"We're determined to solve the world's biggest problems by putting our collective imaginations to work. Is it possible to change the world? We're doing it one idea at a time."
That's not an inspiring quote from President Obama's speech - it's the blurb from GE's webpage. You know, the GE multinatinional corporation whose CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, recently became the newest member of the White House economic team? Obama has openly embraced GE's mantra of "Imagination is Innovation" as his campaign kickoff theme, calling it "We Do Big Things." Kind of reminds me of the old GE TV commercial "We Bring Good Things to Life."
It was a great speech, pure Obama, and everyone is basking in the feel-good glow. In an email to his base this morning, he wrote: "The future is ours to win," (echoes of Doris Day's "Que Sera, Sera") and added a link asking supporters to sign up to volunteer. It looked a lot like the "change we can believe in" graphic, but replaced with the words "Win the Future". So...I guess it's Yes We Can, but in a distant land, far far away. It's all kind of Mystery Science Theater 3000-sounding. Syfy. The Twilight Zone. To Serve Man. We're "poised for progress," says he. Kind of like the pose those high divers strike at the Olympics, all hushed crazy-making anticipation, the long pause before the plunge. Poised, as in prelude. Very statuesque, camera-ready and theatrical.
"We must out-innovate the rest of the world." -- Barack Obama.
"Innovation = Imagination." -- GE.
9 comments:
Sarah Palin quickly latched onto that "Win the Future" slogan. Speaking of the President's SOTU address, Palin said "His theme last night was WTF, winning the future. I thought, okay, that acronym - spot on. There were a lot of WTF moments throughout that speech." She was so pleased with herself, she repeated the WTF acronym later.
Is it my imagination, or is Palin just getting a little more crude every time she opens her mouth. I'll admit I'm not slightly offended by WTF, but were I someone who thought, "WTF, I could be President," I don't think I'd be using that terminology, especially if I were running on the evangelical family values platform.
But, WTF, that's me.
Karen and Marie,
It's great to arrive here and be able to hear more from both of you!
One line in the SOTU speech that has not been picked up by most of the commentators is Obama's declaration to remove federal government subsidies to the oil industry. I can imagine the howls now, "Obama is anti the oil business!" when all that Obama has said is that the oil industry does not need to be subsidized in order to succeed. On the other hand, removing oil-industry subsidies would help alternative energy sources and electric vehicles to succeed.
Jerome, commentators likely didn't pick up on Obama's "declaration" because we've become painfully inured to the man's many "declarations" that he himself allows to be kicked to the curb.
OFA (formerly Obama for America, now part of the DNC) sent approximately 1,500 of us to Senator Feinstein's office in August, 2009 to advocate for the public option. But Obama had already cut a backroom deal with PhRMA and insurers to kill the public option (which, I will remind you, had traditionally been a Republican idea, which Obama allowed the right to paint as "socialist" - never once stepping up to correct yheir fallacy.)
With a President like Obama, who needs Republicans?
what flavor is your Obama Kool Aid??
(from eva c.)
It's going to take something harder than Kool-Aid to get me to support Obama again.
Thinking about the Chinese maotai (sp?) that Kissinger's aide sampled in prep for Nixon's momentous visit. Under no circumstances, the aide insisted, was Nixon to actually imbibe the distilled spirit during the many toasts offered by Zhou. Nixon, however, in a gesture mimicked later by HRC during her ill-fated campaign in 2008, matched Zhou drink for drink.
Who said Quakers can't handle liquor.
I will of course remind you that Obama stands to the RIGHT of Nixon domestically.
Karen,
Excellent comment in Krugman's NYT column yesterday (1-27)
Regards, Chris Doyle SF, Ca.
Karen,
You and Marie Burns are are always a pleasure to read.
Dear Karen,
Why did my comment about your response to Krugman simply disappear? I thought it was complimentary, if somewhat critical of your use of the term "Fox News mouthbreathers" - which I thought was derogatory.
My larger point was that it's not productive to denigrate the viewers - if you had intended to denigrate Fox broadcasters, or Fox mgmt., that's another thing.
And I stand by my claim that your direct and forceful and razor-sharp way with words would win you fans and allies among the ordinary folk of the tea party.
eva c.
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