Obama’s speeches are always simple, too often trite, and always political. When he addresses young minds, his teleprompter throws him words which turn the conscious mind into an incredulous lump of mush wondering how such statements can emanate from a Presidential podium.
A recent commencement address at Ohio State University deserves a little exposure of the deconstructing kind, and Peter Schiff, the CEO of Euro Pacific Capital Inc., provides an unequivocal and effective six minute plucking of Obama’s private universe. Schiff doesn’t mince words and is in particularly potent form.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWjtOYYmaJU[/youtube]
Who needs individual ambition, drive and creativity to do big things, to do little things, or to do anything else, when you have your President making you feel all warm and cozy about the prospects of big government, and the collective effort being there for you – so don’t bother trying.
Yup, what would you be worth if it wasn’t for the government? . . . . Is this the new path to inspiring greatness?
A constituent of the vast baby boomer generation with a career which has been fortunate to know the ponderous corporate worlds, as well as the intimately pressurized, and invigorating entrepreneurial domains of high tech and venture capital, I have harvested my share of mistakes meandering through corridors of enterprise from Silicon Valley, to London and endless, colourful, sometimes praetorian points in between. The voyage has provided an abundance of fodder for a pen yielding to an inquisitive keyboard, a foraging mind, and a passionate spirit.
Whether political or business or social or economic or personal, is it not all political? It is a privilege to write, and an even greater privilege to be read by anyone, and sometimes with the wind at my back the writing may occasionally be legible. I do not write to invite scorn, nor to invite respect, but if I get really lucky the writing can stimulate thinking. I also write for the very selfish purpose of animating my own processes, and engaging the best of what life offers. Above all, whether biting fire or swatting shadows, I am grateful to be gifted the freedom to write and publish whatever flows down to the keyboard. To all those who enabled this freedom, and to all those standing guard to preserve it, I am indebted.
I don’t deny what you have said of President Obama’s speechifying. It is to be expected, mediocre minds lack the ability to convey principles of depth of meaning. Has any President in the last 25 years been able to stir graduates at commencement or fellow citizens at any juncture? Regardless of party, the Republic has suffered two Bushes, a Clinton and now Obama. Not one of them able to stir the hearts or appeal to the souls of America. Future historians will likely not even note the names of the “Mediocre Four” but will skip over them the way they do the Presidents after Polk and before Lincoln.
@A T Cameron: #1,
Obama stands out IMHO, out on a side road all by himself – a road with potholes named hypocrisy, lies, sanctimony, deception.
He’s out there raising money for his billion dollar legacy program, while Jarrett implements ‘Project Revenge’ on anyone who did not pander or worship enough, and who might not be of her liking.
I never attended college, but MANY years ago I remember hearing some clips of politicians talking to college graduates. Not one of them was a campaign. They all encouraged the students to go out and do the best they could at whatever field they choose.
obama is telling college students not to get their information off of electronic devices, and not to listen to talk of tyranny in our government. Is it making them worry more about our government? It sure is me. obama is the magician who is drawing our attention to one had so we don’t see what the other hand is doing? Has anyone else wondered what his OTHER hand is doing? I keep being reminded of this statement he made while he was running for he nomination to run for president for his party:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt2yGzHfy7s
James, you wrote a gem here:
But why limit ourselves to Obama’s commencement speech?
Obama spoke at a Democratic fundraiser in New York on Monday.
His own words:
Um, no, sir.
The spirit of helping one another, caring about one another and working together CANNOT be ”institutionalized.”
(I think by ”institutionalized” Obama means made law.)
Look at New Orleans after Katrina.
People SAT and expected to be taken care of.
They didn’t lift a finger.
Look at Detroit or Chicago.
People won’t even help the police by pointing out the shooters.
They can’t even keep the wolves (or feral dogs) from their doors.
Look at Obama, himself, in the same speech:
Oh, and the speech was given at a FUNDRAISER for Dems.
@Smorgasbord: #3,
Only a narcissist would be capable of doing otherwise when facing a sea of young minds ready to go out to take on the world.
Scary video, Smorg. He must have been summoning up Che Guevera.
Isn’t it strange that so many of us saw through this hypocrite’s very transparent double talk and lies, but a majority voted for him?
@Nan G: #4,
Thanks Nan.
. . . . This is the spewing of a little man with a little mind who was ‘found’ and used as a front mouthpiece for people who are actually more worrisome than he is.
Actually, my sense is that this whole hateful bunch which Jarrett and Axelrod have filled the W.H. with are too full of self-loathing not to implode. The re-election lit that fuse.
@James Raider: #5
Even while McCain was campaigning for president, he said obama was a good man, and another time he said he thought obama would make a good president. I actually wondered who McCain was campaigning for.
@Smorgasbord: #7,
I remember that statement, Smorg. There are many like McCain who shortly after arriving in Washington lose all sense of self and play the game of self enrichment. Self-preservation is critical in that process. The evidence is overwhelming.
Some of these fraud artists walk away with sizeable fortunes for having allowed themselves to be dangled willingly from the end of strings, as stooges and puppets of larger interests.
@James Raider: #8
They live like billionaires, but the tax payer pays their expenses.