Recently in Obama Category

The President's State of the Union (SOTU) speech was realistic, mostly accurate, and proscriptive. It was not a "feel good" speech. It accurately summarized where the nation is domestically, divided and behind schedule in addressing many of its most pressing issues. His speech pragmatically stipulated that he alone cannot bring the solutions to pass (a campaign refrain); Congress and the people have to carry their share of the load, the confidence, and responsibility.

Political decisions must, by definition in a diverse society, alienate some in that society. This truism is dictated by the concept of opportunity cost. For those without business school backgrounds, opportunity cost is the cost of not having selected the other choices. Every decision anyone ever makes, carries an opportunity cost. Example: The wife takes the shortest route to work. In doing so, she avoids alternative longer routes which may make her drive more interesting, less hazardous as the lesser traveled routes, or less fortuitous in passing up the opportunity to give Bill Gates a ride after his HumV broke down, which he appreciates with a sizable thank you check of a million dollars.

Obama's process, approach, and decision on where we go from here in Afghanistan was outstanding. Gen. Petraeus lauded Obama's process and decision as having gathered all of the assumptions, data, and projections and compared and evaluated them in a deliberative and nuanced way which, no other process could have permitted. Gen. McCrystal says he is 100% behind both the number of troops and the time line to begin withdrawal. Australia and the head of NATO applaud Obama's decision.

Failure in Washington is not an option. America last year finished its long circular journey from 1940 to return to the precipice of national collapse. Unlike 1929, however, instead of taking that next drop off step, we sidestepped along the edge of the precipice, where we still remain today; at the edge.

With the failure of inclusion of the Public Option in the Senate's committee Health Care Reform bill, the 'blue dog' Democrats in the Senate have thrown the Health Care Reform measure into Obama's lap to throw back to Congress or sign. This is a very interesting new chapter begun in the Health Care Reform journey.

The Right continues its lies, misrepresentations, and distortions, with passion in the hours after Obama's speech. Is Obama being honest with Americans, though? The all-seeing, all knowing Right which, can look into Vladimir Putin's eyes and see there a friend and honest person to work with, of course, will say Obama is not being honest. But, the simple fact is, until there is a bill with Obama's signature making it law, there is no way to determine of Obama is being honest, or not, with the public.

He walked up and extended his hand. The neighbor extended his as well, saying "I want to be your friend."

I have friends I don't sleep with, or agree with. But, they are still folks I like to be with.

I had a neighbor I didn't like much. Saying Hi, and See Ya Later, kept us neighborly, as such.

Pres. Obama insists that his actions to insure torture will not take place under his administration is sufficient, and that crimes committed before he came to office by the Bush administration do not warrant the application of justice or expense of investigation and prosecution, except in defense of torturers. Pres. Obama said, "I am a strong believer in looking forward, not backward." This faulty logic applied to all crime would make the case that murderers, thieves, and rapists should not be prosecuted provided such perpetrators promise not to do it again. Where has Pres. Obama's logic and Constitutional law education gone?

Reality, at any given moment in time, is the culmination of infinite variables coming together across time and distance. A pragmatist attempts to identify a finite variable set available for changing, in order to produce a desired outcome. Ideology is a view of how the world SHOULD work based on a finite set of preferred variables toward a desired end. Ideologues are having a very bad day today, as Pres. Obama, the pragmatist, defies yet again his critic's ideological projections and desire for his, and our nation's, failure.

If America doesn't pursue Pres. Obama's agenda, there is no agenda to follow to meet America's crises and challenges. And if there is no agenda to follow for the next 4 years, America will fail. This is a reality of current events which critics of Obama and his administration refuse to acknowledge, rendering all their criticism irrelevant. Let's examine the veracity and logic of these statements.