I have not started a new thread in this section in forever but I found this to be an interesting read and one with which I often agreed. It is long and most will not want to sift through it but for the few who will, enjoy: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/09/fear-of-a-black-president/309064/ One quick point from a study the article cites - Obama has "talked less about race than any other Democratic president since 1961".
You should include more little bits like this. Now that I see the author employs researched and well-articulated facts, I can predict the future of this thread in the D&D, if not the article's future in American cultural consciousness. Cue race baiting and white victimization posts from the usual suspects now. EDIT: snark and predictions aside, I do recommend people read this. It's good stuff, and not your normal Obama article. I mean that for all denizens of our political spectrum, because it's not an overly political article. It's cultural.
You knew if this race was close, race would be an issue that the pro-Obama media hammers home. It's an attempt to guilt self-hating white voters into making that charity vote again... It's also an attempt to intimidate opponents of Obama into not critiquing him (for fear of avoiding the career ending (false) racism charge). It's literally the lowest form of politics. Sadly, it's a highly predictable strategy for a President who simply can not run on his failed record. It's time for this tired brand of politics to end, and for Americans to vote for a candidate who wants to restore America to its past greatness -- not divide America and play on the basest level of emotions for intellectually weak voters.
#1 GDP #1 military Power #1 international influence If you mean bringing up the numbers in education, healthcare and happiness then I agree.
America's disapproval of Obama does not stem from his race. At all. The hatred for Bill and Hillary was equal if not higher than the hatred for Obama. The disapproval stems from Obama's failure as a leader. He just does not understand leadership. For 4 years, he has lectured the other side with a condescending tone -- it's as if he has been on the campaign trail for 4 years. He ignored jobs and the economy, instead choosing policies of HIGHER TAXES, MORE REGULATION, MORE LITIGATION -- all job killers. Meanwhile, he has delegated leading the country over to a hyper-partisan group of career politicos such as Valerie Jarrett, Rahm, Plouffe, Axelrod, etc. These people have introduced a level of partisanship never before seen. They have pushed their own liberal agendas above higher ranking priorities, such as jobs and economic growth. They have not done what is best for the country. The country needed leadership to guide us through this crisis, instead it got a posse of liberals who had waited for 8 impatient years to get a shot to pass their partisan ideas -- massively growing government, climate change, raising energy costs, pushing silly green energy scams, relaxing welfare rules, incentivizing unemployment, pro-union policies, suffocating regulations, crony capitalism through failed stimuli, and tax increases that rank as the highest in the history of mankind. THAT is why I personally hate Obama. He prioritized rewarding his liberal base over making the tough decisions and ACTUALLY LEADING this country. He has proven he can not bring people together. But we all know that Obama was never elected to be a leader. He was simply the teleprompter reading vehicle intended to increase voter turnout and deliver the White House to the DNC and the liberal machine. He did that by conning and tricking America. We won't let this happen again. Not this time. America deserves a true leader who understands how to grow an economy -- not how to grow bud.
Your self loathing is palpable. Not one word you just wrote is true. That is why Mr Obama is going to be re-elected. Deep in your heart you know it's true, that is why you spew your hate. seek help
Every word I wrote is true. Point out one thing that's false. You can't. My points stand tall. All here can see who is pounding the strikezone with facts and knowledge, and who is sitting back and hurling insults. You're out of your league.
Well, not exactly. I assume there are some prepackaged and stale GOP talking points by now. Interesting article; it's both sad and diagnostic that we can't talk about it. I am particularly interested in what the author says about the black community's pre-Obama outlook on a black presidency. But I haven't finished the article yet, which should mean I shouldn't be posting in the thread. Buuuuut...
B-Bob, I put forth a well reasoned post regarding the topic, only to have mcmark take the discussion off the rails with his insults and trolling. I really don't know why you think this article is legitimate. I quit reading Ta-Nehisi Coates' article right about here: "The possible intruder turned out to be a boy in a hoodie, bearing nothing but candy and iced tea" . This is about as false and disingenuous of a representation as can be put forth -- ultra partisan and emotional argument from an author incapable of separating emotion from reason.
In my opinion that is the single greatest thing Obama has done and will do in his presidency - he has changed the narrative for an entire marginalized and depressed section of the population. This is something close to me because of the environment in which I grew up so race has always been a fascinating intellectual as well as emotional topic for me. The author of this article is more invested but also injected an academic observation and I feel it is important for people to read some of what he wrote about the black community, perceptions, etc. On a somewhat relate topic, is the outstanding Grantland article about the making of White Men Can't Jump. Hat artie and this one are two of the most interesting I have read in months.
Thanks for posting the article. When I read it, the very fact you pointed out about Obama talking less about race than any other Democratic President since '61 jumped out at me, and was going to post something about it on the bbs at some point today. The article was great, and well done. It's very interesting about the kind of damage that would happen to a black candidate who did talk about race almost at all.
This was an excellent article. For those of us on the liberal side of politics, it's easy to criticize him for not pushing back against conservative stonewalling as aggressively as we think is necessary. But Obama is smart enough to know that anything other than a restrained response can only lead to him being stereotyped as an "angry black man." Such stereotyping would frighten a significant demographic of white voters, who dislike racism on a logical and moral level but can occasionally fall prey to prejudice on a base emotional level (just an aside - whites aren't the only ones vulnerable to this). The right wing knows this, and is all too willing to take advantage for their own gain. By attempting to portray Obama an "other," they can draw attention away from their own failures. Hence the constant vague criticisms that he's not "American" enough, that he's "too academic", that he's "condescending," and that he's "not enough of a leader." This kind of cynical political gamesmanship isn't anything new, and the Democrats use it as well (though less often and less successfully). The truly frightening thing about this, however, is that these critiques have led to a groundswell of right-wingers who actually believe this nonsense (Michelle Bachmann, Santorum, and that ex-wiccan hyper-Christian lady from the Mid-Atlantic). Their fanaticism and lack of nuance is creating havoc in our political system. BTW, nobody should bother responding to TJ - he's a troll who spouts false generalities in order to derail the actual discussion. I feel stupid even mentioning him, and I won't debase myself further by actually engaging him.
