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The Time For Nice Speeches Is Over

9/6/2011

 
I was recently perusing RealClearPolitics and came across this video of a man (perhaps unknowingly) setting up a new narrative to current events that opposes the one I have found personally more useful.

He claims that Obama is good at putting out comprehensive, detailed plans, but now is the time for action. Personally, I thought Obama was rather poor at presenting his plans. The Health Care Law was unreadable, and was pushed through faster than most people could read it, let alone understand and decide on. Obama's larger plans in Libya have always confused me as well. I had been thinking now was the time for less action and more deliberation. This man now makes the opposite argument.

He also claims that it doesn't matter what Obama says or how he presents things because the Republicans and the Tea Party will oppose him no matter what. From my perspective, it is Obama that has set himself against the Tea Party and most of the Republicans to oppose them no matter what. From the outset of negotiations on the budget, Obama said that any plan that did not include some tax increases was not reasonable, while many feel that taxes were already too high under the Republicans. Even when Republicans cave on major elements of their plans, Democrats still call them obstructionist.

No narrative is perfectly true, as they only capture some of the essence of myriad events; they are only models we may use to make predictions, akin to theories of science. Still, some models are more useful than others, depending on what they are being used for. Which narratives do you find most useful?

By the way, am I the only one who noticed that the site URL for the RealClearPolitics link identifies this man by his race rather than his name? What's up with that? Is it relevant somehow?

Click here for narratives on the recent economy

Click here for narratives on the less recent economy

Click here for narratives on violence

Click here for narratives on racism

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    Hi, I'm Dan. I like chocolate, hiking, and politics.

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