To the Editor:
In “Don’t Give Up Now” (editorial, Jan. 26), you write, in connection with health care reform, that President Obama and Congressional Democrats have “clearly failed to explain why reform will make Americans’ lives more secure—not less.”
Yes, a mighty big failure. And a perplexing one, too, in the case of the president. I wish you’d gone on to wonder why oh why he hasn’t even once emulated President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “fireside chats.” Roosevelt spoke directly to the American people, from the White House, explaining complicated issues in simple language. Thus he gained vast public support.
President Obama would be at his best in such direct, person-to-person, demystifying talks. Instead, he stands on a podium in front of large audiences in formal settings (like the coming State of the Union address) and sounds sincere and earnest, heart in the right place, but somewhat remote and not the least bit enlightening.
What a missed opportunity.
Joel Raphaelson
Chicago, Jan. 26, 2010
Note from KBJ: President Obama is an egghead, and eggheads shouldn't be running this country. If we have learned anything from the Obama presidency (already), it is that intelligence is insufficient for leadership. I'd rather have a dolt with good values than a genius with bad values.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 