Health & Fitness
Obama: A Reflection of Clement Attlee
The President is following a blueprint instituted sixty years ago that now haunts Great Britain
“An empty taxi pulled up to 10 Downing Street, and when the door opened, out stepped Attlee. ”
Winston Churchill
What is the true economic philosophy of Barack Obama? The answer isn’t that difficult to determine, based upon his steadfast support of the platform of “change” upon which he campaigned. Obama has been painted by the right as a socialist, and if compared to European contemporaries like former British Prime Minister Clement Attlee, this portrait of Obama is a veritable Monet.
Consider the post WWII political career of Mr. Attlee. He ran against a national legend and hero, Winston Churchill, on a theme of “Let Us Face The Future”, an eerily similar refrain of Obama’s “Change We Can All Believe In” and won a stunning victory. During his six years as Prime Minister from 1945-1951, Attlee successfully lobbied for virtually the entire foundation of The Beveridge Report, which aimed for full employment and the basis for a welfare state in Britain. Initial government investment was made in public housing and infrastructure improvements, much akin to Obama’s “American Recovery & Reinvestment Act.” Additional measures passed included the National Health Service and National Insurance Act of 1946 (Obamacare). Attlee also embarked on his commitment to the nationalization of basic industries and utilities, including banking in 1946 (sounds like TARP, doesn't it?), coal mining, railways, road hauling, electricity and gas. Britain’s auto manufacturing industry escaped Atlee’s tentacles, unlike the fate of General “Government” Motors and Chrysler by Obama. By 1951, 20% of Britain’s economy had been taken into government ownership!
Attlee’s legacy until recently had been held in high regard by most historians. Now however, Britain’s attempt to reduce debt and its bloated government payroll can be directly sourced to Attlee’s policies of 60+ years ago. With Attlee’s career in mind, Obama would be wise to veer away from his own nationalist convictions. Many in his own party and the majority of Americans have already done so. Will Obama look in the mirror and see Attlee, or instead look at an altered reflection of himself and adjust a course that is his own?
