7 Responses to “A choice, not an echo (v.1)”

1. gs Says:
   May 20th, 2008 at 11:32 am

   The sentences preceding the ones quoted are:
   

   We are also, though, going have to negotiate with other countries. China, India, in particular Brazil. They are growing so fast that they are consuming more and more energy, and pretty soon, if their carpet footprint even approaches ours, we’re goners. That’s part of the reason why we’ve got to make the investment; we’ve got to lead by example. If we lead by example — if we lead by example, then we can actually export and license technology that have been invented here to help them deal with their growth pain. But keep in mind, you’re right. We can’t tell them, don’t grow…

   Two paragraphs later:
   

   And, you know, John McCain…his big strategy is to do more drilling and to have a gas tax holiday for three months, that’s a phony solution…We — we need somebody with a plan. And who is willing to talk to the American people about these difficulties and how we’re going to get through these challenges together. All right? OK. All right. OK…

   We can’t tell them, don’t grow, but we can and must reduce or stop our own growth.

   Afaic Obama is the first major presidential candidate to campaign on a pledge to reduce the American standard of living.

   Higher taxes, lower living standards, more government intrusion into private lifestyles and the economy…that’s change, all right. We can’t eat as much as we want.

   Has the country gotten so dumbed down that it will fall for this?

2. bagoh20 Says:
   May 20th, 2008 at 12:20 pm

   “Has the country gotten so dumbed down that it will fall for this?

   I think so. He would have it locked up if either we voted last month, or he shut up for the next 5.

3. MarkD Says:
   May 20th, 2008 at 9:14 pm

   I’m old enough to remember Jimmy Carter.

4. feeblemind Says:
   May 20th, 2008 at 9:57 pm

   This strikes me as coming very close to Carter’s ‘Malaise’ speech. It is hard for me to believe that but a small percentage of the electorate could be for self-flagellation. More and more, I am hearing the left saying drilling for oil at home won’t make any difference. That thinking defies logic, but then so much much of Obama’s rhetoric does defy logic.

5. gs Says:
   May 20th, 2008 at 11:43 pm

   Iirc the 1976 Carter presented himself as a soft-spoken competent pragmatist: not quite an all-out optimist, but someone who would give the country, so to paraphrase, a government as good (pause), and as decent (pause), and as honest (pause), and as capable (pause), as the American people themselves. “I’ll never lie to you.”

   Carter resorted to the malaise speech when it became evident that his presidency was failing. Obama thinks he can attain the office with that kind of rhetoric.

   Negativity packaged as hope: will the voters buy it, or will they read the label?

6. staghounds Says:
   May 21st, 2008 at 8:24 am

   Does this mean he intends that we only provide 4% of the international charity, instead of 25%?

   Buy only 4% of foreigners’ goods, instead of 25%?

   Provide freedom of the seas, an internet, military security, banking, a communications net, technological developement, and a currency for 4% of the world’s people, instead of 100%?

   Because I’m FULLY on board with that.

7. None of the Above Says:
   May 23rd, 2008 at 3:29 am

   Ok, so how is Obama going to make this happen? By fiat?

   In that case, I want more say over how the government spends my money. In fact, I want the government to seriously cut back on spending, because more and more of it is not okay with me.

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