Obama’s second 100 days have gone by since my last post – I’ve been dying to post but pre-occupied with higher priority projects and deadlines. I’m working from a few rushed notes and memory, and hardly know where to begin.
The Emperor’s Clothes
There actually does seem to be some evidence of Obama’s divinity – he has seemed almost omnipresent lately. Except at Fox News. But the true Christ went even to preach to the spirits in prison, so it would appear that Obama is not the Messiah, after all.
And many believed greatly in Obama’s almost divine powers of speech and persuasion. Until those powers were proven lacking against the Olympic selection committee (even with the similarly divine Oprah), and Ahmedinejad, and the blue dog Democrats, and American opinion polls and townhalls, and..... But perhaps there’s another explanation – perhaps all of those are Philistines, Scribes and Pharisees who just can’t appreciate true personal greatness when they see it – such seemed to be the explanation on return from Copenhagen.
If only Obama were half as enthusiastic and unapologetic about America in other venues (that really matter) as he was in Copenhagen arguing for his Chicago political cronies.
In another odd role-reversal, France’s president Sarkozy apparently called the US spineless in the face of evil (e.g., Iran), implying our leader is among those who live in a virtual world, not reality. This is not the first time Sarkozy has usurped leadership of the free world (see June 18 post) from it’s more traditional title-holder, the U.S. president. Apparently Mr. Obama is still under the delusion he (& Hillary?) has some great powers of persuasion and negotiation to deter an evil tyrant’s march to genocide. But of course he is greater than Mr. Chamberlain vs. Adolf Hitler, and is willing to stake the lives of 6 million Jews on it. And he is willing to throw Poland and Czechoslovakia under the bus, reneging on the missile defense basing agreement, just as easily as he threw his own grandmother under the racism bus. All this of course distances our allies, and emboldens our enemies, leaving us in no-man’s land. And they complain about where Bush took us?
The Rogue’s Gallery
The rogue’s gallery of unsavory Obama associations just continues to unfold, like layers of an onion. Now we have ACORN exposed for it’s voting registration fraud & corrupt advocacy of criminal activity in receipt of federal funds (the pimp-prostitute videos). Here again we have a 20 year association where Mr. Obama pleads ignorance – just as in the Rev. Wright case. Either he’s naïve and ignorant, an idiot, or lies. Not to mention Van Jones – the Marxist green jobs czar exposed by Glenn Beck and forced in the light of day to resign. A couple weeks ago it was learned another czar (education) was supportive of a member of NAMBLA, and gave inappropriate sexual advice to a student. And this week the administration’s communications director (and point person against Fox News), Anita Dunn, was shown in a videotaped speech to students extolling the wisdom of one of her 2 most admired philosophers – Chairman Mao! Killer of some 30-70 million people – putting Hitler (the left’s favorite bogeyman) to shame. It just never seems to end. Do they not vet these people, or do they just think we’re all ignorant, stupid or will no longer be shocked or outraged after several of them? Can't we see that he's doing exactly what he promised -- transforming America? Into a leftist paradise. People didn't take "Mein Kampf" at face value, either, until it was too late.
Michelle Malkin has compiled a book titled, “Culture of Corruption; Obama and his Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies.” These of course also include cabinet nominees forced to withdraw, terrorist Bill Ayres, etc, etc. I’ve seen an investigative report on ACORN’s extortion/confiscatory tactics of intimidation by well-organized mobs that reminded me of Bolshevik mob scenes from Dr. Zhivago. But of course true leftist believers have always believed that the ends justifies the means, and will not back down. The only hope is that the rest of America will eventually connect all the many dots and begin to use inductive reasoning. One or two or a few could perhaps be mere exceptions, but at some point a rule is established. One can be judged by one’s associates. And Mr. Obama appears much more interested in associating and dealing with unsavory characters (our enemies) than our friends abroad, as well.
Obamacare
There is broad agreement on the need for health care reforms. But the Democrat/Obama manufactured “crisis” mentality and legislative urgency continue overriding Obama’s promise of transparency and bipartisanship. And their particular solutions, including the “public option,” are clearly out of step with concerns over frightening deficits, and the over 80% who are satisfied with their health care & coverage. Only a few percent are uninsured (many/most by choice), and most of them get care they’re satisfied with. Of course the super-majority Democrats can steam-roll and ignore the bona fide proposals the Republicans make, including tort reform, interstate plan competition and more. And they use the subterfuge claim that Republicans have no plan of their own but only criticize the Democrats. More lies or ignorance.
Obama’s mantra of more people covered (including no denial for pre-existing conditions), better care and lower cost (with no caps on coverage & limit on out-of-pocket expenses) defies simple logic. In addition to listening to his generals more, he’d do well to listen to the sad lesson learned by NASA not long ago, after they embarked on the “faster, better, cheaper” spacecraft program. They soon found you can’t get all 3 at once – you can get 1 or 2 of the 3, but you pay for it with the other(s).
And now we’re starting to see hints of how we’d pay -- increasing the minimum level of medical care tax deduction from 7.5 to 10% (tax the sick), and tax benefits. And apparently he would cut Medicare benefits – not just to abusers. And make the insurance companies cover all routine checkups, which on top of further limiting out-of-pocket expenses, etc., they’ll have to raise their rates and lose out in the competition against a government-subsidized government option, or single-payer. Which apparently is the foot in the door (in addition to requiring it of those w. no jobs, or changing jobs) – the government “option” ultimately becomes the only “option.” At least one lefty has been taped telling supporters that is their strategy. They’re slick, and are only slowed or stopped by us staying on top of their tricks and pushing back hard. They only seem to play by ,and respond to, aggressive, loud tactics, and we need to be louder than the very vocal left.
On Oct. 8 Prager quoted a Wall Street Journal article that the Obama plan will significantly reduce funding for cancer research – picking & choosing, micromanaging to help pay for the plan. And payments for anti-tumor radiation therapy will fall 44%. Seems like the "death panels" they were so busy denying to Sarah Palin are already in operation crafting the legislation. Again, something’s got to give – you can’t cover more people for more conditions without paying somehow.
Obamanomics
And for anyone who believes he’ll find $500 billion in waste, fraud & abuse in Medicare to help pay for it all, I’ve got a bridge.... Why not find & fix that before saying we can afford it? Expanding government programs has only ever increased opportunities for waste, fraud & abuse. Just look at the money trail to ACORN & abuses there. And besides, Obama’s economic prediction prowess is clearly lacking, after acknowledging a $2 trillion underestimate of the 10 yr deficit (“a trillion here, a trillion there....pretty soon it adds up to real money”), and the jobless rate now nearly 2 percentage points higher than the highest he predicted/promised. What confidence can we have in any of his economics? Clearly he's more interested in pushing his leftist, socialist agenda than in fiscal responsibility. We, our kids and their kids will be paying for his binge – just like a college kid with a new credit card.
And now the liberal/left declare health care (not just access to it) a “right.” The basic rights to life, liberty & pursuit of happiness in the Constitution continue to grow. And where do they stop? Right to free education, a house (they already tried that with subprime mortgages that precipitated the crash), a car, a 60” TV,..... True constitutional rights impose no obligation or demand on the part of others (other than non-interference), but are merely freedoms. Tax-subsidized health care reduces others’ right to their own earned money. But I guess that right gives way to others’ right to your earned money. As Marx said, “To each according to their need, and from each according to their ability.”
The “War of Necessity”
And now to the commander in chief, who someone pointed out has spent more time with David Letterman (another rogue we learned this week) than his general in charge of the “war of necessity,” Gen. McChrystal. We’ll see how he paints himself out of this corner, after having committed wholeheartedly to the necessity of it, but with the left nipping at his heels to get out, and his general requesting 40,000 more troops in an Iraq-style surge (which did work).
The correlation of dramatic recent gains by the Taliban in Afghanistan & Pakistan with Obama’s presidency & waffling on Afghanistan has left some wondering (e.g., Robert Kaplan in the Atlantic Monthly, http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200910u/obama-afghanistan ) if it isn’t because Obama’s uncertain tone drives those sitting on the fence to hedge their bets by cozying up with the Taliban. “The public agony over his deliberations may already have done incalculable damage.” And gives heart to the Taliban & Al Qaeda – they’ve grown very bold in recent attacks in Pakistan against military headquarters, and if they can do that, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch that they could overpower a nuclear facility.
Of course Afghanistan is different in various ways, but the consequences of failure there are clearly unacceptable, with a resurgent Taliban & Al Qaeda, and unstable nuclear Pakistan. Will we continue to allow them safe haven & staging in Pakistan, or be willing to figuratively cross the Yellow River or Cambodian border? More than the Predator pinpricks. I believe our military is stretched way too thin, and given today’s threats we need to re-grow the force – it never recovered from the Clinton (& Bush) cuts/limits -- we (or Clinton) no doubt overestimated the "peace dividend" at the end of the Cold War. There is conservation of evil in the world -- a concept the left is incapable of.
Liberal Tactics
I tend to agree with Ann Coulter that liberals won’t (can’t) argue intelligently with adults (they tend to just call people names), so now they’re indoctrinating elementary school kids, as in the Obama praises video reminiscent of Hitler Youth or Young Communist Pioneers, or N. Korean kids praising the “Supreme Leader.” Of course they’ve long been indoctrinating at the college level, so they’re just expanding.
On Hugh Hewett Aug. 20 (hr. 1), Mark Steyn apparently had some great exposition of the left’s media tactics – character assassination (Limbaugh, Palin, Beck, Fox News,...), biased “experts” on talk shows, etc. Obama’s staff’s & Congress’ tactics continue to drive wedges rather than unite as he claimed he would/could. And Obama claimed he'd de-politicize the White House -- did Bush attack the liberal media like Obama has Fox, Cheney, Limbaugh, etc.?
They characterize tea party-goers & Washington D.C. mass protesters (if they covered it at all) as deranged (gee, didn’t the Nazis & Communists “take care of” people diagnosed as mentally ill because of political incorrectness?), mean-spirited, or racist – “tea-baggers,” “astro turf” (organized as opposed to grass-roots). This from the left that has invented and long monopolized community organizing (Mr. Obama’s main prior experience), artificial protests, mean-spirited, violent, profane political activist expression? Sounds like projection to me. Compare the behavior of the recent D.C. protesters with the inaugural where it took weeks to clean up the mess (I saw it with my own eyes weeks later). They justify extinguishing the politically incorrect as hate speech at universities, etc. – and now appear to be making moves to broaden the prohibition.
The Libyan Mass Murderer
The Scots apparently salve their consciences (empty churches & secular values) and demonstrate their superior morality by “compassionately” releasing a mass murderer – the Lockerbie bomber. They would pervert justice for that, and possibly, as it turns out, for Libyan oil. But there’s no liberal outcry of “no blood for oil!” for the blood of the victims, although polls in the US indicate 82% condemn Scotland. Apparently a rare letter from the FBI Director Mueller to the Scottish Justice Secretary (McKaskell?) expressed outrage, calling it a mockery of justice and law in the name of compassion – a mockery of all those affected. There were pictures of the terrorist’s homecoming w. Scottish & Libyan flags waived – against assurances. What good have assurances for appeasement of tyrants & terrorists ever been? Is Chamberlain no longer taught in the UK? Prager calls it a substitution of compassion for standards. There’s a European preoccupation for compassion (lingering guilt from 2 world wars?) – for example the elimination of the death penalty from the EU. And they often try to tie it to Christian hypocracy – “thou shalt not kill.” They ignore the capital punishment called for in the bible, and need to read the meaning in the original Hebrew – murder. And now as a result, Libya has revived a terrorist hero, with exactly the wrong lesson for more young Muslim men.
The (ig)Nobel Prize
Well, well, well.... now that the (ig)Nobel prize has been bestowed on President Obama, he has won another beauty contest, and has joined the lofty, accomplished ranks of Jimmy Carter, Yasser Arafat and Al Gore. To be fair, Obama himself acknowledges it can’t be for accomplishments which, as a recent SNL skit pointed out, are nonexistent. Must be for lofty oratory for peace (which all want, but disagree how to achieve & at what price), signaling negotiations with vile tyrants, confessing America’s and all her allies’ faults, backing off promotion of its ideals (liberty, justice, etc.), peace at any price including abandoning allies & the oppressed, and all else the European leftist bestowers of the prize admire and wish to promote. After all, echoing days gone by, he seems to promise “peace in our time.” For all their long history that they love to remind us of, Europeans just seem to love to repeat history by never learning the right lessons from it.
Obama would appease the tyrants (to keep channels open) by not showing support for the rights, lives & ideals of the Iranian election protestors. This is consistent with his more recently cutting off funding for the chief Iranian human rights research organization (documenting abuses). Wouldn’t want to offend the Iranian genocidal tyrants. Nor would he meet with the Dalai Lama – a leader in exile from his homeland brutally conquered and oppressed by China. And don’t forget slapping our new-found East European allies in the face by canceling missile defense agreements to appease the Russians.
And for all these token appeasements, we’ve gotten nothing in return from any of them. Does anyone see a clear pattern emerging? Obama's actions are typical of one preoccupied with being loved, rather than respected -- a dangerous gambit with mortal enemies. Does anyone think this will impress, persuade or turn around the Russians, Iranians, Chinese or others? Al Qaeda’s no. 2 already called him a “house nigger” – I wouldn’t be surprised if that sentiment were shared but unspoken by the others. Or does anyone think these actions will win the confidence of friends, allies or the oppressed? Unfortunately, we will see. Again, Reagan understood peace through strength, and trust but verify, and had results to show for it. We’ll see how far Obama’s “peace through charisma, oratory, appeasement and being sensitive to tyrants’ feelings” goes. And we’ll see if they bear the same fruit as Carter’s and Arafat’s prizes.
Just this week the Russian foreign minister told Secy. Clinton regarding Iran that “talk of sanctions is premature.” Yes, in their view perhaps it’s premature until after a nuke goes off in Tel Aviv. And so much for Russian responsiveness to Obama’s gesture to appease them in Eastern Europe. He’s apparently going to have to learn lessons of dealing with Russians the hard way – as young, naïve John Kennedy did before him. And it’s about missiles, again....Oct. 5 on Dennis Prager, (George?) Friedman of the Stratfor think tank shared 2 news reports about Iran being closer to nuclear weapons capability than previously thought due to Russian scientists assisting. Apparently, Israel’s Netanyahu also recently went to Russia with a list of their names. Their motivation may be to counter and deter our influence in former Soviet republics. Stratfor has now changed its position against the military option in Iran – they are now for it – the only/best of other only bad & ineffective options.
And so Mr. Obama continues to abrogate the title, “leader of the free world,” as described in an earlier post. But coming on the heels of his rejection in Copenhagen, the (ig)Nobel Prize no doubt gives him renewed conviction of the greatness of his powers, the correctness of his ways, that he is loved (apparently more important to him than being respected), and resolve to continue on the path. Including no doubt only partial, token fulfillment of his general’s request for more troops in Afghanistan – no doubt justified by some excuse for a new strategy, ignoring the recognized judgment of McChrystal and the success of the surge in Iraq. After all, he must appease his left flank at home, as well.
The Emperor’s Clothes
There actually does seem to be some evidence of Obama’s divinity – he has seemed almost omnipresent lately. Except at Fox News. But the true Christ went even to preach to the spirits in prison, so it would appear that Obama is not the Messiah, after all.
And many believed greatly in Obama’s almost divine powers of speech and persuasion. Until those powers were proven lacking against the Olympic selection committee (even with the similarly divine Oprah), and Ahmedinejad, and the blue dog Democrats, and American opinion polls and townhalls, and..... But perhaps there’s another explanation – perhaps all of those are Philistines, Scribes and Pharisees who just can’t appreciate true personal greatness when they see it – such seemed to be the explanation on return from Copenhagen.
If only Obama were half as enthusiastic and unapologetic about America in other venues (that really matter) as he was in Copenhagen arguing for his Chicago political cronies.
In another odd role-reversal, France’s president Sarkozy apparently called the US spineless in the face of evil (e.g., Iran), implying our leader is among those who live in a virtual world, not reality. This is not the first time Sarkozy has usurped leadership of the free world (see June 18 post) from it’s more traditional title-holder, the U.S. president. Apparently Mr. Obama is still under the delusion he (& Hillary?) has some great powers of persuasion and negotiation to deter an evil tyrant’s march to genocide. But of course he is greater than Mr. Chamberlain vs. Adolf Hitler, and is willing to stake the lives of 6 million Jews on it. And he is willing to throw Poland and Czechoslovakia under the bus, reneging on the missile defense basing agreement, just as easily as he threw his own grandmother under the racism bus. All this of course distances our allies, and emboldens our enemies, leaving us in no-man’s land. And they complain about where Bush took us?
The Rogue’s Gallery
The rogue’s gallery of unsavory Obama associations just continues to unfold, like layers of an onion. Now we have ACORN exposed for it’s voting registration fraud & corrupt advocacy of criminal activity in receipt of federal funds (the pimp-prostitute videos). Here again we have a 20 year association where Mr. Obama pleads ignorance – just as in the Rev. Wright case. Either he’s naïve and ignorant, an idiot, or lies. Not to mention Van Jones – the Marxist green jobs czar exposed by Glenn Beck and forced in the light of day to resign. A couple weeks ago it was learned another czar (education) was supportive of a member of NAMBLA, and gave inappropriate sexual advice to a student. And this week the administration’s communications director (and point person against Fox News), Anita Dunn, was shown in a videotaped speech to students extolling the wisdom of one of her 2 most admired philosophers – Chairman Mao! Killer of some 30-70 million people – putting Hitler (the left’s favorite bogeyman) to shame. It just never seems to end. Do they not vet these people, or do they just think we’re all ignorant, stupid or will no longer be shocked or outraged after several of them? Can't we see that he's doing exactly what he promised -- transforming America? Into a leftist paradise. People didn't take "Mein Kampf" at face value, either, until it was too late.
Michelle Malkin has compiled a book titled, “Culture of Corruption; Obama and his Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies.” These of course also include cabinet nominees forced to withdraw, terrorist Bill Ayres, etc, etc. I’ve seen an investigative report on ACORN’s extortion/confiscatory tactics of intimidation by well-organized mobs that reminded me of Bolshevik mob scenes from Dr. Zhivago. But of course true leftist believers have always believed that the ends justifies the means, and will not back down. The only hope is that the rest of America will eventually connect all the many dots and begin to use inductive reasoning. One or two or a few could perhaps be mere exceptions, but at some point a rule is established. One can be judged by one’s associates. And Mr. Obama appears much more interested in associating and dealing with unsavory characters (our enemies) than our friends abroad, as well.
Obamacare
There is broad agreement on the need for health care reforms. But the Democrat/Obama manufactured “crisis” mentality and legislative urgency continue overriding Obama’s promise of transparency and bipartisanship. And their particular solutions, including the “public option,” are clearly out of step with concerns over frightening deficits, and the over 80% who are satisfied with their health care & coverage. Only a few percent are uninsured (many/most by choice), and most of them get care they’re satisfied with. Of course the super-majority Democrats can steam-roll and ignore the bona fide proposals the Republicans make, including tort reform, interstate plan competition and more. And they use the subterfuge claim that Republicans have no plan of their own but only criticize the Democrats. More lies or ignorance.
Obama’s mantra of more people covered (including no denial for pre-existing conditions), better care and lower cost (with no caps on coverage & limit on out-of-pocket expenses) defies simple logic. In addition to listening to his generals more, he’d do well to listen to the sad lesson learned by NASA not long ago, after they embarked on the “faster, better, cheaper” spacecraft program. They soon found you can’t get all 3 at once – you can get 1 or 2 of the 3, but you pay for it with the other(s).
And now we’re starting to see hints of how we’d pay -- increasing the minimum level of medical care tax deduction from 7.5 to 10% (tax the sick), and tax benefits. And apparently he would cut Medicare benefits – not just to abusers. And make the insurance companies cover all routine checkups, which on top of further limiting out-of-pocket expenses, etc., they’ll have to raise their rates and lose out in the competition against a government-subsidized government option, or single-payer. Which apparently is the foot in the door (in addition to requiring it of those w. no jobs, or changing jobs) – the government “option” ultimately becomes the only “option.” At least one lefty has been taped telling supporters that is their strategy. They’re slick, and are only slowed or stopped by us staying on top of their tricks and pushing back hard. They only seem to play by ,and respond to, aggressive, loud tactics, and we need to be louder than the very vocal left.
On Oct. 8 Prager quoted a Wall Street Journal article that the Obama plan will significantly reduce funding for cancer research – picking & choosing, micromanaging to help pay for the plan. And payments for anti-tumor radiation therapy will fall 44%. Seems like the "death panels" they were so busy denying to Sarah Palin are already in operation crafting the legislation. Again, something’s got to give – you can’t cover more people for more conditions without paying somehow.
Obamanomics
And for anyone who believes he’ll find $500 billion in waste, fraud & abuse in Medicare to help pay for it all, I’ve got a bridge.... Why not find & fix that before saying we can afford it? Expanding government programs has only ever increased opportunities for waste, fraud & abuse. Just look at the money trail to ACORN & abuses there. And besides, Obama’s economic prediction prowess is clearly lacking, after acknowledging a $2 trillion underestimate of the 10 yr deficit (“a trillion here, a trillion there....pretty soon it adds up to real money”), and the jobless rate now nearly 2 percentage points higher than the highest he predicted/promised. What confidence can we have in any of his economics? Clearly he's more interested in pushing his leftist, socialist agenda than in fiscal responsibility. We, our kids and their kids will be paying for his binge – just like a college kid with a new credit card.
And now the liberal/left declare health care (not just access to it) a “right.” The basic rights to life, liberty & pursuit of happiness in the Constitution continue to grow. And where do they stop? Right to free education, a house (they already tried that with subprime mortgages that precipitated the crash), a car, a 60” TV,..... True constitutional rights impose no obligation or demand on the part of others (other than non-interference), but are merely freedoms. Tax-subsidized health care reduces others’ right to their own earned money. But I guess that right gives way to others’ right to your earned money. As Marx said, “To each according to their need, and from each according to their ability.”
The “War of Necessity”
And now to the commander in chief, who someone pointed out has spent more time with David Letterman (another rogue we learned this week) than his general in charge of the “war of necessity,” Gen. McChrystal. We’ll see how he paints himself out of this corner, after having committed wholeheartedly to the necessity of it, but with the left nipping at his heels to get out, and his general requesting 40,000 more troops in an Iraq-style surge (which did work).
The correlation of dramatic recent gains by the Taliban in Afghanistan & Pakistan with Obama’s presidency & waffling on Afghanistan has left some wondering (e.g., Robert Kaplan in the Atlantic Monthly, http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200910u/obama-afghanistan ) if it isn’t because Obama’s uncertain tone drives those sitting on the fence to hedge their bets by cozying up with the Taliban. “The public agony over his deliberations may already have done incalculable damage.” And gives heart to the Taliban & Al Qaeda – they’ve grown very bold in recent attacks in Pakistan against military headquarters, and if they can do that, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch that they could overpower a nuclear facility.
Of course Afghanistan is different in various ways, but the consequences of failure there are clearly unacceptable, with a resurgent Taliban & Al Qaeda, and unstable nuclear Pakistan. Will we continue to allow them safe haven & staging in Pakistan, or be willing to figuratively cross the Yellow River or Cambodian border? More than the Predator pinpricks. I believe our military is stretched way too thin, and given today’s threats we need to re-grow the force – it never recovered from the Clinton (& Bush) cuts/limits -- we (or Clinton) no doubt overestimated the "peace dividend" at the end of the Cold War. There is conservation of evil in the world -- a concept the left is incapable of.
Liberal Tactics
I tend to agree with Ann Coulter that liberals won’t (can’t) argue intelligently with adults (they tend to just call people names), so now they’re indoctrinating elementary school kids, as in the Obama praises video reminiscent of Hitler Youth or Young Communist Pioneers, or N. Korean kids praising the “Supreme Leader.” Of course they’ve long been indoctrinating at the college level, so they’re just expanding.
On Hugh Hewett Aug. 20 (hr. 1), Mark Steyn apparently had some great exposition of the left’s media tactics – character assassination (Limbaugh, Palin, Beck, Fox News,...), biased “experts” on talk shows, etc. Obama’s staff’s & Congress’ tactics continue to drive wedges rather than unite as he claimed he would/could. And Obama claimed he'd de-politicize the White House -- did Bush attack the liberal media like Obama has Fox, Cheney, Limbaugh, etc.?
They characterize tea party-goers & Washington D.C. mass protesters (if they covered it at all) as deranged (gee, didn’t the Nazis & Communists “take care of” people diagnosed as mentally ill because of political incorrectness?), mean-spirited, or racist – “tea-baggers,” “astro turf” (organized as opposed to grass-roots). This from the left that has invented and long monopolized community organizing (Mr. Obama’s main prior experience), artificial protests, mean-spirited, violent, profane political activist expression? Sounds like projection to me. Compare the behavior of the recent D.C. protesters with the inaugural where it took weeks to clean up the mess (I saw it with my own eyes weeks later). They justify extinguishing the politically incorrect as hate speech at universities, etc. – and now appear to be making moves to broaden the prohibition.
The Libyan Mass Murderer
The Scots apparently salve their consciences (empty churches & secular values) and demonstrate their superior morality by “compassionately” releasing a mass murderer – the Lockerbie bomber. They would pervert justice for that, and possibly, as it turns out, for Libyan oil. But there’s no liberal outcry of “no blood for oil!” for the blood of the victims, although polls in the US indicate 82% condemn Scotland. Apparently a rare letter from the FBI Director Mueller to the Scottish Justice Secretary (McKaskell?) expressed outrage, calling it a mockery of justice and law in the name of compassion – a mockery of all those affected. There were pictures of the terrorist’s homecoming w. Scottish & Libyan flags waived – against assurances. What good have assurances for appeasement of tyrants & terrorists ever been? Is Chamberlain no longer taught in the UK? Prager calls it a substitution of compassion for standards. There’s a European preoccupation for compassion (lingering guilt from 2 world wars?) – for example the elimination of the death penalty from the EU. And they often try to tie it to Christian hypocracy – “thou shalt not kill.” They ignore the capital punishment called for in the bible, and need to read the meaning in the original Hebrew – murder. And now as a result, Libya has revived a terrorist hero, with exactly the wrong lesson for more young Muslim men.
The (ig)Nobel Prize
Well, well, well.... now that the (ig)Nobel prize has been bestowed on President Obama, he has won another beauty contest, and has joined the lofty, accomplished ranks of Jimmy Carter, Yasser Arafat and Al Gore. To be fair, Obama himself acknowledges it can’t be for accomplishments which, as a recent SNL skit pointed out, are nonexistent. Must be for lofty oratory for peace (which all want, but disagree how to achieve & at what price), signaling negotiations with vile tyrants, confessing America’s and all her allies’ faults, backing off promotion of its ideals (liberty, justice, etc.), peace at any price including abandoning allies & the oppressed, and all else the European leftist bestowers of the prize admire and wish to promote. After all, echoing days gone by, he seems to promise “peace in our time.” For all their long history that they love to remind us of, Europeans just seem to love to repeat history by never learning the right lessons from it.
Obama would appease the tyrants (to keep channels open) by not showing support for the rights, lives & ideals of the Iranian election protestors. This is consistent with his more recently cutting off funding for the chief Iranian human rights research organization (documenting abuses). Wouldn’t want to offend the Iranian genocidal tyrants. Nor would he meet with the Dalai Lama – a leader in exile from his homeland brutally conquered and oppressed by China. And don’t forget slapping our new-found East European allies in the face by canceling missile defense agreements to appease the Russians.
And for all these token appeasements, we’ve gotten nothing in return from any of them. Does anyone see a clear pattern emerging? Obama's actions are typical of one preoccupied with being loved, rather than respected -- a dangerous gambit with mortal enemies. Does anyone think this will impress, persuade or turn around the Russians, Iranians, Chinese or others? Al Qaeda’s no. 2 already called him a “house nigger” – I wouldn’t be surprised if that sentiment were shared but unspoken by the others. Or does anyone think these actions will win the confidence of friends, allies or the oppressed? Unfortunately, we will see. Again, Reagan understood peace through strength, and trust but verify, and had results to show for it. We’ll see how far Obama’s “peace through charisma, oratory, appeasement and being sensitive to tyrants’ feelings” goes. And we’ll see if they bear the same fruit as Carter’s and Arafat’s prizes.
Just this week the Russian foreign minister told Secy. Clinton regarding Iran that “talk of sanctions is premature.” Yes, in their view perhaps it’s premature until after a nuke goes off in Tel Aviv. And so much for Russian responsiveness to Obama’s gesture to appease them in Eastern Europe. He’s apparently going to have to learn lessons of dealing with Russians the hard way – as young, naïve John Kennedy did before him. And it’s about missiles, again....Oct. 5 on Dennis Prager, (George?) Friedman of the Stratfor think tank shared 2 news reports about Iran being closer to nuclear weapons capability than previously thought due to Russian scientists assisting. Apparently, Israel’s Netanyahu also recently went to Russia with a list of their names. Their motivation may be to counter and deter our influence in former Soviet republics. Stratfor has now changed its position against the military option in Iran – they are now for it – the only/best of other only bad & ineffective options.
And so Mr. Obama continues to abrogate the title, “leader of the free world,” as described in an earlier post. But coming on the heels of his rejection in Copenhagen, the (ig)Nobel Prize no doubt gives him renewed conviction of the greatness of his powers, the correctness of his ways, that he is loved (apparently more important to him than being respected), and resolve to continue on the path. Including no doubt only partial, token fulfillment of his general’s request for more troops in Afghanistan – no doubt justified by some excuse for a new strategy, ignoring the recognized judgment of McChrystal and the success of the surge in Iraq. After all, he must appease his left flank at home, as well.
Comments
Post a Comment