പരിഭാഷക്കൊന്നും മെനക്കെടുന്നില്ല. വായിക്കൂ...
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Barack Obama has made his mark on American politics in part because of his speaking style and his ability to reach the masses with his rhetoric in a way that has been unmatched by any recent president. He’s been compared to two legendary figures of the last 80 years of American politics—Franklin Roosevelt, who was elected an unprecedented four times, and Ronald Reagan, a leader about as ideologically opposed to Obama as could be imagined. Both were known for their brilliance at reaching the American public, as Roosevelt became famous for his “fireside chats” that used the new medium of radio to reach millions of citizens, and Reagan came to be known as the “Great Communicator” for his ability to connect with his listeners over substantive dinner.
Both comparisons, of course, are apt, although the parallels between Obama and Roosevelt have particular resonance. Both are seen as liberal lions, standard-bearers for the Democratic Party after a long string of losses. Prior to Obama’s election, the Republicans had held the presidency for 20 of the last 28 years, just as before Roosevelt’s election Republicans had been in power for 28 of the previous 36 years. Both have been sustained through the use of a new medium—radio for Roosevelt, and the Internet for Obama—and both have enjoyed tremendous popularity despite economic difficulties.
Spending Cautiously
While the similarities are obvious, it is also clear that Obama must depart from Roosevelt in one critical respect: while facing an economic crisis, Obama must do more than Roosevelt did to restore confidence in an economic system that seems to have let people down. While Roosevelt was an effective voice through radio, his policies have come under increasing fire in recent years from historians and economists like Amity Shlaes, who claim that the tax increases and large federal deficits run under the Roosevelt administration actually made the depression worse, by reducing confidence in the economy and encouraging those who still had money to avoid spending it. On the other side are those, like Paul Krugman, who argued in a New York Times editorial last year that Roosevelt’s economic policies were not always effective because at times they were “too cautious.”
Few, of course, would argue that Obama’s policies today are too cautious. He has overseen the largest bailouts for private industry in American history, as well as the largest budget ($3.55 trillion) ever passed and the largest deficit ($1.17 trillion) ever run by the U.S. government. Many critics attacked him for hypocrisy when he trumpeted cutting $17 billion in what he called “wasteful spending” from the most recent budget, pointing out that the total savings amounted to well under one percent of the total proposed budget. Obama has promised to trim more programs that are deemed wasteful, but by and large his administration has spent freely and on a grand scale.
As the Booster Shot
However, where Obama has struggled at times is in his role as a communicator and comforter on the economy. Whether you believe that such massive government spending will help or hinder and eventual economic recovery, there is no question that renewed investor confidence must accompany any recovery. It is here that Obama’s renowned communication skills faltered. His initial bank rescue plan was met with skepticism from the market when it was announced, and investors panicked. He, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke came under heavy fire for providing too few details, and the stock market plunged. Similarly, the US bond market has reacted to international concerns about America’s ballooning debt, demanding higher interest rates as foreign leaders, like ChinesAlign Lefte premier Wen Jiabao, question the safety of purchasing giant quantities of American securities to finance such a large deficit.
While Obama may be a spellbinding public speaker and a sign of hope in difficult times, it remains to be seen if he can comfort those whose confidence will drive any future recovery.
Brad Hinshelwood
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Barack Obama has made his mark on American politics in part because of his speaking style and his ability to reach the masses with his rhetoric in a way that has been unmatched by any recent president. He’s been compared to two legendary figures of the last 80 years of American politics—Franklin Roosevelt, who was elected an unprecedented four times, and Ronald Reagan, a leader about as ideologically opposed to Obama as could be imagined. Both were known for their brilliance at reaching the American public, as Roosevelt became famous for his “fireside chats” that used the new medium of radio to reach millions of citizens, and Reagan came to be known as the “Great Communicator” for his ability to connect with his listeners over substantive dinner.
Both comparisons, of course, are apt, although the parallels between Obama and Roosevelt have particular resonance. Both are seen as liberal lions, standard-bearers for the Democratic Party after a long string of losses. Prior to Obama’s election, the Republicans had held the presidency for 20 of the last 28 years, just as before Roosevelt’s election Republicans had been in power for 28 of the previous 36 years. Both have been sustained through the use of a new medium—radio for Roosevelt, and the Internet for Obama—and both have enjoyed tremendous popularity despite economic difficulties.
Spending Cautiously
While the similarities are obvious, it is also clear that Obama must depart from Roosevelt in one critical respect: while facing an economic crisis, Obama must do more than Roosevelt did to restore confidence in an economic system that seems to have let people down. While Roosevelt was an effective voice through radio, his policies have come under increasing fire in recent years from historians and economists like Amity Shlaes, who claim that the tax increases and large federal deficits run under the Roosevelt administration actually made the depression worse, by reducing confidence in the economy and encouraging those who still had money to avoid spending it. On the other side are those, like Paul Krugman, who argued in a New York Times editorial last year that Roosevelt’s economic policies were not always effective because at times they were “too cautious.”
Few, of course, would argue that Obama’s policies today are too cautious. He has overseen the largest bailouts for private industry in American history, as well as the largest budget ($3.55 trillion) ever passed and the largest deficit ($1.17 trillion) ever run by the U.S. government. Many critics attacked him for hypocrisy when he trumpeted cutting $17 billion in what he called “wasteful spending” from the most recent budget, pointing out that the total savings amounted to well under one percent of the total proposed budget. Obama has promised to trim more programs that are deemed wasteful, but by and large his administration has spent freely and on a grand scale.
As the Booster Shot
However, where Obama has struggled at times is in his role as a communicator and comforter on the economy. Whether you believe that such massive government spending will help or hinder and eventual economic recovery, there is no question that renewed investor confidence must accompany any recovery. It is here that Obama’s renowned communication skills faltered. His initial bank rescue plan was met with skepticism from the market when it was announced, and investors panicked. He, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke came under heavy fire for providing too few details, and the stock market plunged. Similarly, the US bond market has reacted to international concerns about America’s ballooning debt, demanding higher interest rates as foreign leaders, like ChinesAlign Lefte premier Wen Jiabao, question the safety of purchasing giant quantities of American securities to finance such a large deficit.
While Obama may be a spellbinding public speaker and a sign of hope in difficult times, it remains to be seen if he can comfort those whose confidence will drive any future recovery.
Brad Hinshelwood
