My friend David Kilgour published this piece in the Washington Post last week. I picked it up on The Mark News site, where I contribute a thought or two on occasion.
David does a short and precise analysis of the context surrounding President Obama's winning of the Nobel Peace Prize. He questions the the wisdom of the award and even more so, its acceptance.
Obama has done a great job of undoing much of the hate and harm inherent in the former Bush administration. His commitment to a bi-partisan solution to issues like healthcare reform have mistakenly assumed a rational Republican response. Criticism of Obama's policy accomplishments after only 9 months in office are premature at best.
Repubicans are stuck in the adversarial model of politics. The don't want the best policy or even a good policy, they only want to win the political argument about the policy. The power Obama holds in control of the White House, the Senate and the House. This will soon result in President Obama exerting some pure political muscle to make things happen.
Coddling conservatives for consensus is past. President Obama can silence his critics by flexing his political power to serve the purposes for which he was elected in the first place.
"Obama has done a great job of undoing much of the hate and harm inherent in the former Bush administration." That's worth a Nobel right there
ReplyDeleteGood grief Ken. Are you really advocating that Obama should use his political power to "exert some pure political muscle to make things happen"? That he should "silence his critics by flexing his political power to serve the purposes for which he was elected for in the first place"? Sounds like you are promoting the beginning of another dictatorship. Isn't that where they the Americans just came from? In one paragraph you commend Obama for his bipartisan solutions, in the next you wish he would hammer his critics into submission and subject his will upon them no matter the cost. And the cost appears to be considerable.
ReplyDeleteIn this country if Stephen Harper flexes his political muscle for any at all reason you go nuts. Why the double standard? Is it because of the political banner you have chosen to wear? Or is it your dogmatic nature coming to the surface again?
Also I've taken the liberty of recontexting some of your comment. It's how some of us on the other side view things.
In this country it's the Liberal party that is stuck in the adversarial model of politics. They don't want the best policy or even a good policy, they only want to win the argument about the policy.
And, as for prematurely criticizing Obama's policy accomplishments after only 9 months in office, isn't it also premature to praise and reward his policy accomplishments after only the same 9 months?
Thx for the comment Albert. However Obama has an absolute majority and trying to make bi-partisanship work when Republicans don't want that to happen...time to take control and make decisions...Republicans are way over their head - especially when Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are the moral compasses for the party.
ReplyDeleteHarper has a minority and for his first minority govt he called every nickle-dime bill a confidence vote and the Dion Liberals suported him-for reasons of avoiding an election they knew they could not afford and could not win. Now the Liberals can afford and election and have an even chance to win. Only now are the Libs acting like the opposition they are supposed to be...especially in a minority govt reality.
Harper is way past his best before date - expect an election on his budget in the spring. Expect him to lose it big time.
Ken, You are falling into the same trap that your leader is in. When you are the opposition your job is to oppose everything that the ruling party puts forward. Whether it's the best policy or even good policy your only goal is to win the argument about the policy. Canadians expect the opposition to add input and make the policy better but that doesn't happen, such is the reality of minority governments in Canada and why they don't function well. When Michael Ignatieff was appointed leader in Feb he told Canadians that the Liberal policy would be announced in June. It is now mid October and we are still waiting. That strategy is likely to only cause people to turn blue while holding their breath. What is the purpose of trying to force an election that will likely solve nothing. Because you can now afford one? Canadians have clearly said they don't want one. Because you might even win? That is not what the polls suggest. Because Liberal strategists are convinced they hate Stephen Harper and the torries so much that all Canadians must hate them equally as much? That's tunnel vision.
ReplyDeleteIf an election were happening now or even in the spring what would change? I don't believe the Conservatives would have a majority although their numbers needed for a majority are a lot smaller than the Liberal numbers needed for a minority. As for Harper losing it big time, something more profound than we have being seeing would have to come from Liberal land.