Excerpt: "Tuesday night's speech will continue a theme the president began in Kansas last month - that in today's economy the game has been rigged against the nation's middle class. He will say he wants to return to the 'values' that define America, where hard work pays off and where responsibility - not recklessness - is rewarded."

President Barack Obama is greeted by an enthusiastic crowd in Detroit after his Labor Day address, 09/05/11. (photo: Doug Mills/NYT)

Obama to Go Populist in Speech

By Jessica Yellin, CNN

22 January 12

resident Barack Obama will lay out a "blueprint for an economy that's built to last" in Tuesday's State of the Union address - the third of his presidency.

That blueprint will focus on manufacturing, energy, education and middle-class values, according to a video released on the Obama's campaign website and Democratic sources who have been briefed on the address.

Tuesday night's speech will continue a theme the president began in Kansas last month - that in today's economy the game has been rigged against the nation's middle class. He will say he wants to return to the "values" that define America, where hard work pays off and where responsibility - not recklessness - is rewarded.

In a December 6 address in Osawatomie, Kansas, Obama described stark differences between a Republican ideology he described as leaving people to fend for themselves and his vision of government that helps provide equal opportunity for all Americans regardless of where they begin in life.

"It's not a view that we should somehow turn back technology or put up walls around America," Obama said. "It's not a view that says we should punish profit or success or pretend that government knows how to fix all society's problems.

"It's a view that says in America, we are greater together - when everyone engages in fair play, everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share."

Democratic sources told CNN Sunday that the bullet points of Obama's blueprint will focus on American manufacturing, including "insourcing" - or bringing back jobs from overseas. The sources say he'll argue that during his term, the United States has seen the manufacturing industry grow for the first time in 15 years - especially in the auto industry that he helped with bailout funds.

Under the topic of energy, the president will stress alternative energy and energy independence from unfriendly nations. He'll also tout his record of doubling fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks.

The address will include new proposals to prepare American workers and students for the jobs of the the future. Obama will also suggest job training for the long-term unemployed and veterans, the sources said. He'll also highlight his record of expanding Pell grants for college students.

Throughout his speech, the president will weave in an emphasis on middle-class values and that this is make-or-break moment for that segment of American society, likely putting it into stark terms, according to the sources. He'll suggest that the United States has a choice to either become a place where only the wealthy succeed, or it can level the playing field and give everyone an opportunity.

"They're big ideas, because we've got to meet the moment, and this speech is going to be about how we do it," the president's preview video released over the weekend said.

"We can go in two directions," Obama said. "One is toward less opportunity and less fairness. Or we can fight for where I think we need to go - building an economy that works for everyone."

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+37 # Barbara K 2012-01-23 11:04

Thank you, Mr. President. You have some common sense goals here and I hope you don't let the Republicans bully you any more out of accomplishing them. Stand strong for we the people who believe in you. I know you've had to fight thru fire to get anything passed, but now you know how to do it. Get the dragons away from the door and make it all happen. We need you to be strong for us. We have your back.

NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN !!

our future depends on it

+18 # beeyl 2012-01-23 12:27

It's all fine for Obama to be a strong populist in his speeches, but he's done that before. His entire campaign spoke to the populist themes that earned him a decisive victory in 2008.

But since then, as president, Obama's clearly behaved as a corporatist, surrounding himself with the likes of Summers, Geithner, Emanuel, Daley, and Lew, and protecting the Wall Street firms and investment banks that tanked our economy and left the middle class with all the scars.

Speechified promises are for fools. I will have Obama's back - and consider voting for him again - only when he starts acting in sync with his promises 3.5 years ago.

+15 # CTPatriot 2012-01-23 13:09

Because, of course, it was the Republicans who made Obama appoint such vaunted "populists" as Summers, Geithner, Emmanuel, Daley, etc., and it was the Republicans who stole his veto pen so that he was forced to sign NDAA and indefinite detention laws. And no doubt Republicans forced him to sit down with the hospital industry and give away the public option to them.

Oh yes, Obama's inner populist is in there just waiting to bust out and it's all the Republicans' fault that he was so "un-populist" during his first term in office.

Not that it's a bad thing for Obama to talk the talk. That at least helps to shape public opinion. Certainly a plus versus any Republican. But you may as well start polishing your excuses for his failure to walk the walk in his second term.

0 # RLF 2012-01-24 04:46

Babs...You have to be working for Obama or totally blind.

+37 # Virginia 2012-01-23 11:10

Today the emails are circulating with the fact that Obama wants to give Wall Street a pardon on their fraud in his state of the union address. Over the weekend Bill Moyers and Up With Chris interviewed knowledgeable experts on the role Wall Street played in the collapse of the world economy. It's very enlightening to learn Obama is surrounded by Wall Street advisors who desperately want the free pass because otherwise their pals might see the inside of a cell.

Nobody in his administration is doing the math. $20 billion for a settlement on 25 million foreclosure / default families is $800 each. He is as delusional as Wall Street.

+29 # BradFromSalem 2012-01-23 11:53

Virginia,

There is another way to look at how Obama is handling Wall Street. There have been a number of prosecutions and arrests. In particular, seven Hedge Fund managers were just indicted last week. The wheels of justice, especially in complex cases such as these, moves painstakingly slow. Remember they were hiring persons that specialized in Math theory to build these phony financial constructs. Obviously they managed to throw in a few imaginary numbers into their equations.
The Obama administration has also managed to recover a lot of the money hidden in tax shelters by fostering co-operation oveseas. He did put in place a strong person in charge of the Consumer Protection Board, and also made sure we still have a Labor Board.

All that said. Why the hell can't he get some financial advisors that will really shake things up? Especially, as you point out in the Great Foreclosure Scam of the 2000's.

+8 # John Locke 2012-01-23 12:57

LiberalLibertar ian: we already know Obama uses double speak, if he had any intent to prosecute anyone from Wall Street, why parden them, that is a slap in the face of us...and for the extensive fraud the banks committed they should be broken up or nationalized not rewarded. Wall Street controls Obama and Congress, ...lets be honest here.... Also what about the trillions of dollare that we have lost in 401K's and other retirement that the banks stole. and the 16 trillion that the Fed gave to the banks, and for which we as taxpayers are liable for...Are we just to accept these losses and say to the Banks, ok lets move on. I think not. Obama is a shallow puppet who will say what he believes we want to hear, but his actions speak loud and clear...I for one will not even watch his speech, I know when he is lying as they say his lips are moving...

+6 # BradFromSalem 2012-01-23 19:11

John,
I cannot disagree with nearly all you say. However, I do not assign evil intent to Obama as you imply. I believe his inaction on many of the items you list are attributable to his Centrist outlook.

I also think you would agree that he has done way more than any Republican would have. President Obama is the worst possible President we could have, except for any Republican.

+4 # KittatinyHawk 2012-01-23 16:27

Perhaps with the Money tone brought out since NH Vote...he is going to turn some tables.
ABC uncovering Mittie, and Newt's known skukkduggery with anyone who puts crumbs out, there could be a new look at Wall Street.
With the new turn for Consumer Protection, Labor it is still timely to start ridding us of Bushites. Perhaps a USA Spring is coming, but we have to pressure or they will ignore.

+1 # RLF 2012-01-24 04:50

Slow court system...well maybe a Harvard trained lawyer should take a look at that but that might cut into another source of campaign money. He has prosecuted no one, he has fixed no system, he has been awful, and we're going to be stuck with him again because the Democratic party sticks together on this but nothing else...never able to pass laws even when they have both houses majorities. Shame!

+6 # KittatinyHawk 2012-01-23 16:24

Do not know if he will be so dumb giving an okay to Wall Street when Newt is showing his Fannie Mae, etc pocket feeding.
Be rather dumb but then who said Politicans were bright, just criminal

+40 # bugbuster 2012-01-23 11:29

I've been waiting four years for the second term when the President gets to take off the gloves and do whatever the hell he wants without worrying about a re-election. Now we will find out who the real Barack Obama is.

Obama's campaign team doesn't need me to tell them anything, but here is how it looks from the woodwork:

I hope that the President and the Democratic Party can get their act together and create Democratspeak to counteract Republicanspeak.

Republicanspeak: CEOs are not CEOs, they are "job creators." Taxes are not taxes, they are "job-killing taxes". And so forth.

Democratspeak: CEOs are not CEOs, they are "job exporters". Taxes are not taxes, they are "fair share payments." Or something like that.

The Democrats need party discipline. I wish that the White House would convene with the Democrats in Congress and ask them to get on the same page with each other.

Personally, I would get up in the faces of right wingers and proclaim very loud, DAMN RIGHT I'M A LIBERAL, AND PROUD OF IT! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?

+9 # Todd Williams 2012-01-23 12:00

Bug, YOU DA MAN! Right on, man! Well said! Righteous!

+2 # Barbara K 2012-01-23 12:18

Kudos to you, Bug. I think though if the dems started talking as stupid as the Rethugs, that it may confuse we liberals, as we are more intelligent than the Rs and don't need to talk baby talk to each other. So glad you are proud to be a Liberal, so am I.

NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN !!

our future is at stake, let's keep it in our own hands

+9 # John Locke 2012-01-23 12:58

bugbuster: We found out what Obama was made of when he signed the Homeland detension bill...

+5 # BenECoyote 2012-01-23 14:02

The problem is that Obama isn't a liberal or progressive. When you look at his actual policies, from his oil war in Libya that he entered without congressional approval, to the indefinite detention and subversion of the constitution (which Rachel Maddow pointed out Obama was supporting even way back in 2009.)
Obama has broken promise after promise, from not shutting down guantanamo, to continuing the Bush Tax cuts for the rich. Obama may belong to the Democratic party, his presidency is more conservative than any republican president.
We need a progressive, proudly liberal candidate like Rocky Anderson to challenge Obama. Unfortunately, corporate media is largely blacklisting him but you can find him at www.voterocky.org Give him a look, It's time for Justice for a change.

+3 # BenECoyote 2012-01-23 14:14

I'd be less concerned with democrat speak, than with democrat action, does it matter if we call the them ceo's or job creators, when we extend their Bush tax breaks and offer them blanket immunity. Actions speak louder than words and Obama has acted more like a conservative than most republicans.

+2 # Texas Aggie 2012-01-23 20:31

"The Democrats need party discipline. "

To a certain extent, that would be more functional than what we have now. The problem comes in that the people who "joyfully march(es) to music in rank and file" are the authoritarian minded individuals who are almost completely part of the right wing. Someone who is more progressive isn't about to let someone else do their thinking for them, and can't be counted on to salute whenever everyone else does.

This is a pattern that was discovered by a psychologist who devoted his whole career to studying authoritarianis m, Dr. Bob Altemeyer. It all comes down to believing in a dominant father model of society, who demands unquestioning obedience, or do you believe in a nurturing parent, who tries to instill critical thinking skills in other people?

+2 # RLF 2012-01-24 04:56

The democrats have plenty of party disapline when it comes to keeping anyone else from running against Obama! Obama won't change a bit in the second term. He is a pansy blue dog, chicago school economic disaster. We'll get more bailouts, no prosecutions, no reform or regulation, and no enhanced saftey net for anyone but the rich from this fellow. He knows where his bread is buttered!

0 # Doubter 2012-01-24 16:24

So you like quotes? Here's one by the shrub that SOME of us just might apply to his successor:
"There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — [pauses] — shame on you. Fool me — [pauses] — You can't get fooled again."

-52 # MidwestTom 2012-01-23 11:41

So he is now for "energy independence from unfriendly countries" is that why he left the largest crude source in North America to the Chinese by not building the XL pipeline. When did Canada become UNFRIENDLY.

If he wants to impress me, he should announce that we are pulling the Enterprise out of the Persian Gulf, and that we have no intention of going to war with Iran, unless Congress UK's it.

+18 # Todd Williams 2012-01-23 12:04

Because that filthy crap Canada is peddling ought to be left alone. If the dumb Canucks wanna send it to China, well then let them build a stupid pipeline across their pristine land. Screw XL and the train it rode in one. I'm sick and tired of corps. and Rethugs continually wanting to compromise our environment for their dirty fuel! I say to hell with it! And by the way, Canada became "unfriendly" as soon as they tried to pull off this dirty stunt.

+8 # KittatinyHawk 2012-01-23 16:53

Canada became dirty when they spent the profits instead of helping Alberta and recover this crap themselves from the start.
I love Canada, my friends are,their Doctors helped many of us not take poisonous Flu shots. but Greed Mongers who sold out Alberta are the problem, should be made to clean up their mess.
My friends said mess is so horrific, crap to export is so sluggish no pipes can take the load. Our Engineers have confirmed this in past six months. Cost to do all this vs profit,if you actually look into it, there is something fishy from here to China. Jobs,they are already promised. Some were going to be heaved to Military to appease Mrs OB but Politicians, Chinese, everyone's kid in between were promised jobs. Grunt work would be temporary/given to us. No different than Alaska Pipeline, good money for limited time, lots of things to give up to do it. We have Alaska Pipeline, why not convert into it if this is sooo safe Many think this crap from Alberta is same as Alaska Crude.
Funny thing is most of you do not even have a clue how much ground work was already done. How much specialized land/dirt/grass es already moved. How many creatures already affected, you all can rant about the project with no background on it. Same with OB and all Politicians. They have task forces that gather data, present the short version, the okay version. Ever go to meetinga? I doubt it, but perhaps you want change you should

+8 # BradFromSalem 2012-01-23 12:19

Quoting MidwestTom:

he should announce that we are pulling the Enterprise out of the Persian Gulf.

Tom,

Everybody knows the Enterprise is Space Bound. It is not constructed to survive Planetary forces. And also Dilithium Crystals are environmentally safe eliminating the need for warships and oil.

Scotty, Beam me up! There is no, repeat no intelligent life on this planet.

+1 # Ken Hall 2012-01-23 20:04

Thank you, LL. Funny!

+17 # CTPatriot 2012-01-23 13:18

Your second paragraph is great. The first one is pure propaganda. Apparently you're not aware that Keystone's pipeline would send all that wonderful, sexy oil down to the gulf where it would be exported to other countries, maybe even China. Oops!!!

Secondly, extracting oil from tar sands is one of the most environmentally damaging methods there is. Some have called it an end-game on global climate change.

We would be far better off investing the manpower and tax dollars into alternative and renewable energy sources so that we never again have to worry about choosing between energy and national security. China is currently far outpacing the US in solar energy technology, and it's all because of fossil fuel lobbying in this country, and the old fossils who continue to block progress in support of those lobbyists.

+14 # AndreM5 2012-01-23 13:23

Ever bother to do research on a topic? Or are opinions just so much less work? Sorry, but that crude was NEVER coming to the USA for consumption, just for export as refined fuels. We get the environmental hazard, the dirty air and fouled ports while So. America and China get the gas. Wake up and smell the benzene!

+6 # KittatinyHawk 2012-01-23 17:04

I am impressed you know what benzene is. We were fighting SuperFund clean Up...Soil Burners on East coast. had some brouhgt in so everyone..Yuppi es(specially), farmers, Seniors and others knew what to expect. It cleared the auditorium.

I saw sweat come out of spouse yellow, and two of my species go hairless, one die from being exposed. I had the company open the Showers, OSHA put on alert what I would do. You could smell my spouses truck .... 16 Soil Burners were voted out around here....
But people use products with it in, they have no clue. Companies use all the left over chemicals and people pay good price for it. Good to see some intelligent life knowing what is going on. I would not be surprised if Benzene is not used in Fracking, over 200 EPA condemned Chemicals are...
They want to use the spent fracking materials on roadways for anti skid in winter...half the people do not even realize it. Can't blow up your wells, they will poison the water and land.

thanks

+9 # allie 2012-01-23 13:37

I'll comment just on the second of your misguided points. The first one is beyond stupidity. Your right wing friends and politicians want war with Iran.......wher e have you been?

+3 # noitall 2012-01-23 14:03

Tom Tom Tom! What more can I say...

+10 # BenECoyote 2012-01-23 14:08

I agree, If wasn't a corporate schill he'd pull out of the persian gulf all together, and put the trillions of dollars we are spending on the military oil protection racket, and re-invest that money in alternative energy production at home, he would not only end up balancing the budget, but he would be creating jobs here that pay well, and that do not require military actions to protect.
Of course, that would mean Obama would have to renounce corporate owners, and nobody see's that happening any time soon.

+9 # Regina 2012-01-23 14:40

When did CO-2 and CH-4 become benign??? We don't need Canada's (or anyone else's) garbage in our air and water, since we continue to create plenty on our own.

+3 # KittatinyHawk 2012-01-23 17:09

Do you release what ground water contamination can do, how far it can spread....we got it already. Your just not being told... Got to read up on areas along our borders, look at what has come up in meetings.
According to where you live, you probably are being poisoned. Name/Game of profit.
Corporate people do not get rich on the product but on the after crap. Instead of having to get rid of it responsibly, lawyers/politic ians have made loopholes for them to resell under presumed uses...everyone plays dumb, doesnot care if not in their backyard or looks the other way.

Got enough of our own garbage...

+9 # colvictoria 2012-01-23 12:00

Blah Blah Blah we've heard it all before Mr. President. No matter who wins both parties are sold out to Wall Street and we the people have to hold their feet to the fire and fight for what little rights we have left.
Just because we have elections does not mean we have a democracy. In a society controlled by evil bankers (the FED) we the people are being sold like cattle. They want us to either work for slave wages like the masses in China or wait for a meager welfare check in the mail.
Do you want to see what a country looks like when there is no longer a middle class? Go to Mexico and see what is in store for our nation. Better yet go to any border town on this side of the Rio Grande and get a taste of what is brewing.
We are on a dangerous path toward tyranny and a fascist state.

+11 # davidjkalke@gmail.com 2012-01-23 12:04

No mention of torture? Continued wars? Possible war in Iran (promised in Democratic platform background paper in 2008? No mention of finally closing Guantanamo? Yes, it will be populist. Who can be more populist, with the least amount of principles? Obama? Newt? Or Ron Paul? A sad state for American democracy!

+3 # angryspittle 2012-01-23 12:38

I have said it many times. Obama talks the talk but he's a damn paraplegic.

0 # John Gill 2012-01-23 22:24

ouch

+8 # davehaze 2012-01-23 12:39

Always disregard what people say, only what they do.

If you do that, if you consider yourself liberal or progressive, you will have no one from the Dem/Rep party to vote for this time around.

Remember that the Dem/Rep party passed and signed the last nail in the coffin of the American Constitution the Homeland Battlefield bill.

+3 # amye 2012-01-23 12:41

Does Obama really think we will trust what he says?? He has said so much and done so little! What makes him think he can fool us again?? Fool me once shame on you! Fool me twice shame on me!! However I agree NEVER vote Republican!! They have done the worst damage to our country than anyone else!! Romney will do the same and so would Newt!! Sadly our only chance is Obama! Another nice choice between the bad and the worst! We Americans deserve so much more!!

+11 # David Starr 2012-01-23 12:42

So Obama recently comes out of the closet to play the role of populist? Where was he after becoming president, particularly before that when he was making progressive-lik e overtones culminating in the slogan "Hope and Change"? Yes, it's a case of timing, i.e., it's 2012 & the moment is almost at hand, a few months away till November. Not to sound totally B/W, Obama did inherit the disasters of the Bush regime & has ended, officially anyway, the Iraq War, among other positives (or "positives"). But the negatives fester: No attempted prosecution of Bush regime crimes, not shutting down Guantanamo (Ideally-speaki ng, both the prison & the base), extending Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy (which could encourage their permanence), signing a draconian
"defense" bill, allowing trillions of dollars to bail out Wall Street/the Banks & not taking them to task for their criminal activities (not yet anyway). But then, it's not easy when you have a party of NO putting obstacles in your way.

To use Barbara K's slogan: NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN. But "voting for the lesser of two evils" has really gotten old; it being "voting for the evil of two lessers."

+4 # CTPatriot 2012-01-23 15:32

Great comment!!

0 # John Gill 2012-01-23 22:26

Indeed! don't vote for the lesser of two evils! Vote Cthulu!

+5 # bluepilgrim 2012-01-23 12:48

Charlie Brown, Lucy, football.

O says the right things, and does the wrong things.

It's all just theater (and not a very good play at that). Talk is cheap, money buys the lamb.

Etc., Etc....

[edited for typos]

+6 # Barracuda87 2012-01-23 12:57

It is so sad... I voted for him in 2008 with so much "hope" and optimism, but now, less than 4 years later, it is much different. He has turned his back on his base almost too many times to count and has outright lied to the American people on key issues he promised to deliver on.

He has caved to a Republican minority, failed to deliver anything that even remotely resembles REAL healthcare reform, he signed the NDAA (so basically you can throw the bill of rights out the window...), Gitmo remains open, there are still troops in Afghanistan, he has signed legislation that is devastating to the environment, he resigned the patriot act, he continues the illegal spying on Americans... the list goes on and on...

Sorry Mr. President... I do not care to listen to any more of your lies and empty promises...

+6 # seeuingoa 2012-01-23 14:29

Dear Babara K
Don´t be impressed by all his talk, he talks very well but all his talk is just talks and no action.

Oh MY GOD - HOW I Have been frustrated by this man who I have trusted soo much
and who have betrayed me ALL the way.

+2 # KittatinyHawk 2012-01-23 17:12

But you allowed them all to betray you if you didnot do something about it.
The only one who can mess up one's life is the person living it!
OB is just a figure head, he is not living your life. Those who sit and do nothing get nothing!

+1 # DaveM 2012-01-23 14:37

It seems to me that if Canada wants the Keystone XL pipeline so badly, let them build it--right to the border of the United States. Preferably to the border of a petroleum-produ cing state (e.g. North Dakota). The U.S. could then use the money which would be spent in stretching a big piece of pipe across the country to build new refineries and shipping terminals for petroleum products.

The result? We minimize environmental risks to the United States, create badly-needed new infrastructure for refining oil in an area that is not subject to hurricanes or earthquakes, and with that, create any number of jobs--sustainab le jobs, not construction jobs that will be gone in a short time.

I dearly hope to see major development of sustainable energy resources RIGHT NOW, but while that development is going on, every one of us is going to need petroleum products. I believe that need can be met in a far more sensible manner than a cross-country pipeline.

+3 # KittatinyHawk 2012-01-23 17:20

Smaller trip is nice, but we make nothing on this nor do we get it, this is just corporate countries doing each other favors and poisoning us.
Canada had opportunity to do the above mentioned building, refining but they loved the money. Now they need a bail out, so let them have China invest and refine on site. Why isn't that an option? It was years ago but....

We had chance over 25 years ago to be sustainable but we had Oil buying up Patents since 40's probably before. Governor Ridge of Pa refused to look at any Environmental Plans to clean up Pa, Reuse, and invest in Alternative Energy. He told us, Sierra Club was present, when we came up with Viable Solutions, he would listen. We had plans for American Made, Pa made Solar, Wind Turbines, WindMills (heck we had them since the 1700's), or Water Power. He laughed at us. He didnot get reelected but we didnot move forward either.
We had cars in the 1970's that were biofuel, solar, fuel efficient. Here we are still getting 20 mph except for very cheap made vehicles that gave us safety.
We were on the move in 60's Yuppies closed us out by mid 70's

Sustainable Energy a Political Compost Pile of all their bs.

+10 # Billy Bob 2012-01-23 14:39

You know what? I'm going to openly admit I'm not reading this article. I don't need to. How many times have we read it before?

Obama is going to give a "populist" speech. I assume the parenthetic statement following that headline was, "Obama to resume conservative policy after speech", right?

+8 # fresh aire 2012-01-23 14:57

to:Dear Mr. President,

Embracing a strategy of sweetheart settlements with the banks that caused the housing crisis will definitely garner you the love and support of the 1%. In protecting and helping the richest people in this country who ignore the law and demonize hard-working tax-paying ordinary citizen, you will successfully strip all HOPE from the hourly wage-earners, the assembly line workers, the waiters and waitresses, the store-clerks, seniors on social security whose pensions were cut (so that the 1% would make more profits), and seniors like your mother-in-law.

If that is your goal; if that is your vision for America; if that is the lesson you want your 2 girls to learn from you and Michelle, i.e. the poor people, the middle class are expendable for the greater good of the rich, then we will finally learn your true colors.

On the other hand, if that is NOT your goal, if that is NOT the lesson you and Michelle want to teach your children, then I strongly urge you not to embrace the proposed sweetheart settlements with the banks that caused the housing crisis. Instead, launch an immediate investigation into what the FBI warned was an “epidemic of fraud” that threw millions out of their homes. It is vital that the laws be enforced, that those who broke the law be held accountable – or else Wall Street bankers will feel free to defraud people in the future.

The choice is yours.

+6 # bluepilgrim 2012-01-23 17:44

The first term Obama betrayed the people, but was largely biding his time trying to not get people so angry they would not vote for him again. Now, what's the next step in career path? If he gets in a second time then all the constraints are off and he can go whole hog for the corporations, where he will get lucrative positions and speech tours like the other former presidents.

That's the way the corporatist game is now. He is not going to become a gentleman farmer in Mt. Vernon like Washington, or retire to Sussex and keep bees like Sherlock Holmes. It after the presidents leave office when the real money comes in, with a little help from their new friends.

What are the people going to do if he totally screws them all in the second term? Not vote for him again?

+4 # Majikman 2012-01-23 18:28

Several years ago after Rahm Emmanuel's dissing of the liberals,"Screw them, where are they going to go?" I wrote to the Prez and citing RE's comments said we indeed had options. Instead of the voting booth we'd go to lunch. I know I'm not the only liberal struggling with "to Vote or Not to Vote". Where it not for his decent SCOTUS appt's, I'd have no qualms writing in Rocky Anderson and answer Rahm's finger with one of my own. The ONLY hook in me for voting for Obama again is the upcoming SCOTUS vacancy(ies)

+2 # sfnativecrone 2012-01-23 19:16

"It seems to me I heard this song before.." to quote an old tune. If you believe him, I could offer you a bridge or two for sale!

+2 # spenel334 2012-01-23 21:18

I'm not making excuses for Obama, who may be a centrist, but not naturally a fighter. However, until we have publicly funded elections, no president can be elected sans Wall St and and a few other assorted and sundry big corporations. And this country thinks it too independent to allow for federally funded elections. God help us, that would make the govt even larger than it is now.

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