Javier Ogaz

January 24th, 2012

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rtnt:

The Making of a Post-Post-Partisan PresidencyToday’s guest submission is from Javier Ogaz.
As President Obama prepares to give his State of the Union address, which pundits will parse for evidence of how he plans to take on Republicans this fall, it’s easy to forget how different his strategy toward the opposing party was at the outset of his presidency. Three years in, it appears Obama’s efforts at post-partisanship have been futile. Ryan Lizza writes for the New Yorker on whether it is possible to reach across the aisle when an energized opposition has little interest in compromise:

Obama didn’t remake Washington. But his first two years stand as one of the most successful legislative periods in modern history. Among other achievements, he has saved the economy from depression, passed universal health care, and reformed Wall Street. Along the way, Obama may have changed his mind about his 2008 critique of Hillary Clinton. “Working the system, not changing it” and being “consumed with beating” Republicans “rather than unifying the country and building consensus to get things done” do not seem like such bad strategies for success after all.

Read the full article here.

The Making of a Post-Post-Partisan Presidency
Today’s guest submission is from Javier Ogaz.

As President Obama prepares to give his State of the Union address, which pundits will parse for evidence of how he plans to take on Republicans this fall, it’s easy to forget how different his strategy toward the opposing party was at the outset of his presidency. Three years in, it appears Obama’s efforts at post-partisanship have been futile. Ryan Lizza writes for the New Yorker on whether it is possible to reach across the aisle when an energized opposition has little interest in compromise:

Obama didn’t remake Washington. But his first two years stand as one of the most successful legislative periods in modern history. Among other achievements, he has saved the economy from depression, passed universal health care, and reformed Wall Street. Along the way, Obama may have changed his mind about his 2008 critique of Hillary Clinton. “Working the system, not changing it” and being “consumed with beating” Republicans “rather than unifying the country and building consensus to get things done” do not seem like such bad strategies for success after all.

Read the full article here.

Reblogged from Read This, Not That

January 13th, 2012

But there’s a deeper problem in the whole notion that what this nation needs is a successful businessman as president: America is not, in fact, a corporation. Making good economic policy isn’t at all like maximizing corporate profits. And businessmen — even great businessmen — do not, in general, have any special insights into what it takes to achieve economic recovery. Why isn’t a national economy like a corporation? For one thing, there’s no simple bottom line. For another, the economy is vastly more complex than even the largest private company.

— Paul Krugman, America Isn’t a Corporation

Since the beginning of the Republican primary season, I’ve had doubts about Mitt Romney’s constant claim that his business experience makes him an ideal candidate for President. With Romney’s campaign, we are asked to replace Washington insiders and career politicians with a business executive; I struggle to make the connection between business experience and government efficiency. The two are different animals. Maybe business executive experience suggests a person is capable of making tough decisions, but tough decisions are easier to make when you are unconcerned with human costs. Government, on the other hand, is solely concerned with people (or so it used to be!) and unconcerned with maximizing profits and dividends, unless you consider an educated citizenry and a strong economy to be dividends of effective government. Like Mr. Krugman, I don’t buy the argument that a business executive should hold the office of the President. We are the United States of America, not America, Inc.

January 3rd, 2012

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When I was reading the paper this morning, I expected the Iowa caucus to be a dramatic fight between Mitt Romney and Ron Paul. I never expected Rick Santorum to lead. I’ve been on the edge of my seat all night!

In other news, Rick Perry and Michelle Bachmann are finished. At least he admits it.

Edit: Rick Perry is continuing his campaign and Michelle Bachmann has suspended hers.

January 3rd, 2012

Hope is not blind optimism. It’s not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It’s not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it. Hope is the belief that destiny will not be written for us, but by us, by the men and women who are not content to settle for the world as it is, who have the courage to remake the world as it should be.

— Barack Obama, 2008 Iowa Caucus Victory Speech

As I am posting this quote, Rick Santorum is leading Mitt Romney by 100 votes and Ron Paul has effectively finished third. Over the past year, the debates and arguments made by GOP hopefuls have been unconvincing and in stark contrast to my own worldview. They’ve supported restrictive reproduction rights, deregulation, isolationist immigration policy, anti-gay laws, and corporate personhood. I cannot think of a group more out of touch with the problems we face.

To be reminded of why I support Barack Obama and most of his positions, I watched his 2008 Iowa caucus victory speech. The above quote illustrates a key difference between Barack Obama and his GOP rivals. While they argue against progress, understanding, and science, he argues for common purpose. In the video, he talks about affordable health care, environmental protections, and an active democracy in which all people have a share. It seems obvious that he has taken these principles and initiatives to the White House.

If you find yourself questioning Barack Obama, and characterize your past support in him as naive, take a moment to remind yourself of where it all started. In 2008, Iowa was a place of hope. In 2012, Iowa is a place of uncertainty.

January 2nd, 2012

A free America means just this: individual freedom for all, rich or poor, or else this system of government we call democracy is only an expedient to enslave man to the machine and make him like it.

Frank Lloyd Wright

January 2nd, 2012

2012 Politics

Political convictions are complex and not always easy to express. They give background and history to the beliefs that guide and influence our political life. We take our beliefs and reconcile them with the choices that are provided to us whenever it is time to vote. In essence, we try to translate the way we see the world into a checked box.

I’m sure there are arguments, some valid and some not, about the effectiveness of representative democracy. Is it possible to directly affect the policy and decisions being made on behalf of U.S. citizens? We are told that the vote makes this possible. If we trust this system, we should vote our conscious, knowing full well that there are others who disagree with us. Going into this year’s election I want to take a moment to share my general thoughts on some political issues.

November 6, 2012

Exactly one year from tonight, I will be anxiously waiting for important news: the United States will have chosen its next President. It’s impossible to guess who that will be; a year is a long time, especially in politics.

However, I do know a few things. I know that this next year will be consumed by shallow political discourse that does nothing to address the tough issues we face. I know that more money will be spent on this election than any other election in the history of our country. I also know that we will have more of the same.

The last part is the most difficult to accept. If we profess to believe in democracy, and consider it sacred, than why do so many people feel the contract has been broken? A recent poll states 84% of Americans disapprove of Congress.

I’d like to think that things will get better. Over the next year, I’m sure I will have a lot to say about politics. If there is such a thing as an election of a lifetime, this one seems like mine.

Javier Ogaz

2012 Politics

November 6, 2012

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