Obama’s Second Inauguration: A Great Time To Not Be Republican

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Tony Hymes

On a brisk Monday in our nation’s governmental node, a vast crowd of people gathered on the damp mall, waving flags and cheering the second inauguration of President Barack Obama. After an extremely hard-fought, expensive, and divisive campaign, the result was finally made official as President Obama swore the oath of office. Considering his level of success on advancing social causes like healthcare and equal rights, the nation can look forward to four more years of expert stewardship. There has never been a better time to root for the left.

president obama sworn in for second term

Hope is back

While the tone was much more subdued than the fervor that surrounded his first inauguration, Obama did not disappoint. For the first time in history in an inaugural speech, the President mentioned gay rights, and likened their path to that of other civil rights movements. He heavily pushed the cause of collective good. And, most importantly, he affronted the conservatives.

Baffled at their own demise, Republicans have been grasping at anything that even resembles an opportunity to make it seem like they are still doing anything at a national level. Obama’s speech rebuked the conservatives and particularly the puddle of the agitated far right from where the likes of Paul Ryan spawn. John McCain hypocritically whined that Obama didn’t talk enough about working together. However, no one in the nation believed the Senator, because no one heard him.

TO THE LEFT

The noise of the right was drowned out by the hopes of the left. Obama, who stayed too far to the center for the preferences of many a liberal, might buck the trend of past Presidents going into their second terms. History states that a President tends to gravitate towards the center the second time a nation elects him. With the Senate set (today) to vote on changing the rules of the filibuster, Obama might take the opportunity to move to the left instead and push through reforms on gun control and immigration.

If he succeeds at pushing through major legislation on these points (which seems probable considering the attention some in the Republican rank are getting by promoting reform), by the end of his second term and eight years in office he will have reformed healthcare, gun control, and immigration. But perhaps the most exciting part of his inaugural speech was his frank mention of climate change, and what the US must do to counteract it. This was a breath of fresh air (pun intended). It could mark the beginning of a substantial national shift in energy policy towards renewables for which many have been waiting decades.

Whatever your viewpoint, it is clear that despite the contrary claims, hope is alive and well.

Barack Obama Wins: Victory Speech [VIDEO]

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Tony Hymes

President Barack Obama has won the 2012 election. Reelected comfortably for four more years, the election was over quickly, avoiding the horrible nightmares of provisional ballots, lawsuits, and recounts. When the dust settled, Obama cruised to victory in the majority of the battleground states, including the bell weather state Ohio.

Hope.

Elation abounds across the nation. Everywhere, those who voted for Obama are excited to see the man who reformed health care, took our nation out of a decade of war, opened up society for everyone, advanced the cause of all groups, and most importantly earned the trust of the nation that when a difficult decision needs to be made, he is the one to do it, can continue America’s crusade towards the future. We deserve it.

But the single biggest reason to be proud of America today is that even when corporations and special interests are able to do and say whatever they want — to drown the voices of actual citizens, to compromise equality, fairness, and our physical safety, to yield disproportionate influence over those who make policy — when it comes to the polls, we each get one vote. And we all voted. We voted to say that as a society we are equals as humans. We broke the teeth of the rich donors and businesses who wanted to profit at the expense of our nation, not for our nation as they so claimed.

And it is reckoning time for the Republican Party, whose fracturing divisions and increasingly marginalized positions will mean that if it remains unchanged, it will rapidly lose influence. They must accept that the majority of Americans want a better place to live, not a place that removes obstacles for some people to succeed, while leaving everyone else outside the gate. They must accept that religious influence to the point of clouding reality has no place in real political debate. They must accept that compromise is the only way forward.

As Obama says in his acceptance speech, we are hopeful. Sing it, Mr. President:

Obama At The UN Summit

Posted on September 26, 2012 by Tony Hymes

The world’s leaders gathered in New York this week at the headquarters of the United Nations to discuss the world order. Obama spoke, offering his thoughts on Iran and Syria, criticizing both of them but urging patience. Obama avers that the world can deal with Iran without the use of force, though all signs point in other directions.

“Nobody start any shit until November 7th, OK?”

Clearly with less than two months before election day, Obama does not want to sink the USA into another foreign conflict in the Middle East. With Russia backing the Assad regime in Syria, there is little that Obama can do without the risk of igniting a giant conflict and at least some sort of cold war-type stand off with Russia. Even if the rest of the world stands with the Syrian rebels, Russia is too big an obstacle for everyone to tackle when the limping economy is what is on most people’s minds. Democracies are, after all, controlled by the people.

But the thorn in Obama’s side, Israel, has been warning that it will strike Iranian nuclear complexes in order to stunt their enrichment programs and buy more time as the Iranian regime urges the world that it is going to use the nuclear capability for civilian electricity. No one outside of Iran, and some inside Iran, want them to have a nuclear weapon. This is not necessarily because the regime has promised to annihilate Israel, but because of the way that Iran fits into the world’s terrorist networks, providing arms and funding to groups such as Hezbollah. Iran would be much more likely to give a nuclear device to a terrorist group and let them try to reach a western target. This is more dangerous, since terrorists do not need to worry about the safety of a massive population like a sovereign government does.

Either way, these will be two big issues that face the next President. If Obama is re-elected, we will surely see some sort of ramping up of the aide provided to Syrian rebels, perhaps even the coordination of humanitarian buffer zones inside the Syria borders. As with the Libyan campaign, America will probably take a back seat role with NATO calls the shots. If Russia pushes back, the world should ignore it, knowing that Putin would probably not stretch his military forces away from Russia while so many protests keep popping up at home. If Russia laments the loss of its final naval base in the Mediterranean, tough shit, they should refocus their efforts on the Arctic anyway, with the melting ice opening up a bonanza of energy exploration, they could probably use their ships up there.

If Romeny is elected President, there is no telling what he would do. He would probably begin to act even more belligerently with Iran, solidifying the Iranian people with their leader and encouraging Iranian sympathy amongst other Middle Eastern nations. The sanctions in place are crippling the Iranian economy and causing unrest among the population there, effectively separating the government’s agenda from what the people need. The further apart those two things drift, the harder it is for the Iranian government to justify what it is doing. If it reaches a tipping point, there could be large scale protests and the possibility of policy change. If Romney postures like a guy ready to punch someone, Iran can say to its people: we need this weapon to make sure this guy never comes near us. The world will become a very dangerous place.

The Video Seen Round The World

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Tony Hymes

A leaked video from an elite fundraiser shows Mitt Romney revealing how he really feels about nearly half of America. In it, he decries that these Americans are dependent on the government, and will never vote for him. He goes further to say that there is nothing he can do to get these people to take responsibility for their lives.

Maybe he was just pitching to the crowd. These were rich Republican donors who hate taxes and the poor, so Romney was trying to make it seem like the poor dont pay taxes, therefore why should we? Maybe this is just Romney the chameleon changing forms to try to win votes, at whatever the costs. It would certainly fit his personality.

But as many have already pointed out, a lot of those 47% are Republicans. They are disabled war veterans, they are the elderly, they are the poor. They are people that would’ve voted for Romney at nearly all costs, that is, until he insulted them for being lazy, addicted to government hand outs and unwilling to take responsibility for their lives.

We have all known for far too long that Romney is nothing more than an agent employed by the rich to further cut taxes at the expense of everyone else. This is no surprise, but to come out and alienate half of the country in a way that reveals your true disdain for them, begs the question: Mitt, why do you want to be President at all?

Here it is:

Supporting The Troops: Republican Hypocrisy

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Tony Hymes

Mitt Romney’s epic failure to mention the sacrifice of our troops in his nomination speech at the Republican National Convention two weeks ago reveals a growing hypocrisy between the Republican party and how they perceive our military. Contrary to what every Republican will tell you, Obama has been a great Commander in Chief, and his actions reflect a true care and respect for our troops as human Americans and not as pieces of military hardware.

Republicans really, really, REALLY need to check what the word “support” means

First, Republican notions that Obama wants to eliminate the defense department is nothing more than desperate fear-mongering. If anything, Obama is working to strengthen our nation’s defense against the real threats of today. His reorientation towards the Pacific is in response to the rapid military rise of China. His use of drones — while not without moral controversy — has enabled the coalition troops on the ground in Afghanistan to inflict greater damage to rebel groups while staying further out of harm’s way. His support of coalition forces to topple Qaddafi in Libya is an example of how America should use its military advantage.

Yet Republicans attack Obama relentlessly for his lack of supporting the troops. But what sounds more like support: keeping troops on the other side of the world to die in a desert with no value to America while they train transition forces who turn their guns on the American soldiers as soon as they’ve been trusted? Or, bringing our troops to our shores and bases where they can be close to their families while actually defending America, our borders, and our close allies? If you think that sending troops to die is supporting our troops, you have lost your mind.

America will always have a potent military to maintain a favorable world order. Obama’s record shows that he knows how to use it. Romney’s complete lack of experience in foreign affairs, his multiple gaffes overseas, his disregard for the troops as nothing more than expendable assets, combined with the comparison he made of his sons campaigning for him in 2008 to military service, proves that he might be one of the last people that we would want to call Commander in Chief.

Democratic National Convention: Day 3 Recap, Obama Nails It

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Tony Hymes

The last day of the Democratic National Convention rocked the political world. President Obama, accepting his party’s nomination as the candidate for the 2012 Presidential election, provided the best reason yet to reelect him for another four years. If we elect Mitt Romney, we will lose all the change that we have achieved so far, and will spend the next four years doing nothing other than trying to repeal progress. That doesn’t benefit anyone.

No one can deny how powerful an orator Obama is. He sits on the same plane at JFK and Clinton, and last night he did not disappoint. But speech and rhetoric is only part of what it takes to be a leader. The other elements of leadership are easy to define but hard to quantify. Obama has those elements, and is respected by people around the world for his cool intellect, his modesty, and his passion for advancing not just the American cause, but the global community as well. He might not have insane success in the white collar business world, but that is seeming less and less important. Obama is leading by example. The nation is following.

It will be interesting to watch him dissect the robotic Romney in a debate, since he will dominate on foreign policy, energy policy, civil rights, social issues, and even economics, the category where most think Romney has an advantage. Romney cannot make the case that he will reduce the deficit via tax cuts, it is what Bush said and it is exactly why we have so much debt today. Last night Obama pointed out that all Republicans do is demand tax cuts: “surplus, how about a tax cut? Deficit? Try a tax cut. Feel a cold coming on? Take two tax cuts, roll back some regulation, and call me in the morning.”

Obama’s mockery was well placed, since the Republican party cares nothing about fixing anything, the only thing they care about is keeping more of their money. If that frustrates you, it should, but here is your cathartic release: Obama’s Speech from last night. Enjoy.

Democratic National Convention: Day 2 Recap

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Tony Hymes

Former President Bill Clinton’s speech last night at the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina went well over its allotted time, but no one at the convention seemed to notice. Using his effortless style of strong statistics and southern (liberal) charm, he made clear the difference between Democrats and their wrong wing counterparts: all for one vs. every man for himself.

Can he get white men to love Obama?

Clinton pointed out the economic differences during his presidency and Bush’s, where the economy saw huge gains during his tenure and collapsed under Bush. There are some technicalities to his claim, however, the dot com bubble famously burst in March of 2000, before Bush had taken office, and the repeal of Great Depression era banking laws arguably caused the type of risky profit seeking that created the recession of 2008.

Either way, Clinton’s speech focused attention away from critiques of Obama’s governing and onto the bigger picture. Facing stubborn unemployment, rampant discontent, and diverging political ideologies, Clinton portrayed the right as being divisive and the left as made up of everyone else. This is absolutely true. The conservatives have blocked change at every turn, preferring instead to expend all energy to try to preserve the status quo, even when it doesn’t work for everyone, instead of using our massive brain power to continue to advance our society.

When Obama joined Clinton on the stage, the crowd erupted in cheers of support. They felt a connection to the two men that our nation will never feel with Romney, even if he is elected in November.

Democratic National Convention: Day 2 Preview

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Tony Hymes

Some compare him to a rock star, others to a shmoozer with no decency. But like him or not, Bill Clinton was the last President of the USA to preside over big economic growth. That is the message that he will be driving home to Americans as he delivers the keynote speech tonight at the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The last decade of the 1900s was a golden time for America. The internet blossomed and with it the petals of e-commerce opened. Silicon Valley became world famous, and America was again viewed as the land of opportunity. Bill Clinton got to benefit from the momentous change in economy, and together with the Unethical Amphibian, passed the first balanced budget in 1998 since 1968.

But at the same time, Clinton was sucked into a mess of affairs, scandal, and perjury which the Republicans exploited to maximum gain. Entirely responsible, all Clinton could do was try to smooth it over. His popularity today shows that he succeeded.

Now he will appear at the convention to remind Americans that it is the Democrats who are most capable to steer the economy in the right direction, and that the misguided tax cutting of the Bush years served to only create so much debt that we pushed past $16 trillion yesterday. He will remind people that economics is not helping the rich pay less taxes, but about creating a place where people want to live, regardless of the costs.

Bill Clinton will nominate Barack Obama as the official candidate for the Democratic party tonight, and if Obama is reelected and enjoys a second term that was as economically successful as Clinton’s, we will be in for a good four years.

Democratic National Convention: Day 1 Recap, Michelle Obama

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Tony Hymes

It is easy to see why Michelle Obama enjoys such a high level of popularity, higher than both Mitt or Ann Romney, and even higher than her husband. At the opening night of the Democrat National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, the First Lady stole the show as the Democrats sought to position themselves as the humane counterparts to the GOP.

Michelle Obama kicks some serious ass

Michelle Obama sought to portray her husband as in touch with the American people, something that both Democrats and Republicans have criticized Romney for lacking. Romney’s style, board room mannerisms, and immense wealth from birth have left most Americans feeling like their problems are irrelevant to him. Mrs. Obama outlined the humble beginnings of young Barack, and how he still spends nights as President pouring over letters from citizens who are dealing with the same problems he faced and overcame.

But this sentimental outlining does not allay fears that Obama is the wrong candidate to steer the USA towards higher economic growth over the next four years, the primary concern of the majority of Americans who will visit the polls in November. What Michelle Obama did to help the President’s cause was talk about student loan burdens and debt management, how the new health care plan helps young people stay healthy on their parents’ insurance until the age of 26, and focusing on helping the middle class, not the super wealthy. All of these were examples of policy that made it easier for young people to enter the job market even if it took them longer, and be more flexible with the jobs they took. These were things that Obama actually did, which in themselves contrast sharply with the no-details approach that Mitt Romney implored the American people to believe in his speech last week.

What many have pointed out already bears repeating: Mrs. Obama never once mentioned Romney by name, and stayed away from the attacks levied by other Democrats such as Nevada Senator Harry Reid, who rightfully harped on Romney’s refusal to release his tax returns. She instead took the opportunity to connect with the average American that the President understands their problems and is working on sustainable solutions that will help everyone, not just the super rich.

There is an advantage to going second in the conventions, and the other speakers took to the stage to outline everything that Obama has done to make America a better place than it was four years ago. This is in direct rebuttal to VP Candidate Paul Ryan’s Reagan strategy which simply asks voters: “are you better off than you were four years ago?” Even the staunchest conservatives would have to admit that the day Bush left office was like finally taking a huge shit after weeks of constipation.

Many Republicans feel threatened by the progressive approach, and fear that the liberalization of society will lead to the end of their selectively-applied “American Morality.” They fret that an Obama that doesn’t need to face the voters again will veer to the left. But the truth is that Obama has ridden too far along the center, and has compromised his political capital to soften some of his ideas to fit more with the majority of Americans and appease the right. History shows that Presidents in their second term stay more towards the middle. Let’s hope for the sake of our country’s future that isn’t the case.

Democratic National Convention: Day 1 Preview

Posted on September 4, 2012 by Tony Hymes

The Democratic National Convention begins today in Charlotte, North Carolina as the progressives and President Obama take the big stage to make their case for reelection. At stake, control of a deeply divided American country and population suffering through prolonged economic hardship and enduring relentless political attack advertising funded almost exclusively by unchained Super PACs. Today the Democrats lead off with the hugely popular Michelle Obama and hope to set the tone of what politics should look like.

More popular than her husband

The first lady is important because she represents what the Republicans have squandered away thanks to heartless remarks from the likes of Todd Akin and centuries of sexism, a connection with women. Michelle Obama has focused much of her efforts on fighting obesity and educating families about nutrition, a commendable cause that addresses one of the nation’s biggest (literally) problems. Tonight she will speak about the progress that has been made and her husband’s focus on connecting with everyday middle class Americans who are becoming more socially liberal but who still worry about the economy.

Her biggest asset will be how effortlessly she is liked by women, in stark contrast to Ann Romney’s speech at last weeks RNC where she pleaded with every type of woman — mothers, sisters, daughters — to trust Mitt Romney. Without having to do that, Michelle Obama can focus on her husband’s strengths while not sounding desperate.

Additionally, the Democrats will focus heavily on their social issues, a place where Republicans have been slipping into irrelevancy. Their platform aligns much more with the majority of the American people, and contrasts with the Republicans’ hatred of immigrants, minorities, women, gay people, and the poor. It is almost as if the Democrats don’t even need to come out and say it, the Republicans have done such a good job of distancing themselves from these groups that all that is needed from the Democrats is an understanding nod of the head, and a disappointed sigh.

The Wrong Wing

Modern American Political Morality

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