Chicken Little strikes again

Obama: “Prepare for more bad news this year.”

I picked up the Des Moines Register this morning and was greeted by the above-mentioned headline. President Obama spoke at Georgetown University Wednesday, April 14. Scanning the first two paragraphs I see these words, written by Margaret Talev of the McClatchy newspapers; “Obama didn’t lay out any new proposals, but sought to justify the steps his administration has taken so far and to make the case for more regulation and spending. At the same time, he urged patience and lower expectations...”

Humh. I finished reading the article, and decided I needed to do some quick research into when he spoke at Georgetown, since the article didn’t mention that. Imagine my surprise when the first... the very first... hit that popped up was the following. “Sales down as Obama speaks of hope.” Humh again. The source for this different spin? www.aljazeera.net.  

Now, this is an entirely different spin on the tone I caught from Obama’s speech. Ruminate on the following quote.  “The severity of this recession will cause more job loss, more foreclosures, and more pain before it ends.” 

Here’s my point. I thought Warren Buffett already made it clear to the Obama administration that they needed to lay off the doom-and-gloom rhetoric. To coin an old phrase, when Warren Buffett speaks, people listen. I thought Obama was listening. Now I feel I was misguided in that thinking.  

Obama wants to have his cake and eat it too.  Maybe even worse... he’s turning into Marie Antoinette (let them eat cake!). Here’s my take on what I hear coming out of the White House.  “Things are bad. Really bad. And they’re going to get much, much worse. But hey, don’t give up hope! We’re not laying out any new proposals... we want more regulation and spending... so... lower your expectations and... have some hope!”  I almost sense a muttered-under-the-breath aside of, “Ya losers...”

I’d like to sit down with Obama and show him some old video of Ronald Reagan speaking to the nation. I felt safe, and yes I felt hopeful when Reagan was in office.  He was like the Dad of the nation. We thought he was a little off on issues at times, but he made us feel good.  Obama, make us feel good.  Stop the Chicken Little routine.