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On this day... in 2009
Today marks one year since the inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States. Truly, it was an historic day… but with Martin Luther King Jr. Day just two days ago… I can’t help but think that only when we are ready to stop labeling every historical event as “the first time <insert race or gender here> accomplished <insert accomplishment here>” will we truly be embracing what MLK stood for and “dreamed” about. It is then that we will truly realize we’re part of the “human race.”
On this day I’m also reminded at all the criticism levelled at the Obama administration and all the criticism levelled at the critics as well. A logical perspective can see that Obama is not perfect… but also that he is not “the answer” to all our ills. But perhaps the most disturbing criticism of the critics that I’ve heard… is that it all comes down to race. Let’s face it, there is definitely a contingent of Americans that still can’t accept that we have a black president, but every angle of criticism is certainly NOT from a racist perspective… lest we forget, the other people probably as if not MORE criticized than Obama are Pelosi and Reid… and they’re white.
But probably the most troubling “defense” I’ve heard of Obama’s policies thus far are the ones where people say “Come on… the country was in such a mess, certainly you didn’t expect him to fix it in one year?” Usually followed by the equally disturbing “Give him time.”
Let’s examine that defense shall we? Are the detractors of Barack Obama really not giving him enough time if they perceive the moves he’s making as DETRIMENTAL to the country’s future and welfare? Is it REALLY unacceptable to criticize a president in their first year of office?
Perhaps I can explain it better this way. Imagine you have this great car… and you let this guy borrow it. This guy seems okay, he’s got an okay driving record, but at some point he just allows it to get demolished. He drives it over an embankment and into a lake. The damage is extensive… but his license to drive is expired now anyway… so at least he won’t be driving it again.
Then along comes this other guy… and he swears up and down that he can FIX that car. He promises that all the problems with your car are completely due to the terrible driving practices of the previous guy. None of that is going to happen now… you can expect CHANGE with how your car is driven. Here’s the caveat though… the damage, as I said, is extensive… so the fixes are going to take some time. No one can fix this car overnight… it requires some patience.
You figure, hey, that sounds reasonable… and you hand him the keys. It starts off kind of normal, he seems to really care about the car…
Then you see him standing next to the open gas tank… with a match.
What do you do? Do you tell yourself, “Aw heck… let’s see where this goes. He said he needed time.” Or do you intervene and criticize the way he’s taking care of the car?
A logical person, if they truly perceive the match as a danger, is going to say something. If you truly question the "fixing" procedure, you're logically going to say something before it gets worse, no?
Now many will argue that he’s not endangering our country or our children’s future. And that’s fine, if that’s your opinion… back that up with reason and facts and you’re secure as can be. But use the facts and reason… not the excuse that “It’s only been a year” to defend policies that MANY do not agree with.
No, I didn’t think he’d fix the economy in one year… but I also didn’t think he’d drive it further into the toilet in one year. No, I didn’t think he’d end unemployment in one year… but I also didn’t think he’d make policy decisions that will make the job market SHRINK instead of grow in the next few years… as he very well may have. People think about it... it may take more than a year to FIX everything... but it doesn't take more than a year to make it WORSE... and that potential is there if we pretend like we can't criticize the guy.
Please understand, I have mad respect for the guy, he’s MY president too… however, I’m not going to sit idly by and NOT speak up when I think we’re heading in the wrong direction… and I certainly don’t think others should be decired when they don’t either. Democracy is DEAD when we think we can silence the critics.
WIth that… I continually pray for and have respect for our leaders. But I’m not going to be quiet if they are missing the obvious…
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Happy anniversary, Mr. President!
-relantel
But probably the most troubling “defense” I’ve heard of Obama’s policies thus far are the ones where people say “Come on… the country was in such a mess, certainly you didn’t expect him to fix it in one year?” Usually followed by the equally disturbing “Give him time.”
Let’s examine that defense shall we? Are the detractors of Barack Obama really not giving him enough time if they perceive the moves he’s making as DETRIMENTAL to the country’s future and welfare? Is it REALLY unacceptable to criticize a president in their first year of office?
I don't hear many people saying, "Give him more time.", Kope. The two predominant reactions to criticism that I have seen from Obama supporters are:
Neither response makes much sense. For one, the majority of the votes that Obama received were from white people. We did elect him, after all. Also, if you were to compile a history of how America handles it's black leadership, you've got to admit to a frightening double standard. Let's have a look at some of the glitterati of 'black leadership' in America:
Rev. Jesse Jackson -- he's a racial shakedown artist and an anti-Semite. He called New York City, "Hymie Town" and admitted to spitting in white people's food as a waiter. He's still considered to be a valued black leader.
Rev. Al Sharpton -- in addition to being a racial shakedown artist like Jackson, is also a racial arsonist and arch-liar. Examine his participation in the Tawana Brawley case. Or the Freddie's Fashion-Mart incident. Whenever something happens in New York City that has any smoldering racial overtones , Sharpton is there to make sure it turns into a fireball.
Former Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry -- caught on tape with a hooker, while smoking crack cocaine. Later ran for lower office and won.
Now, I could on and on listing black leaders who are completely inept, contemptible or some combination of both. But that's not the issue -- the issue is that despite all their deep, deep flaws they never suffer politically. There are just as many (or more) white leaders who could be found guilty of similar crimes. The difference is that when they're caught and their character (or lack thereof) is discovered ... they're done. They don't get re-elected any more. Not so with black leaders. They seem to get no end of second chances, no matter how many times they screw up or fall down.
I think that's what we're seeing with Obama. He's failing and anyone who points it out is a racist. Can America afford to have a president that considers himself beyond criticism on account of his race? I don't think it can.
As for the second argument, that everything that's happened since Obama was elected is just Bush's fault? Well, yes, it may be true that some of the problems can be attributed to Bush -- but a lot of the subprime mortgage troubles (which triggered the recession) can be traced firmly back to the Democrats -- mainly Sens. Dodd and Frank.
And frankly, Americans don't want a president who makes excuses over and over. It's not presidential. Americans expect their president to be a fatherlike figure. Did your father, Kope, when faced with a serious problem, spend time blaming the weather, the person who came before him? Is the ideal father-figure an excuse-maker? No.
Your car metaphor is sound:
You figure, hey, that sounds reasonable… and you hand him the keys. It starts off kind of normal, he seems to really care about the car…
Then you see him standing next to the open gas tank… with a match.
Obama campaigned as a moderate, but he's not governing as one. He's governing as a hard left president. Clinton did the same thing, but only managed to govern left-of-center. Then the GOP surged in 1994 and Clinton's much more developed political gyroscope kicked into gear -- he refocused and became a centrist, and his presidency flourished.
Obama, in contrast, is black and so has never had to adjust himself. Black leaders (in my view) don't have to pay for political mistakes, we keep on giving them second chances. And now Obama is finding himself in a pickle because he doesn't know how to acknowledge his mistakes and change his policies. He's a hardcore leftist at heart, Kope, not a political opportunist as Clinton was. Clinton just wanted to be popular. Obama, I fear, really is a radical with an agenda. The next few years are going to be very, very rocky because Obama isn't accustomed to 'bending'. His political gyroscope never adjusts because its never had to adjust.
When you say, "Get away from the car's gas tank with that match," Kope, he's not going to listen because he's already blown up the last five cars and no one's taken away his license yet.
And when this next car explodes, he's going to blame the car's manufacturer.
The Obama presidency is a wide awake nightmare.
No, I didn’t think he’d fix the economy in one year… but I also didn’t think he’d drive it further into the toilet in one year. No, I didn’t think he’d end unemployment in one year… but I also didn’t think he’d make policy decisions that will make the job market SHRINK instead of grow in the next few years… as he very well may have. People think about it... it may take more than a year to FIX everything... but it doesn't take more than a year to make it WORSE... and that potential is there if we pretend like we can't criticize the guy.
Well said. Is Bush making the economy worse since he left office? No. Has Obama held back from trying to 'fix' the economy? Not at all. It's just the economy is a harrier jet, and he can't even read the operator's manual. Economics is not his strong suit -- his policies, as predicted, as making the situation worse, not better.
And he's not this great communicator either. Many of the people opposed to his healthcare bill truly believe that the bill will make things much, much worse. All Obama can say is that this is 'fearmongering'. He's not some blessed uniter, he's a divider.
-Krogenar
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