We Are Not Worthy: And Just Why Would That Be, Exactly?
We should all feel so ashamed. We are letting down Obama. We’re not pulling our weight. He thinks we’re “great”, but we’ve gotten “soft” and lost our “competitive edge.” He gives himself high grades, except for his failure to communicate just how wonderful he and his administration have been for the country, but he has an explanation for that: he’s been so darned focused on his Herculean labors that he’s forgotten to let us know just how heroic they are. As for the rest of us, we need to pick our game, toughen up, stop whining, and get with it. We need to live up to his lofty standards, and his lofty expectations for us.
Truth be told, there is some justice in his remarks. But they beg the crucial question: just why has this softening, this loss of competitive edge, occurred? Do you think an entitlement state, and entitlement mindset, anchored in a therapeutic worldview that enshrines victimhood, could have anything to do with it? Ever noticed how hostile progressivism is to the very idea of competition, and how this hostility has permeated public education in particular? Isn’t the entire thrust of the progressive agenda–which Obama proudly advocates and advances–to use the power of the state to soften people’s lives, to provide them with security and protection from the slings and arrows of life? Is it even possible that the success of that agenda would not affect personal attitudes and beliefs–and yes character? Indeed, isn’t that the entire point?
Paternalistic statism relentlessly encourages personal infantilization. So Obama is shocked!, shocked! that the agenda he fervently embraces has transformed broad swathes of the American public? His comments are a ringing (but surely unintentional) endorsement of the individualist critique of post-New Deal public life and civil society in the US: Ayn Rand would no doubt wholeheartedly agree.
But Obama appears oblivious to the complete disconnect between his diagnosis of our personal failings and his own intensely-held political beliefs. There are none so blind as those who will not see.
Sorry to change topic, but you must surely find what is happening in the gold market interesting. Any comments? I found this Izabella Kaminska article in FT Alphaville pretty interesting on GOLD vs GLD.
http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2011/09/14/677021/why-gold-forward-rate-inversion-is-important/
Comment by Surya — October 1, 2011 @ 4:50 pm
If it is not our fault, it is his – this is not acceptable.
Comment by Sotos — October 1, 2011 @ 5:49 pm
“He gives himself high grades, except for his failure to communicate just how wonderful he and his administration have been for the country…”
Inasmuch as We own the wealth of the country, and enjoy the income of it, Our assiduous servant Barack has indeed been wonderful, as have been the lehislators and judges in Our employ. Our share of the national income grows daily, as is proper.
All for Ourselves and nothing for other people.
Comment by a — October 1, 2011 @ 5:54 pm
I’m kinda wondering after his Zerohedge quoting musings on the Fedsury announcing it’s watching its critics whether SWP is starting to come out from under the ether. I suspect a suitable provocation is in the works to get him back to his old Evil Empire-hating Jacksonian self — perhaps someone baiting Putin into an intemperate outburst? A Japanese blitzkrieg on Sakhalin that no doubt the evil Russkies had coming (with Tim Newman chiming in that the bloody place will be served well under its new Dai Nippon management)?
This new SWP is getting far too suspicious that the fix is in courtesy of a’s globalist bankster overlords. He needs to get back to watching his Faux News and being a good little obedient military-industrial complex backing Republican.
Comment by Mr. X — October 1, 2011 @ 8:20 pm
A Japanese blitzkrieg on Sakhalin that no doubt the evil Russkies had coming (with Tim Newman chiming in that the bloody place will be served well under its new Dai Nippon management)?
Whilst I’ll not defend Japan’s behaviour in Sakhalin, nor even their claims to the island, it was noted by both expats and locals alike that Sakhalin is somewhat, erm, less developed that Hokkaido, a mere 90km away. “Imagine of the Japanese were still running this place…” is heard more often than may be good for Russian nationalist sensibilities.
Comment by Tim Newman — October 2, 2011 @ 12:45 am
If, not of…
Comment by Tim Newman — October 2, 2011 @ 12:46 am
Tim, you don’t expect Mr.X to think rationally do you?
Comment by Andrew — October 2, 2011 @ 7:04 am
“This new SWP is getting far too suspicious that the fix is in courtesy of a’s globalist bankster overlords.”
Suspicious? Why, Mr. X, the good Professor certainly shares Our scorn of the laughable efforts of a few Democrats to restrain Us in the pursuit of Our first principle “All for Ourselves and nothing for other people.” Though it took forty years for Our views to begin to prevail in policy discourse, since then they have come to dominate policy, to Our immense profit. We ask nothing more of the profound scholarly discipline of Chicago economics in general, and the good Professor in particular.
Comment by a — October 2, 2011 @ 12:22 pm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/8802732/PIC-AND-PUB-PLS-Leaked-document-reveals-plans-to-eliminate-Russias-enemies-overseas.html
Seriously, can’t the anti-Russia lobby come up with something better than this to sabotage that Reset? I mean, we all know there’s a certain amount of tension between Uncle Sam’s constant begging for Kremlin sovereign wealth funds and Russian oligarchs to keep the Michigan steel mills humming and the MIC’s relentless ‘we’ve always been at war with Eurasia’ hype…but seriously. An allegedly eight year old document?
Comment by Mr. X — October 2, 2011 @ 5:56 pm
You mean like Al-Alwaki whatshisname?
Comment by Mr. X — October 2, 2011 @ 5:57 pm
Mr X, the Russians use that law to kill people who simply speak out about the crimes of the Russian government, like Litvinenko for example.
If “Al-Alwaki” had been in western Europe the US would have asked the relevant country to arrest and deport him to the USA.
He was however in Yemen.
And when did Uncle Sam beg for Kremlin sovereign wealth funds?
Comment by Andrew — October 3, 2011 @ 2:45 am
I don’t really care about Al-Alwaki. In the end, he made his own bed, and the US made him sleep in it.
That said, it really is basically equivalent (on some counts worse than) Litvinenko:
1. First, there is actually a lot of doubt that Litvinenko was killed by the FSB. The Brits mouth off a lot but have presented no evidence.
2. And you think the UK was going to extradite Litvinenko to Russia, or that he would come for trial himself?
3. Though both were citizens of their countries, Litvinenko’s treason was arguably greater, as whereas Al-Awlaki was bound only by citizenship, Litvinenko had taken the oath of the secret services. And, legalities aside, it is not exactly a secret that there are “understandings” in intelligence communities all around the world that if you betray them – you remain a marked man for the rest of your life.
Comment by Sublime Oblivion — October 3, 2011 @ 10:35 am
You are old enough to remember Jimmy Carter’s malaise speech. This is just a repeat: another incompetent blaming everyone else for his failure. Laura Ingraham is especially cruel, at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWAdt07XPgY
Comment by William Sjostrom — October 4, 2011 @ 5:14 am
S/O, Andrew: to points 1 and 2, the Brits did try to extradite both Berezovsky and Nevzlin (from Israel). Based on the ongoing Israel-Russia reapproachment which includes UAVs, and which the anti-Russia lobby in the U.S. is absolutely hellbent on ignoring at all costs since it means not everyone who is pro-Israel in D.C. is going to end up being knee jerk anti-Russia — the talks regarding Nevzlin’s fate were moving much further along.
All of those extradition talks were reported before Litvinenko’s spectacular made for TV death, but ceased to exist after that. Qui bono?
Comment by Mr. X — October 5, 2011 @ 3:07 am
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