So then, according to the President, the best way to lead is to give up from the start?

From David Dayden at Firedoglake:

“…but there’s also a difference between the person who views those procedural blockages for what they are, and sees opportunities for pressuring those blockages through the court of public opinion, for making it difficult on those holding up progress to sustain themselves, for using elections as a lever to enable progress, and even for changing the fundamental structures to bring our democracy up to date to meet the challenges of the 21st century, and… Barack Obama. Because here he doesn’t just acknowledge the need for compromise. He glories in it. He sees it as “part of the process of growing up.” It’s juvenile to act on your own beliefs, to draw bright lines that cannot be crossed, to express core convictions. “Don’t set up a situation where you’re guaranteed to be disappointed,” Obama says. That’s the worst thing that could ever happen. He makes an enemy out of disappointment, when it can just as easily be a rallying point, an opportunity to show a better path next time.”

Man, life could have been so much easier if I’d only been different in two very important ways: if I believed in God, and if I also believed in giving the shaft to the disabled, the mentally ill, the elderly and the homeless…if only I felt more comfortable telling these people, well, you apparently needed to plan better, needed to just get over your issues, or find a job…if only I felt it really was that simple, that a Church and a bumper sticker slogan could solve every problem in this world. Then I could be a self-congratulating Republican beating the crap out of (someone else’s) Grandma with the heirloom family bible…sure, I might be an utter bastard, but I’d at least be content and going to heaven.

Who knew this president would be the powerful’s new BFF…and proclaim giving up on your beliefs is the new American way? Many kind of hoped he might change that…curses, foiled again!

Read the article:

Obama’s Last Lecture

And two more interesting pieces read recently:

Here’s what Matt Taibbi had to say about the very real possibility Obama never wanted a progressive budget at all, and the damage that has done to his bargaining position or lack there-of:

Taibbi: Obama’s not pretending. He doesn’t want a Progressive budget deal.

And one more, now that we know Obama has not ever really been about the middle and lower class, how could a McCain victory actually been to the benefit of all the people Obama was supposed to help, and didn’t:

If McCain Had Won – Fred Branfman

You might think if you’re a Democrat, having a Democratic president would mean he is on your side, but it appears increasingly clear, this president is on the side of himself, first and foremost, that, and getting re-elected.

Have a nice day.