Switch to the mobile version of this page.

Arkansas Times

Arkansas Blog

Archives | RSS

« David Koon: At the Obama inaugural | Tort 'reform' — a battle is brewing »

Monday, January 21, 2013

Obama's 'Big Deal'

Posted by Max Brantley on Mon, Jan 21, 2013 at 6:28 AM

FROM A DISTANCE: The Arkansas King bus contingent can at least see the Capitol from their inaugural vantage point on the mall.

Brian Chilson
FROM A DISTANCE: The Arkansas King bus contingent can at least see the Capitol from their inaugural vantage point on the mall.

ON THE BUS: Inaugural day Twitters include this photo of retired Gen. Wesley Clark, himself a former presidential candidate on a bus en route to the inauguration ceremony.

ON THE BUS: Inaugural day Twitters include this photo of retired Gen. Wesley Clark, himself a former presidential candidate, on a bus en route to the inauguration ceremony.

Paul Krugman looks back at President Obama's first term and sees a glass more than half full. It was a "Big Deal," he concludes, including:

* A historic piece of health care legislation, far from ideal, but destined to be popular when implemented.

* At least movement on income inequality, thanks mostly to the lift the poorest will get from health security.

* Some financial reform, which — if not enough — has teeth enough to discomfit Wall Street.

In conclusion, he's more optimistic than I, what with the usual forces waving bloody shirts of gun, God, gays and abortion ceaselessly:

Finally, progressives have the demographic and cultural wind at their backs. Right-wingers flourished for decades by exploiting racial and social divisions — but that strategy has now turned against them as we become an increasingly diverse, socially liberal nation.

Now, none of what I’ve just said should be taken as grounds for progressive complacency. The plutocrats may have lost a round, but their wealth and the influence it gives them in a money-driven political system remain. Meanwhile, the deficit scolds (largely financed by those same plutocrats) are still trying to bully Mr. Obama into slashing social programs.

So the story is far from over. Still, maybe progressives — an ever-worried group — might want to take a brief break from anxiety and savor their real, if limited, victories.

Tags: President Obama, health care reform, Wesley Clark

        
Tweet
Share

Speaking of...

Benghazi, the new Whitewater

May 14, 2013

by Max Brantley

Ernie Dumas this week compares the fulminations about Benghazi, which Republicans are attempting to make an impeachment-worthy scandal of minute differences in post-attack talking points, with the cooked-up Whitewater investigations. /more/
'Obummer': Maybe that Kenyan ain't so bad after all

May 3, 2013

by Max Brantley

Since it's customary to blame President Obama for any and everything unpleasant — see U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton (Club for Growth, D.C.) and the Boston bombings — should he also get some credit for positives? /more/
Tom Cotton's 'odd' argument on terrorism fight

April 26, 2013

by Max Brantley

U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton of the Club for Growth was right proud the other day of his rush to make political hay of the Boston bombing by lumping it with some other incidents that he said represented failure of counter-terrorism efforts of the Obama administration. /more/
UPDATE: Arrest 'imminent' in Boston bombings; or maybe not

April 17, 2013

by Max Brantley

CNN reports: A letter to President Obama that was intercepted at an off-site facility has tested positive for ricin, the FBI says. /more/
Morning roundup: Hoops, Israel, airport, pope

March 20, 2013

by Max Brantley

Another desultory morning from the jet-lagged Arkansas Blog: Nonetheless: * MARCH MADNESS: The Arkansas House and Senate played a basketball game for charity last night. /more/
More »

Comments (38)

Showing 1-38 of 38

Add a comment

Subscribe to this thread:

By Email

With RSS

Showing 1-38 of 38

More by Max Brantley

Federal report backgrounds Nuclear One accident

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has posted an initial report on the accident Sunday at Arkansas Nuclear One that killed one worker and injured others.
- by Max Brantley
- Apr 1, 2013
Gunfire in Conway

From the Conway Log Cabin Democrat: According to a Conway Police Department incident report, police responded to a possible burglary in progress at a residence in the area.
- by Max Brantley
- Mar 19, 2013
More »

Event Calendar

« »

May

Events Movies Music Art Theater

most recent comments

Top Commenters

Slideshows

Site Index

News

Cover Story / Arkansas Reporter / The Week That Was / Smart Talk / The Insider / The Observer / Editorial / Max Brantley / Ernest Dumas / Gene Lyons / Bob Lancaster / Words / Guest Writer / Letters

Entertainment

A&E Feature / To-Do List / In Brief / Movie Reviews / Music Reviews / Theater Reviews / A&E News / Art Notes / Graham Gordy / Books / Media / Dining Reviews / Dining Guide / What's Cookin' / Calendar / The Televisionist / Movie Listings / Gallery Listings

This Week's Cover

Cover of this issue of The Arkansas Times

Quick Links

Special Publications

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
			1	2	3	4
5	6	7	8	9	10	11
12	13	14	15	16	17	18
19	20	21	22	23	24	25
26	27	28	29	30	31

Browse Posts

Browse Blogs

Browse News

Browse Data

Browse Entertainment

Browse Dining

Browse Guides

Browse Archives

Browse Best Of Ark

Browse Contact / Subscribe

Arkansas Blog

Monday, January 21, 2013

Obama's 'Big Deal'

Posted by Max Brantley on Mon, Jan 21, 2013 at 6:28 AM

Speaking of...

Ernie Dumas this week compares the fulminations about Benghazi, which Republicans are attempting to make an impeachment-worthy scandal of minute differences in post-attack talking points, with the cooked-up Whitewater investigations. /more/

Since it's customary to blame President Obama for any and everything unpleasant — see U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton (Club for Growth, D.C.) and the Boston bombings — should he also get some credit for positives? /more/

U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton of the Club for Growth was right proud the other day of his rush to make political hay of the Boston bombing by lumping it with some other incidents that he said represented failure of counter-terrorism efforts of the Obama administration. /more/

CNN reports: A letter to President Obama that was intercepted at an off-site facility has tested positive for ricin, the FBI says. /more/

Another desultory morning from the jet-lagged Arkansas Blog: Nonetheless: * MARCH MADNESS: The Arkansas House and Senate played a basketball game for charity last night. /more/

Comments (38)

More by Max Brantley

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has posted an initial report on the accident Sunday at Arkansas Nuclear One that killed one worker and injured others.

From the Conway Log Cabin Democrat: According to a Conway Police Department incident report, police responded to a possible burglary in progress at a residence in the area.

Event Calendar

Re: Will Tom Cotton help Oklahoma or hold it hostage to ideology?

Re: A case for the new Public Corruption Task Force?

Re: Stormy morning: Shoffner, hospitals, abortion

I hinted earlier that evidence was mounting that the securities salesman who provided confidential information to the FBI was Steele Stephens, the broker who began enjoying a huge share of Treasurer Martha Shoffner's bond business in 2010.

Here's a list of the Republicans who voted against disaster aid for areas hit by Hurricane Sandy.

Weird day. I've been consumed with Martha Shoffner's favorite pie.

Public for the first time, the woman who married Damien Echols discusses their relationship

For the vegetarian banh mi sandwich.

Our news partner Channel 4 has a news story that deserves repetition in full. More national headlines for the small people of Arkansas should follow directly.

Perhaps U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin might want to reconsider his earlier decision not to include Republican Rep. Loy Mauch on the list of Republican candidates he'd asked not to use his campaign contributions, having read some of what they'd written.