Former AP Writer Touts Obama's 'Searing,' 'Historically Poignant' Call for More Taxes
Former Associated Press writer Ron Fournier on Tuesday praised Barack Obama's call for higher taxes as "one of his best, a searing and historically poignant account of the greatest challenge of the American experiment: How do we give every citizen, rich or poor, a path to the good life?"
Fournier, now with National Journal, only seemed to lament that the President didn't go far enough: "Borrowed or not, Obama's rhetoric was worthy of [Theodore Roosevelt], who declared in his 1910 'square deal' address that the 'right to regulate the use of wealth in the public interest is universally admitted.' But the comparison goes only so far: Obama's proposed solutions were a whisper of TR's agenda."
He mournfully concluded, "Obama gave a great speech. But the next TR? History doesn't repeat itself. In this case, it may not even rhyme."
Fournier's gushing analysis of Obama's Kansas speech skipped some "suspect facts" found by the Washington Post. At one point, Obama insisted, "Some billionaires have a tax rate as low as 1 percent — 1 percent. That is the height of unfairness."
Yet, the Post's Glenn Kessler pointed out, "An administration official conceded the White House had no actual data to back up the president’s assertion, but argued that other reports showed that some of the wealthy pay little in taxes."
See the Right Sphere for more.
When he was at the AP, Fournier lobbied for what he called "accountability journalism." This, apparently, means bigger government:
Katrina made a believer out of me. I had always known that The Associated Press played a role in holding public officials accountable, but it took a killer hurricane and an incompetent, arrogant government response to make me realize this is no mere role. It's an obligation, a liberating one at that.
The Iraq war, the war on terror, the federal budget deficit, the crushing cost of entitlements, the rising cost of health care, crumbling infrastructure and the horrendous state of the American public school system –- these and other generational crises must be addressed by the leaders we cover or future generations will suffer. So how do we hold our leaders accountable?
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Comments
TR
Submitted by Jersey Girl on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 5:47pm.
No doubt the high school students and the teachers were just sooo impressed with Obummer's soaring poignant bullship. If not them, who?
Liar Obama
Submitted by Kleenex on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 6:05pm.
Obama doesn't know a thing about the economy, all he knows is communism. He might just as well have said "Workers of the world unite". His speech was just more of the same and a bunch of hot air. Notice too that he offered no solutions at all, just complained about unfairness. This man (and I use the term loosely) hates capitalism and our way of life. One good thing about Newt, he'll hammer Obama hard on these items, if Romney were smart he'd forget about Newt and just unload on Obama 24/7. I can't even stand to listen to Obama anymore, and I think most voters are getting sick of him too.
Welcome to the New World Order, brought to you by . . .
Submitted by Galvanic on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 8:30pm.
. . . something called accountability journalism.
I guess it's related to the quote of a former journalist who declared that she was becoming an activist (after she'd already become one.)
"It's time to break the chains of objectivity and report on truth."
Hmmm.
Teddy Roosevelt Square Deal Speech Marked His End
Submitted by Avitar on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 8:46pm.
The speech of 1910 really was at the end of Teddy's political carreer. He had been President until 1909 when Taft became president after that Roosevelt could only play the spoiler. I wonder if this speech marks the end of Obama.
Wait . . . He's just getting warmed up
Submitted by Galvanic on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 9:53pm.
In the coming months, he will channel the words of Abraham Lincoln, FDR, and JFK.
You know whats really funny
Submitted by Boudin on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 10:12pm.
Who will ever compare themselves to Obama
The teleprompter elves are
Submitted by celator on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 10:24pm.
The teleprompter elves are plagiarizing the words of the folks you mentioned as we speak. The scuttlebutt in DC is that they are going to use a bouncing ball on the teleprompter screen to make sure THE WORLD'S GREATEST ORATOR EVER doesn't screw up the syllables he's reading. That's the official word from Jay Carney. We'll see if it improves his continuous groping at, and the mangling of, the words on the screens right there in front of him.
Obama is no Teddy R.....and Fournier is clueless.
Submitted by big.league.slider on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 11:15pm.
"Obama's rhetoric was worthy of [Theodore Roosevelt], who declared in his 1910 'square deal' address that the 'right to regulate the use of wealth in the public interest is universally admitted"
Maybe his editor at National Journal should point out to Fournier the fact that there was essentially no federal income tax prior to the 16th amendment being ratified in 1913, several years after TR had left office. Thus there was no income tax rates to raise.
Frankly, I would heartily support Obama returning the federal government to the state it was in 1910.
What exactly does "historically poignant" mean?
Submitted by krendler on Wed, 12/07/2011 - 11:50pm.
Anyone?
Perhaps it doesn't mean anything. Just sort of sounds good. That happens a lot when it comes to Obama and his toadies.
Path to the good life isn't available to every citizen?
Submitted by krendler on Thu, 12/08/2011 - 12:05am.
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He claims the path to the good life isn't available to every citizen in this country? I'd like to see these clowns point out specific instances where people are being denied the *opportunity* to walk that path, and who is denying them that opportunity.
That path IS available to every citizen, and that's been the case for decades. The instances of rags to riches (or even just to the middle class) in this country are countless. Compare it to any other nation in history. There IS no comparison. Millions upon millions have come here because of the OPPORTUNITY, literally risking their lives in the process. And these liberal $@&$*(@#$ say it doesn't exist. What wonderful Americans these people are.
This "path" was clearly available to Herman Cain - a man of very humble beginnings - but not to others? One story of millions, many of whom came to these shores with absolutely nothing.
No, what these liberals want is a *guarantee* of the good life, whether you've had good luck or bad, worked for it or not, whether you are smart or dumb. And on top of that, they simply want to demagogue the issue in an election year: "Those people over there are rich! Why aren't you allowed to be rich? Vote for us!!!"
He was actully defining the American dream down.
Submitted by Radical1979 on Thu, 12/08/2011 - 12:18am.
You should be able to work, have a little house, health care, and a modest savings. We peons shouldn't expect to jet to Hawaii for vacations like he does. "Modest savings". I almost exploded when I read that part of the speech. Obama does not define the American dream for me.
I will remember it well, the
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Thu, 12/08/2011 - 1:17am.
I will remember it well, the day obama called on Americans to support his failure.
They aren't 'journalists'
Submitted by Callawyn on Thu, 12/08/2011 - 11:03am.
They aren't 'journalists' or 'reporters', merely propagandists.
They are propagandists for Socialist Tyranny.