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The Oxymoronic President
Real Clear Politics ^ | June 7, 2011 | Richard Cohen

Posted on 06/07/2011 11:15:57 AM PDT by Still Thinking

I once worked for an editor who banned the word "oxymoron." I don't know why. It's a good word, meaning a contradiction in terms. The dictionary offers some examples: "wise fool" and "legal murder." I would like to cite another: Barack Obama. He sends contradictory messages.

This aspect of Obama's is beginning to play a crucial role in his management of the economy. The fact remains, no matter what Obama says -- and almost no matter what he does -- the business community deeply feels that he is unsympathetic to them and their goals. They say all they want to do is make an (honest) buck but to do that they need consistency, predictability and -- it would be nice -- a pat on the back.

The apprehension about Obama was forcefully expressed by Kenneth Langone, a former director of the New York Stock Exchange. Last year, he used a CNBC town hall meeting to tell Obama that the business community thinks he's antagonistic. Speaking directly to the president (via videotape), Langone replied to the question of what Obama should be doing: "Well, I think the one thing to do is to not make people in business feel like we're villains or criminals or doing something wrong."

In essence, Obama needs to lead. He needs to show those qualities that made Ronald Reagan and FDR such formidable politicians. They both served in economically perilous times -- Roosevelt much more so than Reagan -- and had an internal and external consistency that Obama so far has lacked. Their essential quality was buoyant optimism -- a Happy Warrior (the term FDR used for Al Smith) and a Morning-Again-in-America guy. Their critics called them many things, but never dour, and never oxymoronic.

(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: fdr; obama; oxymoron; reagan
Langone replied to the question of what Obama should be doing: "Well, I think the one thing to do is to not make people in business feel like we're villains or criminals or doing something wrong."

Langone worded this wrong, unless he's too stupid to breathe. No one in business is going to think they ARE villains or criminals or doing something wrong (except those who actually are, and that has nothing to do with business per se) just because some unemployable demagogue gets up there and acts like or says in so many words they are those things. They know they belong to the class that produces wealth, and that he belongs to the class that destroys it, whether by confiscating and then consuming it, or by creating an overtaxed, over-regulated environment where it never gets created in the first place. (Pretty slick, huh? Government can destroy today's AND tomorrow's wealth at the same time!)

Not saying they won't or shouldn't be offended, just that if you become convinced you're a bad guy because a fool tells you so, then you're a fool too.

1 posted on 06/07/2011 11:16:00 AM PDT by Still Thinking
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To: Still Thinking

Strike “Oxy” and I think the description suffices.


2 posted on 06/07/2011 11:18:42 AM PDT by andy58-in-nh (America does not need to be organized: it needs to be liberated.)
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To: Still Thinking

And as long as we’re on the topic of oxymorons, I offer:

Jumbo shrimp

Microsoft works


3 posted on 06/07/2011 11:19:18 AM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: Still Thinking
The Oxymoronic President
4 posted on 06/07/2011 11:19:25 AM PDT by svcw (Non forgiveness is like holding a hot coal thinking the other person will be blistered)
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To: andy58-in-nh

I was just going to post the same thing! When did The Won become oxygenated?


5 posted on 06/07/2011 11:20:02 AM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: Still Thinking

Too easy.


6 posted on 06/07/2011 11:20:22 AM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: andy58-in-nh

To say “O” is American is confusing enough


7 posted on 06/07/2011 11:21:41 AM PDT by SMARTY (Conforming to non-conformity is conforming just the same.)
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To: Still Thinking

8 posted on 06/07/2011 11:22:05 AM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: andy58-in-nh

Hmmmm, perhaps “Oxy” surely because the Loon took some of this along with the other drugs that addled both cells of his simple brain.

Resulting in - of course - the “moron” part.

Dumbest president.....EVAH!


9 posted on 06/07/2011 11:23:21 AM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: Lazlo in PA

Marxists feed on cognitive dissonance and the dialectic.....

Marxists invented the term....the Big Lie. That is all they do....make the lie the truth and invert right and wrong and create chaos....so there are NO standards for the big takeover.

Think of the media/schools.....all designed to do one thing....destroy Biblical standards of right and wrong....so you have chaos and can “reshape” man—no God allowed.

This Marxism is like imposing no rules in a basketball game.....just fights and arguments will ensue—nothing gets accomplished or finished (no economies can work you ignorant Libertarians!!!!!!!). Chaos ensues with no Universal standards of right and wrong which were integrated into the Constitution of the USA.

Democrats are totally transforming ALL standards...to no standard of right and wrong....they are doing it with our children in the public schools and TV and movies.....by elevating their new right and wrong.....dysfunctional behaviors that destroy all relationships and ultimately the children and future of a culture.

No standards becomes chaos....and results in tyranny....History of the world.


10 posted on 06/07/2011 11:36:00 AM PDT by savagesusie
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To: Still Thinking
You wrote:

Langone worded this wrong, unless he's too stupid to breathe.

&

Not saying they won't or shouldn't be offended, just that if you become convinced you're a bad guy because a fool tells you so, then you're a fool too.

Ken is a very cool guy. And very very smart. He is not stupid or a fool. You can read more what Ken had on his mind here.

Ken is way smarter than Obama and most people breathing. Ken would be a much better president than Obama by miles.

Your comments would be met with laughter and amusement by anyone that knows Ken. Nothing personal, but you have no idea who you are making comments about......

11 posted on 06/07/2011 11:39:09 AM PDT by isthisnickcool (Sharia? No thanks.)
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

To: Still Thinking
perpetual
13 posted on 06/07/2011 11:46:46 AM PDT by FrankR (A people that values its privileges above its principles will soon lose both.)
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To: Still Thinking
...it would be nice -- a pat on the back...

If Obama gave a pat on the back, the businessman would first check his back for a dagger and then make sure his billfold was still in his pocket. Assuming an actual businessman, that is, not a crony capitalist (Kenya) = aristocracy of pull (Atlas Shrugged) = aristocracy of clout (Chicago).

14 posted on 06/07/2011 11:51:23 AM PDT by omega4412
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To: isthisnickcool
Ken is way smarter than Obama and most people breathing. Ken would be a much better president than Obama by miles.

Your comments would be met with laughter and amusement by anyone that knows Ken. Nothing personal, but you have no idea who you are making comments about......

And my comment was nothing personal either, just an observation that he phrased it slightly incorrectly, putting the shoe on the wrong foot. I fully assume, without knowing anything further about the man, that he would be a far better POTUS than The Won.

15 posted on 06/07/2011 11:52:33 AM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: Da Coyote
This reminds me of that line in the movie Oscar:

Snaps: "Poole was right. You are an ox and a moron."

16 posted on 06/07/2011 1:07:43 PM PDT by sportutegrl
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