Summary: We laughed at President Carter, and suffered under his serial mistakes. Now we elected yet another President with remarkably little experience (less than Carter), and watch with astonishment the results. Since we’re Americans, we point a finger at anyone but the man in the mirror.
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“… I mean in a way Obama’s standing above the country, above above the world, he’s sort of God.”
— Evan Thomas (Editor-at-large of Newsweek), interview by Chris Matthews on MSNBC’s “Hardball” (source here)
As we close Obama’s 5th year, let’s review his accomplishments.
- A surge in Afghanistan followed by humiliating withdrawal.
- An ever-widening war, waged without Congressional authorization, probably against the laws of war, killing an ever-lengthening toll of innocents.
- Destruction of civil liberties on an unprecedented scale.
- Institutionalized the Bush tax cuts, wrecking the government’s solvency and increasing income inequality.
- He wasted the opportunity offered by the crash to institute desperately needed reforms and rebuild America’s decaying infrastructure.
- And now his signature accomplishment has been proven — as so many people said — a complex and poorly executed mess.
Now of this should surprise us. I wrote this in February 2008 at the beginning of the Obama-as-savior craze. What matters more than Obama’s deeds and misdeeds, but the degree to which we learn from this experience. Will we choose more competent Presidents in the future, or continue to choose based on expensively crafted media facades?
As these problems reach critical dimensions and our economy sinks into what is (at best) a severe recession, our national leadership will likely move into the hands of someone with astonishingly little capacity to govern. Barack Obama has amazing rhetorical gifts and the potential for greatness, but becomes President with his skills immature, his vision on major questions of public policy unformed, and no executive experience.
His brief career and campaign of empty rhetoric — appealing to the best of America’s history and aspirations — tell us little about the course he will chart for America, or how he will respond to the terrible choices that lie in our future. He provides a frame into which his followers project their dreams — a virtual reality candidate. (Candidates’ white papers, like party platforms, have historically proved poor guides to their actions)
This is our failing, not his. High office in America goes to those with both drive and hunger for fame and power. That Obama goes along with our childlike dreams says much about us, but nothing bad about him.
This election might result in weak leadership for our national government during tough times, unless he grows in office (which would be wonderful, but not something we can rely upon). As these problems reach critical dimensions and our economy sinks into what is (at best) a severe recession, our national leadership will likely move into the hands of someone with astonishingly little capacity to govern. Barack Obama has amazing rhetorical gifts and the potential for greatness, but becomes President with his skills immature, his vision on major questions of public policy unformed, and no executive experience.
When I wrote this America was dazed by the wonderfulness of Obama, excitedly watching Obama Girl. We are now five years older. As you watch Obama Girl below, ask if we are wiser after this experience?
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“I would say he {Obama} is probably the smartest guy ever to become President.”
— Historian Michael Beschloss (Wikipedia) interviewed by Don Imus on his radio show, 10 November 2008 (source here)
For More Information
(a) Liberals turn on Obama. Feel the rage.
Posts at Corrente (all Left, all the time) about ObamaCare; here are 2 examples, well-worth reading:
- Reactions to Obama’s press conference: terror and pity
- Obama: “What we’re also discovering is, you know, insurance is complicated to buy.”
(b) See these FM Reference Pages:
(c) Posts about Candidate Obama:
- Is Obama running for the office of Chief Shaman?, 6 June 2008 — Weirdness from Obama
- Obama describes the first step to America’s renewal, 8 August 2008 — Obama’s statement about America may be the simple truth; this may be why so many find it disturbing.
- America gets ready for new leadership (or is it back to the future?), 14 November 2008
- About Obama’s coronation – wisdom from Fred, 23 January 2009
(d) Posts about President Obama:
- Stand by for the Obama implosion, 9 December 2009
- Stratfor looks at Obama’s foreign policy, sees Bush’s foreign policy, 30 August 2009
- Obama, a disciple of Reagan’s foreign policy, 12 June 2010
- How Obama failed in the Gulf of Mexico. Many of the most common indictments of him are wrong, and overlook his biggest errors., 22 June 2010
- Obama scores again against the Constitution. The Tea Party is right about the battle, but AWOL., 28 September 2010
- With a stroke of his pen President Hope and Change erased much of America, 20 March 2012
- The real Obama revealed, at last!, 8 January 2013
- Obama repeals Magna Carta, asserting powers our forefathers denied to Kings, 7 February 2013
- Obama + assassination + drones = a dark future for America, 1 August 2013
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