President Obama is a competent speaker. I don’t think anyone can deny his ability to move an audience like a preacher speaking to his congregation. And in his State of the Union address President Obama did just that. He preached, but in a more anemic manner than usual. Obama may have used repetition to lure in listeners, but this is nothing new. Americans need conviction, not just reiteration.
On the topic of reiteration, President Obama promised continued government transparency. Here is the catch: he made this exact promise throughout his campaign for the White House and all throughout the nitty-gritty health care reform negotiations. Are we supposed to believe him this time? During his race for the White House Obama assured Americans that the entire health care debate would be televised on CSPAN. I watch CSPAN like it is my second job and I did not see any behind-closed-doors discussions on health care reform.
Maybe we can trust Obama’s pledge to call for “strict limits” on lobbyists’ contact with his administration and their financial contribution to federal candidates. I have a gut instinct that if we trust his word we will once again be disappointed. According to the Office of Government Ethics, the administration has actually granted 17 waivers allowing lobbyists and others with ties to issues they dealt with in the private sector to serve in government.
He also discussed earmark reform, which obviously went over well with the audience. But this is odd because President Obama avidly agreed to earmark reform during and after his campaign. During his speech Obama honed in on the importance of “restoring American’s trust” by allowing the American people to see how their money is being spent. Well, let’s run the facts. In December lawmakers set aside more than $4 billion in earmarks in the 2010 defense appropriations bill. According to fiscal watchdog groups, earmarks are expected to total nearly $12 billion in fiscal 2010. So far there is little evidence that supports Obama’s vow to follow through with earmark reform.
Tonight’s State of the Union was a rerun of President Obama’s campaign for the White House. Anyone can read a teleprompter and deliver promises. But an administration’s success is not measured by words. It is measured by actions, and tonight Obama spoke in a stream of familiarly faulty guarantees.
******
Kathleen Someah previously attended Kenyon College where she studied English and Political Science. She was recently an intern with a political think tank where she focuses primarily on issues relating to homeland security. She currently resides in California.
Loading ...
Very well written artivle! N like you I do not trust him as if you can’t rein in your own house clean don’t critize mine! This morning already Nancy Pelosi has again gone behind him n released a statement saying there is a way to push healthcare bill thru with a little “(FIX)!” Is she brain dead? There R 3 new Republicans serving because she for one is not Listening? There should be sanctions availabe to place on government officials that undermine the whole! Thank you..