Obama and Inclusive Capitalism

Another SOTU, another round of inspection and dissection. Add 5 different republican responses and you have grist for a months worth of punditry.  My take on the President's speech as heard in the clips and commentary is one of hope and combativeness.   As ever, Obama is hopeful that something meaningful will get done by congress.  Since the last two congresses have set new records for inactivity, I believe the president's hope is woefully misplaced.  The adversarial tone of the speech was more welcome.  In his heart, I think Obama has finally realized he is so hated by the redneck, racist republican base that no one from the GOP can be seen as even agreeing with him, much less working with him.  That and the realization he doesn't have to campaign any more freed him to express his progressive mojo.  The idea of "inclusive capitalism" seems to have found a home in the democratic party as a counterweight to republican support for trickle down capitalism.  The former makes the government the counterweight to unbridled greed and market rigging.  The latter would continue the accumulation of vast wealth at the very top of income distribution.  The democrats desperately need a doctrine which gives hope to the lower and middle classes.  Without a concrete program which helps the 99%, dems will probably continue to control the White House, but will be stymied by a congress which is basically bought and paid for by powerful interests opposed to any redistribution of income.  That is the challenge thrown down by Obama.  Subsidized higher education, tax breaks for the middle class, a higher minimum wage for those struggling at the bottom.  All these things will create a more inclusive society.  We can dream...