn with an A in front!
Old time, Classic Liberals had a lot more in common with me that you'll ever have... just a friendly word of warning?
"We" don't fear the Indonesian/Kenyan/Whateverian Fraud & Con Artist because he's "liberal..."
Here's where we're going now:
Sorry, Obama ain’t no liberal. How bout trying Marxist, Socialist, or Communist. Heck, I’ll take a liberal any day over what we got now. Geez, can’t believe I’m gonna say this....Can Bill come back? Besides, it was so much more entertaining when he was in the White House...at least I didn’t feel like I was going to throw up all the time!
"He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not look upon his like again."
- Hamlet
I miss Moynihan. He was the last liberal I thought would have made a pretty good president. As for Paglia, I'm with you. She's honest and a great intellectual. The democrats would be far more effective if they listened to her logic and not just Barney Frank's "feelings".
What must gall people like Corn is when conservatives rightly call out liberalism for being the anchor around the legs of the people it purports to help. The biggest conceit of liberals is that what they do is for the good of someone else. That what they do only makes people wards of the state and mired in self-pity among other things is totally beyond their ken.
Liberals are me me me. We could care less about Obama. They are peeved that we do not get “horny” like them, that we do not engage in that other phobic side of the coin which is the Bush hate syndrome, and, no, we cannot stand the self-raping acts of an Obama who narcissisticaly likes to politicize his face around like a useless prostitute.
We do not hate, we simply never trust politicians, let alone worship them. Their power theft through us taxpayers notwithstanding, we may pitty them, though.
Corndog just had another Julius Streicher moment. How cute.

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