Notes on Inagural sppech

First off, let me note that this looked more a Coronation than Inauguration. Too many people expect Obama to do for them something they cannot imagine doing for themselves, give them the cake to have and eat too. Almost like the king curing diseases with placing of hands.

Not since Washington such fervent expectations were concentrated on one man. When Washington came to power, we had no country - he was, in a very important sense, the country. Obama is the 44th President, and we do have a country now. Yet people act in such a way as if he indeed was the only hope for this country, for this people. Almost like L'etat, s'est moi.

Now on to parts of speech that struck a wrong tone with me.

>>>>>>>>>
Our health care is too costly;
<<<<<<<<<

No, it's too good. The cost is a bargain when you consider what doctors can accomplish nowadays. And yet in a sense, it's too costly too - we don't have the resource to provide all the available care to all who needs it. How to ration the resources is a valid question. Pretending that no rationing is needed is not a valid answer.



>>>>>>>>
and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy ... threaten our planet.
<<<<<<<<

Nope. Nowadays, each day brings evidence that the computer programs that say that our energy threatens the planets are laughably incapable of making correct predictions. Just as the science turns away from MMGW, the politics are turning towards it.


>>>>>>>>>>
Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.
<<<<<<<<<<

Well, Obama is right that we have a confidence problem. "Blame America First" in our schools and colleges has a lot to do with it - we're raising a generation ashamed to be Americans. But as to "lowering sights" and "decline" - I am afraid these challenges cannot be met. We do have to lower our sights. We can't afford to give every family a house, no matter what Community Reinvestment Act says. We can't keep our nature pristine and have all the gadgets our heart desires - someone has to handel the durty chemicals. We can't pay our autoworkers like doctors, and doctors like janitors - we get sick carcompanies and healthy fraud. Yes, the next generation needs to learn that even here, in the blessed land of United States, we cannot live well just because we live here. We need to work, to produce things, to take risks. When it takes seven years to erect a building that used to take 1.5 year - we've got fat and slow. Time to lower our sights away from pristine politically correct Californian Paradise and go back to that durty thing they call "work'.


>>>>>>
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
<<<<<<

Errr... How is this day different from all other days? Do we ever gather because we have chosen
fear, conflict and discord? And in any case, we're gathering today to swear in an elected official, not because we "have chosen" anything. There is that royal thing again.

>>>>>>>
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.
<<<<<<<

Obama may actually mean thins in the best of senses. I hope he does - he seems like a decent sort from afar. What the listeners are hearing though is "We come to proclaim the end of Bush". And of course, that interpetation simpli means that one set of grievances, promises, dogmas and recriminations is replaced with another.


>>>>>>>>
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things.
<<<<<<<<

Now this is truly scary. What "childish things" from our nation's earlier age does Mr. President mean? I am afraid to even speculate.

>>>>>>
to choose our better history;
<<<<<<

Huh? How do you chose a better history? What was that from Bertold Brecht: "The People failed to live up to the Gornment's expectations. We need to elect a better People".


I love the next paragraph, starting at "In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given". It is at odds with the rest of the speech, but it's something I support with all my heart.

And then we get back to the original drivel.

>>>
For us, they... For us, they.... For us, they...
struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life.
<<<

No. Not for us. Apart may be from the militay victories in the last part, the people who crossed the oceans, settled the West, worked in sweatshop di not do it for anyone. The whole damn point was that they were sick and tired of doing it for "someone". They wanted to do things for themselves, and may be their immediate family. This is the power of America - no one works for greatnes of the country, the royal family's honor, the radiant future. The overwhelming majority of us work to make our (mine!) own lilfe better. My hat is off to those who defend us in the armed forces or go into politics out of obligationj to the couuntry (if such politicians indeed exist). But such people are a tiny minorit, and that is as it should be. We all owe it to the country, but the best way to pay back is to make your own family better off, and then do some charity. Only in emrgencies we need to do things "for us".

And what's with "endured the lash of the whip"? I will not accept the legacy of slavery as my own. Mister Jefferson's overseer did not whip his slaves so that I could have my nice country, thank you very much. If the White House is indeed build by slaves, I say let's ter it down and rebuild again.

>>>>>>>>
Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began.Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished.
<<<<<<<<

Our workers are no less productive, but it turns out they are so expensive, their productivity is not profitable. Our capacity is indeed diminished, and our environmental laws and labor regilations keep whittling it down. We used to be the best place to make money in the whole world - not any more. Things get done quicker in China, in India, in Dubai - in a lot of places. This is what we need to fix to save our economy.

>>>>>
we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth.
<<<<<

I assume "we" here means the government. Oh well. Obama has a lesson to learn: government does not create jobs, and it certainly does not lay any foundations for growth. Businesses create jobs, and inventors lay foundations. Government can only destroy jobs (e.g. in coal inndustry) and create dependency (e.g. subsidized windmills).

There is a lot more of "we" in there. And funny enough, for every point he makes, the government can actually accomplish it by butting out. Butting out of electrical power grids (environment impact review, anone?) and digital lines (telecomm monopoly?), out of alternative fuels (GM plant sfor fuel? Farm subsidies?), out of colleges and universities (affirmative action? something studies? Foundation for the Arts?). And I don't think that's what he has in mind.

>>>>>>>
imagination is joined to common purpose
<<<<<<<

Nope, common purpose has nothing to do with our achievement. If anything, it's "imagination joined to private gain". The only time we had good use for common purpose was during the world wars. Do we want to bring that time back?


>>>>>>>>>>>
he question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.
<<<<<<<<<<<

This is so scary, I, again, am afraid to even speculate. All of these things used to be from men and women themsleves, not from government. Care to guess if "big" or "small" is more likely?


>>>>>
but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control
<<<<<

Nope, this crisis remonds us that goernment cannot legislate profit, and that greedy peopl will find a way to profit on ongoing disaster even if they did not start it.

>>>>>
faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances
<<<<<

Our allies against Fascism include Stalin, and agains Communism Saudi Arabia, Pinochet and Mojaheddin. Do we want any more such allies?


>>>>>
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect.
<<<<<

Did you say "mutual"?


>>>>>>>
nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
<<<<<<<

Another Malus. Oh crap. The most profound change in the world over last hundred years is the realization that the most immportant resource is knowledge, information, technology. That resource we can consume in unlimite quantities, and it allows us to save all other resource.



>>>>
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains.
<<<<

Another piece that does not jibe with the rest of teh speech. I thank you for saying this, Mr. Obama, but it really hangs in the air, with no connection to what precedes it. It feels almost like a late add-in.

In fact, from that point on I read with admiration. I don't know if the real Obama is the first two thords or the last third of the speech, but they are very different. I hope and pray to God that the man who remembered the words about "the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive " is indeed the man who is right now about to get some rest after a long day, at 1600 Pensilvania Avenue.