About Me

Name: jarhead
Biography
Loading...

Create Your Own Blog Find Other Townhall Blogs

Comments

Blog Roll

 

The President's staffing problems

Posted by jarhead on Sunday, February 08, 2009 12:00:00 AM
President Obama's picks for various administration posts seem to reflect a worse than usual cast of folks that clearly do not represent a change from the way things were and not reflective of any change in the way business is done;  so far they have more issues of character than I can personally remember so early in an administration. How could this be?

We have to remember that the erstwhile President of change has little experience with issues at a national level. The vast bulk of his experience with public affairs was gained in Illinois politics. His long standing closest associates, advisers and mentors clearly do not translate to a national level team and moreover, they are so unsavory that he had to cast most of them aside to save his run for the presidency. And he's dealing with issues of a scope and importance he has never experienced. He needs a lot of help fast. So now he's secured the top job, where can he look for help with his agenda?

Since he is a left wing socialist he'll find some folks already there that will support him BUT he certainly has no long or even short term relationships that he can rely on-with the possible exception of Rahm Emmanuel who I suspect will soon emerge as a huge liability. He desperately wants to appear moderate and non-partisan but the issues are of too great a consequence (read lucrative) for the liberal left not to try and exploit the crisis as Rahm has said should be the effort if one is in charge at such a time. So everything Obama tries to do will be taken as far left as possible by the Pelosi/Reid crowd. And I think we are already seeing his willingness to support the left by making partisan comments to the press. I suspect it will not be too long before his lack of experience and relianace on help from those he does not know and should not trust will presage a sharp decline in his popularity. This is no two term President by any stretch. Glibness may sell during a campaign but now it is substance and principle that count-and he has little of either to draw on.

 

Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (0) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive

Obama and Wright and the truth

Posted by jarhead on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 8:45:36 PM
 

Obama’s press conference on the 29th to address Wright’s comments is exactly what has been going on with this guy from day one. He appeared out of nowhere with no history or accomplishments trumpeting himself as the answer to all our problems. But slowly, VERY slowly, the picture is developing. For all the smooth talk and grand speeches the real Obama comes into focus:

  1. First he had a friendly relationship with Bill Ayers which has evolved into his condemning what Ayers did 40 years ago but you have to understand that he is now a respected English teacher at a university in Chicago. How could Obama be responsible for what Ayers did when he, Obama, was on only 8 years old? BUT Ayers as late as 2001 was unrepentant of his previous deeds and only regrets not  doing more. And while Obama does not REGULARLY consult with Ayers on the issues just what is it that two such politically motivated men do when they DO talk?
  2. When asked about raising the Capital gains tax in the last Democratic debate, despite having the evidence before him that raising the tax was bad for government ‘revenue’ because it was bad for business, he would raise it anyway as a matter of ‘fairness’. That sounds a lot more like ‘from each according to his ability and to each according to his need’ than it does ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’. Marx would love him but Jefferson would be appalled. (Perhaps we see here what he has in common with Ayers-a bloodless coup that would not make Che happy but would achieve his ends.)
  3. The Reverend Wright’s speeches this week have caused Barack to try to distance himself even further from the good reverend while making these recent speeches  out to be a shift in what the reverend was doing in his church for 20 years for the benefit of not only Barack but his wife (when you hear some of her speeches you hear shades of the reverend) AND his children. The truth is that the reverend has changed nothing. Barack backed away from having the Reverend give the invocation at his announcement for President at the last minute over a year ago because he knew the reverend might just do what he’d been doing for years. That was before the recent exposure of his sermons, his church’s Africa centric posture and its support of and awards for Louis Farrakhan.
  4. At a private fund raiser in San Francisco Barack disparages some voters in Pennsylvania as clinging to their guns, faith and dislike of those ‘not like them’ because of economic issues. The clear message being that if he and his rich elite friends can put the right bait (derived from increased taxes) in front of these folks they will drop their guns and faith and join the glassy eyed, oratorically drugged Obamites.
  5. Both Hillary and Obama will raise taxes on income earners while assuring us that they will protect the middle class. For Hillary that means families earning less than 250K a year. For Barak that means anyone earning less than 50-75K. Think about 50K as the top end of the middle class earner.
  6. Tony Resko.
  7. He is the MOST liberal senator by virtue of his very skimpy voting record. NO-ONE is to the left of him. And not once has he demonstrated in the U.S. Senate the slightest desire or ability to bridge the gap and bring folks together.

All this brings into focus the most important aspects of a President and what is expected of him. First and foremost is leadership which, in this very complex and dangerous world, means having a close knit group of trusted advisors that he can turn to for advice, counsel and possible placement in his administration. Who will Obama turn to? The Rev.Wright? Bill Ayers? Tony Resko? Do we yet know all the various and disreputable inhabitants of this man’s inner circle?? As I said above-Marx would love him but Jefferson would be appalled. Obama is full bore socialism, high taxes to pay for government largess, glib obfuscation at every seamy expose and, ultimately, the decline of the once great nation of America should he be president.
Tags: president  
Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (1) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive

McCain and Cunningham's remarks

Posted by jarhead on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 4:14:16 PM
McCain's comments apologizing for Cunningham's comments and taking responsibility for them are outstanding examples of true conservative principle. The first example is that of taking responsibility. Trust a man of McCain's enormous character to first take responsibility and then to do that which is most responsble under the circumstances-apologize. Why should he apologize?
 
Well he is responsible, even if he was not aware of what was going to said, for the content of any spoken or written word his campaign engages on its behalf. And John McCain, unlike all the usual talking head critics, understands that if he's elected he must then do business with Barack, Hillary and all their supporters in the Congress. Cheap shot name calling now does not pay dividends later. It can only make the job of President that much more difficult. And he did it promptly, on the spot and without the aid of campaign handlers or polling.
 
I find McCain's approach on this issue very responsible, far sighted and, to those who persist in trying compare McCain to Reagan, would Reagan have condoned and supported what Cunningham did? Sorry folks, Reagan would have probably done exactly what McCain did.
Email ItEmail It | Print ItPrint It | CommentsComments (1) | TrackbacksTrackbacks (0) | Flag as offensiveFlag as Offensive
« Previous1Next »