What a hot mess we found ourselves in last week---government gone amok, out of control, and who's running the store? We don't know yet, but it's not looking good for any of us, most especially the President. otherwise known as the CEO and leader of the free world. First Ben Ghazi, now comes the IRS and the AP scandals---but not to worry, nobody's to blame---nobody important anyway. No siree, ---at least that's the party line. David Axelrod, advisor to Mr. Obama expanded upon his save their a-- story by claiming that the government is" too vast" an entity to keep track of every little thing that happens and presidents, in case you're wondering, cannot be expected to know everything. Seriously, Mr. Axelrod? We thought you liked big, vast governments. Your incredible ability to defend this presidency is exceeded only by your apparent and insulting conviction that people are too complacent or ill informed to question the very questionable actions, or lack thereof, of this administration. But guess what? He may be right! Today's polls show Obama's approval rating at 53%, which is considered pretty darn good, especially since the same polls show Americans don't approve of the way he's handled any of the crises. So what's up with this dichotomy of opinions?? How can we love Obama, but not like what he does?
Elementary, my dear Watson---the man has style, charisma, and a silver tongue. He admits to no involvement in anything negative, ever. No, no, no--- he sees, hears, nor speaks no evil---unless he's speaking about Republicans---or anybody who opposes or disagrees with him. Then we see a different man, kind of a scary, bullying kind of man. His partisanship is overbearing, but it comes across as parental scolding, rather than the dangerous over use of his power. What was he said once in a speech about "punishing our enemies and rewarding our friends"? And who can forget how he called out and humiliated Supreme Court Justice Roberts in front of the entire congress for helping to push through the "Citizens United" legislation, which allows for large corporations or any large groups to donate money to their favorite candidate, and was in Obama's mind a real threat to his second term candidacy.
Obama is the master of floating above the fray, but at the same time getting his digs in---he ridiculed those in the Tea Party as "Teabaggers", and has allowed others in his administration to say even worse things----yes, I'm referring to old "they wanta keep ya'll in chains" Joe Biden, V.P. That was a despicable, racist remark aimed at, you guessed, the Republicans, and was anything but presidential. or even vice presidential--more like a school yard intimidation technique. Shut 'em up, label them bad, make them very, very afraid--- is that what's happening here, a "culture of intimidation", as Mitch O'Connell, Senate Minority leader, said was the reason for all the cover-ups and mis- deeds by underlings who should know better, but misbehave anyway, even at the risk of losing their jobs?
Has Obama set a tone, an example that at the very least encourages others to do what they think he would approve, or give a wink and a nod, instead of punishment? His outrage and indignation this week belie what seems to be the flip side of his public, supposedly principled personality---win, at all costs. And his indignation seems to reach a boil when he's the one being criticized---we are not to attack his integrity--no matter that it's beginning to look a little insufficient to the task---and even if he, himself, betrays his own pronouncements of fairness and dignity to all.
Are we really to believe that our president knew nothing of Ben Ghazi until it was too late? Possible, but not admirable--shouldn't he have known? Or that the first he knew of the AP being requested to give out phone numbers of certain reporters was when he read about it in the newspapers?? Again, conceivable, but maybe if the government weren't so vast, he could have known, or at least made it known that he needed to be informed of such dangerous overstepping--- And that he only just learned of the IRS targeting conservative and other groups posing a threat to his election??? Come'on, that strikes at the heart and very core of our liberties to protect and preserve our rights to dissent---we should be very, very afraid. And the prez should either 'fess up or shake up the people to whom he has entrusted to do the work of the country. The erosion of trust has to seep up to the White House---because either they knew about all the infractions , or they did not---if they knew, and did nothing about it, shame on them. If they did not know---same shame, and more blame to those who bear the burden of the buck stop.
And yet, and yet--- Obama and company continue to bathe in the warmth of public approval. Not for what he does, mind you, but for how he looks, and what he says---which is that he will continue to do his job of fighting for the poor and middle class. Really? I thought he also had a few other responsibilities, like that of Commander and Chief, and preserving our rights to free speech and thought.
Obama says we will get to the bottom of these latest scandals---seems he said that about Ben Ghazi---oh, I forgot, Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, said, "What difference does it make now?" Hillary, that has to go down in history as one of the lamest, dismissable, and inappropriate remarks ever---are you kidding us? But so very Clinton-esque----"depends on what the word is, is".
Excuse us for asking---but when will we stop approving, adoring, and ignoring---and start demanding accountability from an administration and its leader whose cred is growing very thin, even as "like" polls are up. Popularity is often an imposter----and woe to us who discover too little, too late. Because even the poor and middle class lose, if all of us lose our right to disagree without vengeful payback and intimidation, and to demand to know the truth when our people are killed, while serving in a foreign country. It makes a huge difference, Hillary. We may be slow to learn sometimes, but our memories are long---
One last thought----for those who will continue to blame the Republicans for using these latest rounds of scandals for political reasons---have at it. It is difficult these days to separate politics from true outrage.But this time, there is something very non-partisan imbedded in the IRS and AP invasions of privacy. If left unaddressed, preferably by an independent counsel, and unpunished, we are leaving open the door to behind the scenes intimidation, which will lead ultimately to people being afraid to speak their minds, write their opinions, challenge the status quo, donate their money to causes of their choice, and very possibly to a one party country--it won't be the America we used to know. And it won't be anybody's fault, because nobody knew anything----except those who blew whistles, and who knew better than to dismiss the mounting evidence of a system which got too big too manage, and too political to be trusted.
