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The Obama Inheritance... IOIYAR is now RANTB!
The Wapo tripe this morning about Obama "blaming Bush" is laughable.
When Obama says he inherited a mess, he is not JUST talking about Bush, but about the entire extended list of culpable bad managers, including Bush, but not excluding many others, including some of the Blue Dog Dems who helped concoct the bankruptcy bill.
When a President is not yet 100 days into office, it is pretty safe to conclude he inherited any serious complications that occur.
Much like IOIYAR (It's OK if you're a Republican) permeated our politics, RANTB (Republicans are NEVER to blame) has become the new patent denial.
When Obama says he inherited a mess, he is not JUST talking about Bush, but about the entire extended list of culpable bad managers, including Bush, but not excluding many others, including some of the Blue Dog Dems who helped concoct the bankruptcy bill.
When a President is not yet 100 days into office, it is pretty safe to conclude he inherited any serious complications that occur.
Much like IOIYAR (It's OK if you're a Republican) permeated our politics, RANTB (Republicans are NEVER to blame) has become the new patent denial.
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When Obama says he inherited problems, he speaks the truth.
Apparently the truth is a powerful message.
For that very reason, those who oppose Obama feel obliged to oppose the truth. I see that a lot lately. Anyone who speaks the truth or proposes a sane policy is viciously attacked. God forbid Obama succeeds. God forbid national problems get solved! Thus, to try and prevent his success - or the solving of national problems - we are watching the nay-sayers become apoplectic with rage at the truth!
March 15, 2009 5:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Republicans who were the architects and master builders of our current economic Dunkirk need to be made to own every bit of this disaster. Right now, everyone understands and remembers because it is fresh in their memories. But a great deal more needs to be done to make sure this memory is made permanent.
Republican howling over Jimmy Carter has distorted and tarnished his record in office now for 30 years even though most of the impression of what Carter's presidency was is untrue. We have now had a real and major cataclysm caused directly by the Republicans while they ran the table. We can never let people forget it.
March 15, 2009 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
Eggzackly! Well put!
March 15, 2009 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
"We can never let people forget it."
If not for the blogs, there would be no medium for that purpose. The MSM and the history book publishers are more apt to falsely trash Carter than truthfully tell on Bush,
So it will be up to all of "us" to maintain this unique form of the new 4th Estate, if for no other purpose than to act as a foil against the "revisionist historians" who conspire already to put a good light on a bad president.
One thing seems quite apparent, considering Cheney's and Fleischer's recent forays into deceptive revisionist spin; they are already in full-press mode, defending their failed administration with contrived gravitas, and reacting to honest criticism with rooster-strutting, self-righteous indignation.
Methinks they doest protest too much, if ya know what I mean.
March 15, 2009 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
One major caveat. A bulk of the regulatory changes that allowed AIG to do what they did occurred under Clinton, who embraced Greenspan like a long-lost brother. In many ways, there is a democratic myopia - where the sins of Clinton are blamed on Bush. Sure, Bush doubled-down, but the seeds for many of his most egregious policies; from extraordinary rendition to unfettered offshoring to bubble economics were sown by Clinton.
IMO Bush's team weren't really innovators. They took the most questionable actions of previous presidents and amplified them to the point they became unquestionably criminal. Cheney in particular disgusts me - Fleischer has so little credibility it's sort of amusing seeing him out there spinning the BS.
Obama sure as hell isn't to blame. That said, democrats hold a fair share of responsibility(not just Blue Dogs - it's more honestly the DLC). I think Obama is smart to stay focused on the fact he inherited the mess while remaining oblique on who he's blaming.
I'd say the denial from dems and repubs alike has always been OPINTB:Our Party Is Never To Blame. (insert political affiliation here).
March 15, 2009 1:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
"the DLC"
I know I tend to get stuck on the class-warfare-is-committed-by the-wealthy meme, but I've been asked by others just what defines the DLC, and I answered snarkly "They are also the millionaires in the Democratic Party."
A little research suggests my snark is actually quite accurate. So I would temper your "both parties are to blame" with a little "the wealthy leaders of both parties are to blame."
Unfortunately, many of our leaders not in that "class" are desperate to join it. Until public service in politics is regarded as just that, and not a privilege of the privileged class, we will see them all keeping up with their Joneses, rather than protecting their constituents.
March 15, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink