Former President Obama (D) has written a new book called "The Promised Land" in which he imagines an America that can one day "finally align with all that is best in us." He shared an adapted excerpt with The Atlantic, which they published last week.
He starts by regretting what has become of the country.
The country is in the grips of a global pandemic and an accompanying economic crisis, with more than 230,000 Americans dead, businesses shuttered, and millions of people out of work. Across the nation, people from all walks of life have poured into the streets to protest the deaths of unarmed Black men and women at the hands of the police. Perhaps most troubling of all, our democracy seems to be teetering on the brink of crisis—a crisis rooted in a fundamental contest between two opposing visions of what America is and what it should be; a crisis that has left the body politic divided, angry, and mistrustful, and has allowed for an ongoing breach of institutional norms, procedural safeguards, and the adherence to basic facts that both Republicans and Democrats once took for granted. (The Atlantic)
Obama's skepticism about America's future is a theme throughout the piece. Toward the end of the excerpt, he wonders if we Americans "can actually live up to the meaning of our creed."
"The jury's still out," he answers.
It couldn't help but remind us of when former first lady Michelle Obama said she was finally proud of her country after so many Americans had voted for her husband in the 2008 presidential election.
"For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country — and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change," Mrs. Obama said. Obama would later defend his wife and claim she was talking about American politics.
But Americans like South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) reject the Obamas' way of thinking. On Twitter, she argued that Obama's new book is "ridiculous" considering that in his eight years as president, he singlehandedly upended the American Dream.
What a ridiculous message. Obama had 8 years, including 2 with full control of Congress. He sent our jobs to China, left our healthcare system in disarray, our foreign policy in shambles & our people divided. Instead of blaming Trump, Obama should consider what led to 2016. pic.twitter.com/9Vv4EUSbLg
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) November 12, 2020
Gov. Noem is one of what seems like only a handful of governors that truly get it when it comes to both keeping citizens safe and protecting their livelihoods. She refused to lock down her state, even when it seemed like the trend. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, for instance, just shuttered Michigan again over the weekend after a rise in COVID cases. But Noem has kept businesses open. In doing so, she likely saved thousands of jobs.
And that's why she's sending a warning about a Biden-Harris administration.
Just like we said, Biden's team wants lockdowns.
— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) November 12, 2020
We already know that lockdowns DON'T stop the spread of the virus. However, they destroy small businesses and jobs, and they make it difficult for families to put food on the table.https://t.co/ktDPedRM9e