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 Michael Medved

Grand Gestures Instead of a Grand Bargain

February 13, 2013 @ 12:53 pm (Updated: 11:48 am - 2/14/13 )

In his State of the Union address, Barack Obama offered some unexpectedly reasonable and bi-partisan language on deficits, spending, economic growth, tax reform, education, and immigration. The question for Republicans will be whether or not the president will truly offer meaningful chances for cooperation, or revert to his old strategy of dismissing and discrediting the opposition party.

The emotional highlight of his speech provided no grounds for reassurance: the presidential performance reached its passionate crescendo when Obama spoke of gun control and invoked victims of gun violence, but the only specific change he endorsed centered on the relatively uncontroversial step of enhanced background checks. To apply such fervor and intensity to a such a minor regulatory change suggests a politics of grand, empty gestures but no substance, and signals continuing gridlock when it comes to more meaningful reforms.

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Comments (12)


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  • Pair o'dimes wrote...
    Prediction based on what?
    February 13, 2013 1:09 pm
    How odd. To predict gridlock on the budget based on the fervor Obama used to promote background checks? This is about as useful as counting applause lines, or wondering about Biden's glasses. I would have thought Medved could come up with something better for a column about the state of the union address than simply blaming Obama for something that hasn't happened yet. That's no better than It's me can do.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    With all the pashion and retoric on gun control,
    February 13, 2013 1:19 pm
    I was wondering if that wasn't really the reverend Obama giving a revival sermon. Always remember, that we should always vote with emotion rather than reason. And never give the public a chance to think. That's not important to the progressive left.
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    @ron prevost
    February 13, 2013 2:45 pm
    Democrats yes, progressive left no. I voted for Jill Stein, not Obama. Democrats/Republicans are still hamstrung to capitalism. This is what differentiates Democrats from Leftists. Are you capitalist or anti-capitalist?
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    At least, Cigar, you are honestly consistant
    February 13, 2013 3:13 pm
    The same can not be said about those in the White House who 'evolve' based on the direction of the wind.
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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    @CigglesTheWonderSmoke
    February 14, 2013 9:43 am
    Going with the "consistancy" theme, I too, through away my vote on an alternative candidate. The debate between Johnson and Stein was far less embarrassing than Obama/Romney circus. The main difference between the two was that, whereas leftists see the parties "hamstrung" by capitalism, righties see them as "reigned in" by it.
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  • Drool wrote...
    Uncontroversial?
    February 13, 2013 4:03 pm
    The NRA is dead set against it.

    But then again LaPierre is nuts.

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    More in the Faulkner sense than Macbeth
    February 13, 2013 4:34 pm
    Obama'a gun tirade was a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Obama is a LIAR
    February 13, 2013 7:18 pm
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vowHQwFUHAY#!
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  • Drool wrote...
    Cooperation?
    February 14, 2013 8:06 am
    Republicans are filibustering the SecDef nomination. This is how it's been since Obama took office.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Uh, Drool ?
    February 17, 2013 11:28 am
    for Obama's first two years he has a democrat majority in the House and 60 democrat votes in the Senate ...............

    and STILL couldn't get much done.

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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Filibustering?
    February 14, 2013 2:56 pm
    The only chance that the GOP can slow down the regime!
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  • fartforce1 wrote...
    I supose that it is the effect of unified division.
    February 16, 2013 6:59 pm
    Like the medical system, politics is not about curing a problem, its about talking a good talk and prescribing medicine.
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