Obama Speech: Illusions and Realities
Rizwan Ghani
January 21, 2009
The reality of inaugural address of President was Barack H. Obama himself. Ronald Regan shifted inauguration ceremony from East to West Front of US capitol where Obama took oath as 44th US president. It is alluded that Regan wanted to remember California as he looked West. The reality is after the fall of Russia Regan used the shift to symbolize the rise of West with America as the new center of the world. Ironically, the shift also meant abandonment of traditions and values of forefathers of America, which Obama referred to as the rule of law and rights of man. Obama by returning to East Front would have restored the true values of America that made it a global power.
It can be argued that by ignoring to read work of Robert Frost who called for ´respecting neighbors´ walls´ during J.F. Kennedy´s inaugural address Obama has failed to use his mandate to restore respect for international law. Ironically, the speech of Ban Ki-Moon outside the shouldering wreckage of UN warehouse in Gaza seeking accountability of Israeli political and military leadership for war crimes against innocent (civilian) deaths should have been part of Obama´s global peace vision. But Obama´s failure to mention ME following his silence during 22 day Gaza carnage (with exception of one statement) raises doubts about real ´change´ in US ME policy, restoration of writ of UN and international law to help end violation of human rights across the world including Kashmir, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The 120-day freeze of Guantanamo Military tribunal proceedings instead of scrapping is an ominous signal for supporters of human rights in Obama camp and rest of the world. It is opined that the freeze could be counterproductive if used by Bush supporters to change the law instead. Obama as commander in chief could have easily ordered closure of the facility, and shifting of the cases to normal courts within and outside US for justice to be seen and served in accordance to the relevant rules of law. But in all probability like Pakistan where allegedly, under US influence judges were freed but judiciary was shackled, Obama too has squandered the public mandate to restore US constitution and writ of law.
Obama´s lofty reference to false choice of safety over ideals can only be realized if he announces complete withdrawal of forces from Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a global consensus that US military occupations of these areas are a hindrance to restoration of peace and political stability. Otherwise also, it is diplomacy not military occupations that eliminate corruption, restore political setups and revive war-ravaged economies. Obama´s refusal to end US military occupation has undermined his message of ´change´ for the global community.
America is an economic power and trade and commerce not use of military power is the way to restore the lost American image. But it appears that Obama has refused to recognize the fact and retention of Gate´s as secretary defense shows continuation of Bush´s imperialistic policies. The reported presence of US forces in sixty countries across the globe following its unending barbarity in Vietnam, Iraq and its total support for Israel history of using American weapons and munitions against hapless humanity in ME undermines Obama´s message of change to rest of the world.
Obama may be ready to ´lead the world´ but rest of the world wants an end to American imperialism, predatory trade regulations and shackling of international law. Unless Obama restores fair trade police and equal business practices, it will be hard to restore global image of America. It is opined that US has been turned into a security state by the corporate sector. Reportedly, American multinationals earn thirty percent of their annual incomes from overseas. Experts allegedly believe that military-economic complex supports global US imperialism to protect its business interests. Since Obama did not talk of democratizing IMF, WB or promising to help end discriminatory WTO policies the message of change will remain an illusion than reality.
On the domestic front Reganomics gave America predatory Washington model of capitalism, which allowed accumulation of wealth in fewer hands, circumscribe national and international law of commerce and trade. Reportedly, one percent Americans control ninety-nine percent of US wealth resulting in worst social and economic inequality in a modern state. Bush as staunch supporter of Regan´s economic model by allowing unprecedented free hand to the US financial institutions has pushed America into an economic recession, which is worse than US Great Depression. In words of George Orwell it ´was worst tyranny´ (Orwell´s comments Hayek´s book, The Road to Serfdom supporting capitalism without government control).
The failure of 800 billion dollar economic stimulus package to revive the economy and growing numbers of unemployed which has reached 2.5 million mandated announcement of a package for ordinary American in Obama´s address on lines of Roosevelt´s New Deal ( a series of steps taken between 1933 and 1938) to fight Great Depression. The Democrat Congress is pushing for second installment of Bush-Paulson economic stimulus package, which supports Wall Street at the cost of Main Street. The stimulus package is funded by tax dollars but there is no mention of jobs, salary increase, social security and return of pension funds that have been gobbled by greedy and corrupt financial institutions right under the nose of federal regulatory watchdogs including American Securities and Exchange Commission.
The experts opine that the 800 billion package will ultimately cost taxpayers some $7.6 trillion: equal to half of total US GDP. Obama´s failure to announce second New Deal and reward failures against rules of capitalism will critically hamper resolution of US economic crisis and in return economic wellbeing of Main Street. Argentina has successfully implemented an economic stimulus package in which individuals´ not sick institutions have been extended financial support. The automobile sector has been asked to reduce prices instead of extending lucrative bailouts to sustain jobs.
Obama´s call for regulation of financial institution without public commitment to hold corrupt and greedy to book is miscarriage of public mandate. Obama´s failure to spell out ant-corruption policy in his address is a severe blow to constitution obliging presidents to uphold culture of transparency and accountability to maintain a strong viable state. The likely release of second part of stimulus package- already termed as unconstitutional by legal experts- will be the continuation of Bush´s Reganomics. And it will be a serious blow to Obama´s call for change.
Obama must go back to Congress to scrap the package and use remaining 350 billion dollars to improve health care and education, finance small and medium businesses, and improve reeking road, rail, energy and other communication infrastructure across the country. It will only be possible if Washington abandons its controversial support for failed institutions to overcome issue of toxic debts and move on. Since, it is not in offing, the worldwide calls to prosecute top financial executives, policy makers and politicians are going unanswered. No wonder people like Madoff, presidents of central banks, heads of regularity setups including securities and exchange commissions´ of America and rest of world are enjoying their loot.
Finally, with unprecedented 78 percent of public approval ratings Obama has failed to bring a corresponding change within America in terms of eradicating corruption, protecting interests of common person. Similarly, his failure to spell policy on ME, revival of UN and other international platforms has cast doubts about his commitment to restore image of America in rest of the world. Obama may be committed to his vision but his speech has failed to reflect his resolve for now! It may be premature to question Obama´s audacity to face the challenges but then it is his duty to match his words with his actions to end perception of illusions and realities starting with New Deal in America and restoring US as center of commerce and trade with open door policy instead of security state.
It can be argued that by ignoring to read work of Robert Frost who called for ´respecting neighbors´ walls´ during J.F. Kennedy´s inaugural address Obama has failed to use his mandate to restore respect for international law. Ironically, the speech of Ban Ki-Moon outside the shouldering wreckage of UN warehouse in Gaza seeking accountability of Israeli political and military leadership for war crimes against innocent (civilian) deaths should have been part of Obama´s global peace vision. But Obama´s failure to mention ME following his silence during 22 day Gaza carnage (with exception of one statement) raises doubts about real ´change´ in US ME policy, restoration of writ of UN and international law to help end violation of human rights across the world including Kashmir, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The 120-day freeze of Guantanamo Military tribunal proceedings instead of scrapping is an ominous signal for supporters of human rights in Obama camp and rest of the world. It is opined that the freeze could be counterproductive if used by Bush supporters to change the law instead. Obama as commander in chief could have easily ordered closure of the facility, and shifting of the cases to normal courts within and outside US for justice to be seen and served in accordance to the relevant rules of law. But in all probability like Pakistan where allegedly, under US influence judges were freed but judiciary was shackled, Obama too has squandered the public mandate to restore US constitution and writ of law.
Obama´s lofty reference to false choice of safety over ideals can only be realized if he announces complete withdrawal of forces from Iraq and Afghanistan. There is a global consensus that US military occupations of these areas are a hindrance to restoration of peace and political stability. Otherwise also, it is diplomacy not military occupations that eliminate corruption, restore political setups and revive war-ravaged economies. Obama´s refusal to end US military occupation has undermined his message of ´change´ for the global community.
America is an economic power and trade and commerce not use of military power is the way to restore the lost American image. But it appears that Obama has refused to recognize the fact and retention of Gate´s as secretary defense shows continuation of Bush´s imperialistic policies. The reported presence of US forces in sixty countries across the globe following its unending barbarity in Vietnam, Iraq and its total support for Israel history of using American weapons and munitions against hapless humanity in ME undermines Obama´s message of change to rest of the world.
Obama may be ready to ´lead the world´ but rest of the world wants an end to American imperialism, predatory trade regulations and shackling of international law. Unless Obama restores fair trade police and equal business practices, it will be hard to restore global image of America. It is opined that US has been turned into a security state by the corporate sector. Reportedly, American multinationals earn thirty percent of their annual incomes from overseas. Experts allegedly believe that military-economic complex supports global US imperialism to protect its business interests. Since Obama did not talk of democratizing IMF, WB or promising to help end discriminatory WTO policies the message of change will remain an illusion than reality.
On the domestic front Reganomics gave America predatory Washington model of capitalism, which allowed accumulation of wealth in fewer hands, circumscribe national and international law of commerce and trade. Reportedly, one percent Americans control ninety-nine percent of US wealth resulting in worst social and economic inequality in a modern state. Bush as staunch supporter of Regan´s economic model by allowing unprecedented free hand to the US financial institutions has pushed America into an economic recession, which is worse than US Great Depression. In words of George Orwell it ´was worst tyranny´ (Orwell´s comments Hayek´s book, The Road to Serfdom supporting capitalism without government control).
The failure of 800 billion dollar economic stimulus package to revive the economy and growing numbers of unemployed which has reached 2.5 million mandated announcement of a package for ordinary American in Obama´s address on lines of Roosevelt´s New Deal ( a series of steps taken between 1933 and 1938) to fight Great Depression. The Democrat Congress is pushing for second installment of Bush-Paulson economic stimulus package, which supports Wall Street at the cost of Main Street. The stimulus package is funded by tax dollars but there is no mention of jobs, salary increase, social security and return of pension funds that have been gobbled by greedy and corrupt financial institutions right under the nose of federal regulatory watchdogs including American Securities and Exchange Commission.
The experts opine that the 800 billion package will ultimately cost taxpayers some $7.6 trillion: equal to half of total US GDP. Obama´s failure to announce second New Deal and reward failures against rules of capitalism will critically hamper resolution of US economic crisis and in return economic wellbeing of Main Street. Argentina has successfully implemented an economic stimulus package in which individuals´ not sick institutions have been extended financial support. The automobile sector has been asked to reduce prices instead of extending lucrative bailouts to sustain jobs.
Obama´s call for regulation of financial institution without public commitment to hold corrupt and greedy to book is miscarriage of public mandate. Obama´s failure to spell out ant-corruption policy in his address is a severe blow to constitution obliging presidents to uphold culture of transparency and accountability to maintain a strong viable state. The likely release of second part of stimulus package- already termed as unconstitutional by legal experts- will be the continuation of Bush´s Reganomics. And it will be a serious blow to Obama´s call for change.
Obama must go back to Congress to scrap the package and use remaining 350 billion dollars to improve health care and education, finance small and medium businesses, and improve reeking road, rail, energy and other communication infrastructure across the country. It will only be possible if Washington abandons its controversial support for failed institutions to overcome issue of toxic debts and move on. Since, it is not in offing, the worldwide calls to prosecute top financial executives, policy makers and politicians are going unanswered. No wonder people like Madoff, presidents of central banks, heads of regularity setups including securities and exchange commissions´ of America and rest of world are enjoying their loot.
Finally, with unprecedented 78 percent of public approval ratings Obama has failed to bring a corresponding change within America in terms of eradicating corruption, protecting interests of common person. Similarly, his failure to spell policy on ME, revival of UN and other international platforms has cast doubts about his commitment to restore image of America in rest of the world. Obama may be committed to his vision but his speech has failed to reflect his resolve for now! It may be premature to question Obama´s audacity to face the challenges but then it is his duty to match his words with his actions to end perception of illusions and realities starting with New Deal in America and restoring US as center of commerce and trade with open door policy instead of security state.