Detail of Elihu Vedder‘s mural Government (1896), in the Library of Congress. The title figure bears a tablet inscribed with Lincoln‘s famous phrase. (Photo and caption credit: Wikipedia)
President Obama bids his Nation Farewell
On Tuesday 10 January 2017, President Obama gave his farewell address to his nation. The subscript was: “Yes we can,” his rallying cry and perhaps the rallying cry of most democracies. Democracy is not a perfect form of government. Too many voters are uninformed or misinformed, but a democracy remains the best form of government we have. However, on 8 November 2016, democracy failed the United States. Americans voted into office a nominee who is unable to play his role as President of the United States. I suspect a large number of his supporters did not know Mr Trump. It seems, moreover, that rules deemed sacred under his predecessors have to be less stringent to accommodate President-elect Donald Trump. It started during the electoral campaign.
According to Canadian scholar Marshall McLuhan the medium is the message. I may be rearranging Mr McLuhan’s theory, but not by much. When Americans voted Mr Trump into the presidency, they probably embraced an image. They saw in Donald Trump a successful white American and felt so comforted that they elected him and conferred upon him a degree of immunity. In the case of Mr Trump, sexual misconduct seemed a lesser offence. So did lying. In fact, whether or not Mr Trump had paid his taxes did not seem to matter, nor did his inability to fulfill the duties of a president of the United States. He’s “the Donald!”
Mr Trump may have known he would need assistance. He appointed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as his main advisor. As for Mr Kushner’s wife, Ivanka Trump, she will probably play the role of first lady more than Melania Trump, Mr Trump’s wife. Mr Kushner has not come up through the ranks, but it doesn’t seem to matter. It is as though the presidency were under revision.
Still fresh in my mind is the obstructionism and scapegoating President Obama faced day after day. He could not do anything right, but incoming President Trump is unlikely ever to do anything wrong. I suspect Mr Trump is the one who will criticize the press, and not the press Mr Trump.
President-elect Donald J Trump
Democracy
Yet, as noted above, it appears President Obama is of the opinion that democracy is its own corrective. In a democracy, the government is the people. One elects one’s leader(s) and one then attempts to keep them honest. There is little doubt that, four years from now, Americans will vote again and that a different president may be elected, but protecting the planet cannot wait four years.
President Obama’s address was indeed empowering. Americans remain the government. At times, President Obama seemed to be inviting Americans to get organized and to resist: “Yes we can.”
Can fallible democracy be its own remedy? It may be, in the long run. But in the short term mistakes may be made. President Obama stated that he would support a good health care plan, if a good health care plan was proposed. I could be mistaken, but it seems President Obama was expressing confidence in Donald Trump. It may have been simple civility.
And now, Mr Trump is saying that “big pharma” is “getting away with murder.” That would be Bernie Sanders‘ opinion. Pharmaceutical companies are like Insurance Companies. They are businesses and their goal is to make a profit.
http://fortune.com/2017/01/11/donald-trump-press-conference-biopharma-stocks/
https://www.rt.com/usa/373394-bernie-sanders-trump-pharma-drug-prices/
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/08/entertainment/meryl-streep-golden-globes-speech/
However Senate took a “major step toward repealing health care law.” As a result, there could be another election sooner than we think. There is a huge price to pay for destabilizing and humiliating a nation. And there is an even greater price to pay for letting less affluent citizens suffer and die. What these politicians are doing is denying the middle class and the poor the services the well-to-do can afford.
Conclusion
I will miss President Obama enormously. The United States’ first black president earned the respect and the admiration of the world. For eight years, a humble but brilliant Barack Obama was the world’s finest leader.
Love to everyone. ♥
This is a good video about the Obama years.
© Micheline Walker
12 January 2017
WordPress
Micheline's Blog 
Everybody all around the World looks at America as the Land of modern Democracy. Everything happens in America it has a message for the World. Yes we hug Obama! Democracy is fair play and Obama is a gentleman. Everybody who knows Democracy knows the true representative of the Bright Side of Democracy. Great respect to Obama.
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I thank you for your comment. President Obama was an excellent president and he believed in democracy Something went wrong on 8 November 2016, but Americans have to believe that a redress is possible because the United States is a democracy. It is a government of the people by the people for the people, and the people will prevail. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I read that a Republican Senate had started to take apart the Affordable Care Act. We cannot allow them to do this because people will die. I wrote to the New York Times immediately, mistakes and all, but I’m protesting. I am now an American, but Americans are good human beings and their life and security is threatened. So democracy will have to be its own corrective. Best 🙂
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Fighting for Democracy is the true meaning of Democracy. Ciao.
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Perfect answer!
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I will miss him. I will miss listening to him.
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It is such a tragedy. For the last eight years, the United States had a truly wonderful and caring president. The world felt safer. I will also miss listening to him. He spoke directly, without looking at notes and he was able to engage people. Americans are organizing. What an insult on the part of Republicans to start shredding the Affordable Care Act by Mr Trump is sworn in. Hoping you are well, Micheline 🙂
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I’m sure the whole world will miss him… there is only one Barack Obama! Over here, in Europe, he is loved and respected… now we are displeased about the turn taken by Trump. There is no good for the future of Nature and animals, for the respect of human rights, for a sanity and care available to everyone. We mourn and pray that something will happen to change the deck of cards playing right now… :-)claudine
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He’s at work already. He has succeeded in reopening a pipeline that goes down through Canada. President Obama had closed it to protect the environment. President Obama and Justin Trudeau had agreed to do protect the planet. That has all disappeared. President Trump is a very sick man. His main concern is the make the rich richer and he has a visceral need to dominate. He just approved a huge housing development in Israel, on “conquered” territory. The Arab countries will not accept this kind of behavior. He may unleash terrorist attacks. He is doing what he said he would do. Next, it will be ethnic cleansing. Americans are buying property in Canada. Barack Obama was an extraordinary leader. We were safe. Everything has changed. Cheers, Micheline 🙂
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that gives creeps down my spine… over here we are afraid of another world war… which won’t spare nobody. And the “ethnic cleanings” is a déjà-vu… How can a person be so greedy, empty-headed, inhuman? (better I stop here)…
Thank you Micheline for your explanations, we shall not let things go unlaced… what we can do is keep our voices loud and clear. Hugs :-)claudine
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Dear Claudine,
President Trump has already slashed into most of what President Obama achieved: protection of the environment, some of it in the protected territory of Amerindians. Canada has agreed. We are the source of fossil fuel and the main source of clean water. He is like a bull thrown into the arena, but there is no matador. He is building the wall and is preparing to forbid entrance to the US from the Middle East. Yes, there could a world war. I’m about to post an article. There will be more information. We have always promoted peace. He has not directed Israel to build on the conquered territory, but he has emboldened Israel. He phoned Netanyahu. Therefore, the US is in once again a threatening presence in the Middle East. That is provocation. It could lead to a word war. He has also revoked treaties with Asia. He is insane.
I keeping you in my mind and in my heart and hope our Prime Minister will ignore Mr Trump. Love and peace, Micheline 🙂
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