Barack Obama and the S'pore way

[makapaaa]

<TABLE id=msgUN cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=msgUNsubj vAlign=top>Coffee Shop Talk - Barack Obama and the S'pore way</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>

Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF noWrap align=right width="1%">From: </TD><TD class=msgFname noWrap width="68%">PAPalBull <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate noWrap align=right width="30%">3:53 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT noWrap align=right width="1%" height=20>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname noWrap width="68%">ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 4) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft width="1%" rowSpan=4> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>706.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>A part of the powerful nomination acceptance speech that Barack Obama gave the Democratic Convention yesterday grabs the attention for its relevance to Singapore's political malaise:

"I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.
You make a big election about small things.

And you know what - it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.

I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you."
​

His speech was moving, inspiring, and most important of all, forward-looking - exactly what America needs in these troubled times.

Once upon a S'pore dream, a young LKY was equally eloquent. Those days are gone. He lost his way.

Will we have to wait long-long for the day when such leaders are once again an integral part of our political landscape?</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[madmansg]

i dont trust anyone who run on such idealism. If idealism can work , communism would rule the world instead of capitalism. Communism , NKF and Renci are example of corruption of idealism.

NS is also idealims that is killing Sg.

 

[myjohnson]

The day he is still around is the day you, we have to wait long long. Period.

 

[HTOLAS]

This part of the speech hit me too, because it describes exactly the situation in Singapore. It is not that we have to be idealistic about everything all the time - but how can we be expected to be anything other than cynical if all our big elections are about small things, e.g. upgrading, and another round of upgrading. And can a cynical people with eyes firmly fixed at their navels lift their heads long enough to see, let alone face up to, the big challenges ahead of us?

The political landscape created by the PAPzis prevents an Obama or another LKY from emerging - it knocks them down before they can gain a foothold. Instead, I fear that it would breed an murky underground movement that would strike when they are distracted by another round of dissatisfaction about another round of their pay rises.

 

[madmansg]

obama reminds me about tt durai and renci monk. Full of themselves and fake.

 

[JHolmesJr]

Obama has brilliant speechwriters.

 

[banova888]

i dont trust anyone who run on such idealism. If idealism can work , communism would rule the world instead of capitalism. Communism , NKF and Renci are example of corruption of idealism.

NS is also idealims that is killing Sg.

NS seems to be working the way the gov wants it to work and you are a good example. You said that You don't trust anyone who runs on idealism Who started NS for Singapore