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The Osawatomie Speech: A Defining Moment In History
This article originally appeared in the Daily Capitalist.
COMMENTARY
I am not a fan of Barack Obama, but I have not criticized him as harshly as many other writers do. I have a different view of him. I see him as a rather run of the mill Progressive/Liberal who firmly believes his ideology and acts somewhat consistently on those ideas. Rather than pillory him personally, my approach has been to criticize the philosophy of which he is a product. In my mind, it's all about ideas. I detest his ideas because I believe they are anti-intellectual and they don't work.
There are many like Mr. Obama out there. His admirers perceive themselves as being the "downtrodden", envious of the accomplishments and wealth of those whose abilities they cannot match. I get that: if you can't achieve it, take it from those who can. Even those limousine liberals who have wealth and accomplishment perceive themselves as either being guilty of their wealth or come from backgrounds where these ideas are passed along. Mr. Obama is no different than any other politician: he seeks power and admiration and the ability to impose his ideas on America.
We here at the Daily Capitalist try everyday to combat those ideas by demonstrating their lack of efficacy and by presenting analyses of events in a free market framework which analyses have actually been quite accurate in forecasting economic outcomes. We try to be the antidote to the Progressive juggernaut.
And then I heard President Obama's speech at Osawatomie, Kansas this week.
It perhaps wasn't surprising, but I was appalled. It was deceitful, inaccurate, revisionist, and demagogic.
Mr. Obama uses every cliché in the Progressive handbook to make his point. His direct point was that the "rich" should pay more taxes. The underlying point and theme of his speech was that individual effort, individualism, free market capitalism, and success is a gift bestowed by "society" on the successful and that what "society" grants, it can take away because "society" needs it. It is the collective versus the individual.
His speech is a recreation, a fabrication if you will, of history, economics, and philosophy into a Pandoran construct of collectivist statism whereby society can demand the individual's obedience and obeisance. In short, folks, it's a crock.
If you think I am exaggerating, I urge you to read or hear his entire speech. You may find the full text and video of the speech here.
Here is just one typical statement from his speech:
Now, just as there was in Teddy Roosevelt’s time, there is a certain crowd in Washington who, for the last few decades, have said, let’s respond to this economic challenge with the same old tune. “The market will take care of everything,” they tell us. If we just cut more regulations and cut more taxes — especially for the wealthy — our economy will grow stronger. Sure, they say, there will be winners and losers. But if the winners do really well, then jobs and prosperity will eventually trickle down to everybody else. And, they argue, even if prosperity doesn’t trickle down, well, that’s the price of liberty.
Now, it’s a simple theory. And we have to admit, it’s one that speaks to our rugged individualism and our healthy skepticism of too much government. That’s in America’s DNA. And that theory fits well on a bumper sticker. (Laughter.) But here’s the problem: It doesn’t work. It has never worked. (Applause.) It didn’t work when it was tried in the decade before the Great Depression. It’s not what led to the incredible postwar booms of the ‘50s and ‘60s. And it didn’t work when we tried it during the last decade. (Applause.) I mean, understand, it’s not as if we haven’t tried this theory.
This is the stuff that demagogues spew to the guileless. And the problem is that he believes it with all his heart. The man is not stupid nor slow on his feet, despite what his harshest critics day. He's not a mere puppet of the union bosses. He's bright, articulate, and well educated. Yet he has learned nothing despite his years of education and now he's at the vanguard of the Progessive/socialist/welfare statist/national corporatist movement in America. If he has the force of personality he could be another Franklin Roosevelt, the president who did more harm to America than any other leader in our history. Fortunately, he may not have that strength of character.
While we may criticize the Republicans for being much of the same, there is still a difference. We are, as I have noted before, at a tipping point in America where:
Nearly half, 48.5%, of the population lived in a household that received some type of government benefit in the first quarter of 2010, according to Census data. Those numbers have risen since the middle of the recession when 44.4% lived households receiving benefits in the third quarter of 2008.
No wonder the audience at Osawatomie loved him.
This is what has happened to much of Europe where welfare recipients voted themselves increasing benefits and economic stagnation and eventual bankruptcy. This is exactly where we are headed politically.
And this is why this election is critical. We must turn this ship around.
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I really don't like this article. It's ugly, false and using a mighty spin to sell the same shit and mindfuck which have been around the corner since Reagan.
Comcerning the lame duck liar and coward who occupies the WH - he's nothing special:
Europe has provided many of that kind - from corrupt french socialists under Mitterand, over "New Labor" incorporated british fascist, to the socialdemocrats of Germany who betrayed every principle of their own party and completely destroyed Germany. Oh, yeah - the fastest rotting vegetable called "Greens", came along the way of treason in no time.
All of those pricks have been just a label change for a knee jerking incestuous network of organised looters, unwilling to allow to give up inch of conquered power to the new ideas and impulses coming from the R&D or obvious necessities for improvement of any kind. ( WinTel crippled Hardware & Software devolopement for at least 20 yrs).
The science, technical devolopement, culture - everything got strangled in the mid eighties. The mankind and nature have been cannibalised to extend the existence of the Finance-Junta which destroyed the whole fuckin' planet .
Ron Paul or Doom & Mad Max . If it doesn't work, OK. Let's die together. Someone coud push a button, dear maniacs, do same frickin' euthanasia. It's in the script, ain't it ?!
Crony capitalistic craptrap. Both parties are owned. You think you can make your dirty party cleaner by pointing at the other? What you really need to do is get a seat at the table, get elected, so you can use all your corporate connections to get rich. Thats the way, join in, but you do need a pot of money in the first place to get elected. Just don't get caught using insider info til you get your seat at the table. Then its all good.
Econophile, you believe he is highly intelligent and yet believes in everything he says? I believe you are right that he is intelligent. Many could argue contrary, but I agree with you here. I disagree with you that he belives the bs he is spouting. I believe he knows it is manipulative propaganda and enjoys using his power and position to manipulate people. He is a tool and nothing more. Just like all of the other "presidents" of recent. He is smart-but in no way does he believe in what he says--it would actually be impossible.
Turn the dang propaganda box off and
Read a book.
When you say this, "envious of the accomplishments and wealth of those whose abilities they cannot match. I get that:" I kn9ow the writer is a moron, and it is such a generalization. Yep everyone's motives are envy.
Just show me you are clueless about or economic system, crony capitialism. Hey lets just take a look at the huge banks and the number of times the system has been bailed out (which is a wealth bailout since the wealthy own the most assets). No reason why folks like dick fuld shouldn't be multimillionares. the guys who destroy stock holder value, ruin a company. aOr romney the private equity job deestroyer. or the talen in running an hft algo that totally fucks up the true purpose of the market place and turns it into a gambling casino.Or the wealth gotten off of extreme leveraged bets, they leaves the system vulnerable to break down.
I really don't like to name call, and to call a poster a duchebag isn't something I would normally stoop to. But I think it's deserved in this case.
It also shows you really don't know the record of the president. he's the best republican president since nixon. The weird thing is how the guy is considered a democrat. huntsman is more liberal then him, and so is ron paul in many ways. this president is only one thing, and that is a corproatist. If yare stupid enough to believe any rhetoric that comes from his mouth at this point, then your shouldn't be allowed to post. remember hope and change, then p[revent it behind closed doors. what he says now for election purposes means nothing.
And the two that thumbed down me, yopu are douches as well. there are lots o9n this site that get that the two p[arties are much mor eht esme than different, that the language used by bothy sides is designed to divide the majority and prevent reform. the writer of this article is a tool of crany capitialism and fake markets. Now, the republicans are also marxist if you want ton say Obama is. they want to keep the system of corporate socialism intact.
My PhD summation: Obama sucks balls
All this garbage Obama spews - he should come over to Japan and see just what happnes when you put that commie claptrap into practice.
The end of history...when our technology produces the basic needs of man what shall man do?
produce nothing? what shall man do? science ?the arts? or be employed by the One world gov/corp to do nothing but follow and enforce others to follow the thousands of rules each day.
The dull gray future where you have everything you need but the food has no taste(as the regs have removed flavor and made it a crime) (see NYC restricting salt in food) the days are filled with sameness..same cars (see 1950 and 1960 autos with style vs today)
the end of the human self as we become a hive and machine like.
if you are not fighting that then you have picked the dull gray living death.
show me who fights this modern rush into entropy.
Here we go, the Rs are better than the Ds.
There is no difference between them, no need to analyze their nuances and who is "bettter".
Both have corporate transparent masters who run things the same way.
"Intellignet" blogs like yours are also part of that system.
Choosing a better R or D is not radical it is the status quo you support, Capitalist indeed.
That's what the Tea Party is, or were you asleep for the last two years?
The Tea Party consists of disaffected Rs and Ds, who want the CONSTITUTION adhered to. You remember that really old document that created the greatest system of government ever seen on the face of the Earth?
And, no, Ron Paul didn't create the Tea Party. He's just a vicious, anti-semitic kook who believes America deserved 9/11. Had it coming.
So you can sit on the sidelines and watch the country fall into the abyss for the next generation or you can stand on the beaches and fight for the most conservative candidates possible. Santorum, Bachmann, Perry would qualify in my book.
Constitutionalists, who've spent as much time battling the Republican establishment as they have the inexorable creep of Fabian Socialism that's infected the Democrat Party.
So, no, the parties ain't the same. We're taking over the Republican Party.
box of rocks comes to mind the status quo is not in the business of changing the thing that gave them what they have. get off the political party rock. they will not save anyone. paul is using the system to cause revolution. he is the only real candidate.
What portion of the Constitution guarantees billions of dollars anually to Israel, you anti-American kook?
Yes, it's really not in our strategic interest to have strong allies in the Middle East.
Gee, you're dumb.
Stop following the Paulian moral equivalence bulls***.
We're not morally equivalent to radical Muslim nutjobs.
No more so than the Nazis or Communists.
Or do you believe that fighting Nazism created more Nazis, like Ron Paul apparently believes?
zionism is a valid viewpoint only to a zionist. apparently you can't see the moral equivalence between your point of view and that of a radical(______). choose one of the following a)jew b)christian c)muslim.
Can you worship the God of your choice freely in Saudi Arabia or Gaza?
If you're a female, can you wear the clothing of your choice in Saudi Arabia or Gaza?
If you're black, will you get treated as a normal human being in Saudi Arabia or Gaza?
Can you speak freely against the government in Saudi Arabia or Gaza?
etc. etc. etc.
Gee, you apparently have never been out of your Mom's basement.
There is no moral equivalence between civilization and barbarism.
Go to the Middle East and visit Saudi Arabia sometime. And, tell you what, try to drive into Mecca. Let me know how that works out for you.
But but but...what about the "democracy" of the Arab Spring movement?!?
Surely a new day has dawned among the young intellectuals across that region...(leaving aside Lara Logan being sexually assaulted right in the middle of it, of course).
"God is our objective; the Quran is our constitution, the Prophet is our leader; Jihad is our way; and death for the sake of God is the highest of our aspirations." Muslim Brotherhood
Meet the new boss, the same as the old boss.
Israel is not our ally. An ally is a nation which has a mutual defense treaty with another nation. The US has such treaties with Britain, France, Japan and dozens of other nations. The US does not have a treaty with Israel as the Israeli's don't want such a treaty.
yeah, a bit like living together without being married, eh?
shocking morals
The article is written by a cunt. An oligarch who wants to rape and pillage even more from the American middle class. He will not rest until 99.9 percent of the population is reduced to endentured servitude in order to keep him and his crony class of entitled pricks in the manner into which they have become acustomed.
Fuck you Mr Econophile.
Let me fix the first two words of this. This comment is written by a cunt. An oligarch who wants to rape and pillage even more from the American middle class. He will not rest until 99.9 percent of the population is reduced to endentured servitude in order to keep him and his crony class of entitled pricks in the manner into which they have become acustomed.
You sir, are a moron. Thread winner right out of the gate.
The attack on the american middle class has been deliberate and nefarious. Anyone doubtful of that fact should see this straightforward presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akVL7QY0S8A (skip the first 5 minutes of introduction)
Obama's speech is deceitful since, just like in the dismissal of the #occupy movement, the issue is distracted towards rich vs. poor, while it should be on corruption preventing anyone but the 0.05% in power, to grow, and experience free capitalism.
Let me repeat that?
IT IS NOT ABOUT RICH VS. POOR, IT'S ABOUT CORRUPTION PREVENTING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES THUS MAKING CAPITALISM IMPOSSIBLE.
It's a distraction that Obama tries to inject indeed, a lie, an attempt to further intently destabillise our western economies, and the sheeple as well as a bunch of you guys fall for it, going back to the old "progressive" "socialist" "communist" namecalling. He's an agent of destruction. HE'S A FASCIST.
It's this meaningless divide that prevents the american public to unite (libertarians and progressives SHARE most posititions), and #occupy and Ron Paul are very dangerous for TPTB in that they unite.
So please, don't read this post like another attack on capitalism. It's not. I'm a firm believer in capitalism, with the state functioning as guardian of weak people to a limited extend, and as it's PRIMARY function as a protector of the RULE OF LAW. Examine the real issue, examine the real corruption, and deliberate hollowing out of the State of Law, if you're either rich or poor.
Because after being done with the middle class, they're going to come after the top 20%. And then the top 5%. And then even the top 1%. THEY WANT IT ALL. THEY WILL COME AFTER YOU. THIS IS ABOUT CREATING A NEW WORLD ORDER. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO "BUY" YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS. Because they're just using the affluent, the rich. And when the middle class is done, they'll have no more use for you. And you'll be the ones that are blamed. JUST LIKE IN THIS SPEECH.....
Wake the fuck up, please. If some musicians "get it", why don't you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD4uSNhqAeo
You're name is well chosen. As well as being a lunatic you are an ignorant asshole who doesn't even know he is being bent over and reamed by the likes of Mr Econophile and his oligarch buddies.
Get back to your real job - you know, sucking the Koch Brothers cocks.
So Obama is not part of the oligarchy? I suppose that he bails out banks and kills innocent people who just happen to live on top of natural resources because it's the decent, progressive thing to do. What a guy.
It's all well and good, but the problem is you can't elect a President who'll have the power and the means to turn this ship around.
It's taken 100 years to build this edifice of law and government, and any part of the system can only accomplish whatever power it's granted. The Presidency is the most powerful single position in the US government, but it's still only a single position.
"Turning it around" means social revolution. Too many things have to change at the same time. Incrementalism won't do it, and anything remotely resembling a President can only act incrementally.
A king or a dictator could do it, I guess. Fuck that.
Mr. Harding,
Sorry, you simply do not get it.
1. Mr. Obama is not very bright, he is facile and cunning. Learned the hat trick, cigarette and soft shoe act early in life.
2. It is a war of good versus evil and his opposition does not look much better than he does. When this fails the Democrats and Republicans will be in a death grip, blaming the other while the country continues to burn.
3. It is all over but the shooting, get ready. Family emergency preparations, garden, bug out bags, firearms (shhh, they work very well for certain things)
When they are sharpening the tines on their pitchforks, they will be coming for all of you assholes, not me.
Do not delude yourself, SHTF will not play favorites when the time comes.
Frankly, I thought the stupid speech was a warm up for the White House eggnog party.
I'm surprised that you're suprised. You haven't been paying much attention to our dear leader over the past three years.
I agree he can deliver a good speech. The problem is, he has ZERO idea of how to implement anything. For God sakes, he virtually delegated his entire first couple of years to Larry Summers (the idiot who lost the Harvard endowment something to the tune of $2 Billion). This guy is the biggest blowhard since Yosemite Sam. He's the guy with all the answers, just ask him. Between him and Geithner, Obama was screwed lewdly. Problem is, he did nothing about it, and that cost the American people a good piece of our hides. I'd not vote for Obama again under any circumstances! I DO NOT TRUST HIM!
Just gotta add, with executive orders stating the President has the ability to target American Citizens for death without a trial simply by naming them "enemy combatants" or imprisioning them for life w/o access to an attorney or trial, I feel he's moved beyond the Constitution and should be removed from office. We can't allow this and still be a democracy. And this is probably a lot more important issue than all the economic stuff we discuss here, because while this (and other) executive orders remain in place, every American is at risk of being murdered or "disappeared". This goes beyond any bad guy in history.
Thank you for pointing this out. I learned about National Socialism/Fascism in the post WWII German education system. It heightened my sensitivities where they needed to be heightened - with the express desire to instill, in future generations, the ability to discern political moves to further the goals of fascism, a manifestation of the corporate state. We are there. Sadly, most everyone around me is asleep. Thank you for your part in helping wake people up, although here it is probably like preaching to the choir.
Hell.. meet handcart. Couldn't agree more.
This post is a defining moment in your stupidity. A one sided blurt from a polarity configured for you by people who are above paying taxes.
I don't like the guy, I think he is bent, but regarding reduction of regulation he was on target, its largely why you are in the terrible position you now find yourselves....I have my doubts about Mr. Econophile.....Gut feeling...he's a shill!
We don't need more regulation. We need righteous, equal enforcement of the current laws.
I never found Obama to be a true progressive liberal. It is an ignored item that as a state senator he voted for torte reform. He showed his colors long ago.
That said, I must add this.
It would appear to me that the Tea Party Patriots (or at least the guy speaking on their behalf) is bought and paid for.
I just watch him with Erin Burnett. The ONLY two candidates that the Tea party guy talked about were Romney and Bachman. He was defending both of them.
Anybody that has checked into Romney's past can see just what he is.
Bachman does not need any further discussion. Can anyone really see her in charge as POTUS?
My point...Ron Paul was not mentioned AT ALL again. While I wouldn't expect main stream media to go out of their way about him apparently the Tea Party won't either.
Whores one and all.
Torte refrom! Now there's something all Germans dissatisfied with the current state of multi-layered cakes can get behind!
(Getting behind Ron Paul, with his wacko foreign policy ideas? Not so much)
As for the Tea Party being bought and paid for, since it has no national organization and refers only to a large group of people with similar political interests, it's hard to see WHo eactly could have been "bought", let alone "paid for".
The media
It's not really "bought", I thought, more like "owned".
Obama is yet another lame hypocrite financed by the TBTF machine. Who cares about his bullshit TELESHIT, it's what he does that counts and his Wall Street backers are lovin it.
the flaw in this position is revealed in the later part of your post. while 48% of the people of the usa derive some benefit from the largesse of .gov it is the wealthy through the profits of multinationals who are the overwhelming benefactors of .gov regulation. it is, therefore, fair to expect them to return some of that profit back to the people of the usa perhaps not in the form of direct welfare, a certainly debateable subject, but in a form that certainly benefits the aggregate usa.
http://www.trevorloudon.com/2011/12/the-osawatomie-coincidence
The Osawatomie Coincidence
Submitted by Trevor on December 8, 2011 – 6:58 pm EST 6 Comments
Why would Barack Obama choose to give a controversial speech attacking American capitalism in Osawatomie, Kansas? Hang on? Where have I heard that name before? Osawatomie? ….back in the ’70s? Weather Underground terrorists… Bill Ayers, Bernardine Dohrn. Didn’t Obama used to hang out with those guys?
I remember! Osawatomie was the publication of the Weather Underground! No, surely its a coincidence….
Just sayin.’
IMAGE OF THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND Osawatomie publication: http://www.trevorloudon.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Osawatomie_page_0...
why would he be attacking american cap when all you types say it has not been in force for years/decades.
The author of the drool that led off this outpouring of insane tripe made his money under a system that I am sure he would say did not exist.
bully for you.
I wonder why the O man was comparing to TR FDR , maybe it had something to do with the New Nationalism Speech given in , my GOD , Osawatomie by good old TR and that was just a tad before ayers.
A few points old TR brought up there:
However, the main theme of the platform was an attack on the domination of politics by business interests, which allegedly controlled both established parties. The platform asserted that
To that end, the platform called for
Clowns that prattle on and on about defining moments should really read some history from time to time.
cold blooded murder in the shallow end babe.
Weird double post...
I agree with everyone that said that this piece is as ridiculous as the Kabuki theatre between the 'Right' and 'Left'.
Please give us a break. We have a brain, and know, that the only thing that any of these puppets believe in, is power and the ability to sell the people the same old familiar platitudes to keep them believing that there is a 'democracy'.
The 'Right' tells their sheeple that the 'problems' i.e. enormous, ever increasing and un-payable debt is caused by 'entitlements' and 'lazy people' and the 'Left' tells their sheeple that it's caused by the 'rich not paying enough taxes'. What does that mean? AUSTERITY programs to pay for the looted coffers of the treasury. I can't believe any American falls for this anymore, but maybe, they've just been drinking that corporate media Kool-Aid for far too long and old habits are hard to break.
Guess what eventually is forced on all on the left? Reality. Austerity is reality and it's happening in Europe today and in America's tomorrow.
What a bunch of tripe. Obama is no flaming progressive, and to 'turn the ship around' to the very same corrupt, bankrupt philosophy you seek is just delusional on your part, or downright propoganda if not. If anything, Obama refusing to completely break with the policies of 2000-2008 has prolonged this spiral to the point we may never recover.
All you Nietsche worshipping 'superman' wannabees make me want to puke.
Got dat right!