I am a Canadian who finds American politics an endless source of fascination. Over the past year I felt that President Obama was headed for the distinction of being a one-term president. This feeling was based on OBAMA 1.0, a politician who spoke in generalities, blamed others for failings, whined too much and ducked his leadership role.

BUT I HAVE CHANGED MY MIND.

Last night’s State of the Union Address revealed a new Obama. Let’s call him OBAMA 2.0. The new Obama is a significant upgrade over OBAMA 1.0. Key features, included:

• He was positive
• He was passionate
• He provided a credible and coherent blueprint to restore the American economy and its people.
• He was the leader we’ve been waiting for

OBAMA 2.0 provides a roadmap for practical change we can believe in. His vision recognizes both the power and limits of markets. It recognizes both the power and limits of government. It recognizes most of all that it’s people coming together and working together that will fire the great American engine once again.

It provides a formidable alternative to the cartoon capitalism espoused by the aspiring Republican presidential candidates.

It’s a winning position.

Back to John Gray on the crisis, from the attached Guardian clip. It is not possible to get the show back on the road. We are at the end of debt-based financial capitalism. There is no obvious replacement paradigm , thus we are in for an extended period of uncertainty. (more…)