Comments on: Obama's Dilemma (and Ours) http://arlenegoldbard.com/2009/02/17/obamas-dilemma-and-ours/ Purpose & pleasure. Aligned. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:23:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: L. Baden http://arlenegoldbard.com/2009/02/17/obamas-dilemma-and-ours/#comment-552 L. Baden Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:16:09 +0000 http://arlenegoldbard.com/?p=520#comment-552 I agree with you on your next Steps for Obama. I agree with you on your next Steps for Obama.

]]> By: L. Baden http://arlenegoldbard.com/2009/02/17/obamas-dilemma-and-ours/#comment-551 L. Baden Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:13:43 +0000 http://arlenegoldbard.com/?p=520#comment-551 You are 'spot on' regarding Obama's next steps with regards to "concensus." The legislators, whether on the state or federal level, who refuse to move forward with the situation in hand, who are putting their Party before their constituents and their nation, should indeed 'get out of the way.' I don' t doubt that there are some 'behind the scenes' maneuverings going on amongst Republicans who are so entrenched in Rovian politics that they cannot change. These are the scars of the past eight years which, I'm afraid, won't go away soon. I think the best thing for us to do is keep moving forward, keep rallying for public works projects, for jobs, and keep writing letters to the editors and showing up to march for these causes. Obama can't do it alone. And we can't let the REpublicans who are dragging their feet drag us all back. There is enough backward momentum from the economy alone! You are ‘spot on’ regarding Obama’s next steps with regards to “concensus.” The legislators, whether on the state or federal level, who refuse to move forward with the situation in hand, who are putting their Party before their constituents and their nation, should indeed ‘get out of the way.’ I don’ t doubt that there are some ‘behind the scenes’ maneuverings going on amongst Republicans who are so entrenched in Rovian politics that they cannot change.

These are the scars of the past eight years which, I’m afraid, won’t go away soon. I think the best thing for us to do is keep moving forward, keep rallying for public works projects, for jobs, and keep writing letters to the editors and showing up to march for these causes. Obama can’t do it alone. And we can’t let the REpublicans who are dragging their feet drag us all back. There is enough backward momentum from the economy alone!

]]> By: Alan Muller http://arlenegoldbard.com/2009/02/17/obamas-dilemma-and-ours/#comment-550 Alan Muller Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:22:41 +0000 http://arlenegoldbard.com/?p=520#comment-550 A very good post. I have some experience of the reality of naive environmental and good government types participating in "consensus" processes with business interests. Things usually seem to play out as described here--hope and good faith on one side and cynicism on the other. As for Obama, I don't know. He's a very wise guy. But isn't he trying to govern from a "center" that has drifted so far to the right as to be disconnected from rational policies? FDR had a "conservative" budget director who greatly impeded the development of the "new deal." Alan Muller Green Delaware A very good post.

I have some experience of the reality of naive environmental and good government types participating in “consensus” processes with business interests. Things usually seem to play out as described here–hope and good faith on one side and cynicism on the other.

As for Obama, I don’t know. He’s a very wise guy. But isn’t he trying to govern from a “center” that has drifted so far to the right as to be disconnected from rational policies? FDR had a “conservative” budget director who greatly impeded the development of the “new deal.”

Alan Muller
Green Delaware

]]> By: Boris Kofman http://arlenegoldbard.com/2009/02/17/obamas-dilemma-and-ours/#comment-549 Boris Kofman Thu, 19 Feb 2009 15:12:11 +0000 http://arlenegoldbard.com/?p=520#comment-549 I read your post with interest (via the email from Shalom Center). I totally agree with you about the dangers of trying to reach consensus. In this particular case, however, all the actions taken by Obama tell me that he understands it as well. Note that the stimulus bill had the absolute minimum number of votes. Obama and the Democrats didn't give away any more than they had to. As for the Judd Gregg nomination, it demonstrated Obama's willingness to reach out to the Republicans, and Gregg's withdrawal - their unwillingness to meet him half-way. I think Obama came out looking stronger from these political games, and in the future negotiations he'll have a stronger starting position. I read your post with interest (via the email from Shalom Center). I totally agree with you about the dangers of trying to reach consensus. In this particular case, however, all the actions taken by Obama tell me that he understands it as well. Note that the stimulus bill had the absolute minimum number of votes. Obama and the Democrats didn’t give away any more than they had to. As for the Judd Gregg nomination, it demonstrated Obama’s willingness to reach out to the Republicans, and Gregg’s withdrawal – their unwillingness to meet him half-way. I think Obama came out looking stronger from these political games, and in the future negotiations he’ll have a stronger starting position.

]]> By: merom klein http://arlenegoldbard.com/2009/02/17/obamas-dilemma-and-ours/#comment-548 merom klein Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:37:53 +0000 http://arlenegoldbard.com/?p=520#comment-548 Great analysis. As I read it, I couldn't help thinking about the pursuit of peace in our country. I couldn't help thinking about similar fictions perpetrated by our friends @ Hamas and Hezbullah, who wish to paint themselves as "victims" -- and who put their own people in the line of fire, to play to the sympathies of good-hearted and moral people who want to see the bloodshed end. Unfortunately, their efforts have been as successful as those of the logging companies you describe -- and we have been every bit as inept as Obama at elevating the dialogue to a higher level. In our leadership programmes, we teach leaders the art and science of ennobling -- to lift dialogues to a higher level, rather than selling out moral values and lofty objectives by enabling detractors, nay-sayers and those who appeal to base motives to stay comfortable. Obama mastered the art of ennobling dialogue in his campaign, running against a very different opposition than the one he is facing now. It's sad to see him backing away from it now. Bibi Netanyahu, the so-called right-wing candidate in Israel, has stated clearly that the prospect for peace cannot be solved with military solutions, but through investment and building so the combined Israel/Palestinian economy provides more for Palestinians to live for than to die for. Sadly, the other side rejects real consensus with the same cynical manipulation you describe here. Unfortunately, most of our leaders in Israel have not mastered the art of ennobling -- and come across as unsympathetic, domineering and brutal, even when the reality is very different from that. Great analysis. As I read it, I couldn’t help thinking about the pursuit of peace in our country. I couldn’t help thinking about similar fictions perpetrated by our friends @ Hamas and Hezbullah, who wish to paint themselves as “victims” — and who put their own people in the line of fire, to play to the sympathies of good-hearted and moral people who want to see the bloodshed end. Unfortunately, their efforts have been as successful as those of the logging companies you describe — and we have been every bit as inept as Obama at elevating the dialogue to a higher level.
In our leadership programmes, we teach leaders the art and science of ennobling — to lift dialogues to a higher level, rather than selling out moral values and lofty objectives by enabling detractors, nay-sayers and those who appeal to base motives to stay comfortable. Obama mastered the art of ennobling dialogue in his campaign, running against a very different opposition than the one he is facing now. It’s sad to see him backing away from it now.
Bibi Netanyahu, the so-called right-wing candidate in Israel, has stated clearly that the prospect for peace cannot be solved with military solutions, but through investment and building so the combined Israel/Palestinian economy provides more for Palestinians to live for than to die for. Sadly, the other side rejects real consensus with the same cynical manipulation you describe here. Unfortunately, most of our leaders in Israel have not mastered the art of ennobling — and come across as unsympathetic, domineering and brutal, even when the reality is very different from that.

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