This rubric, Asides, will include observations and informal comments by William Pfaff that do not seem to merit formal treatment in articles and publications but may interest readers of this web-site.
AN ASIDE --
ON THE MID-TERM U.S. ELECTIONS:
November 4, 2010 -- Barack Obama responded to his defeat as if he had failed some objective test with his programs. "We haven't made enough progress on the economy." That says that his programs were right, but were blocked by the Republicans -- who now, as a result of thwarting his policies, have been awarded control of the House of Representatives.
Why should he apologize? I would think this puts him in an advantageous position where he can demand that the Republicans and the Tea Partyists unite -- if they can, which may be doubted -- on new programs that will give the voting public what it wants (like shutting down the government, as the Republicans did the last time they were in this situation -- a great idea at the time, which caused them to lose the next national election). Let the president stop the apologies, use his veto to protect his own achievements, such as the expanded health program, and await the opposition fiasco, which he cannot prevent.
END
AN ASIDE --
ON THE MID-TERM U.S. ELECTIONS:
November 4, 2010 -- Barack Obama responded to his defeat as if he had failed some objective test with his programs. "We haven't made enough progress on the economy." That says that his programs were right, but were blocked by the Republicans -- who now, as a result of thwarting his policies, have been awarded control of the House of Representatives.
Why should he apologize? I would think this puts him in an advantageous position where he can demand that the Republicans and the Tea Partyists unite -- if they can, which may be doubted -- on new programs that will give the voting public what it wants (like shutting down the government, as the Republicans did the last time they were in this situation -- a great idea at the time, which caused them to lose the next national election). Let the president stop the apologies, use his veto to protect his own achievements, such as the expanded health program, and await the opposition fiasco, which he cannot prevent.
END
