Transparency Was the Change We Believed In. How Foolish.
It seems an odd thing that Obama had eye popping approval numbers and then shortly had the lowest approval numbers in year one of a presidency in history? How could that be? (Besides all you redneck racists changing your mind).
Very simple. It was the promise of transparency. Even a devout libertarian like myself had fleeting interest in Obama. The choice was between two big government types, he and McCain, so that was a wash. After 8 years of behind-closed-doors, I was somewhat inspired to hear all the promises of transparency. It was the only part of that change I kinda believed in.
If I had to have big government, at least I wanted to be able to keep an eye on them.
Unlike most of Obama’s vague, grandiose promises..he was pretty specific on transparency. Especially when it came to healthcare. I saw its passing as inevitable…but when you take over 1/6th of the economy I hoped the “other side” could at least kill a few of the freedom and economy killing provisions, and make it simply a big expansion of Medicaid or something.
There were many more promises of transparency that have come and disappeared into the black of government night just as Bush did, but this one has caught up to him. Back room deals, big insurance, 100 million dollar payoffs, secret meetings. Hats off to C-SPAN for having the guts to fight for open government when each penstroke behind closed doors moves around billions of our money. As we reach the final stages before the bill is passed, they’ve taken it behind doors so closed even other congress members don’t know what’s going on.
Here’s the history. In glorious video. Again, Al Gore, thank you for the internets. The last video shows what happens when you get called out on it.
The sad part, it was a great idea. Of the failures to date, this one will hurt the worst.
The promises of transparency. 8 separate times.
C-SPAN says those open debates did happen..to the tune of 1 total hour.
Background – The head of C-SPAN wrote a letter, asked Congress to — quote — “open all the important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings, to electronic media coverage”
Jack Cafferty Lays into Obama on FoxNews. Just kidding, CNN. via Hot Air.
President Obama hasn’t even made a token effort to keep his campaign promises of more openness and transparency in government. It was all just another lie that was told in order to get elected.
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Bombs when Responding to Yet Another Reporter’s Calling Them Out.
When (he) was asked whether the administration would support televising the negotiations, he refused to answer, instead mumbling something about, well, I haven’t seen the letter. That wasn’t the question, Mr. Gibbs.
Fail?
Your Intellectuals Have Failed Us, Now What
Regardless of all the shifts that happened when Obama was elected, the most overreaching one was the fact that America for the first time elected a cadre of intellectual elites to run the country.
As they say, there are people that can do something and then there are teachers. The new elite class came with the lowest private sector experience in history by far. The Obama administration is made up of thinkers, intellectuals, bureaucrats, and organizers. When I was in middle school I had all kinds of better ideas about how to run the country. As I continued to learn from reality, I saw otherwise.
The intellectuals did the same thing only they turned their Utopian ideas into college credit courses. Once only on the fringe and laughed at by the regular working class, the day is here where they rule us because they know what’s best for us because they thought about it a lot.
The past few days have shown what everyone else already knew. You turn your business around with Jack Welch, not with a PHD economics professor, or Senator Al Franken.
So much foolishness in such a short span of days. Here you are America. You were worried about 4 more years of Bush (as was I) but the next 3 years are far worse.
The Terrorism Attempt and the White House Response
Out of the gate the administration published a report to watch out for right wing terrorism from members of the military, anti-abortion activists, the NRA, etc. They weren’t using the term terrorism much, just for conservatives. As dumb folk would expect, they missed their own terrorism watch list and 300 people nearly were blown away just a few days ago.
This nut, like the 9/11 hijackers, flew under his real name and was stupid enough to buy a one-way ticket and check no baggage. It’s just that we were … a little more stupid. Hot Air – bonus, read our new airline regulations.
Obama responded harshly…a few days later. “We will not rest until we find all who were involved and hold them accountable. “Not resting means go play a round of golf 40 minutes later. I think a recent retarded President did this and it didn’t go over so well. Perfunction Link: Obama Now Watch This Drive!
His Homeland Security Secretary, the close to criminally incompetent Janet Napolitano, seemed to think the system worked because it was thwarted. If “the system” means that the terrorist having a faulty device while igniting it on the plane worked, I’m scared. Video of interview defending response.
Link to thinking people’s response.
Oh, but one day later she changed her mind (after much intellectualizing about it) and said the system failed miserably. These, are the smartest people in the room.
Video of her doing a 180 a day later.
The Iranian Protestors are Dying for Freedom Again
At the same time we’re bumbling, the Iranian protestors have launched a second wave of attack on the fraudulent reelection victory in Iran. The same Iran that is hiding nuclear development and threatens Israel (used to be ally) about once a week. Obama is “deeply disturbed” yet again. If anything resembles the American Revolution and is a just fight, it’s Iran dying for the right to be a free people at the hands of their corrupt government. But the intellectuals weren’t all that thrilled with our revolution either.
Embarrassingly for Washington, even many European leaders showed more backbone in condemning the Iranian regime’s brutal suppression of protestors, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton humiliatingly outflanked by her French and German counterparts, who had no qualms about speaking out swiftly and firmly against the election result and the actions of the Iranian government. – from British Media
Iranian human-rights groups say that since the government crackdown began in late June, at least 400 demonstrators have been killed while another 56 are unaccounted, which is several times higher than the official figures.
As Krauthammer is basically saying…Obama “You’re Doing it Wrong.
Drunk With Power on Health Care. And Actually Drunk.
In pontificating on health care over the holidays as they try to ram the amazingly unpopular (and probably unconstitutional) bill into law while no one is paying attention, Dem Senator Max Baucus delivered what most think was a drunken tirade on the floor. Let’s pray it was drunken, because at least there would be some explanation for the slurring, incompressible bill..I mean speech..that he gave. Link to Politico Reaction
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Goldwater Conservatism..a different strain than the conservatism of Sarah Palin (closer to that of Reagan), was considered unelectable because it was too intellectual. While the bumbling governor of Alaska would be far less dangerous to our freedoms and our security then the intellectual elite, we have about 2 years to find someone to salvage the mess that happened when we gave the kids the keys to the country.
The intellectual elite, who received the benefits given to them by their much wiser greatest generation parents, were able to produce nothing for society and live a rich life that allowed them to sit and think for a living. It’s time to give the keys back to the big kids before something goes much worse than it already is. Take off the suits, put back on the tie-dye shirts, and go back to protesting a world you only understand from the safety of an ivory tower. America will figure out what to do without you telling them.
Or do some PR recovery by going on The Food Network.
These people won’t mind if you tell them what to do. They probably need the direction anyways.
Jon Stewart Channels Glenn Beck?
The hits just keep on coming. Jon Stewart, who the left lauds usually as one of the few real places to get news, offers better analysis than the networks for the third time in a week, this time the target is Obama’s ridiculous jobs initiatives.
And another sign that the world will soon come to an end… the AP rips apart Obama’s plans in a Fact Check article today. The AP actually covers what I think is the biggest sign of this being the perfect President for the lamest generation, his continuing to blame Bush for his inability to get the economy going (when he’s not blaming various media outlets for being too mean).
It’s the prime example of why righties make fun of the liberal elite when pundits trip over themselves to proclaim them as so “intellectal”. They know lots of useless progressive theory and win mantles of progressive awards (Nobel Peace Prize) from like-minded progressives. But basic Civics from about 5th grade would tell you that Congress designs and passes the budgets, and recent history would tell you Democrats have ruled that for 3 years. Then again, in the age of Obama, they count on 5th graders to know about contraception, but hopefully not how their government works. Their success depends on it.
The irony is that this administration expects no one to understand all of this, but lets us know that 6 year olds can write polling data as well as Gallup.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| American Idle | ||||
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SNL Lines Itself Up for Another Fact Check
While much of SNL is pro-Obama, they’ve thrown out a few good grillings this year. The most recent on blowout government spending is pretty funny, actually, and quite accurate. Be prepared for a CNN fact check on this Monday to set the record straight. Don’t hold your breath for an in-depth report on government overspending and waste.
What America “Stood” For
Kneel before Zod.
While most of our traditions have been scrapped by Obama as tired, hateful ideas of a past America that thought it was better than everyone else, this one in particular is quite symbolic. We often hear how embarrassed the first family is of our country, but today, we should all be more embarrassed of them.
In fact, if anything it puts us back about 200 years. Obama’s bow isn’t new and progressive. It was done by pretty much everyone on earth since the beginning of time until we stood up against the concept of a supreme ruler and made the individual the king of his own free destiny.
See over at HotAir the NY Times scolding Clinton for almost bowing to the Emperor. via HotAir Blog.
Canadians still bow to England’s Queen; so do Australians. Americans shake hands. If not to stand eye-to-eye with royalty, what else were 1776 and all that about?
Like dis.
Updated: The main thing that’s been bothering me about all this is how Obama goes out of his way to make a point not to show respect for anything American while being sensitive to all the other countries in the world. The problem is that the point of America not showing them respect is because our statement against totalitarian governments, or governments that don’t allow free speech or religion, was much more important than whatever respect they desired.
A picture this week from the Fort Hood victims funeral was the worst of all, Obama standing there with his hands folded. Someone put a short video together on all this and it’s exactly what I had in mind. (from Good Richards Almanac)
Based on comments on such enlightened sites as Digg, some don’t seem to understand what all the fuss is about. Obama was just showing Japan cultural sensitivity right? The link below shows, apparently, Obama is alone in this understanding in the world.
More on the story
http://hotairpundit.blogspot.com/2009/11/president-obama-vs-rest-of-world.html
For those more video inclined, HotAir has the complete montage at 46 handshakes, one bow.
And finally, yes, even the Japanese found it embarrassing. Well described here as “the form of a first year English teacher trying to impress with Karate Kid-level knowledge of Japanese customs .” Via HotAir Not that I support anyone trash talking the Karate Kid.
My Thought of the Day
The Stimulus plan (technically the second as we often forget Bush’s 2008 stimulus check), the bailouts, the TARP fund, cash for clunkers, home mortgage tax credits..and the highest unemployment pretty much in my lifetime. With the irony that we got out of that similar situation with quite the opposite methods back then. Using “tired ideas of the past.”
10.2%. I recall the promise of something lower, but the nuances of economic theory do tend to escape me.
My take:
“I’m reminded of a line from The Princess Bride in regards to the Obama Administration. “Recovery”..they keep using that word. I do not think it means what they think it means.” – Craigo
Zo, the Black Republican Strikes Again…
Out of everything I’ve watched the past year, this guys is consistently the most entertaining, and dead on in his political analysis. Below is his latest “freestyle” tirade.
The irony is, as an african-american republican, I doubt he gets much love from the party of free-thinking and diverse ideas on the left side. This one’s fast and furious, and definitely worth your 5 minutes.
US Desperately in Need of a President, but I Don’t See Any
This guy somehow wrote a column that word-for-word explains my thoughts on this presidential race, the state of the country, and the candidates. I think it’s a must read, and then more importantly we need to do something about it.
Excerpts:
McCain and Obama seem to have cut a secret pact to duck any honest discussion of what the financial crisis means and how they would guide the nation through it. Even more infuriating, they’re getting away with it.
Call it what it is – fraud.
Just as investors bought subprime securities marketed as AAA, we’re being asked to pick a President without knowing the truth behind the talking points. Transparency is at least as necessary in the White House as on Wall Street.
Part of the blame belongs to the debate moderators, who have been too gentle. Wednesday’s maestro, Bob Schieffer of CBS News, tried to get the candidates to address how the crisis would force them to change plans, but they swatted him away and he didn’t persist.
Monday News Roundup
Everybody in the club getting tipsy? Stocks swing up over 900 points in biggest day ever right after worst week ever.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/081013/wall_street.html
And Asian stocks jumped this evening, boding well for tomorrow’s market. Put the Xanax down. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aclr0VNJMasI&refer=worldwide
Tommy Bowden resigns as Clemson’s head coach. All the way to the bizank with $3.5 million buyout.
http://www.thestate.com/local/story/553653.html
Bill Kristol (Conservative writer/NY Times) says McCain Needs to Fire His Campaign
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/opinion/13kristol.html?ref=opinion
Obama never was an ACORN community organizer. I mean never a paid ACORN organizer. Depends which day you checked his site.
Link to Gateway Pundit
Website before incriminating document popped up.
Site now…changed so you can believe it. If saw the site before the change, then you, my friend, are a racist.
Bush’ s Ratings Now Lower than Tricky’s. Heh.
http://abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/Politics/story?id=6017487&page=1
Male Postpartum depression defined. I think the depression actually starts when you get married, but either way, it’s not news…it’s CNN.
The Democrat Congress, self-proclaimed as “the most ethical” in history by ridding it of such filth Mark Foley, apparently cleaned house with some dirty water.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5997043&page=1
And finally, a bit of humor for today at the expense of the iPhone…
ACORN Office in Vegas Raided for Voter Fraud
Whenever you hear “community organizer” in reference to Obama, what is meant is his involvement with groups like (and specifically) ACORN. In this case, Americans should hope the ACORN falls far from the tree. The only organizing ACORN is really known for is voter fraud….pushing efforts to take away identification requirements and giving homeless people prizes for voting Democrat. Today’s Drudge headlines reveal yet another in their long history of cheating.
If they were really as interested in voter turnout as they say, then they should encourage and help people to register to vote, not try to destroy all laws that are put in place to prevent fraud. If people have to be forced to vote, or register under false names, or don’t have ID to vote, then they likely care nothing about voting…and fortunately for ACORN, are likely Democrat.
Democrats often accuse Republicans of voter fraud and racism at the polls, yet never cite any examples. Well, here’s theirs:
And crazy enough…another partner in his community organizing, Bill Ayers, was shown today to have a bit closer ties to Obama than he previously admitted. And it wasn’t FoxNews who reported it this time….
