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News & ArtsSaturday, December 6, 2008
2008 The Urban President
Posted by Eli Sanders on Sat, Dec 6, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Check out the backdrop for Obama's weekly radio-and-internet address (this one promising a vast public works program). In yet another symbolic break with the outgoing administration, this president-elect speaks to the nation from a skyscraper, the glow of the evening city receding behind him.
It reminds that, from Iowa onward, one of the most consistent songs to be played at Obama campaign events was U2's City of Blinding Lights, which is in part a love-letter to the urban. Its lyrics can be read slightly differently now:
They're advertising in the skies
For people like us...
For several weeks, Obama has been toying with his weekly address backdrops: wood-paneled office, morning light, dawn in the city. This latest backdrop is the one he should stick with—floating above the chaotic metropolis (which looks so tame from on high), tucking the nation in, welcoming the night with a plan for tomorrow.
1
i hope he plans to not only install energy efficiant light bulbs in government buildings, but also install solar panels on all government buildlings as well as school. solar energy would save the governmen and schools so much money on energy.
2
yeah and I'm worried about one of his cliche proposals to create jobs - build and invest in roads. part of his big new announcement really touted this create-jobs-by-investing-in-infrastructure thing.
roads? really? is that where we should focus our attention, if efficiency and the environment are so important? what about using that person-power and money to build trains, light rail and subways?
roads? really? is that where we should focus our attention, if efficiency and the environment are so important? what about using that person-power and money to build trains, light rail and subways?
5
That would rule if the President operated out of a huge skyscraper, like something out of the Fifth Element.
7
sockpuppet - CERN only invented certain aspects of the Web. The Internet itself was developed here through DARPA's work (and those under DARPA grants) in the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
9
He's the President, not Batman or your father. As adults, no one can save us from ourselves, and we shouldn't need to be tucked in.
10
speaking from an urban backdrop and yet... nary a mention of mass transit, rail, bikeable and walkable communities.... just ROADS. sad sad sad.
11
I wish he would be more into public transit, too. Not only would it help the environment, but it would create jobs! After all, as Obama as said about so many of his plans, public transit is something we couldn't outsource.
That being said, I'm still enthralled by the idea of having an articulate president. Joy!
That being said, I'm still enthralled by the idea of having an articulate president. Joy!
14
I think folks concerned about Obama not specifically referencing mass transit in this speech are expecting too much out a four minute video address meant to give a broad outline of an economic recovery/infrastructure investment plan, and aimed at the general population.
If you read news articles associated with the plan, you will find mention of mass transit, in addition to more detail about alternative energy development.
If you read news articles associated with the plan, you will find mention of mass transit, in addition to more detail about alternative energy development.
15
For all those concerned, Obama included in his stump speech toward the end of the campaign, a short rif on the benefits of riding high speed rail as opposed to flying. I don't think you need to worry that this is not in his plans. He envisioned direct rail links between Chi-town and Milwaukee and/or Indy as examples.
16
He is focusing on what can create the most jobs as quickly as possible. Most of the country has road maintenance and improvement projects that have been approved, but left languishing for years, decades in some cases, due to a lack of funding (most bridges in the country are waiting on such maintenance). There aren't nearly as many public transportation projects approved and waiting for funding. You can expect those to come online later in the administration. Another thing to remember is that when it comes to infrastructure the roads and bridges of the country must be well maintained in order for trucks to deliver food and other supplies. The simple fact is that this nation is too fucking big for a rail system to deliver goods to every hamlet- only trucks can do that.
And as someone else pointed out, it was a four-minute speech. Jeez.
And as someone else pointed out, it was a four-minute speech. Jeez.
17
god, god, the honey moon is waning before it starts
jesus, what a bunch of whiners
mass transit is big city stuff - and will be a focus
obama is going to put people to work in all sectors, and all regions
exciting to the max
where is cheney these days - seems to have just vanished - and Bush, is still president?
this is so good good good good
jesus, what a bunch of whiners
mass transit is big city stuff - and will be a focus
obama is going to put people to work in all sectors, and all regions
exciting to the max
where is cheney these days - seems to have just vanished - and Bush, is still president?
this is so good good good good
18
As a father of two small kids walking is not a practical option 99% of the time and never will be. Not everyone is an urban rat living in an apartment downtown.
19
The urban landscape highlights Barack Hussein Osama's elitist attitude towards ordinary, hard working Americans. This man looks down on us and our values, and in this skyscraper, he is now doing just that.
Maybe if he had actually spent time in the real world actually working instead of reading books and spreading Marxism throughout the south side of Chicago and turning negroes against American values as a community organizer, he would understand what being a real American is about.
I predict his presidency will go down in flames, and he will be swept out of office by Sarah Palin in 2012.
Stop the Marxist! Stop the Muslim! Stop the Radical!
Maybe if he had actually spent time in the real world actually working instead of reading books and spreading Marxism throughout the south side of Chicago and turning negroes against American values as a community organizer, he would understand what being a real American is about.
I predict his presidency will go down in flames, and he will be swept out of office by Sarah Palin in 2012.
Stop the Marxist! Stop the Muslim! Stop the Radical!
20
"Ooh! Ooh! Someone at CERN invented the internet. Still, yay Obama!"
The World Wide Web began as a CERN project called ENQUIRE, initiated by Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau in 1989.
Don't confuse the World Wide Web with the Internet.
The World Wide Web began as a CERN project called ENQUIRE, initiated by Sir Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau in 1989.
Don't confuse the World Wide Web with the Internet.
22
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Obama on Mass Transit
This if from the Charlotte Observer
Q: Charlotte just opened a new light-rail line. How do you feel about federal support for mass transit?
Obama: I'm a strong supporter, as part of our broader energy strategy. You know, if we are designing cities, and urban communities and suburban communities around two-hour commutes, then we are destined to continue down the course of climate change. And mass transit not only is far more environmentally sound, but with oil prices sky high, and not likely to go down significantly, because of increased demand by China and India, it gives individuals much more of an incentive to look at trains and mass transit as an alternative.
And as of Nov. 22 (from the Seattle Transit Blog):
http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/22…
Obama on Mass Transit
This if from the Charlotte Observer
Q: Charlotte just opened a new light-rail line. How do you feel about federal support for mass transit?
Obama: I'm a strong supporter, as part of our broader energy strategy. You know, if we are designing cities, and urban communities and suburban communities around two-hour commutes, then we are destined to continue down the course of climate change. And mass transit not only is far more environmentally sound, but with oil prices sky high, and not likely to go down significantly, because of increased demand by China and India, it gives individuals much more of an incentive to look at trains and mass transit as an alternative.
And as of Nov. 22 (from the Seattle Transit Blog):
http://seattletransitblog.com/2008/11/22…
23
Y'all know that Obama will disappoint many of us within the next year. We can plan on it, given the impossibly high expectations (save us!) and impossibly low resources (our paychecks!). But in the meantime, I'm beyond thrilled with the lovefest. Yes! We! Can!
25
Barack Obama is the summation of everyone who's been left behind by the 21st Century.
They ganged up for one last chance to drag us all down and backward.
They ganged up for one last chance to drag us all down and backward.
26
Tom Friedman's Sunday column is up now on The New York Times site, and boy, he really lays out just how enormous the stakes are with this stimulus. Basically, if the feds just funnel money to the same-old kinds of projects that just preserve the status quo, we're worse off than if there had been no stimulus at all.
And then there's this:
Please, Barack Obama, take just a few minutes out of your Sunday and read this column.
And then there's this:
It makes no sense to spend money on green infrastructure — or a bailout of Detroit aimed at stimulating production of more fuel-efficient cars — if it is not combined with a tax on carbon that would actually change consumer buying behavior.
Many people will tell Mr. Obama that taxing carbon or gasoline now is a “nonstarter.” Wrong. It is the only starter. It is the game-changer. If you want to know where postponing it has gotten us, visit Detroit. No carbon tax or increased gasoline tax meant that every time the price of gasoline went down to $1 or $2 a gallon, consumers went back to buying gas guzzlers. And Detroit just fed their addictions — so it never committed to a real energy-efficiency retooling of its fleet. R.I.P.
Please, Barack Obama, take just a few minutes out of your Sunday and read this column.
27
soo lets see here .. on the background: American flag -check; we are leaving the lamp on .. good, this nation is still a beacon of light .. okay; photograph - this is personalizing it here .. can't really tell what's goin' on but likely we have a family shot; oh and we are looking out over the city .. the nation rather. and as steven colbert reminds us just as an eagle watching out for her young....
I was a bit preocupied with how completely symetrical this scene is ..
I was a bit preocupied with how completely symetrical this scene is ..
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