# Obama's ground breaking speech on the destruction of the American middle class - **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 7, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331 "2011-12-07T02:23:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/1 "2011-12-07T02:23:10Z")
[Barack Obama Economic Speech: President Declares American Middle Class In Jeopardy, Outlines Populist Economic Vision](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/06/barack-obama-payroll-tax-cuts_n_1132050.html) Finally! About time he woke up! ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/2 "2011-12-07T02:47:14Z")
Yeah, big news there. The President said something stirring while offering no useful ideas or specifics. Just like every month. What’s the debate? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/3 "2011-12-07T03:16:01Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Yeah, big news there. The President said something stirring while offering no useful ideas or specifics. Just like every month. > > What’s the debate? It was a much needed overview of priorities. He discussed the current economic crisis, the history and rise of the US middle class, the payroll tax cut, rethinking the equity of the tax system, implementing new banking regulations, new consumer protection laws, and in general making choices about these things. The notion that working together is a better plan of action than a morally bankrupt feral war of all against all with the majority of the population left to fight over the scraps the wealthier choose to let fall from the table. It was (IMO) a much needed line in the sand, and putting his opponents on notice that the class warfare mitts are coming off. Because on very fundamental level what the Republicans have been engaging for some time in is class warfare against the middle class. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/4 "2011-12-07T03:23:21Z")
I agree with Smiling. More words. He’s great with the words. More “Change you can believe in.” Not much to back it up. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/5 "2011-12-07T03:25:39Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > I agree with Smiling. > > More words. He’s great with the words. More “Change you can believe in.” Not much to back it up. This is the great contrast between Obama and Reagan, of course, and why so many Republicans idolize the one while despising the other. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/6 "2011-12-07T03:26:40Z")
Didn’t see the speech, but really what did you want? “As President, I’m ordering the Army to occupy Congress until they pass my proposed laws.” He’s the President, not God. He can’t really _do_ anything on this stuff until Congress moves and these kinds of speeches are how that process gets started. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/7 "2011-12-07T03:29:04Z")
I suspect that in a few months, astro, you will be doing one of three things (depending on just how realistic you are): 1. Lamenting how Obama yet again spoke stirringly about something you cared about but did nothing. 2. Lamenting how the evil Republicans are preventing Obama from implementing those stirring things he talked about (while ignoring the fact that Obama has proposed no specific legislation). 3. Proudly telling everyone how brilliant Obama is by biding his time so that he can unveil his nation-saving legislation at exactly the right moment some time in the future. Any time now. Aaaaany time. ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/8 "2011-12-07T03:30:42Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Didn’t see the speech, but really what did you want? “As President, I’m ordering the Army to occupy Congress until they pass my proposed laws.” He’s the President, not God. He can’t really _do_ anything on this stuff until Congress moves and these kinds of speeches are how that process gets started. That’s what you’re down to? He can’t really _do_ anything on this stuff? Setting the bar pretty low for the guy. Wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/9 "2011-12-07T03:34:22Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > This is the great contrast between Obama and Reagan, of course, and why so many Republicans idolize the one while despising the other. No, they do that by remembering a fantasy Reagan. ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/10 "2011-12-07T03:38:23Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > That’s what you’re down to? He can’t really _do_ anything on this stuff? Setting the bar pretty low for the guy. Wonderful. Well, put up or shut up. Aside from a “capitulate to everything Republicans want him to do” strategy, what should Obama do to address the economy given a recalcitrant Congress? Liberals have been begging Obama to use the bully pulpit for _years_ now, to attempt to move public opinion. So that’s what he’s trying. It’s not like there are a lot of bullets left in the gun. It’s worth pointing out that making pretty speeches _has_ moved the needle a bit. Romney, after just a month ago decrying the payroll tax cut extension as a “band-aid,” just came out in favor of it. Considering how firmly thrust into the wind Romney’s finger is, that’s a good indication of where the public mood is these days. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/11 "2011-12-07T03:49:15Z")
He’s trying now that it’s an election season? Yawn. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/12 "2011-12-07T04:31:17Z")
> [@spifflog](#): > > That’s what you’re down to? He can’t really _do_ anything on this stuff? Setting the bar pretty low for the guy. Wonderful. So what would your fantasy President do? Seriously. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/13 "2011-12-07T04:55:47Z")
I’ll believe his rhetoric when he sacks his economic advisers and stops talking about budget deficits. It was a pretty good speech, though. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2011, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obamas-ground-breaking-speech-on-the-destruction-of-the-american-middle-class/605331/14 "2011-12-07T05:02:43Z")
If he’s done capitulating to republicans and letting them frame and create every debate, then yay. If he’s just using soaring rhetoric as usual, meh.