Some men that have lived in the subsidized housing called The White House perpetuate the notion that their intellect is superior to all others. The fact is that holders of what might be considered the highest office in the world simply convinced enough voters to click their box at the polling place. These men (no women so far) all made vague promises, threats and assurances and repeated the oath of office. The oath is similar to marriage vows in that there are lofty words, abstract commitments and bold but nebulous pledges.
The result is that about half of our marriages end up ‘on the rocks’ but we are stuck with the people we elect for their term in office. What was experienced during the campaign or the courtship was the aroma but the taste doesn’t permeate until the ‘honeymoon is over.’ Well, the political honeymoon is over.
What the USA has ended up with is a healthcare plan that is favored by a minority of voters that will wreak havoc on spending in the range of well over a trillion dollars and is discriminatory at best. The IRS scandal rose to the very pinnacle of the agency’s bureaucrats. The perpetrators of the Benghazi disaster remain at large in spite of promises of apprehension and justice since the September 2012 incident. The ‘Fast and Furious’ gunrunning scheme has received denials, inadequate records and no accountability. A payoff to the UAW-CIO was called an auto bailout but handed ownership benefits to the union trust funds and stiffed the bondholders (investors). The auto industry stimulus named ‘cash for clunkers’ was amateur week in econ 101.
Evidence of contempt for established government rules erupted in January when Mr. Obama appointed three members to the NLRB and Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau without Congressional endorsement. The D.C. Court of Appeals ruled against the President imperiling 600 decisions of the NLRB. There has been a question whether Mr. Cordray should even receive a paycheck after issuing thousands of pages of regulations at the CFPB.
Regarding the recent shutdown of 17% of the government, the blame is placed squarely on Republicans according to the President. The press swallows the bait without a burp. Consider the facts, the President, the Senate, and the media are liberals. The Republican House was attempting to avoid or postpone the pitfalls of the unfolding healthcare catastrophe. Authentic leaders don’t look for those to blame; they seek solutions. They search for and pursue avenues of negotiation and they don’t expect resolution by default or by proxy.
The President hasn’t had much time to talk with Congress but he seems to have time to spread disparaging rhetoric about Republicans from the Rose Garden, at a Maryland construction site and in other comments recently
Real men and women of character, true leaders, deft negotiators don’t retreat and demean their adversaries to prosaic audiences. Rather they immerse themselves in the issues so that they can understand both sides better for it is rare that one side holds all the high ground.
In his arrogance, the President in a speech on October 17 told his listeners that if you don’t like particular policies, go out and win an election. The implication is that as President of the United States he is always right and his adversaries are always wrong. In his speech, he denounced lobbyists, bloggers, talking heads and professional activists in an effort to disarm critics. Adverse views have always been the very essence of the United States of America.
Yes, the honeymoon is over. With the national debt eclipsing $17 trillion and spiraling out of control, a torpid economy, entitlements outgrowing available resources, 17% of the economy (healthcare) transformed to resource redistribution and inept foreign policies brings to light the immortal words of James Freeman Clarke, “A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman of the next generation.” Amen.
– Dick Baynton