President Obama's five pillars of economic recovery

[TayTay]

President Obama considers these five items to be the pillars that we can build a new, solid foundation on for future growth and prosperity: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/us/politics/14obama-text.html?pagewanted=all">(New York Times link to the prepared remarks)

We cannot rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand. We must build our house upon a rock. We must lay a new foundation for growth and prosperity – a foundation that will move us from an era of borrow and spend to one where we save and invest; where we consume less at home and send more exports abroad.

It's a foundation built upon five pillars that will grow our economy and make this new century another American century: new rules for Wall Street that will reward drive and innovation; new investments in education that will make our workforce more skilled and competitive; new investments in renewable energy and technology that will create new jobs and industries; new investments in health care that will cut costs for families and businesses; and new savings in our federal budget that will bring down the debt for future generations. That is the new foundation we must build. That must be our future – and my Administration's policies are designed to achieve that future.

Fair rules and regulations for Wall St to ensure that our financial system is sound
Education
Renewable Energy
Health care costs cutting in pursuit of more coverage for working families
Measures to bring down the national debt.

That is a very good agenda. There has been a lot of noise in the media lately, both in print and on TV, that the President has had to abandon these goals. It is very good to see that Mr. Obama continues to include Education, Renewable Energy and Health Care as foundational goals for his Administration.

[MADem]

1. Interesting choice of words, that. NT

[TayTay]

3. Which choice of words? n/t

[MADem]

5. Five pillars. You do know the origin of the term, don't you?

I'm sure the GOP will be on it toute suite.

As they do.

[TayTay]

7. Actually, I do not know the meaning, aside from "as used" in the speech

What is the other meaning?

[MADem]

8. Run the term through Google. It'll pop right up at ya.

Those "He's not one of US!!!!!!!!" types will probably be on him in no time...

[Hanse]

9. He's referring to the five pillars of Islam.

If Obama had simply called this the five noble truths of economic recovery, the RW would be applauding it.

I'm very concerned about Obama's continuing miscalculations.

:eyes:

[TayTay]

11. With all due respect

that is a silly criticism. If this is all the RW has to hang a critical hat on, then they are even more pathetic than they seem.

Seriously, I have heard the analogy of resting something on pillars (for support) many times. I think the phrase is fine, as used.

We can't construct everything with a fear of what the RW whackos will say. They are not very important right now and are certainly not worth bringing out the "word police."

[Hanse]

12. Of course it's silly criticism.

It's patently dumb, brain dead criticism thought up by brain dead fucks who haven't got any valid reason to criticize Obama.

[Cant trust em]

13. Wouldn't it be fun to let these things lie out there...

and still crush them in the next election. It cracks me up to watch them spin this stuff.

[MADem]

17. No one has spun anything yet, that I know of.

It'll take a couple of days before they figure this out. But once they do, they disrupt the message.

[TayTay]

14. Ah, sarcasm, what a concept

Sarcasm, right: "I'm very concerned about Obama's continuing miscalculations."

[MADem]

16. "Five pillars" is a very Islamic term.

It is.

And my noting it isn't a silly criticism. It will be picked up. It's not a question of "fear" of RW whackos. It's that the term and the whinging will serve to distract from his agenda.

He should have selected another program, and had six pillars--then he would have been a-OK.

But FIVE pillars? Like I said, do the google. You'll see.

You know how you associate the Holy Trinity with the Catholic Faith? Your five pillars are the foundation of Islam--there's the same instant recognition to all Muslims, and to anyone familiar with world religions..

[scheming daemons]

21. Counterbalancing that meme: Muslims are forbidden from owning dogs...

...the fact that Obama now owns one means that he is violating a sacred muslim law.


Therefore... it is a counter-message to the silly meme of yours.

[MADem]

27. Not true, sorry. Sophisticated Pakistanis LOVE purebred dogs. They like little ones, mostly.

Musharref's wife has a couple of little ankle-biters. Cosmopolitan Egyptians do as well.

They're less popular in other countries, but even the nomads keep them around to guard the flocks. They're expected to earn their keep in these cases.

The average Muslim family in the Arab world doesn't go for a "pet" dog, but then, look at the demographics in that end of the world there, too--there's not as much of a middle class in some parts. However, your "sacred muslim law" assertion is the "silly meme" here. Islam is not a top-down religion. They have no Pope-Equivalent dispensing "law." There are more sects than you can shake a stick at, each with it's own twists on how the Qu'ran is interpreted.

I don't understand why you are shooting the messenger on this topic. I happen to like Obama's plans, I am simply a bit concerned for him about that choice of words.

[mkultra]

22. its usage in islam probably bubbles up

because of the vast size of islam. the term "five pillars" is reused in western society and, if im not mistake, is confined to sunni islam while shia has like seven or something.

[MADem]

28. I think it was either entirely accidental, or very deliberate.

I'm not sure which.

It simply jumped out at me, so we'll just have to wait and see how it plays.

[mkultra]

30. doesnt matter one bit

Anyone who cares about this is already a screaming mad bigot. Society has those people on ignore at the moment.

[Cant trust em]

10. I don't think the "Obama is a Muslim" meme worked in the last election

It will just be fun to hear the conspiracy factory churn this one out.

It's "tout de suite", BTW.

Sorry. I'm a total francophile/latte/liberal elitist.

[MADem]

18. Well, I coulda spelled it "toot sweet!" like the Stooges say it!

This isn't, certainly, an "election" issue. But it is a xenophobic one. It's hard enough to be a Muslim in the USA, in the best of circumstances, but when the rightwing gets all "fan belt and towel" about Islam, it becomes even more difficult. The use of that phrase does give them an opening. I do wish he had used another term, not only for the sake of Muslims who are just trying to live and let live, but also for the sake of not distracting from his message.

If they don't pick up on it, that will be a good thing. I'll be surprised, though.

[Cant trust em]

24. fan belt?

I get the towel reference, I think, but I'm not sure I understand the fan belt.

[MADem]

26. Some idiot GOP legislator from Louisiana, I believe, likened the headgear

which is worn in many parts of the arab world to a "fan belt and a diaper." His remarks got a lot of coverage and that characterization was played over and over again (left/outraged and right/gleeful, pretty much) and discussed until the term found its way into the lexicon when wanting to be disrespectful or insulting.

Since then, the fan belt has been paired with the well worn towel (for those that like that particular insult) and the less popular, but still not uncommon Italian table cloth (for those swiping at the Palestinians).

[Ian David]

6. Oh, fuck... I had the same thought. Not as bad as when Bush said "Crusade" though. n/t

[OKNancy]

15. He also used the house of sand/rock

from the Sermon on the Mount.. I don't think "pillars" will be an issue.

[MADem]

29. The GOP won't give him credit for that, though!

They'll get mad because he rubbed "their" Xtianity against "his" Islam.

I just think Limpballs will find that too rich to ignore, as he does.

We'll see.

[Jennicut]

2. Thank you. I like seeing all five there. I agree its a great agenda

to take on. Education and energy are going to be tough to get done but he is not afraid to tackle it.

[TayTay]

4. There has been a lot of pressure to drop some of these goals

and to concentrate on health care and the economy for right now. Cap and trade, for example, is said to be dead in the Congress for at least this first half of the term. Likewise funding on education is going to be a real battle and it's good to see that it is still considered a top goal of the Admin.

[Political Heretic]

19. Thankfully, most right wingers won't be familiar with the Five Pillars of Islam

[Political Heretic]

20. I think these are great goals and I believe progress that impacts the lives of families can be made

Make no mistake, I believe good things will get done in this administration.

When it comes to economic policy, my problem has always been with the structure of the bank bailout, and the opportunity I feel has been missed. Despite that, a return to even the economic status quo of a previous period of growth will allow for forward movement in areas Obama outlined, and this real translate into real benefits for poor and working class individuals and families, which is - and always will be - my top priority.

So, as I keep trying to explain over and over and over again - I can be both happy and sad with the administration, I can agree on some things and disagree on other things, and none of that means I don't "support" the president.

[DevonRex]

25. I yell at you sometimes but I think you're an honest person who has

an occasional disagreement with the president. Like most of us have on occasion. I think you're usually level headed and pragmatic, yet still have high ideals. If you go over the top sometimes it's on issues that you're passionate about. We all do that so I can't knock you for it.

I'll still yell at you sometimes, but you certainly are NOT in the category of folks who hate everything about Obama. I've seen you argue in his defense elsewhere - not all the time, but when you thought it was the right thing to do.

In your thread that got locked earlier, you gave concrete examples of how some of the administration policies are benefitting real people with real needs. I appreciated that. Moreover, when you do that it makes me (and probably a lot of other people) much more likely to actually discuss areas where we disagree.

I'm rambling now but I thought that should be said, even if it did come out in a pretty vague kind of way. I'm tired. Actually dreamed about DU last night. :scared:

[politicasista]

23. Kick

It is a very good agenda. :kick:

[YvonneCa]

31. Yes, it is. I never had any...

...doubt that he would. He's talking transformation...CHANGE...and this kind of change will only work if we do it all. I'm so glad the country understood this and elected him in November.:patriot: