Obama Shines

President Obama met with House republican leadership in Baltimore yesterday taking questions from a hostile crowd. He was quite impressive with his intelligent, knowledgeable responses to questions that sometimes weren't so intelligent. Of course, that may be exactly why some dislike him: he's just too smart. Like Bill Clinton.

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Obama And Reagan

January 27, 2010, 6:27 AM

Same As He Ever Was

Paul Krugman

These days quite a few people are frustrated with President Obama’s failure to challenge conservative ideology. The spending freeze — about which the best thing you can say in its favor is that it’s a transparently cynical PR stunt — has, for many, been the final straw: rhetorically, it’s a complete concession to Reaganism.

But why should we be surprised? Here’s one from the vault. Two years ago, I was deeply frustrated with Obama’s apparent endorsement of the Reagan myth.

There was a lot of delusion among progressives who convinced themselves, in the face of clear evidence to the contrary, that Obama was a strong champion of their values. He wasn’t and isn’t.

That doesn’t mean that there’s no difference between the parties, that everything would have been the same if McCain had won. But progressives are in the process of losing a big chance to change the narrative, and that’s largely because they have a leader who never had any inclination to do so.

Make School Buses Green

Washington State legislature is considering a 'green makeover' of schools. The school buildings would become more energy-efficient, thousands of jobs would be created locally, and we'd save money in the long run. Washington unemployment is officially 9.5% (the real rate is much higher), so it would be good to get more jobs - even if temporary - especially in construction where we've lost so many jobs lately.

I think that we should start the 'green makeover' of schools by updating the school buses first. Have you ever driven behind a school bus? They are the nastiest things on the road! The pollution emitted from just one bus is overwhelming. Has anyone ever looked into that?

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Haiti

(Image from The Seattle Times)

The devastation in Haiti is very upsetting. A nation so poor they don't have the machinery to dig up dead bodies from the rubble. No food or clean water for days because the help cannot arrive? It s shameful that such a poor nation exists on the doorstep of the most powerful, rich nation. Perhaps Obama will do the right thing and help change US policies toward Haiti? Policies that will support self-reliance, not dependence?

Carl Lindskoog's article explains, at least partially, why the country is so vulnerable.

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Why I Don't Trust Obama

Matt Taibbi and RFK Jr. on Obama's Sellout to Wall Street

Matt Taibbi and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. discuss Obama's ties to Wall Street. It burns me that we have thrown so much money to banks that have utterly failed the nation and its people (and the world). Yet our "progressive" president seems to take their side on every issue. I cannot finish Obama's book "Dreams from My Father" (although recommended by my mother - and I read most everything she recommends), because I am so disillusioned by him. Not that I was ever quite comfortable with his quick rise to the top; but I wanted to believe, to give him a chance. And, compared to the previous president, everyone is a superstar.

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In The Kitchen Window

Richmond Beach, WA