The 2008 election swept into the White House a candidate promising ethics, bipartisanship, transparency, and a revived economy; thus far, we've been treated to cabinet members who don't pay taxes, partisan authoritarianism, and behind-closed-doors skulduggery. And then there's that rapidly-swelling deficit, prompting one to wonder how Obama plans to make good on his claim that he'll lead us into prosperity and light "without adding a dime to the deficit"—or raising taxes.
We've already endured a steady procession of Obama appointees who seem only too eager to flaunt their socialist views—and agenda. Obama has himself spoken openly about "wealth redistribution." The ongoing saga of promised health care reform has comprised a litany of contradictions and obvious chicanery. The auto and financial industries have already been placed in the yoke of the Federal government, and the same wonderful folks who brought us those fiascoes are hell-bent to insure that the throats of both the medical and insurance communities find similar residence under Obama's boot. The newly-appointed FCC "diversity advisor" (the first ever; Obama simply created the position—along with an ever-growing list of "czars" equally exempt from the scrutiny of confirmation hearings) lectures about the need for government control of the media, extolling the virtues of that autocratic (and socialist) buffoon in Venezuela. We've seen a White House Communications Director who takes her inspiration from Mao Tse-tung (a warm, fatherly figure credited with responsibility for the deaths of 64 million of his own people). This administration hit the deck running, spending gobs of money and shaking up pretty much everything in sight within days of the transfer of power—yet can't seem to arrive at a decision on troop requests for the war in Afghanistan (an engagement pronounced by Obama to be "a necessary war") after more than two months. The long associations of Obama and many of his henchmen with allegedly corrupt organizations like ACORN have seriously called into question this "ethical" administration—and many other prominent Democrats.
Well, then…how about that promised "transparency"? Thus far, we've been allowed to see Harry Reid's closed door–from the outside–while the details of sweeping health care coverage "reform" are hammered-out by a tiny cabal within. Obama campaigned on the promise that any such proceedings would be public, televised on C-SPAN for all to see; instead, he's given us…well, Harry Reid's closed door. When Helen Thomas (hardly an icon of right-wingery) took the White House Press Secretary to task over the administration's tight control of information flow, it was a pretty good indicator that something's rotten at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It seems almost impossible for a guy who spends as much time before the television cameras as Obama does (has he missed a day since taking office?) to spew so many words—yet tell us so little.
So…what happens when disgruntled citizens raise a fuss over any of this? Does this new, sensitive government sit up and take note, promising to address those concerns?
The basic response–in actions that speak far more loudly than words–has been: "Shut up and drink the Kool-Aid" (though some would characterize it as being more like "Shut up and bend over"). Obama's consistent reaction to criticism–or even inquiry–goes far beyond merely adopting a defensive posture or issuing a blithe dismissal. He attacks. (Just ask reporter Barbara West of station WFTV in Orlando; she dared to ask Obama's then-running-mate what was arguably the only question he faced during the campaign that wouldn't be considered a "softball"—and immediately felt the wrath of Obama for her effrontery.) Simple isolation and vilification are merely his most benign methods. He brooks no dissent, and there appears very little that he considers "over the top" on the way to getting what he wants. Furthermore, showing the audacity to question anything that comes out of this White House (or Congress, to a slightly lesser degree) immediately subjects the skeptic also to charges from Obama's legions of sycophants ranging from racism (the new first resort) to disloyalty to obstructionism to being akin to Hitler to killing Cock Robin.
By turns, both the House Speaker and the Senate Majority Leader declared that they couldn't deliver Obama's most coveted jewel–health care reform legislation–without including the "public option"; shortly thereafter, they both announced that they couldn't get legislation passed with it included. Then they couldn't get there without it. Then they couldn't include it. Again. (Repeat as necessary; frankly, they've each changed their respective stories more times than most people can keep track of. That they've repeatedly changed what they're going to call it–"public option", "government option", "consumer option", etc.– in an attempt to sneak it in under the radar has further confused matters.) Finally, Queen Mum Pelosi managed to ram through a massive bill that no one really likes or even completely understands (even her fellow Democrats candidly wondered what manner of arm-twisting and deal-making that required—and the entire effort deliberately negated bipartisan participation). She and Obama both think we should all learn to love it. (Lord knows why they would expect us to; apparently, neither of them has even read the damn' thing—nor, it seems, has anyone who voted for it.) The entire effort may prove moot, however, as indications are that the House measure won't find sufficient support in the Senate—despite a strong sense of urgency among Democrats in both houses to get a palatable measure passed quickly, lest they all find themselves facing the music in next year's mid-term election; delaying action beyond the end of this year would seriously threaten to derail the effort.
Is it any wonder that public confidence is rapidly deteriorating—not only in the Obama regime, but in Congress, as well?
After seriously depleting the treasury (and our wallets), this administration has achieved nothing that benefits the country as a whole; the economy remains in shambles, unemployment is rampant, our foreign policy is a puzzle even to our allies, and we seem a nation rudderless and adrift—one that can't even balance its own checkbook (a concept foreign to both the White House and Congress, to be sure).
Obama's answer to every problem seems to be: (a) spend more money (b) make another television appearance (c) blame Republicans in general and George W. Bush in particular–gotta wonder how long he's gonna try to milk that one–or (d) take another trip (quickly, now: has Obama spent more time in Washington—or on his road trips? Has anyone tallied-up the cost of his seemingly-endless world tour?).
Oh, and (e) …
"Shut up and drink the Kool-Aid."
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