President Obama: "Still Pandering to Those Who Villify Him"

[Better Believe It]

Weekend Edition
January 29 - 31, 2010

Still Pandering to Those Who Villify Him
The Political Capital is Gone, Now What About Political Will?
By JIM GOODMAN
Jim Goodman is a dairy farmer from Wonewoc WI and a 2008-2009 IATP Food and Society Policy Fellow.

It's not surprising that people are fed up with politics.

When money determines who gets elected, when campaign promises are as easily tossed out as garbage and when most elected officials knowingly support policy that puts the special interests ahead of the people's interests, why bother with a rigged game?

The Senate is firmly under the control of a Republican minority of 41, the House is stalled and thinking about re-election, the Supreme Court has decided that political office should be for sale to the special interest that is willing to spend the most on behalf of their chosen candidate and the President continues to “play nice” instead of pushing a progressive agenda.

The ills of the nation are now Obama's problem, Obama's fault and still he panders to those who vilify him; to those who want less oversight, more war, more for the rich and less for everyone else.

The militarism, the Wall Street free for all, the bankruptcies, the mortgage foreclosures, the top down bail out at the expense of the bottom; all the legacies of the Bush Administration are dumped on Obama and for solutions he turns to those who created the problems and offer more of the same as a solution.

What might the late Howard Zinn have said about President Obama's speech? I doubt he would have criticized the President as a failure, but I do think he would have criticized him because he was afraid to try, because he was afraid to formulate his own policy and to push it relentlessly.

Read the full article at:

http://www.counterpunch.org/goodman01292010.html


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Jim Goodman
Journalist and Organic Farmer
Wonewoc, Wisconsin

Jim Goodman, his wife Rebecca and brother Francis run a 45-cow organic dairy and direct market beef farm in southwest Wisconsin. His farming roots trace back to his great-grandfather's immigration from Ireland during the famine and the farm's original purchase in 1848. A farm activist, Jim credits more than 150 years of failed farm and social policy as his motivation to advocate for a farmer-controlled consumer-oriented food system.

A successful conventional farmer in a past life, Jim saw firsthand some of the failures of intensive agriculture and realized that farming sustainably and working with nature made more sense than fighting it. Jim has spoken to farmers, environmentalists and government officials internationally, hosted visiting farmers from around the world, and marched with peasant farmers against the WTO in Mexico. A long-time opponent of globalization and unfettered free trade, his essay "Global Trade is Impoverishing both U.S. and Developing World Workers" is featured in the book Free Trade (Opposing Viewpoints), published by Greenhaven Press and released in September 2008. He frequently speaks and presents workshops on organic farming, direct marketing, local food, international trade and social justice issues.

Jim currently serves on the policy advisory boards for the Center for Food Safety and the Organic Consumers Association, and is a board member of Midwest Environmental Advocates.

Education
M.S Reproductive Physiology, South Dakota State University
B.S. Animal Science (Honors), University of Wisconsin-Platteville

http://foodandsocietyfellows.org/about/fellow/jim-goodman

[tularetom]

1. JIm Goodman seems like a good guy but I think he's wrong

He must not have seen the little tete a tete Obama had with the pukes this morning.

[NYC_SKP]

2. BS. Plenty of people have this opinion of the president. Well, not a majority, but some number.

It's very subjective, whether confronting, talking to, listening to, the opposition can be fairly called "pandering".

The very word is usually used in an insulting emotional context.

So, nothing new or surprising with this person's opinion.

Further into the article:

"The ills of the nation are now Obama's problem, Obama's fault..."

Obama's FAULT? Really?

Utter bullshit, pretty much makes the whole piece worthless tripe.

:thumbsdown:

[ncteechur]

3. this is such happy Horshshit. There are plenty folks on this side who have lost their sight on

what is important, too. Just want to beat the GOP regardless of other outcomes.

[Better Believe It]

4. "The Senate is firmly under the control of a Republican minority of 41"

Why do we still allegedly need 60 votes, according to all Republicans, many Democrats and the mass corporate media in order to get legislation/appointments passed?

Now that's bull shit!

The Democratic majority in the Senate make the Senate rules.

And Senator Reid, under Obama's instructions, can force Republicans to engage in traditional on the floor Senate filibuster under Senate Rule 22. Right now a Senate Republican when leaving the Senate chamber can hand Senator Reid a piece of paper indicating the Senator is engaged in a filibuster while he leaves for dinner and a hooker! Reid has the power to change that.

And Senator Reid can withdraw at any time his "two track" Senate debate concession made to Republicans.

And the Democratic majority in the Senate can invoke the "Constitutional option" that can stop any kind of Republican filibuster.

Senator Reid's acceptance of the Republican 60 vote super majority procedure is a very convenient excuse to justify inaction and legislative paralysis.

[fasttense]

5. The GOP's Retreat:

With what the President told the GOP retreat today, I don't know but I think we have just witnessed the birth of Obama the FIGHTER.

He confronted them and said "Watching the health care debate, some of you repubs have acted like Health care is some kind of Bolshevik Plot" (paraphrase) He may have learned his lesson.

[Better Believe It]

6. It's far from being a "Bolshevik plot" and the Republicans know that.

It's a handout to the health insurance industry and big Pharma.

Republican leaders also know that.

But, Republicans will of course attack everything Obama proposes no matter how pro-Wall Street and pro-Corporate America is might be.

Is anyone really surprised by that?

We need a whole lot more than "populist" sounding political rhetoric designed to mute Republican "populist" sounding bull shit.

[earth mom]

8. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. Never forget that-especially with politicians. nt

[spanone]

7. i disagree with the assessment...he's the republican's President too

[Better Believe It]

11. Just like George W. Bush was my President? Bush didn't represent me and my interests!

[Bluerthanblue]

17. when did Mr. Bush give a shit about anyone who had an opposing

point of view.

Pres. Obama is not G.W.Bush- were you expecting him to mimic Bush's behaviour?

I sure as hell wasn't.

The President talked ALOT about it being time to work through the partisanship that has alienated and paralyzed our country for too long. He's doing his part to CHANGE that. Publicly demonstrating how willing he is to do the uncomfortable, and how unwilling the GOP is to do anything but bitch, IS change. He can lead them to water- and they can either drink or choke.

I for one am glad he's doing this. Even if none of the republicans move a bit. Anyone with half a brain can see who is making the effort, and who is stuck in the party of no-

:shrug:

[ecstatic]

9. Is he pandering to the person who wrote this article?

:shrug:

[Better Believe It]

10. No. I don't think President Obama is pandering to Jim Goodman or other liberals/progressives.

[grantcart]

12. Bert Fellows, a local orchid grower, thinks that Jim is full of shit

To break the tie we went over to Enrique Hernandez who has a landscapping business in Chula Vista and he agreed with Bert that Jim is just bloviating horse manure out his pie hole.

Seems conclusive to me.

[Better Believe It]

14. And what do "Bert Fellows" and "Enrique Hernandez" have in the way of progressive credentials?

Post the bio links to your two credible progressive authorities.

I'm assuming they have some credentials.

Is that a bad assumption?

Are they just blowing smoke?

Or are you just pretending you have friends?

[cliffordu]

15. One 'progressive' is as good as another.

I'd say a gardener is more progressive than most here.

At least they grow something in their bullshit.

[grantcart]

19. Bert is a foster parent of 3 crack addict children

Enrique donates his spare time to "border angels" helping to find distressed illegals that are trapped in isolated areas of the border when trying to cross the border.

Neither one of them has any time to write idiotic blogs on the internet.

[Better Believe It]

20. That's nice to hear. So they have an opinion on the article they haven't read?

Glad to hear I have something in common with your two pals. We don't write idiotic blogs for the internet.

How about yourself?

[Karmadillo]

13. Sums things up nicely.

nt

[mmonk]

16. 41 is a low number. Many of the DLC members and Blue Dogs

share Republican ideology. Therefore, the Republicans alone don't have control of it.

[ddeclue]

18. well said. k&r