Howard Zinn, the sort of liberal we probably would have heard more of if we truly had a “liberal media,” died yesterday. His Wikipedia entry had a quote about his assessment of Obama’s first year from about two years ago which seemed appropriate in light of the State of the Union last night:
I’ve been searching hard for a highlight. The only thing that comes close is some of Obama’s rhetoric; I don’t see any kind of a highlight in his actions and policies. As far as disappointments, I wasn’t terribly disappointed because I didn’t expect that much. I expected him to be a traditional Democratic president. On foreign policy, that’s hardly any different from a Republican–as nationalist, expansionist, imperial and warlike. So in that sense, there’s no expectation and no disappointment. On domestic policy, traditionally Democratic presidents are more reformist, closer to the labor movement, more willing to pass legislation on behalf of ordinary people–and that’s been true of Obama. But Democratic reforms have also been limited, cautious. Obama’s no exception. On healthcare, for example, he starts out with a compromise, and when you start out with a compromise, you end with a compromise of a compromise, which is where we are now. I thought that in the area of constitutional rights he would be better than he has been. That’s the greatest disappointment, because Obama went to Harvard Law School and is presumably dedicated to constitutional rights. But he becomes president, and he’s not making any significant step away from Bush policies. Sure, he keeps talking about closing Guantánamo, but he still treats the prisoners there as “suspected terrorists.” They have not been tried and have not been found guilty. So when Obama proposes taking people out of Guantánamo and putting them into other prisons, he’s not advancing the cause of constitutional rights very far. And then he’s gone into court arguing for preventive detention, and he’s continued the policy of sending suspects to countries where they very well may be tortured. I think people are dazzled by Obama’s rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president–which means, in our time, a dangerous president–unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction.
Whatever happened to the Executive Order Obama issued on January 22, 2009 stating that Guantanamo would be closed within a year?
http://robvstate.com/2010/01/25/closure-of-guantanamo-detention-facilities/
Actually, this is the first time I’ve ever disagreed with something written by Howard Zinn. His prediction that Obama is going to be a mediocre president is way too premature.
It’s too bad that Howard wasn’t able to see yesterdays State of the Union speech and how the president will change the direction of our country in the future.
Interesting. This is about the first time I’ve ever agreed with Zinn.
But wait! I thought President Obama was a Nazi, socialist, communist, fascist Kenyan out to brainwash school children and diminish America’s standing in the world by apologizing all over the place!
Pila posted:But wait! I thought President Obama was a Nazi, socialist, communist, fascist Kenyan out to brainwash school children and diminish America’s standing in the world by apologizing all over the place!
Obama had one of the best apropos political jabs today I have ever heard,referring to how health care debate has been framed by Republicans:
‘You’d think this thing was some kind of Bolshevik plot’
This kind of incisive, on -the-mark humor will do Obama well!
Come on folks. Zinn has it pegged better than any of us. It’s the same old run of the mill politics. I agree with Zinn when he said that Obama should listen to the words of M.L.King. I as a 30 year old man, who suffered severely through 911 hoped that change really was on its way. Maybe it is still on the horizon, but anyone who supports war instaed of peace will always fail to in the eyes of humanity. I love ya all, but things still aren’t right. Peace…………..
Of course things still aren’t right. The question is where will we put our energy to make it right? There’s no doubt that Obama is our very best hope. A little pragmatism goes a long way. It has to.