The Cracks Appear

[Annie]

Like Hanson or not, his analysis is very good. That and the word of the day:

Pentelic Pen*tel"ic\, Pentelican \Pen*tel"i*can\, a. Of or pertaining to Mount Pentelicus, near Athens, famous for its fine white marble quarries; obtained from Mount Pentelicus; as, the Pentelic marble of which the Parthenon is built.


Works and Days » Cracks in the Facade

Cracks in the Facade
Posted By Victor Davis Hanson On May 14, 2009 @ 8:33 am In Uncategorized | 170 Comments

Fissures in the Obama Totem

Oh, I know that President Obama’s approval ratings are still around 62%. But I also remember that George Bush’s at the end of 2001 got even higher — and stayed at or above 60% through most of 2002, explaining why he increased his congressional majority in the midterm elections.

Nevertheless, I think we are beginning — after less than four months — to see fissures in Obama’s Pentelic statuary. And the cracks will widen, because in about six areas he has taken on human nature itself, age-old logic, and common sense-opponents that even a Harvard Law degree and Chicago organizing are no match for.

1) The Rule of Law. We are on dangerous ground here with the reordering of the bankruptcy statutes with Chrysler and the UAW; with the strong-arming of stimulus money for California predicated on the protection of unions; with the serial disdain for paying taxes on the part of Geithner, Solis, Daschle and others; and with the selective release of CIA memos, to denigrate those out of office as veritable torturers (they should reread the transcript of Eric Holder’s 2002 CNN interview with Paula Zahn in which he grandly denies that the Gitmo detainees have any recourse to the Geneva Convention accords and can be held there for as long as we think the war lasts). What separates the U.S. from Mexico, Cuba, or Haiti is the rule of law, the protection of capital and property, the evenhanded treatment of investment, and the faith in a fair media to uncover abuse. I think that is now all in question, as the Utopian ends justify the tawdry means.

2) Energy. We are finding more natural gas than ever. There are billions of barrels of U.S. oil in Alaska, offshore, and in shale. Yet rigs sit idle and government leases are constricting rather than expanding — and for reasons other than the economy....

3) Debt. Obama has somehow already used the tax last resort. That is, his figures assume taking off FICA caps, watching the states increase their own tax rates, upping the federal rate to 40%, curbing deductions, and effectively increasing the total state and federal bite to above 65% on top incomes...

4) Security. Very schizophrenic. WE keep FISA, Patriot Act, rendition, military tribunals (Gitmo for now?), Predator attacks, Iraq and Afghanistan, while we trash their Bush origins, apologize abroad, and try to out CIA memos to embarrass the country between 2001-8....

5). Civil Discord. In just three months Obama has caused more disunity than most presidents in recent memory....

6). Race relations. Here I am worried. Far from bringing us together, I think Obama’s serial emphasis on race may achieve the unintended opposite of polarization. He should have learned in the campaign (Rev. Wright, Trinity Church, typical white person, clingers, call for reparations, his grandmother — the purported prejudicial stereotyper, etc.), the perils of seeing the world through skin color. ...

Missed opportunity? Obama could have had a one-time stimulus, then vowed to balance the budget. He might have praised wind and solar as he asked the carbon industry to ‘get us through.’ He could have politely disagreed with Bush, but framing differences in the tragic notion of no good choices. He might have cooled the overseas apologies, savvy that other nations have more to apologize for than his own. Obama should have established zero-tolerance for tax avoidance at a time of record tax increases. He could have remonstrated with Wall Street, and sought to rein in excess without Europeanizing the financial sector. He could have proactively reformed entitlements with bipartisan support, rather than, as will happen, drastically address them in the 11th hour. But then to do all that would be to assume he never went to Trinity Church, knew no Rev. Wright, Ayers, Khalidi, etc., did not run mysterious campaigns that eliminated opponents before the elections, was not the most partisan Senator in Congress, and avoided rather crude social and racial stereotyping while campaigning. Most who read this will not agree, given the mesmerizing effect of the Obama charisma. But in time, unless there are radical changes, I think the nation will come to learn that such talent was not put in service to our collective welfare.

There's lots more at the site, I just used the opening and closing. As I said, well thought out and each deals with issues discussed over and over again here. The real panic setting in for the liberals is they KNOW the conservatives are focused on the issues and decisions, not with name calling as they were for 8 long years....

 

[American Horse]

Like Hanson or not, his analysis is very good. That and the word of the day:

Pentelic Pen*tel"ic\, Pentelican \Pen*tel"i*can\, a. Of or pertaining to Mount Pentelicus, near Athens, famous for its fine white marble quarries; obtained from Mount Pentelicus; as, the Pentelic marble of which the Parthenon is built.

Works and Days » Cracks in the Facade

Cracks in the Facade
...
Fissures in the Obama Totem
...

There are an increasing number of contradictions in the President's methods, policies, statements, and philosophy from what was expected. Except for the committed Kool-Aid drinkers and those most responsible for his election, who are then also most invested, the MSM, ordinary people of both parties can't help feeling they're being taken for a ride. The fear is growing that it's not going to be a ride ending in a "happy place".

Even, or maybe more-so, those outside the US recognize that the "Rule of law" is being given short shrift by this administration and the rest of the over-reachers amongst the Ds in our governmental elite.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Like Hanson or not, his analysis is very good. That and the word of the day:

Pentelic Pen*tel"ic\, Pentelican \Pen*tel"i*can\, a. Of or pertaining to Mount Pentelicus, near Athens, famous for its fine white marble quarries; obtained from Mount Pentelicus; as, the Pentelic marble of which the Parthenon is built.

Works and Days » Cracks in the Facade

Cracks in the Facade
...
Fissures in the Obama Totem
...

There are an increasing number of contradictions in the President's methods, policies, statements, and philosophy from what was expected. Except for the committed Kool-Aid drinkers and those most responsible for his election, who are then also most invested, the MSM, ordinary people of both parties can't help feeling they're being taken for a ride. The fear is growing that it's not going to be a ride ending in a "happy place".

Even, or maybe more-so, those outside the US recognize that the "Rule of law" is being given short shrift by this administration and the rest of the over-reachers amongst the Ds in our governmental elite.

Fear not Jillian and her Cohort of faithful Obama worshipers, err I mean supporters, will be along to explain this is just rightwing Nut jobs giving themselves a hand Job.

 

[Old Rocks]

President Obama has not had four months in office, yet. We shall see how his policies play out. But after eight years of Bush, we are all aware how his, and his supporters, policies played out.

Incompetance, failure, and idiocy are hardly a good platform for critisizing the present administration from. If Obama's policies fail, then I, and most Dems, will call him on it. We will not be kissing his ass like you fellows still do in defending criminal actions of the last administration.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

President Obama has not had four months in office, yet. We shall see how his policies play out. But after eight years of Bush, we are all aware how his, and his supporters, policies played out.

Incompetance, failure, and idiocy are hardly a good platform for critisizing the present administration from. If Obama's policies fail, then I, and most Dems, will call him on it. We will not be kissing his ass like you fellows still do in defending criminal actions of the last administration.

Sure ya will, He has just spent more money in 3 months then Bush did in what 4 years? And you applaud it. When the back lash comes you and the other Obama bots will be like Deer caught in headlights at night.

 

[garyd]

Rocks the only difference between Obama and Bush can be summed up in one word. More. More of what you say? How about of everything More War in Afghanistan and Pakistan, more social spending, more pork, more earmarks, more this , more that , and more of the other.

How can any Democrat who bitched about Bush's spending for the last eight years set there with a straight face and say that Obama's spending is good? Obama is going to spend damn near as much in his first year, albeit with the help of Reid and Pelosi as Bush did in his first two, and recite the idiotic mantra, Bush bad, Obama good, like some bunch of ancient idol worshippers bowing and scraping at the feet of your all to modern God King complete with ersatz columns and Olympian Ayres.

 

[Annie]

President Obama has not had four months in office, yet. We shall see how his policies play out. But after eight years of Bush, we are all aware how his, and his supporters, policies played out.

Incompetance, failure, and idiocy are hardly a good platform for critisizing the present administration from. If Obama's policies fail, then I, and most Dems, will call him on it. We will not be kissing his ass like you fellows still do in defending criminal actions of the last administration.

Don't be so sure, take a look at the Pelosi thread, real kool-aid there.

 

[editec]

If the point of this thread is to convince us that Obama's approval rating are bound to drop, it wasn't really necessary.

I think any political realist understands that this POTUS is bound to experience drops in approval rating as people become increasing frustrated by the economy and the job picture.

And his policies in the MidEAST are bound to lose him support with same the anti-imperialism crowd who faulted Bush II, too.

 

[Agnapostate]

Hmmm...what was it I said about this elsewhere? Oh, yes!

A poor analysis, even for the typically nationalistic Hanson, considering that he is defined by little more than rhetorical emptiness. It would be better for him to have said that the financial class is on "dangerous ground," not "the rule of law." We have the potential for a peaceful means of extending democracy into the economic realm, though Obama evidently has little desire to exercise that potential.

As I've said, a transition to market socialism wouldn't be an especially difficult task at the moment. Significant components of the financial class are currently reeling as a result of the widespread failure of the banks and the auto industry. There's no need for violent expropriation by an angry proletariat to occur; the standard failure of capitalist financial markets have already ensured that the "owners" are now desperate and would be happy to receive anything close to fair market value. Therefore, all it would take is boring old nationalization of the failing industries and banks, followed by the establishment of democratic management of these industries by their workers, as well as the establishment of a progressive capital assets tax on these industries and the banks, and presto! We have market socialism!

The fact that Obama has refrained from such action illustrates the reality of his liberal democratic capitalism, IMO.

 

[Annie]

Hmmm...what was it I said about this elsewhere? Oh, yes!

A poor analysis, even for the typically nationalistic Hanson, considering that he is defined by little more than rhetorical emptiness. It would be better for him to have said that the financial class is on "dangerous ground," not "the rule of law." We have the potential for a peaceful means of extending democracy into the economic realm, though Obama evidently has little desire to exercise that potential.

As I've said, a transition to market socialism wouldn't be an especially difficult task at the moment. Significant components of the financial class are currently reeling as a result of the widespread failure of the banks and the auto industry. There's no need for violent expropriation by an angry proletariat to occur; the standard failure of capitalist financial markets have already ensured that the "owners" are now desperate and would be happy to receive anything close to fair market value. Therefore, all it would take is boring old nationalization of the failing industries and banks, followed by the establishment of democratic management of these industries by their workers, as well as the establishment of a progressive capital assets tax on these industries and the banks, and presto! We have market socialism!

The fact that Obama has refrained from such action illustrates the reality of his liberal democratic capitalism, IMO.

Ah and Agna returns under a new name and cute cartoon!

 

[code1211]

President Obama has not had four months in office, yet. We shall see how his policies play out. But after eight years of Bush, we are all aware how his, and his supporters, policies played out.

Incompetance, failure, and idiocy are hardly a good platform for critisizing the present administration from. If Obama's policies fail, then I, and most Dems, will call him on it. We will not be kissing his ass like you fellows still do in defending criminal actions of the last administration.

This statement is really amazing. Obama has continued each and every one of the policies that Bush implemented and that you condemned. The only difference is that he proposes to grow the debt at a tripled rate and he can't seem to find an appointee that remembered to pay his taxes.

Do you not see that the policies of Obama which you love and the policies of Bush that you hate ARE THE SAME POLICIES?

This is the price of Party loyalty above all else. It robs us of our ability to think.

 

[code1211]

Hmmm...what was it I said about this elsewhere? Oh, yes!

A poor analysis, even for the typically nationalistic Hanson, considering that he is defined by little more than rhetorical emptiness. It would be better for him to have said that the financial class is on "dangerous ground," not "the rule of law." We have the potential for a peaceful means of extending democracy into the economic realm, though Obama evidently has little desire to exercise that potential.

As I've said, a transition to market socialism wouldn't be an especially difficult task at the moment. Significant components of the financial class are currently reeling as a result of the widespread failure of the banks and the auto industry. There's no need for violent expropriation by an angry proletariat to occur; the standard failure of capitalist financial markets have already ensured that the "owners" are now desperate and would be happy to receive anything close to fair market value. Therefore, all it would take is boring old nationalization of the failing industries and banks, followed by the establishment of democratic management of these industries by their workers, as well as the establishment of a progressive capital assets tax on these industries and the banks, and presto! We have market socialism!

The fact that Obama has refrained from such action illustrates the reality of his liberal democratic capitalism, IMO.

Is this satire?

 

[Annie]

Hmmm...what was it I said about this elsewhere? Oh, yes!

A poor analysis, even for the typically nationalistic Hanson, considering that he is defined by little more than rhetorical emptiness. It would be better for him to have said that the financial class is on "dangerous ground," not "the rule of law." We have the potential for a peaceful means of extending democracy into the economic realm, though Obama evidently has little desire to exercise that potential.

As I've said, a transition to market socialism wouldn't be an especially difficult task at the moment. Significant components of the financial class are currently reeling as a result of the widespread failure of the banks and the auto industry. There's no need for violent expropriation by an angry proletariat to occur; the standard failure of capitalist financial markets have already ensured that the "owners" are now desperate and would be happy to receive anything close to fair market value. Therefore, all it would take is boring old nationalization of the failing industries and banks, followed by the establishment of democratic management of these industries by their workers, as well as the establishment of a progressive capital assets tax on these industries and the banks, and presto! We have market socialism!

The fact that Obama has refrained from such action illustrates the reality of his liberal democratic capitalism, IMO.

Is this satire?

Oh no, he means it. Really.

 

[Bfgrn]

Like Hanson or not, his analysis is very good.

You started off in error... Hanson's analysis is far from objective.

Everything he says should be questioned, just like all the neoconservatives who pushed for the war in Iraq as a policy decision, not a national security issue...

 

[Annie]

Like Hanson or not, his analysis is very good.

You started off in error... Hanson's analysis is far from objective.

Everything he says should be questioned, just like all the neoconservatives who pushed for the war in Iraq as a policy decision, not a national security issue...

I never said, 'objective', it's an op-ed.

 

[jillian]

Oh no, he means it. Really.

The problem, kath, is that the day obama became president, the right wing blogosphere started whining. There isn't anything credible coming out of the group that messed everything up for eight years.

That said, want to know what the REAL indicator is...

this one:

RealClearPolitics - Election Other - Direction of Country

Besides, you guys aren't affecting his numbers one iota since you never supported him.

otherwise why would the right have spent the last four months trying to undermine public confidence so he "fails"...

 

[Bfgrn]

Like Hanson or not, his analysis is very good.

You started off in error... Hanson's analysis is far from objective.

Everything he says should be questioned, just like all the neoconservatives who pushed for the war in Iraq as a policy decision, not a national security issue...

I never said, 'objective', it's an op-ed.

Why should we listen to this neocon Annie? Haven't they fucked up this country enough in the last eight years?

Hanson was WRONG about Iraq, Bush and Donald Rumsfeld - "a rare sort of secretary of the caliber of George Marshall" and a "proud and honest-speaking visionary" whose "hard work and insight are bringing us ever closer to victory."

THIS Donald Rumsfeld -

Rumsfeld Forbade Planning For Postwar Iraq, General Says

Long before the United States invaded Iraq in 2003, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld forbade military strategists to develop plans for securing a postwar Iraq, the retiring commander of the Army Transportation Corps said.

Brig. Gen. Mark E. Scheid told the Newport News Daily Press in an interview published yesterday that Rumsfeld had said "he would fire the next person" who talked about the need for a postwar plan.

Scheid was a colonel with the U.S. Central Command, the unit that oversees military operations in the Middle East, in late 2001 when Rumsfeld "told us to get ready for Iraq."

"The secretary of defense continued to push on us . . . that everything we write in our plan has to be the idea that we are going to go in, we're going to take out the regime, and then we're going to leave," Scheid said. "We won't stay."

Planners continued to try "to write what was called Phase 4" -- plans that covered post-invasion operations such as security, stability and reconstruction, said Scheid, who is retiring in about three weeks, but "I remember the secretary of defense saying that he would fire the next person that said that."
Washington Post

 

[WillowTree]

It's very clear to me that the "failed policies" of the Bush administration regarding Iraq, Gitmo, rendition, military tribunals, etc etc etc etc are soooo poorly thought out that must be the reason the obamalama adheres to them.. huh?

 

[Ravi]

Oh no, he means it. Really.

The problem, kath, is that the day obama became president, the right wing blogosphere started whining. There isn't anything credible coming out of the group that messed everything up for eight years.

That said, want to know what the REAL indicator is...

this one:

RealClearPolitics - Election Other - Direction of Country

Besides, you guys aren't affecting his numbers one iota since you never supported him.

otherwise why would the right have spent the last four months trying to undermine public confidence so he "fails"...

Yep! You have to chuckle at them for writing these ridiculous rants...so transparent.

Civil unrest???

Calls for reparations???

Op/ed piece is laced with lies.

 

[raceright]

Oh no, he means it. Really.

The problem, kath, is that the day obama became president, the right wing blogosphere started whining. There isn't anything credible coming out of the group that messed everything up for eight years.

That said, want to know what the REAL indicator is...

this one:

RealClearPolitics - Election Other - Direction of Country

Besides, you guys aren't affecting his numbers one iota since you never supported him.

otherwise why would the right have spent the last four months trying to undermine public confidence so he "fails"...

Every time you open your mouth (in this case type) the pendulum swings more right. could take 4 years or 8 years but it will swing regardless but as long as people like Pelosi keep trying to demagogue
the past policies instead of doing the job they were elected to do the faster the pendulum swings Fools.