During his first year as president, Barack Obama did nothing that could have caused his numerous supporters, whether they are located in the U.S. or abroad, to lose their faith in him. On the other hand, nothing he did managed to reach expectations they had when this atypical president moved into the White House. Everyone clings to the same elusive hope from a year ago, and the frugal are happy that things are still running relatively smoothly. Others comment ironically that he has steered the now-infamous promise to bring “changes they could believe in” towards something less glamorous: i.e. only a few realistic promises. Obama can now admit that great reform is quite difficult to put into practice. Mediocre minds may get a wicked sense of satisfaction from seeing that reality is too tough even for such an honest man to tackle.
Nonetheless, they should not chuckle mindlessly. They should refrain, for the country’s future, as well as the solidarity fostered among democracies in general, depends on the manner in which Obama addresses certain domestic and international issues. The worst of the economic crisis has not yet passed, and day-to-day life suffers the indirect consequences of the “federal” waste of money. His opponents condemn the repeated use of stimulus packages funded by public money. Yet they protest in the name of an economic theory that turned banks into casinos. They should perhaps be more concerned about the ease with which the government continues to print money, worried about the supplies of ink and paper, yet oblivious to the legacy it passes on to future generations. Obama’s biggest challenge so far looms ahead. The original sin of the system is the fact that its very prosperity was built, for almost a century, on layer after layer of debt.
Years of living the high life went by, and nobody stopped to think about the financial failures or thin bank accounts the future could bring. The real economic landscape was scornfully ignored. And the time to take stock comes only in periods of crisis, which unfortunately arise recurrently. It is little wonder then that all prosperous societies glorify speculations involving virtual values instead of productive labor. The fireworks show goes on. And it will be difficult for Obama to put an end to the feast. He should explain to us all how the world’s greatest economic power can possibly start over with the same financial system and consumer-driven society. We are talking about the nation that makes the most gripping action movies, showing, in 3D already, an imminent nuclear or climatic apocalypse.
Has the possibility of living a fulfilled life at a personal or societal level become a mere piece of fiction? Obama has bravely risked ridicule for the moral dimension in his speeches and for holding values which have not been contaminated by the pathetic routine of politics. He will need even more courage in order to fight for each and every one of these values when the pragmatic realists of the political game and the sycophants of massive interest groups try to lower his standards and create an administration which lacks vision. Should he find it impossible to enforce even a simple piece of legislation in order to separate deposit banking from investment banking, we will have to admit that the American president in his oval office has become a mere puppet in comparison to the president of an international trust.
Similarly, it will be necessary to rebuild international institutions from the ground up, for they will become obsolete if the peace in the Middle East, Afghanistan or Pakistan depends solely upon the will of so-called enlightened minds dominated by tribal thinking, or the will of fundamentalist Zionists lost in vague biblical mythology who cannot engage in rational dialogue. Willingly or not, the United States of America must become, in a global perception, the leader that controls collective behavior – if such a thing can even exist. Because nowadays globalized communication channels facilitate not only the transfer of merchandise and currency, but also that of ideas and society values. Here is where Obama should step in and take the circulation of ideas to a whole new level in order to actually change mentalities. Some of his speeches were truly inspiring. However, he must also convince those who applauded him to follow his lead. Before anything else, Obama must prove himself by adopting measures that are decisive.
Nimic din ceea ce a intreprins Barack Obama in acest prim an de cand a devenit presedinte al Statelor Unite nu-i indreptateste pe numerosii sai partizani interni si externi sa-i retraga increderea. Dar nimic nu s-a ridicat totusi la inaltimea asteptarilor pe care aceiasi le nutreau cand au vazut sosind la Casa Alba un atat de atipic presedinte. Se aluneca pe aceeasi speranta glisanta, bine cel putin ca nu exista derapaje – spun cumpatatii. Mai ironicii nu ezita sa remarce felul cum a basculat celebra promisiune de a le aduce americanilor "schimbari in care ei pot sa creada" spre ceva mult mai tern: adica, doar cateva schimbari posibile. Acum, Obama recunoaste ca marile reforme sunt mult mai greu de realizat. Orice spirit mediocru trage o rautacioasa satisfactie vazand cat de dura e realitatea chiar si pentru dentitia sanatoasa a acestui om integru.
Ei n-ar trebui sa jubileze inconstient. Caci de felul in care va sti Obama sa iasa din cateva teribile contexte interne si internationale depind nu doar viitorul imediat al tarii sale, dar si soliditatea democratiilor in general. Nu a trecut de varful crizei economice, desi corecteaza realitatea cu rezultatele indirecte ale risipei "statale". Adversarii sai ii reproseaza aceste repetate interventii salvatoare cu banii publici. O fac insa in numele unei ideologii economice care a transformat bancile in cazinouri. Ar trebui sa-i ingrijoreze, poate, usurinta cu care rotativa americana continua sa tipareasca dolarii, privind ingrijorata doar spre stocul de cerneala si de hartie, nu la nota de plata pentru generatiile viitoare. Cea mai mare dificultate i se arata lui Obama ca Statuia Comandorului. Pacatul primordial al sistemului este tocmai prosperitatea care s-a cladit, de aproape un secol, pe straturi de credit suprapuse.
S-au vanturat toate peisajele paradisiace posibile, a fost in permanenta amanat sau exclus inconvenientul insuccesului sau soldul mai modest al zilei de maine. Peisajul economiei reale a ramas undeva departe, dispretuit. Iar ora bilantului a fost lasata doar pe seama crizelor, fatalmente repetitive. Nu e de mirare ca in toate societatile prospere munca productiva a devenit o cenusareasa, iar speculatia cu valori virtuale e printesa balului permanent. Spectacolul cu paiete si focuri de artificii continua. Ii va fi greu lui Obama sa sparga petrecerea. Obama ar trebui sa ne explice tuturor cum se face ca cea mai mare putere economica mondiala asteapta doar sa o ia de la capat, cu acelasi sistem financiar si cu acelasi dezmat de consum. Ea, care realizeaza si cele mai convingatoare filme de fictiune unde vedem, in trei dimensiuni deja, apocalipsul nostru posibil, fie nuclear fie climatic, instalat pe Terra.
Oare o viata reusita, proprie sau colectiva, este numai o fictiune amuzanta? Obama si-a asumat cu mult curaj riscul de a fi ridiculizat pentru dimensiunea morala din discursurile sale si pentru faptul ca afiseaza niste valori necontaminate de patetismul rutinier al politicii. Ii va trebui si mai mult curaj sa se bata pentru ele, centimetru cu centimetru, in momentul in care realistii ipocriti ai jocurilor politice si manevratii unor colosale interese de grup il trag puternic in jos, spre administrarea lipsita de orizont. Daca ii va fi imposibil sa impuna pana si o simpla legislatie care ar separa sectoarele depunerilor bancare de cele ale investitiilor, atunci va trebui sa recunoastem ca un presedinte american in biroul sau oval a devenit doar un simplu figurant al puterii, in comparatie cu un presedinte de trust international.
Tot asa, daca pacea in Orientul Mijlociu, in Afganistan sau in Pakistan depinde doar de vointa unor iluminati cu gandire tribala sau de fundamentalistii sionisti care traiesc in ceturile legendelor biblice si nu se gaseste nici o cale de dialog rational cu ei, inseamna ca toate structurile institutionale internationale ar trebui reformate din temelii, caci au devenit obsolete. Vrand-nevrand, Statele Unite ale Americii trebuie sa-si asume rolul de lider al unei conduite colective in mentalitatea globala – daca asa ceva exista. Caci in zilele noastre ecluzele mondializarii fac navigabile nu numai caile pe care se transporta marfuri si valori bancare, ci si ideile, valorile societale. Aici e asteptat, mai cu seama, Obama sa ridice nivelul circulatiei de idei si sa ne duca efectiv spre orizontul unor noi mentalitati. A rostit cateva dintre cele mai mobilizatoare discursuri. Va trebui sa-i convinga pe cei care l-au aplaudat sa-l si urmeze. Dar numai incepand prin a face anumiti pasi decisivi, ca sa arate ca se poate.
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Time will tell whether the strategic ambitions of the French-German alliance, including those regarding the European army, will jeopardize the EU's cohesiveness, and especially how much longer they can work together within NATO.