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The meaning of Obama’s inaugural address revealed
(Note: As a total contrast to Obama’s speech and my interpretation of it, this entry also contains the Chinese New Year’s message by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore, and my reaction to it.)
President Obama’s inaugural address, with its grim, embattled rhetoric about the great challenges we face, about how hard we must work, about how we must put aside childish things and take responsibility, struck many “conservatives” as a stunningly conservative-sounding departure from the usual liberal themes, and especially from Obama’s messianic campaign speeches; and they praised it accordingly. For myself, I didn’t know what to make of it. Today, however, in light of the revelation that the supposed emergency economic stimulus package is really the biggest and most outrageous pork barrel bill in history, the meaning of the inaugural suddenly becomes clear. The speech has the same leftist message, and employs an even more deceptive version of the same rhetorical method, as Obama’s campaign speeches.
As I wrote last February:
Barack Obama’s speech at the University of Wisconsin tonight consisted of a long list of limitless promises that government will provide people with every conceivable human material need. His vision is socialism from start to finish. But then he says, I’m not unrealistic, I’m not pie in the sky, I know this won’t be easy, I know you have to work hard and struggle for things. But what he means by working hard and struggling is not the work and struggle of people to advance their lives, to build things, to produce wealth—it’s the work and struggle of people to pass government programs to take care of their needs.
Such was the method of Obama’s campaign message—to appropriate traditional American virtues of self-reliance, productive work, and achievement in order to gain support for government programs that will transfer wealth from those who have earned it to those who haven’t. And that is also the meaning of his inaugural address, as we can understand from Obama’s shockingly horrible stimulus package which the House of Representatives passed this evening.
To demonstrate the point, here are excerpts from the inaugural, with my bolded comments interspersed.
Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we, the people, have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears and true to our founding documents.
Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.
[“Prepare the nation for a new age” is as menacing a statement as I have ever heard from a U.S. president.]
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation. But in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit;
[Meaning that we proclaim an end to everything about America that stands in the way of Obama’s takeover of the economy. “Childish” means whatever opposes Obama.]
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those that prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things—some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor—who have carried us up the long rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
[This is the typical Obama rhetoric I referred to at the beginning. Courage, risk-taking, making things, not settling for less—what this appeal to flinty-sounding American virtues really means is that we must not settle for less than the maximum expansion of government and the maximum transfer of wealth.]
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions, greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
This is the journey we continue today.
[Yes. We must struggle and sacrifice and work until our hands are raw in order to turn America into a European-style, statist, unfree country with a population totally dependent on, and under the thumb of, the government.]
Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions—that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
[“Protecting narrow interests” means defending the American freedoms that Obama intends to destroy. “Remaking America”—as with his earlier phrase, “preparing the nation for a new age”—marks one of the rare moments in the speech when he drops the faux conservatism and clearly proclaims his radical intentions.]
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of our economy calls for action, bold and swift. [That’s a dim but deliberate echo of Franklin Roosevelt’s first inaugural: “This is pre-eminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly.”] And we will act, not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. [What is this “new foundation for growth”? It is state ownership and control of the economy.]
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. [Once again, he appropriates the imagery of the past generations who heroically built America, in order to advance the government take-over of the America that others have built.]
What is demanded, then, is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility—a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task. [My fellow Americans, we will pay any price, and bear any burden, for the survival and success of statism.]
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LA writes:
The combination of Obama’s radical, nation-remaking agenda, his calm, collected personality, his effortless and infinite capacity for lying, and the worshipful attitude many people have toward him, makes him the most dangerous figure in American history.
As someone suggested recently, Obama could be to America what Trudeau was to Canada, the man who turned a traditional country and people into a leftist, unfree non-country populated by politically correct geldings.
LA writes:
To those readers who doubt my interpretation of the speech or think it’s overblown, I would ask this: If Obama’s call to the American people to work, sweat, struggle, sacrifice, leave aside the fruitless politics of the past, leave aside childish things, be adult, be responsible, re-make America, give up our narrow interests, make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age,.doesn’t mean the statist reconstruction of America that I say it means, what does it mean?
Mencius Moldbug writes:
Yeah—as so often, I’m amazed that more people don’t find this kind of stuff just plain creepy.
Compare the tone to the New Year message by the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong:
LA replies:
Gosh, it’s so straightforward, sensible, without phony baloney, without obnoxious rhetorical overreaching. And then the emphasis on family, and fertility, and national savings. The overall theme is that in time of economic hardship, Singapore has these deeper virtues in its culture and in its economic organization to fall back on. When he speaks of the importance of family ties in a time of difficulties, he’s not just using slogans, you feel he’s saying something real, something shared and understood by his audience. You get the feeling that Singapore is a real community, an organic society, in which the leader actually speaks for and to the people, as a father to his family, and is not manipulating them with “ideals” and words. He does appeal to Singaporan ideals, but they are embedded in the life of the society, not abstract.
What makes this possible? I think it’s that Singapore believes in itself as a concrete society. It’s probably connected with the fact that in Singapore the leader and the government have real authority, not just “democratic authority.” It’s that the society has genuine shared moral ethos.
I’m reminded of an old Jim Kalb post at VFR that I happened to come across recently, “The Idea of a Traditionalist Society,” in which he outlines three essential elements of traditional society: an established church (or something like it); genuine authority (i.e., not based just on consent); and sufficient social coherence to foster enduring loyalties.
America lacks all these things. So, what hope is there for America? I guess Obama is right, and America has to be “re-made.” Not in Obama’s way, of course.
Here is the entire speech of the Singaporean prime minister, which will make a wonderful contrast to Obama’s manipulative and menacing inaugural address. Thanks for sending this inspiring speech. (Much better than intellectual hallucinogenics.)
PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG’S CHINESE NEW YEAR MESSAGE 2009
1. The Year of the Rat ended on a difficult note for Singapore. The global financial problems have precipitated a worldwide recession. The last few months have brought a steady stream of worsening news in the US, Asia and Europe. With all our major markets in decline, our exports are falling sharply. We have had to revise our growth estimate for 2009 down to between -5% and -2%, the worst economic outlook since independence.
2. The Government has just presented its 2009 Budget, and delivered a “Resilience Package” to help Singaporeans in this difficult period. On top of tax measures and business grants, we have announced two special schemes to tackle the crisis—a “Jobs Credit” to help companies with their wage costs; and a “Special Risk-Sharing Initiative” to help them keep their access to much-needed financing. These measures will help businesses to stay afloat, so that they can continue to provide jobs for Singaporeans. We will also give additional support to households, with more for low and middle income families. Hopefully, with some Government help, Singaporeans can continue to provide for themselves and their families.
3. To tackle this unprecedented economic crisis, we are for the first time seeking the President’s approval to draw on our reserves. This is a major decision, which the Government has thought over very carefully. Our reserves are a key asset for Singapore. We have built them up patiently over the years, so that in a critical situation we have the wherewithal to mount a vigorous response. The present crisis is clearly such a moment. By using our reserves for the two special schemes, we are making clear that we intend to respond to the crisis decisively and with all means at our disposal.
4. We are able to do this unlike most other countries, because we have prudently saved and invested our surpluses over many decades. We must therefore maintain these critical instincts. When things return to normal, we must resume our habit of putting something aside in the reserves whenever we can. Then when we next face a serious crisis, which is bound to happen one day, we can again meet it with confidence.
5. These Budget measures will mitigate the downturn, but they will not instantly lift the economy from recession. No government package can do that. The recession is a global one, and we must expect to see exports contract, unemployment rise, and growth remain negative for more months, and perhaps for the whole year.
6. We must brace ourselves for a challenging Year of the Ox. But there is no need to be despondent. Singapore has strengths which will let us outlast this recession. We have the resources, the programmes, and the tenacity to ride the storm. In the Chinese zodiac, the ox symbolises fortitude and hard work. It is not a fast or aggressive animal, but is strong and completely dependable. In the same way, we can see through the year with quiet resolution.
7. For all that the Government is doing, we must remember the important roles that the community and family play in helping us weather the crisis together.
8. Community and welfare organisations are expanding their schemes to help more needy Singaporeans. Grassroots organisations are also coming up with new and innovative ways to help residents. In Yio Chu Kang, grassroots leaders regularly organise “Rice Parties” to provide needy residents with rice, rations and NTUC vouchers. Other constituencies provide free hawker meals, or run “Sunday Markets” where unemployed and low-income residents can set up stalls and earn some money for themselves.
9. The Government will support such community efforts. We are giving voluntary welfare organisations and self-help groups more funding to do more good work. We have also increased tax deductions for charitable donations, to two-and-a-half times the donated amounts. I encourage Singaporeans to continue giving generously to worthy causes in this downturn. With many helping hands, every Singaporean can survive the storm.
10. The family is our most important life-raft in times of crisis. When we face difficulties, families give us comfort, hope and practical help. In these hard times families must draw closer together, including our extended families.
11. Singaporeans instinctively understand this. A recent survey by OCBC found that this year the top three Singaporean dreams were starting a family, settling down and buying a home. In contrast, last year’s top three dreams were seeing the world, self-improvement and making money. Amidst uncertainty and turbulence, priorities have shifted from personal wants and ambitions to home, relationships and family.
12. Indeed, the family unit is the bedrock in all communities, whatever their race or religion. The world may have changed drastically, and Singaporeans may be better educated and more affluent. But the family will always be core to our human instincts and our social fabric. In this festive period, let us remember that Chinese New Year is a time for togetherness. It is the time for families to come together to rejoice in the company of their loved ones and to build lasting memories and bonds.
13. Even in hard times, we should not neglect the need to bring up a new generation. At the National Day Rally last year, I showed a chart of Singapore’s total fertility rate over the years. If you remember, every time there was a recession, birth rates went down. But I hope this time we can buck the trend and keep the birth rate steady. We have implemented many measures to encourage marriage and help you in supporting and bringing up your children. There is also a lag time in procreation, so with luck your babies will arrive in time to enjoy the upswing. What really matters is the prospects in Asia and in Singapore over the next decades, which I believe are still bright despite the current gloom.
14. Meanwhile, let us be grateful for what we have in Singapore—a stable society, a sound economy, and a reputation which draws talent, investment and jobs to our shores. We must continue building on these strengths, so that we will emerge stronger from this crisis, ready to thrive in what will be a very different and more challenging world.
15. I wish all Singaporeans a Happy Chinese New Year.
* * *
January 29
Paul Nachman writes:
Lee’s message is superb. Down to earth. Nothing fancy. Yet heartfelt.
But I see no indication it was actually a speech. The link Mencius provided says “press release.”
Obama was talking at his inauguration. This Singapore message looks to be equivalent to a State of the Union message. Which, I gather, was initial simply written and sent to Congress. Oh, this says the written form started with Jefferson and ended essentially with Wilson.
Anyway, I’d go for written every time.
Ray G. writes:
I’ve been wondering if you would really dissect the Dear Leader’s Inaugural speech and you did not disappoint!
It scares me when he keeps repeating the need to “remake America” or “make a clean break from the past” (something he said in a Saturday radio speech a few weeks ago).
I think we can see this guy’s gimmick is to smile, use a calm, friendly voice but still stick to a far-left philosophy because at his core, that’s what he is, that’s what he grew up around. More taxpayer funded abortion and great concern for Muslim terrorists were his very first actions as President. Nice.
The question for traditionalist, conservative-minded Americans, is there a way to restrict, limit his political power or even remove him from office?
LA writes:
Obama is a radical and an alien using traditional sounding but overblown language to deceive people into believing that he’s conservative when his real purpose is to radicalize and remake the country along leftist lines.
Lee speaks as a member and leader of his country, appealing to the fundamental and organic strengths of its people and institutions to help get it through the economic crisis.
As for Ray’s question, the more recognition there is of Obama’s real purpose, the more opposition to it there will be.
Terry Morris writes:
Your analysis of Obama’s speech is spot on. But I would simply point out that what American voters have done in giving him a leftist controlled House and Senate, is essentially to take all of the “work” out of it for him. Obama takes great pains in the speech to speak to traditional conservative American values—hard work, discipline, personal responsibility, and so on—while knowing damn good and well that Americans, on Nov. 4, 2008, removed any and all restraints on him and his leftist policies that would have any chance at all of making his first two years, and probably his first four years in office and beyond, anything other than a proverbial walk in the park.
Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 28, 2009 08:10 PM | Send
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