January 29, 2014

News from the US of A

We offer you comment on two important events this week. The most important, the loss of singer – activist, great human being Pete Seeger. The other Barack Obama's State of the Union address.

From John Cavanagh, Director of the Institute for Policy Studies:

"President Obama's fifth State of the Union address was, for many of us in the progressive movement, quite a disappointment. IPS experts have weighed in on many of the more problematic talking points in the address:

Karen Dolan, expressing her perspective in satirical verse, asked "what about stealth drone attacks?

Phyllis Bennis discussed why Obama's declaration that “America must move off a permanent war footing” wasn't the Wow! moment it should have been.

Peter Certo explained why Obama's failing to make the grade on peace and war.

Emily Schwartz Greco argued that Obama's building a bridge to nowhere instead of a renewable-energy future by continuing to embrace fracking.

Janet Redman also took issue with Obama's absurd all-of-the-above energy strategy, likening its capacity to stop climate change to trying to lose weight on a Ben & Jerry's diet.

Sam Pizzigati explained that until Obama accepts that the richest Americans need to pay their fair share of taxes, he'll fail to make meaningful progress toward ending inequality.

Now is a good time to remember, however, that many of the greatest changes in this country were facilitated not by the edict of one leader, but by the transformational power of people and social movements. So even when the President is stymied by Congress or fails to use his executive power, we can all rely on citizens strengthened to take action on the challenges of our times."

And here is Phyllis Bennis' beautiful tribute to the late Pete Seeger.