Although many feel that Obama is the most liberal president since . . . whatever, I've long held that at the core, he is neither liberal nor conservative. He is a pragmatist.
A pragmatist is someone who will do whatever works and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. He sees both sides of an issue and often strikes a Solomonic balance. In this clip, for example, Obama admits to American arrogance, but he doesn't let Europe off the hook.
If he were a pure bleeding heart, he wouldn't have said anything about European anti-Americanism, or continued Bush's faith-based initiatives or done a host of other things that have gotten under the skin of his liberal base.
To the extreme, however, a pragmatist becomes Machiavellian, as in, the end justifies the means. But he hasn't worried me on getting out of whack with his pragmatism so far. It's just a relief to have a president who makes sense and who is making an effort to change the way things have been done.
7 comments:
So, how could a man who supports partial birth abotions *not* be a liberal. The man is a flaming leftist. Bush was too. America is too self centered to elect a conservative.
Free speech. One of the things I love about America.
I agree that Obama's policies are liberal. He's a member of the Democratic party, so that's to be expected. (And for the record, I disagree with him on abortion.) My point is that in the end, he's a pragmatist. He goes with what works and what fosters dialogue, even if his own party members disagree with him.
However, I have to admit that the idea of Bush being a leftist is a little hard for me to swallow. That's definitely a new one for me.
He's not 100 days in, all we can judge him on is what has happened since January 2009 (unless we count his memoir Dreams From My Father -- which, if you haven't read it, you should!). Since January 2009 we've set the course to print more money, bail out the auto industry (a private corporation), fire a CEO of a private corporation, he tells a Dem who disagreed with him that he's "keeping score" (sounds like Chicago Politics... not change, but the same old cronyism), couldn't seem to find a cabinet member without issues paying their taxes (though they were great at raising others), etc etc etc... Does he communicate his ideas better than the last president? Yes. Does he seem to truly want the best for America? I'd say yes. Is his political philosophy just flat-out wrong? Absolutely? To say he's a pragmatist and is complete objective, devoid of his political party, and Washington politics is at best naive.
You raise some good points about some of Obama's shortcomings. I too was annoyed with the Geithner and Daschle fiascos. It made him look bad. But at least he manned up and said "I screwed up" on national television. I don't expect to have a perfect president, but it sure is a breath of fresh air to have one that admits when he's wrong.
Though I'm not keen on bailouts, etc., I disagree that his political philosophy is flat wrong. Else I wouldn't have voted for him. But that's beside the point.
I never said he was completely objective and devoid of political party or politics. I'm very aware that he's a politician, and he knows how the play the game. Very well. If he didn't, he wouldn't be where he is. What I was trying to say is that when it comes down to it, he's a pragmatist. I feel that he does what he does out of expediency and practicality more than out of hard-line ideology.
Of course, there's plenty of evidence to show that he tows the party line, and I get it. But towing the party line is part of what he has to do to get things done.
I'm almost done with Dreams from My Father, and I guess reading it is part of what makes me think he's, at heart, a pragmatist.
Just stumbled across your blog. It's the first time I've heard Obama called pragmatist, and I think you're probably right about that.
Enjoyed the read. :o)
Take care, Rachel
Yay! Thanks for stopping by. I checked out your blog, too, and as a former Air Force brat, I can relate to your concept of home.
Obama has promised America the world, and has no backbone, (IE like Sarah Palin) to stand up for what is right, and defend true freedom.
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