Obama, arrogance redefined

High office naturally encourages the holder to adopt an air of personal arrogance.   After all, his position is one of great importance.  Normal extrapolation leads to the belief he must also be important.  It’s probably fair to say that virtually all U.S. Presidents follow this trend with some more arrogant than others.   Along comes Barack Obama who eclipses all his predecessors while easily setting new standards for Presidential arrogance.

Only a few years ago, Barack was an unknown and insignificant community organizer.   You would expect the rather rapid transition to the Presidency would allow a tad of modesty to creep in.  And, his track record to date as president shows no accomplishment worth noting.  The honor of being the first black President should be somewhat humbling.  One would expect the combination of these factors would produce a degree of modesty, but not so for Barack Obama.  In fact, he seems oblivious to being in so far over his head.

To cap it off, he loves the sound of his own voice far more than anything else in life. His wife and children come in as distant seconds, or maybe thirds if you consider golf.  That characteristic leads to a continuous flow of speeches to any audience his aides can assemble and Air Force One can reach.  He and his teleprompter go on and on for hours, day after day.  His speeches are always presented in the first person personal using the pronoun “I” over and over and over.  The mute button on my TV is exhausted from saving me from the torture of yet another rambling Barack lecture accompanied by his standard look of superiority.  And another annoying thing, Obama always points his finger at the listener to emphasize his superior intellect.

Please tell me, what have I done to warrant four more years of such a bore?

Obama toys with disorganized GOP

Reflecting back, we can now see the Romney campaign message was disorganized and ineffective.  Voters were not touched or captured by the message or the candidate.  Obama won, and now he is enjoying the spoils of victory.

The election loss officially silenced Romney and Ryan as GOP spokesmen.  +John Boehner and +Mitch McConnell are the only Republicans left standing to speak for the Party. And to put it mildly, they are not up to the task.  In addition, Boehner’s Speaker role means he has to duel with +Obama on the fiscal cliff problem. As we all can see, that is no contest.  Boehner even naively believes Obama will work sincerely to a compromise solution to the fiscal cliff.  He goes further into naivety by embarrassing himself with his Plan B fiasco. 

Obama and his Chicago organizers view the election the same as a victory in a big street fight between rival gangs.   They won the last fight, and Obama sees no reason to compromise with the same gang he beat up the last time out.   His attitude is non-negotiable: “agree to what I say or else.”   He then adds, “Rest assured you will get the blame if we go over the fiscal cliff.”

The truth is, Obama would just as soon see the latter.  That’s how street fighters think.  First, beat up the other gang.  Humiliating them is even better.  Life is not fair, the obstructionist comes off the hero. It’s difficult to avoid feeling sorry for the hapless Speaker.   

The Obama/Romney mismatch

Despite all the pre-election hoopla, the actual election turned into a “no contest.” In fact, it seemed like the Democrats won by default. Obama entered the contest with a politically disastrous track record. Based on his dismal performance he should have no hope of winning. Yet, he prevailed. Why?

Apparently the Republican side seemed to think Obama’s record was so bad he couldn’t possibly win. In any event, they virtually failed to show up, let alone present a vigorous case. Neither their campaign, nor their candidate, connected with the voters on any front. By way of analogy, the election was more like a battle between a Mormon choir boy and the Chicago mafia.

Romney smilingly played the decent “nice guy” role alongside his pleasant wife, Ann. The Romney campaign was soft and almost silent on Obama’s universal failings. Romney publicly agreed with Obama more than he disagreed, and when he criticized him it was ever so politely. Romney did not scream from the rooftops that Obama was driving America headlong into a bankrupt Greek-style socialist hole. He did not point out that Barack really disliked the America most of us are so proud of, and that he was determined to change it. Ambassador Steven’s unnecessary death never got hung around Barack’s incompetent neck where it belonged. The media helped in developing this astounding free pass for Obama on his abysmal record. All in all, it was as though the last four years never happened.

Meanwhile, his Democrat opposition attacked Romney like a gang of Chicago thugs with methods honed from numerous street fights. They firmly established Romney in the public’s mind as a heartless, out of touch, rich guy who enjoyed abusing dogs. Leo Durocher warned us long ago when he said “nice guys finish last.” It was an Obama sweep against a nice, but hapless, foe.

The Trayvon Martin incident

Let’s be clear. The killing of Trayvon Martin is an absolute shame and a human tragedy. It should never have happened. The family deserves our sympathy. If investigation shows the shooting was not justified, the killer should be punished according to the law. I am crystal clear on all of those statements.

As clear as I am on the above statements, I am puzzled by the national outcry over the incident. This killing has become a national cause célèbre among blacks. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton hop back on the media stage by shouting their tired message of racial outrage. Louis Farrakhan goes even further calling for revenge, “an eye for an eye,” etc. As usual, Obama plays for votes by proclaiming Tryvon the son he wished he had, without knowing the victim at all.

Spike Lee has been at the forefront of a broad celebrity reaction, tweeting messages such as "America The Beautiful, A Country Where A Black Teenager Can Be Shot And Killed Coming From A 7-Eleven Buying A Ice Tea And A Bag Of Skittles," and retweeting -- often with commentary -- messages from fans and other advocates for legal action against Zimmerman.

Apparently the Tryvon incident got so much attention because it was cast as a white on black shooting. Plus, it is touted as an example of common racial profiling. In other words, it reinforces the standard black message: “American society is essentially racist.” What puzzles me about that attitude is most of the people I know are unaware of any black prejudice until black reactions such as this one occur.

A half Hispanic man did the shooting, and he said it was in self defense. Yet, the media and the liberal public have judged him guilty of murder with racial prejudice before any investigation. Obama’s Justice Department is considering charges. This conclusion is apparently based solely on the killer’s cell phone call to the police before the killing occurred. Who needs more proof when your antennae are ever alert for an excuse to claim racial bias?

On the other hand, The San Francisco Chronicle reports,
“In 2011, there were 103 reported homicides in Oakland. Most of the victims were young black males who were killed with firearms in East and West Oakland. This is a continuation of a pattern in Oakland that has been the case for years and is closely tied to the economic and social realities of young people living in the city’s poorest areas. If there is anything that makes 2011 different than past years, it is that three of those homicide victims were children under the age of 6."

The Chron article goes on,
"Carlos Nava, a 3-year-old, was killed by a stray bullet in a drive-by shooting in East Oakland on August 9. Less than three months later, 23-month-old Hiram Lawrence was shot in the head by a stray bullet in West Oakland on November 28, and died two weeks after that when he was taken off life support. On December 30, 5-year-old Gabriel Martinez was shot and killed by another stray bullet in front of his family’s taco truck in East Oakland.”

These incidents in predominantly black neighborhoods prompted some reaction and mild protests in Oakland, but nowhere else. Spike Lee was silent about this black side of America. Is the message that black on black crime is understandable and acceptable? Are we to believe all problems in the black community result from white bias?

Obama, the person

In this political season, the performance of Barack Obama is a frequent topic of conversation. The talk is usually based on how he has handled various issues, such as the economy or foreign policy.

I believe there is another way of evaluating Barack. Let’s consider how he stacks up as “a person.” On a grander perspective, does he display traits you match with proper presidential behavior, as distinguished from particular decisions? Closer to home, if he were a neighbor would you ask him over frequently for a glass of wine or dinner? Is it likely you would count him as a friend? Would the two of you be compatible on most issues (except religion and politics of course)?

Frankly, I can’t think of any basis on which I would want personal time with Obama. I don’t see a smidgeon of agreement between us insofar as personality and character is concerned. First off, he talks way, way too much. Can you just imagine an evening with Barack? There wouldn’t be an opportunity for an edgewise word. Even worse, his continual “rattling on” is all about how great he is, how much smarter he is than the rest of us. Who wants to endure an evening of non-stop self praise?

But, that’s not all. Barack fails every test of fundamental honesty I can think of. One expects a politician to bend the truth a bit when it suits him politically. Obama is the champion chameleon among such benders of truth. In reality, there is no need to listen to his voluminous words because they have no meaning. His positions on issues are as changeable as the weather. They totally reflect how he reads the political tea leaves that day. That is shamelessly true.

Most of us dare not claim to be infallible. Obama, on the other hand, has never been wrong, never! Everything that does not go well (and that’s most everything he does) he blames on someone else. His favorite target is George Bush, but he leans heavily on all Republicans for excuses for his personal failures. In fact, it is fair to say that anyone who disagrees with him automatically becomes an attack target, even radio host, Rush. Apparently, Barack believes it is impossible for anyone of such superior intelligence to be wrong.

But, my worst Barack irritation comes when he runs down our country. Perhaps it is because of my advancing years. Or, maybe my patriotic roots “act up.” But somehow, I became ingrained with the belief that America is exceptional among the countries of the world. I have no doubt Americans stand out worldwide for their generosity, their love of freedom, and their wish for the best for others. Obama continually apologizes for American actions to other countries, factions, and world leaders. That goes beyond annoying. It is distressing. His tendency to trash the country I hold dear is just too much.

So, in summary, I see no basis on which to agree with, let alone praise, our dear president’s personal traits. No, I would not choose him as a friend or neighbor. Frankly, I can’t wait for his reign to end with this one term. When he is finally gone from the presidential scene, my TV remote button will get a well deserved rest. I believe a job with Acorn would be right down his alley. Then he can buy his Chevy Volt, if he can find one for sale. And Michelle will have to pay for her vacations like the rest of us. I can’t wait for that day to arrive.

GOP letting Obama off the hook?

Obama is acknowledged by many as the worst president in recent memory. With such an opponent one would expect a relatively easy GOP win in November. To counter that happening, Obama’s political strategy is to assemble a large group of “Obama, no matter what” voters. Massive government entitlements have been doled out in all directions to guarantee return votes. The unions have been coddled by this administration like no other before. The black vote is totally racist, but automatic. Barack also plays to the Hispanic vote. The general theme is, “if you have a problem this administration will solve it for you.” Even with that solid group of likely voters, his general unpopularity continues to make him highly vulnerable.

Obama continues to help his opposition all he can. He apologizes and is “profoundly sorry” for the burning of the Qurans in Afghanistan. Americans can understand that such an act could be upsetting to Muslims. However, they fail to see why it calls for days of screaming riots and the killing of 40 people, including Americans. It gets especially hard to understand when, at the same time, Obama stomps all over the fundamental beliefs of the Catholics without apology.

Cornered by the rise in gas prices, Barack tells a bold face lie by saying he has supported domestic oil and gas drilling. And then, get this. With a straight face, he offers algae fuel as a solution to our energy problem. And the latest, he really is for the Keystone pipeline after all. Talk about a guy who may say absolutely anything no matter how absurd. Even his teleprompter must be growing a long nose.
But wait, the Republican candidates apparently want to give Barack a second chance. They continue to pound each other, and only in passing do they reference the massive Obama shortcomings.

None of the four candidates offers a clear and appealing presidential vision. About the best one can say about Romney is that he sounds like a nice guy and probably carries less damaging baggage than the others. However, it is hard to tell where he really stands on important issues. Gingrich? Please spare me an answer. Paul has some solid ideas on spending that unfortunately stand side by side with his “left field” positions on other issues. Santorum’s message gets muddled by his off-the-cuff preoccupations with social issues.

Americans care about the social stuff, but right now they are focused on what they see as more critical issues. The deficit, the economy, the desperate need to define a future America, and a plea to return to the concept of American exceptionalism all overwhelm social priorities. They also want a president who seems likely to promote American ideals to the world instead of apologies.

It’s not totally comforting to those of us praying for a Republican victory, but the best hope we have is that Obama will continue to be Obama. In our favor, he probably can’t help himself.

Republicans, get your act together

The four Republican candidates chip away at each other, but no “winning” Republican theme emerges from any candidate. Are we supposed to vote for Romney because he worked for Bain Capital? Newt’s time was long, long ago, if it ever was. Ron Paul espouses some good ideas, but then veers off into distant left field on some issues. Governor Perry was an embarrassment for the great state of Texas. Santorum sounds good at times, but his basic theme comes across as somewhat restricted. Besides, there is real doubt he would be a strong enough candidate to tackle Obama, even while wearing his sweater vest.

Then, in Congress we have John Boehner and Mitch McConnell promoting the Republican point of view. Both are seriously mild, even boring, in their approach and are terribly ineffective as speakers to Republican truth. The Tea Party made a splash a few months ago, but it now seems to have a diminished voice. Sarah Palin showed promise as a spokesperson, but lately her message sounds tired. Rubio, Mitch Daniels, and Chris Christie all come across better than the candidates we now have, but they refuse to go national. Who else can you name that speaks for the GOP? To show the extreme poverty of Republican noise, Donald Trump even gets media attention when he speaks on their behalf.

Barack has a disastrous record in every phase of Presidential behavior. In response, the primary Republican strategy has been to blame Obama for the poor economy. In so doing, they take the risk that this may improve on its own. Meanwhile, Obama gets away with despising the traditional America that has served us so well for so long. He apologizes to the world for past American behavior. He fails to endorse American values in situations like the Arab Spring. He plunges headlong down the dangerous path toward European style socialism. Shamelessly chasing voters, he promotes massive deficit spending on entitlements. Barack punishes the successful and rewards non-contributors. Obama’s overall approach is a total diversion from American exceptionalism. To my dismay, there is no discernable Republican response to this scary Obama program.

Meanwhile, Obama uses Air Force One and his teleprompter to tell us every day how great he is, and the media does its best to endorse his message. At best, the Republican reply is muddled and ineffective.

In summary, the Republicans give the impression they are not ready for prime time. They do not come across as a solid political force. If this is not corrected, their candidate will only attract the “loyalty voters” who won’t vote for Obama no matter what, of which I am one.