When Inspiration Just Doesn’t Cut It



2009 March, 20th
Phil Butler
Phil Butler
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Believe it or not, I am actually a big fan of Barack Obama. Even so, the American public has effectively “put all their eggs in one basket” with their expectations of this man. In a post on my personal blog before Obama was elected, I took a good bit of heat from my constituents in the US, and the reader cannot imagine how many said; “But, have you heard him speak?” in response to my criticism of all the candidates. Simply put, expecting this President, or any President, to solve the world’s problems with solutions we all want to hear is simply ridiculous.

The Buck Stops Here

Obama just launched what some are calling a major PR campaign in light of the backlash over AIG’s abuse of bailout money. Obama owned up to his responsibility in the matter with a sort of “the buck stops here” quip. This gives the new President an edge over his predecessor, but what America and the world needs now are results.

Obama is correct in his assessment of the overall problem in that he understands greed has played a major role in the recent economic debacle. For my part, I wonder just how stupid these Wall Street and banking morons had to be not to understand the far reaching effects of their folly. Of course, having a few hundred million in the bank when everyone else is flat broke does have its advantages I am sure. Obama told a packed town hall meeting in Orange County, California:

These bonuses, outrageous as they are, are a symptom of a much larger problem.

The larger problem, that would be that the global economy has only been worse once since the 19th Century? Yes there is a larger problem, it is called stupidity. I will not get into that discourse now, but suffice it to say that the average American spends way too much time in WalMart trying to save $100 a year, while billions of their tax dollars are being spent feathering someone else’s bed.

Something Shiny In The Sandy

My best friend, a man of imminent practical and business intelligence told me not long ago; “Hey if I can save a dollar I don’t care where the merchandise comes from.” Another friend once criticized an executive who was thrift conscious to a flaw saying; “There goes a man who would jump over a hundred dollar bill to grab something shiny in the sand.” This is the American national anthem these days, roll back prices no matter who gets hurt, even me and my family.

So here we are, the polish is already wearing off of our new icon, the would be JFK of our time. We cannot blame the President for all our woes, he did not create this mess, we did. We watched George Bush and his cronies spend a billion dollars a day losing a war that was won. We need to hear what we want to hear, more than we are resolved to make tough choices.

What tough choices you might ask? Well, for one, try paying a little more for American made products instead of outsourcing ever-single-manufacturing-or-production-job you HAD to people 12,000 miles away. Mom and Pop are gone, along with any viable industry capable of supporting a people who want any chance at a future. It is fairly simple, expecting to work at WalMart, so you can buy from your children working at McDonalds, is not exactly the American Dream now is it.

Standing On Their Own Two Feet?

AIG is a prime example of what “brokering in air” has done for America and the world. A few people get rich on your money, while you are left holding the bag. Speaking of air, Mr. President, selling air to the American people is not your job, leading them on a viable course is. No PR campaign ever devised can paint stupidity into inspired action. Bailing out AIG may not have even been a viable idea in the first place.

Perhaps the hard choice of losing is what some companies and the people who invest in them should make. You have the license to lead, at least your candor in accepting responsibility leaves us with hope. In fairness to the President, in his recent meetings with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Obama did approach the issue of hard choices:

You can’t ask local elected officials to balance the budget and cut taxes and increase roads. Somebody’s got to pay for it – President Barack Obama

Ray Of Hope

Though not as inspirational as one of his campaign speaches, the dialogue between Obama and Schwarzenegger is at least somewhere near being on the right track. Larger issues lay ahead, but correct action and safeguards against the likes of AIG and others need to be addressed. This presidency needs to be about the long haul for the American people and the world, and not just the same old agenda. Succeeding in that, well – then no one will need a PR campaign.

About the Author

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Phil Butler is editor-in-chief of Everything PR and senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. He’s a widely cited authority on beta startups, search engines and public relations issues, and he has covered tech news since 2004. Phil wrote in the past for ReadWriteWeb, Mashable, Profy, SitePoint, Search Engine Journal, AltSearchEngines. Follow Phil on Twitter or send him an email at phil [at] pamil-visions [dot] com.

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  1. Pingback by Obama's 60 Minutes Interview Analyzed In Body Language on 25 March 2009:

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