|
I've been thinking about the president's speech. And after reviewing it again, I decided to post some of thoughts.
Much of the speech was brilliant. The moral imperative, the language of consumer protections, "It can happen to anyone," the cost of inaction, calling out the Deathers, the history of Medicare and conservative opposition to it, tying obstructionists to the status quo, the cost of the bill compared to the Bush Trickle Down tax cuts, keeping insurance company bureaucrats out of our health care decisions... there were plenty of great moments.
The last part of the speech was especially strong. The section about Senator Kennedy and the character of our country was a stirring tribute and a reminder that progressies have worked tirelessly towards this goal for decades.
The speech also had a few weak moments that I believe are symptomatic of a larger problem. As with policy criticism of the president, I'm not saying that there isn't a lot of good. I'm talking about what the president said in the context of the challenges facing the country, and must happen if we're actually going to deal with them. As others have noted, because of the situation we're in, the president's actions and words can be very good and still fall short of what is needed.
Note: This post focuses on the president's words. I'll follow it up with some thoughts on the action side shortly. The White House is clearly not alone in the error department. While pushing to get the best result, I think it's important to remember the main obstacle to real reform. The president can only do so much, and if self - proclaimed "moderates" in the Senate weren't in the way, it would be much easier for the president to sign strong and effective legislation.
|
