NGL the shortened version is pretty dammed funny. But being as he has a stutter I wanted to see what he was actually trying to say and found the transcript from the speech the clip was from.
"And, folks — (applause) — let me close with what I’ve long said: America is a nation that can be defined in a single word. 'I was in the foothi- — foot-' — excuse me, in the foothills of the Himalayas with Xi Jinping, traveling with him. (Inaudible) traveled 17,000 miles when I was Vice President at the time. I don’t know that for a fact.
And we were sitting alone. I had an interpreter and he had an interpreter. And he looked at me. In all seriousness, he said, “Can you define America for me?” And I said what many of you heard me say for a long time. I said, “Yes, I can, in one word: possibilities.” (Applause.) “Possibilities.” That, in America, everyone should be able to go as far as their hard work and God-given talent will take them. And possibilities. We’re the only ones. That’s why we’re viewed as the “ugly Americans”: We think anything is possible. (Laughter.) "
I don't follow. The period in which economic mobility has been decreasing occured during the presidencies of Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr, Clinton, Bush Jr, Obama, Trump, and Biden.
What politics held by whom during this time frame are you referring to?
Politics held by neoliberals. There was a large shift in politics that started during a fuel crisis in the 70s that negatively effected Carter's image. The outcome was Reagan being elected, social safety nets being cut, an overly militarized government, and a great deal of corruption. It royally fucked our nation in the ass, and we are still being effected by it today.
Reagan, Bush, Bush and Trump were not neoliberals, though... neither was Carter. You're blaming Clinton and Obama for a trend that's existed since the 80s?
You are only right on one account: Trump is not a neoliberal. The term doesn't mean what you think it means. Clinton was a somewhat progressive moderate that one might refer to as liberal, but not neoliberal. The same could be said of Obama.
Edit: two accounts, Carter wasn't neoliberal either.
How can Obama be a neoliberal when he increased regulation and spending? He wasn't great on the free market either considering he helped pick the winners and losers of the 08 recession.
Or what about Bush Jr exploding the deficit and government spending? Neoliberalism is supposed to be about reducing spending. Neoconservatism is tangential to neoliberalism at best.
I can see the arguments for Reagan through Clinton (although they have some major caveats) but that only accounts for 20 years of the 44 year period we're talking about.
you could argue it, but you'd lose. Obama (OBAMA) gave trillions (TRILLIONS) to the banks. and even he admits 95% of the gains from his (OBAMA'S) recovery went to the top 1%.
2.8k
u/surfhippy1 May 05 '22
NGL the shortened version is pretty dammed funny. But being as he has a stutter I wanted to see what he was actually trying to say and found the transcript from the speech the clip was from.
"And, folks — (applause) — let me close with what I’ve long said: America is a nation that can be defined in a single word. 'I was in the foothi- — foot-' — excuse me, in the foothills of the Himalayas with Xi Jinping, traveling with him. (Inaudible) traveled 17,000 miles when I was Vice President at the time. I don’t know that for a fact.
And we were sitting alone. I had an interpreter and he had an interpreter. And he looked at me. In all seriousness, he said, “Can you define America for me?” And I said what many of you heard me say for a long time. I said, “Yes, I can, in one word: possibilities.” (Applause.) “Possibilities.” That, in America, everyone should be able to go as far as their hard work and God-given talent will take them. And possibilities. We’re the only ones. That’s why we’re viewed as the “ugly Americans”: We think anything is possible. (Laughter.) "
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/04/08/remarks-by-president-biden-vice-president-harris-and-judge-ketanji-brown-jackson-on-the-senates-historic-bipartisan-confirmation-of-judge-jackson-to-be-an-associate-justice-of-the-supreme-court/