Tuesday, 5/28/13, Public Square

Obama needs to call their bluff

New polls show a growing number of Americans are worried about growing deficits and debt. The former president has added his voice to the noise, the GOP is using this deficit tactic to court Independents who pretty much stay out of social issues but take fiscal issues seriously.

Health care reform is jeopardized and this is important.

President Obama needs to call their bluff!

I have confidence that most Americans are intelligent adults and will listen when issues are explained. Who knows? If bush the lesser had been able to communicate we may have been able to understand some of his motives. A leader is a person who both makes and explains the hard decisions and actions that are necessary for the common good. Americans are capable of understanding and even appreciate being respected and having our interests acknowledged — whether we agree or not.

First, Obama must explain that Uncle Sam has to spend until we’re past the worst of this recession which nearly reached depression status. Our economy isn’t healthy enough to really do anything about deficits yet. He must make the honest case for temporarily running high deficits to rescue our future. He has to lay out the reasons the deficits will get us past the worst and back to financial safety. He must acknowledge the cure isn’t instantaneous. He must explain rising unemployment rates, and what he is doing to address those rates. He has to state the goals that will lead us to stability and allow growth to resume. He must go on the offensive and speak directly to the American people with an honest plan and achievable goals. We will understand and it will take the wind out of those who have NO PLAN.

He has to call their bluff, involve the American people once again and as often as necessary to take the steam out of this issue. This can’t be a one-time interaction, but the beginning of a conversation that points out this is my plan, then updates the progress and / or adjustments to the plan — all the while (maybe silently) pointing out detractors have no plan, and aren’t part of the solutions.

Most Americans will be ready to support the team with a solution over those who simply have criticisms. Something does beat nothing every time!

fnord

Secretary Clinton asks for advice

North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan…the list goes on. So, how does Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cope? By requesting the advice of her predecessors, apparently. On Tuesday all but one of the living secretary’s of state convened at Madeline Albright’s home in Washington, D.C. to talk diplomacy. The list of those seated at the dinner table was full of political all-stars, including Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, Condoleeza Rice, and James Baker. The only one missing was Alexander Haig.

And after she asks all those who have experience and knowledge she will be well prepared to make decisions for America. I’m proud of her.

What do you think of the job Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is doing?

fnord

What’s really behind Obama’s so-called “irresponsible” behavior with foreign leaders?

“Sen. John Ensign, R-Nevada, told CNN Sunday it was “irresponsible” for President Obama to have been seen “laughing and joking” with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at the Summit of the Americas on Friday.

“This is a person who is one of the most anti-American leaders in the entire world,” Ensign told CNN’s John King on State of The Union. “He is a brutal dictator and human rights violations are very, very prevalent in Venezuela. And you have to be careful.”

“When you’re talking about the prestige of the United States and the presidency of the United States, you have to be careful who you’re seen joking around with,” he also said.”

But is Sen. John Ensign correct in his assumption, or is this just another attack on Obama and his attempts at reconciling America’s position as a world leader after the failed Bush doctrine of slamming the door on political negotiations? My personal thoughts are by opening dialog with known socialist leaders, like Chavez, he is limiting Chavez’s attempts to portray the United States as the fall guy for everything wrong with his (Chavez) country. If the people of these oppressed countries see an American President opening up lines of communication, that have previously been shut down, won’t they have to take a second look at what we stand for?

Bush’s policy of no relation has done this country no good at all, and set back whatever gains we may have made over the years by years, if not decades. Nothing good can come from non-relations, but good things can come from open dialog.

jammer5

“We cannot let ourselves be prisoners of past disagreements”

President Obma said those words in a speech at the Trinidad meeting of 34 leaders.

He also said, “I think it is important to recognize that the United States policy should not be interference in other countries.”

“But that also means that we can’t blame the United States for every problem that arises in the hemisphere … That is the old way, we need a new way,” he added.

I respect this intelligent leader, this man of diplomacy, these actions of getting along! What do you think?

fnord