Here are some Obama quotes we focussed on and some comments from our discussion group on Monday July 23rd. Please be patient while I improve my note-taking ability. We welcome comments from readers of this blog.
Ch 2 Values Discussion (took most of our discussion time)
“And yet I find myself returning again and again to my mother’s simple principle—‘How would that make you feel?’—as a guidepost for my politics. It’s not a question we ask ourselves enough, I think; as a country, we seem to be suffering from an empathy deficit. We wouldn’t tolerate schools that don’t teach, that are chronically under funded and understaffed and under inspired, if we thought that the children in them were like our children. . . . And it’s safe to assume that those in power would think longer and harder about launching a war if they envisioned their own sons and daughters in harm’s way. I believe a stronger sense of empathy would tilt the balance of our current politics in favor of those people who are struggling in this society. After all, if they are like us, then their struggles are our own. If we fail to help, we diminish ourselves. But that does not mean that those who are struggling—or those of us who claim to speak for those who are struggling—are thereby freed from trying to understand the perspectives of those who are better off. . . . I am obligated to try to see the world through George Bush’s eyes, no matter how much I may disagree with him. That’s what empathy does—it calls us all to task, the conservative and the liberal, the powerful and the powerless, the oppressed and the oppressor. We are all shaken out of our complacency. We are all forced beyond our limited vision.”
Jane – Obama places great value on seeking common ground with the issues. He's someone different who isn’t polarized. Obama is someone who does what he says. He shows respect.
Jan - Obama’s not as angry as I am. He listens.
“Unfortunately, too often in our national debates, we don’t even get to the point where we weigh these difficult choices. Instead, we either exaggerate the degree to which policies we don’t like impinge on our most sacred values, or play dumb when our own preferred policies conflict with important countervailing values . . . In a country as diverse as ours, there will always be passionate arguments about how we draw the line when it comes to government action. That is how our democracy works. But our democracy might work a bit better if we recognized that all of us possess values that are worthy of respect .”
Comments from discussion group:
Susan – Obama is not a politician. He’s a statesman. He talks about “We the people.”
Anna – Obama stood by his beliefs about the inappropriateness of the Iraq war in spite of the war being approved in the beginning.
Group discussion about dealing with controversial issues: Obama says that no one is exempt from the call to find common ground. First we have to define what both sides want; ask what basic values we share. Obama recommends phrasing religious values in more universal terms or language that we can all agree on. We asked ourselves how you would find common ground on an issue like abortion. Both Obama and his friend the Rev. Jim Wallis, author of "God's Politics", say that a place to start is to work together to reduce the need for abortion and thereby reduce the number.
Obama Quote – "We insist we value family, but then structure our economy and organize our lives so as to ensure that our families get less and less of our time."
Obama Quote: practice of modern politics….p.64 “Then there’s the fact that the practice of modern politics itself seems to be value-free. Politics (and political commentary) not only allows but often rewards behavior that we would normally think of as scandalous: fabricating stories, distorting the obvious meaning of what other people say, insulting or generally questioning their motives, poking through their personal affairs in search of damaging information.”
Discussion group comments
Kathy M. - Obama points out that many politicians are trained as lawyers who in general are always focussed on winning.
We discussed Obama's idea that the constitution is not a fixed blueprint, but a framework which can organize the way we argue and have a conversation. We need to persuade not coerce; the constitution forces us to examine motives and interests contantly.
Jan – We who support Obama TRUST him more than we trust the other candidates. He understands the constitution clearly.
Marty – It's impressive that as a professor of constitutional law, Obama says it was important that he be able to argue many issues from both sides.
Marty - People's biggest concers about his candidacy is his "lack" of experience. If they would read Audacity of Hope, they would learn that he has a good handle on what goes on in Washington.
Jan – He’s good with people!
Anna - Wouldn't it be interesting if every presidential candidate had to write his/her own book without help like Obama did?
The week of July 9th, two groups met at the public library in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to discuss "The Audacity of Hope." We plan to meet on a regular basis, discussing one or two chapters at a time. Anyone is welcome to attend these meetings. The next one is Monday July 23 at 2:00. Our discussion leaders, Jan S. and Susan S. will post highlights of the discussions.
