Can America Be Motivated?

12:31 pm EST January 23rd, 2009 | Uncategorized | 7 Comments

obama inauguration In the wake of President Obama’s inauguration I was recently discussing with some friends: Can America be motivated? We all agreed that one of the biggest failures of Bush was his inability and unwillingness to make a call to action for Americans, and that Obama set the right tone on day one on this.

But, can America answer that call? The baby boom generation did not have any of the pressures of the generation before them who lived through WWII and the Depression. The idealism of Vietnam protest was eventually given up for the “Me” ’80s and the ’90s boom. In many ways I think they’re a lost cause as far as being aroused to national service. I’m aware I’m speaking in huge generalities here.

Generation X and Y have probably had it even easier, but maybe because I’m an optimist I think they would respond to a national call to service from the President, and not just because its Obama – I think the American people are naturally inclined to respond to their president, regardless of the party. Especially for those (I include myself) who experienced 9/11 as a singular momentous moment in their lives.

Topic: America, President Obama

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7 Responses to “Can America Be Motivated?”

joaquin says:

January 23, 2009 at 1:06 pm

WHAT!!!!! Is Obama not enough reason for everyone to rise, grab a shovel, and do as we’re told????
Motivation? What more do we need than just mere instruction from 1600?????
Parthenon says:

January 23, 2009 at 1:14 pm

The vast majority of young people, um, no, definitely not. They just want to go to work, go to school, and get blitzed on the weekend, as it has always been. A slim minority, perhaps.
Organic George says:

January 23, 2009 at 1:16 pm

As a boomer I have been amazed how we wandered off course from the 60-70′s ideals. It seems that after the energy crisis of the 70′s people decided it was time to get theirs.

But it is our children, that’s you, that seem to hold the ideals we taught. You may not see color, but we did because of our parents. Generational shifts start slowly until there is a seismic event, in this case we hope that is it Obama.

Give us boomers some credit, we rasied the issues even if we did not bring about the complete change.
Sean D. Martin says:

January 23, 2009 at 1:39 pm

Get yours while supplies last:

Obama action figure
PD100 says:

January 23, 2009 at 1:45 pm

WHAT!!!!! Is Obama not enough reason for everyone to rise, grab a shovel, and do as we’re told????

So far, enough to keep a geriatric gold-digger and an incoherent beauty queen from the Oval office.

Thanks for the reminder, slick.
Jaim says:

January 24, 2009 at 12:49 am

Of the many glaring logical paradoxes that defined the dreadful Bush II years, the most interesting to me was the rhetoric of the post 9/11 era about how “terror” was a greater threat to America than Hitler, and later Stalin, ever were. On the other hand, Bush _cut_ taxes in a time of two wars, asking the wealthiest Americans, those who were demographically less likely to have children in the military, effectively making their lives easier in a time of supposedly encroaching Islamo-fundamentalism or whatever you want to call it.

In addition, he didn’t call for a draft. Why not? If the big, bad terrorists were the worst thing EVAR for America, why not make sure everyone of military age had to make a one or two year sacrifice?

The answer is obvious, of course — 9/11 should never have happened in the fist place. It was a massive intelligence failure on the part of a Republican administration and a Republican Congress. Bush had to say this was a “World War III” type of situation to turn attention away from the fact that his administration bore partial responsibility for the disaster. He didn’t buy his own bullshit, however. He knew that the moment he asked the majority of Americans to make an actual sacrifice (those not already serving) he was dead meat, politically. People would realize that invading Iraq because 15 of 19 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia made absolutely no fucking sense. Still doesn’t today.
Sean D. Martin says:

January 24, 2009 at 1:02 pm

jaim: The answer is obvious, of course — 9/11 should never have happened in the fist place. It was a massive intelligence failure on the part of a Republican administration and a Republican Congress. Bush had to say this was a “World War III” type of situation to turn attention away from the fact that his administration bore partial responsibility for the disaster. He didn’t buy his own bullshit, however.

I’m pretty sure Bush did buy his own bullshit. You’re crediting him with far more self-awareness and guile than he ever demonstrated.

You see it as a Republican failure, but nothing Bush has ever said or done hints that he does. On the contrary, the guy was astoundingly ignorant of his mistakes.