Will Anyone Listen?

This ought to be remembered as a seminal speech, addressing our most important economic/political problem; and an entirely factual critique of the likely irreversible damage done to our country and its future possibilities by trickle-down Reaganomics. (The meat begins at about 1:50.) It won't, of course. It'll be lied about by the RWS™, passed off as a call for communism, and have its point entirely missed by a lazy press more interested in the coming 2014 horse races, or whether he knew his uncle, than in the work necessary to be worthy of the title "reporter."

Other than climate change, growing economic inequality in the US is the greatest threat to our survival, and, very specifically and clearly, to our kind of capitalism. The speech, of course, will neither be heard nor understood nor given any thought at all by our right wing. If today's teabagging Republicans can force themselves to listen, with open mind and willingness to give consideration, to only one thing President Obama says, this is it. Because the truth of it is not in doubt, even if what we can or will do about it is. Sadly, that sort of willingness is long since dead, far as I can tell.

At minimum, given the huge importance of what the President is saying, you'd think it would stir a "national debate" on the central issues, with those who disagree doing so on the merits of the argument. Outlining matters of importance is what presidents ought to do. And on those rare occasions when they actually do, it ought to be given attention in its own right, rather than being subject to the usual hyperpartisan dissembling and mongering.

Yeah. Right. Anyone listening? To what he said, heard for its message and not through the prism of Foxorushsavbeckian purposeful lying? Just the words, and their meaning, without waiting for someone to tell you what you're supposed to think about it?

The full text is here. Not that it matters.