These are Barack Obama’s closing remarks in Philadelphia. He reminds us what we believe in, what we value, who we are.
Nobody does it better.
He is eloquent, down to earth, moving.
Contrast his talk with Trump’s gutter language, his sneering, his insults, his fake patriotism, and his arrogance. Be reminded of what matters most in this election: civility, decency, honesty, which Obama refers to as old-fashioned values, the values we grew up with.
Whose values will prevail?
It’s up to us.
(If you want to read more about this speech, go to Tony Wilson’s site, Speakola.)
Diane Ravitch's blog 
“Who$e value$ will prevail?”
The one with the highe$t value$
LikeLike
Ie, billionaire value$
LikeLike
It’s actually not up to us.
According to a recent Supreme Court Opinion (Just us United)
“We’re the umpire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you’re studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we’ll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that’s how things will sort out. We’re history’s actors…and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do’
LikeLike
Ayn Rand’s fantasy has become our reality.
LikeLike
Billionaire Family Value$
What matter$ mo$t
Are lot$ and lot$
Of brim-filled boat$
Of hundred spot$
What matter$ mo$t
Are dollar tallie$
So here$ a toa$t
To fam’ly value$
LikeLike
Words of motivation do not matter any more. Actually voting does. If you need a last minute inspirational speech in the final moments before Election Day to make a decision about voting, you are a major part of the reason democracy in the U.S. may be on its last legs.
LikeLike
I was going to vote for all Republicans on billionaire Elon Musk’s urging, but now that I have listened to 70 million-aire Obama, I have decided to split the difference and vote for half of them.
My only decision to make is “which half?”
LikeLike
I believe in voting independence.
LikeLike
The outcome is all about turnout. Anything that gets people to connect the politics to their own lives—not their resentments—will increase turnout.
The greatest puzzle to me: Why do people in the most impoverished districts and states vote for people who will fight for big corporations and billionaires?
LikeLike
For the same reason they buy lottery tickets. Fantasizing beats out caring about mundane public policy every day.
LikeLike
Obama’s words of motivation matter because there’s no one else in the Democratic party anywhere (at least in our red world) who can stand up to the reality show entertainers mesmerizing America to vote for them.
And, after the crazies and racists and people really just ticked off about anything “other people get” and they don’t – – – WHO are the other MILLIONS voting for the football star, the ex-tv-dr-talk-show guy, guilt-by-association-anti-Semitic, the I-will-not-accept-the-vote-if-I-lose people?
There are sane, regular, everyday, people voting for them. Why?
We need these words and a heck of a lot more candidates who can lead with presence, not just words.
LikeLike
Neoliberal, multimillionaire Obama didn’t begin his charismatic pep talks until late in the race.
Bernie Sanders, the most authentic Democratic presidential candidate in recent memory, has been crisscrossing the country, encouraging people to vote for Democrats.
Yet you would never know that based on the nearly non-existent coverage afforded him by the mainstream media.
I get it that now we need all hands on deck to avoid fascism. Perhaps if Obama and our other neoliberal Dems hadn’t insisted on punishing public school teachers and home owners while rewarding Wall Street banksters, these races wouldn’t be so darn close.
LikeLike
So true, Eleanor, so true. Bernie is & has been, amazingly, tirelessly, out there (take that, those of you who look at him as aged out: he exudes more energy & oomph than someone half his age). If it weren’t for the neo-libs’ agenda, a 2024 run would be in the cards–the 3rd time’s the charm?
(I’m just typing in a pipe dream because, of course, Sanders had never been in the clique (Wall Street fiends, er, friends) required to win the Democratic nomination.
I agree with everything you’ve portrayed Obama to be (I will never forgive him for what he did to public education–& twice–Arne AND John King–worse than Betsy DeFoe, much, much worse–Arne simply set the stage for her). &–his late arrival–not cool. BUT–I will give him this: even if I don’t like, even if we here don’t like, it’s been a great thing that he did jump in to stump for Dem candidates. People generally love hearing/seeing him*: he’s an eloquent speaker w/the right demeanor &, after the absolutely horrific it45 years (& continuation of having to constantly hear about & seeing the it {ugh!}), it’s a relief to look back on a relatively normal presidency. *People love Michelle, too. Watch how quickly her new book leaps to #1 of the NYT Bestsellers list!
BTW–The elections have been mostly thrilling. Illinois stays blue (& not ILL-Annoy!), Kathy Hochul & Gretchen Whitmer re-elected & what about that Fetterman?!?! Gotta love that guy. & did you know his wife signs her missives with her name, & under that: SLOP
(Second Lady of Pennsylvania)
That came out when she wrote one in which she PROMISED that her husband would wear a SUIT to his one & only debate w/the wizard of Oz! I LOVE these people w/a sense of humor about themselves.
LikeLike
Nonvoters like my parents were, may determine if the US survives or not. My parents, both gone for decades now, didn’t vote. I grew up hearing my dad sy why bother since all politicians were crooks and liars.
I understand why they thought this way. Both were children during the Great Depression. Because of the Great Depression and a lack of leadership up until FDR, they had to drop out to find jobs and never graduated from high school. Both were on their own at 14. My mother, at 14, worked as a waitress in a Tacoma Washington café supporting her mother and a younger half sister. My dad’s first real job at 14 was mucking out the horse stalls at Santa Anita racetrack in Los Angeles County and trekking into the San Gabriel mountains on his days off, to fill 50-pounds sacks with wild oak leaf mulch that he sold to plant nurseries. He said he was paid $25 cents for each 50 pounds.
LikeLike
My parents also grew up during the Great Depression, Lloyd, but they were the opposite of yours. My dad (o.b.m.) was a first generation American, his parents having come over during the pogroms in the early 20th c. Both of them were absolutely adamant about voting–every election, every single election. The firehouse on the corner of our suburban block was the polling place, & my Mom (o.b.m.) would take my sister & I with her every time she went to vote. The election judges always had a lollypop or some other treat (they often brought home-baked goods to share w/fellow judges & poll workers, some of which we were always offered), making us feel really special & eager to be future voters. &, funny, I’ll never forget the first time I was old enough to vote in a presidential election & became a registered voter. I would never have thought it (well, ok, maybe I would): my Dad called me to ask me if I’d voted yet (he was still at work). I hadn’t, & he said, “Be sure to vote for Richard Nixon, honey.” Given the time & that I was so taken aback, I answered, “I’ll be sure to do that, Daddy.”
&, of course, didn’t. Years later, even many years after Nixon resigned, we were watching a news program about the 1970s. My father grumbled, “What a crook…I’m sorry I ever voted for him, & sorry I told you to vote for him, too.”
“Well, Dad, I didn’t.” “Good,” Dad answered, “I’m glad you didn’t listen to me.”
Now, Dad NEVER would have voted for it45, &, as an avid newshound, watcher of the world & following all things political, if he knew what was going on today he’d be extremely saddened for his grandchildren & great-grandchildren, & he’d probably tell me to vote for…Bernie Sanders.
LikeLike