Will Obama Go Big?

[jefferson_dem]

Will Obama Go Big?
Jun 14 2010, 3:09 PM ET | Comment

Tomorrow night, in his 20 minute address to the nation, will President Obama go big? Or will he go small? Will he use the auspicious moment to argue for the imperative of carbon pricing, or will he greet the nation by announcing new regulations on part of the energy sector?

The President has said that he would rather be a one termer who gets big things done than he would avoid the burden of presidential leadership. He's given one speech on climate change recently. That speech was ... a speech. A good speech, but a speech. No follow through, publicly or privately. If he means what he says, he will Go Big.

A senior administration official to whom I put the question this morning responded that Obama recognizes that the moment to assert his command over the disaster that is the BP oil spill has passed. Another official said Obama will use the time to "go Big. That's where he does best."

Details are not protuberant from the West Wing. It may well be that Obama has not yet decided how he wants to use his first Oval Office address. It is clear that the American people want to hear something from him. The White House believes that they don't want a lament. They certainly won't mind a little blame-casting. Officials are preparing new rules for the energy sector, but it's hard to imagine that Obama would borrow our ears to tell us about new regulations, chapter and verse.

If Obama goes big, there is really only one way he can attempt it: he must call on Congress to put a price on carbon by the end of the year. The pivot from gushing oil to climate change is at once harder than it seems and blindingly obvious. Oil is polluting the Gulf; it's not raising temperatures. The transition to a more ecologically friendly economy will require carbon creation. It will also require economic sacrifice.

<SNIP>

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/06/will-obama-go-big/58123/

[TygrBright]

1. The President rarely goes big. He usually goes long.

I think he'll stick with that strategy.

No grand but ultimately ineffective gestures. Rather, careful, strategic incremental actions that look comparatively insignificant now but are targeted at longer-term goals and have a good chance of getting through the sausage factory in usable shape.

Then again, he could surprise me. He has done so in the past.

interestedly,
Bright

[zipplewrath]

3. You mean like Afghanistan?

I agree with you he is an incrementalist. But he also doesn't like to "turn on a dime" and this is another chance he is missing to do that. He could try here to make a major shift in our infrastructure. Something along the line of the interstate highway system. I'm afraid instead he's going to do something like pursue a more environmental friendly yellow stripe down the center line.

[Child_Of_Isis]

2. I wonder what this means?

Obama recognizes that the moment to assert his command over the disaster that is the BP oil spill has passed

[Cha]

5. It doesn't make sense..and it's from

an anonymous source.

[jaxx]

4. You can take it to the bank

that whatever he does it'll piss off somebody. That is a given.

[jefferson_dem]

6. Word.

I'm surprised even the very proposition that he does *something*, *anything*, *big*, *small* hasn't delivered some critics already. The guy simply cannot win, according so some. Eh...

[jaxx]

8. I figured one of the pundits would have his whole speech written by now.

:shrug:

[Cha]

7. A big piss off, yeah..but, he'll

have his facts down and we'll learn a lot about what's going on.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cha]

16. You actually have to be into reality to know

what has been done during this Admin's time in office and not offer up a wish list of some version of what hasn't been done.

So glad we have this President in charge..he's doing an amazing job in spite of all the rwhack lies and cheap shots swirling around the internet.

It cheapens any gripes someone has when they don't recognize the reality of what actually has transpired.

[mitchtv]

10. no

[elocs]

11. My money is on small. Conservatively and cautiously small.

Lots of words and talking tough, you know, being outraged and knowing whose ass to kick but not much action.

When it comes to asses this whole mess is going to come back to bite Obama in the ass big time. Sure, he would be criticized no matter what, but damn it would be nice to see him taking criticism for taking bold action that inspires people.

[jefferson_dem]

12. Curious...

How exactly does one "take action" in a speech, other than with words?

In his speech tomorrow, Obama will outline his policy agenda, or set the tone for the debate. The question, for me, is whether he throws down the gauntlet and promotes a "big and bold" policy agenda or smaller, incremental steps.

On Friday, McConnell and Boehner were pre-emptively warning the President to not "use this crisis" for sweeping energy policy reform. We'll see if he takes the bait.

[elocs]

20. Action follows words rather than words following words followed by more words.

Simple.

[Cha]

14. There's been lots of ACTION but you actually have

to be paying attention to know that..and not just sit around on the internet lobbing cheap shots that's "there's been no action".

[elocs]

19. Please point out where I said "no action"? Can't, can you?

My disadvantage is that unlike you I don't believe I know there is all to be known.

[Cha]

24. Like I said there's been lots of action but you actually have

to be paying attention or it will come back to bite you in the ass.

[polichick]

15. If he doesn't do it this time, he probably never will. I've got my fingers crossed. nt

[polichick]

13. I hope he goes HUGE - and tells everyone we'll need to sacrifice...

...and there's no going back.

[depakid]

17. Big would mean owning up to the regulatory mess at the agencies

and setting out an accountability plan that would deal with the negligence and malfeasance (i.e. people's heads going on the chopping block).

That would be coupled with a massive push to alternative energy sources, rail and public transport- coupled with a major jobs program to accomplish it by the end of the decade. (Channeling JFK). To justify it- and explain his previous stance on offshore drilling, he'd acknowledge certain realities of peak oil- most salient of which is the low lying fruit analogy.

Will he go big? Given his past tendencies- one would have to say by the above measure, probably not.

We shall see.

[hay rick]

18. Dependence on oil.

Related but not identical topics: climate change, energy independence, and dependence on oil. The BP catastrophe is clearly about the latter. Using it as an excuse to address broader issues risks loss of focus and political support.

This is an huge opportunity to push for higher CAFE standards, investment in mass transit, higher gas taxes, and more stringent safety and environmental regulation in offshore drilling. But that's all it is. Many of the people who are aghast at oil-soaked beaches and pelicans just aren't buying global warming. I don't think the American people are ready for carbon taxes- yet.

[jeanpalmer]

21. Going big would be

declaring a permanent moratorium on deep sea drilling. Anything less would be going small. This is the perfect time to do it. The arguments are there if he wants to use them. This will be his opportunity to show real concern for the environment. I hope he doesn't get down and wallow with the drillers by going the regulations route. That would be a sellout. But my hunch, based on having watched him for a year and a half, is he will sell out.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

22. If Europe is embracing alternative energy to oil then so should the USA

[frazzled]

23. "Details are not protuberant from the West Wing"?

Protuberant? Do they have editors at The Atlantic? That is the most inept locution I've heard in a long time, and it made me stop reading the article.

I'm sorry. It may have little to do with the question, but when writers decide to pepper their musings with adjectives like 'protuberant' (protruding, bulging) to modify nouns like 'details,' I have to think they're basically masturbating. Details don't protrude, Marc. You lost me there.

I'll just have to wait and see what the president has to say. I really don't have time to read purple prose.