Obama Declares Bush Was Right
Raining on the Obama pirate parade, news surfaces again that Obama is getting some more needed on the job training.
First, a quick tangent about the pirate issue, since it is not really worth a complete post, then to the main point-
That the left is getting a charge out of Obama’s handling of the pirate situation is laughable at best. I applaud the success, but it is hardly a bold, difficult decision to have made, let alone one that required creativity or much mastery of delicate “strategery”. In fact, the second the news broke on his rescue, but long before details of any type were available, I turned to the love of my life and said “Looks like someone just got a surprise visit from the frog men.” (‘Frog men’ is one of the Seals’ affectionate nicknames.)
I guess my point is, this did not take an intellectual or political giant to figure out what the hell to do here. Three teenage pirates holding a single man, in a small boat, in the open waters of the ocean. This is hardly the Iran hostage crisis, Cuban missile crisis, our Mexican border and immigration problem, or a Cold War. Yet, the left thinks they just won the Superbowl, and want to parade the victory like the Jets in ’69…
(Now for the carefully crafted segue.)
I guess it’s no wonder people who are so easily impressed with such a small feat would have rushed to vote for Mr. Community Organizer last fall. They thought he was super to begin with, while the rest of us knew he was not ready. They all wanted anything but Bush, but they seem to be getting a rude awakening now… as Obama is finding that maybe, Bush was right all along.
Which brings us back to our topic of the day- Presidential and Executive Powers.
We all said, those of us who saw through Obama, that the White House is no place for on the job training (OJT). The left claimed that Bush and Cheney were tyrannical usurpers of basic rights guaranteed by the constitution and bill of rights, even though I bet few of those people have even read either document, let alone any of the legal precedents that have chiseled their sometimes seemingly broad concepts into more defined law.
Obama ran on promises that were oft unsupported with either the experience, or knowledge necessary, to actually come to a wise, informed decision. The promise to close GITMO is one such promise. And as we have seen, Obama acted with haste regarding GITMO in order to throw a bone to his minions; gvie them something to chew on; give them something to cheer about. Obama acted without thinking it all the way through because he had to prove to his followers that he was: “not Bush”.
In fact, in his campaign promises he claimed he would create a more “accountable” and “transparent” White House, implying of course all the while that Bush and Cheney were anything but. Clearly this was to appease and obtain the support of the rabid “hate Bush” left, who loathed Bush so much that anything that was the opposite of what Bush implemented would be welcomed with enthusiasm, regardless of whether or not the promises were practical, probable, well thought out or informed.
Now, we come to a phase in the Obama government where he is having to face the reality that campaigning is one thing, running the security of a country is quite another. And I reported this on this blog weeks ago, that this was coming, that this was developing. I also pointed out immediately that when he made the hasty move to close GITMO, that he was being foolish, and would have to deal with the real difficulty of that move later, when he had to decide the disposition of the detainees within that prison’s walls- let alone the disposition of newly apprehended detainees from the Afghanistan conflict.
Interestingly, both the GITMO and the executive powers/State’s Secrets issues, are coming to a head, once again, at the same time. In fact, Obama is not only looking more like Bush in these areas; he is taking it a little further by creating a completely new term, “sovereign immunity”, which would make it impossible for any legal challenge to usurp the Presidential powers regarding wiretapping.
While on the campaign trail, Obama criticized the Bush administration for the program, calling it an abuse of authority and stating that Bush “undermined the constitution”. The newly ‘edu-mu-cated’ Obama administration made the assertion that straying from the path that Bush set in place would cause “extremely grave harm to national security.” Now that Obama is not campaigning, and has received some much needed ‘edu-mu-cation’, all I can say is- “What a difference some exposure to reality makes.”
At the same time, the Holder DOJ and the White House are contemplating and exercising legal arguments to promote what appears to be a backtracking on the whole GITMO premise: that detainees cannot be held indefinitely without habeas rights. The proposed solution to where battlefield detainees will go? Bagram air base in Afghanistan.
Essentially, what is being attempted here is the following: Obama will try to keep good on his promise to the left that he will close GITMO, because, well, he’s just a good guy, and Bush is BAAAAAD. Then, we will open up a new shop, his own, just like GITMO, over at Bagram. Bait and swtich. Say and promise one thing, do another. We’ve seen this pattern from Barry several times, most notably in his broken promises about lobbyists in his cabinet, or advisors, and in his broken promises about bills/legislation being made available for the public and congress to read far before the votes are cast.
While Obama is forced by the facts to make the right decision about detainees and wiretapping, and I acknowledge it is the proper approach, it is not at all who the man said he was. His hypocrisy is running rampant, not because he is a hypocrite, but because he is an unprepared idiot who did not have the experience necessary to understand what he was talking about in the first place. He finds it necessary to be a hypocrite because he was an uninformed fool making popular promises to gain votes, trying to please an unreasonable, intellectually devoid base.
He is finding now that, Bush was right, and he was wrong.
And the left fell for this dipstick and voted for him in droves.
Keep in mind that in congress, even as Obama proves Bush was right, you have people like Pelosi and Reid who actually want to begin the process of investigating Bush for war crimes, based on the same exact actions Obama is attempting to exercise now. This puts one hell of a wrench in those plans, and the “leadership” is beside itself as to what to do. Seems their messiah has blood on his hands now too, in their eyes.
Additionally, their has been a piece of legislation that has been proposed twice- once during Bush’s term, and now this year, called the “State Secrets Act”. This act would have seriously limited the power George Bush had while in office, reducing the ability to “hide behind” the office of the President based on the need to protect the nation’s intelligence from open judicial review. When it was proposed during Bush’s term, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden supported it (it did not pass). It has been proposed again by Russ Feingold, yet the White House refuses to answer questions as to whether or not they support it.
Interesting dilemma. It was good for Bush, and even Obama’s right and left hand “men” (Clinton and Biden) supported it when Bush was in office. Not a peep now.
Seems the democratic party tune has changed now, and it has many on the left wondering if they did in fact vote out Bush last year or not.
Those of us who saw clearly enough not to vote for this lying hypocritical power grabbing buffoon of a car salesman are not confused like the left. We know what we got when he was elected last fall. We saw a nation swindled because a large part of this country is full of hype-believing idiots, that spent more time hating Bush than they did reading the man’s words, actions, and resumé.
I would laugh now, were it not for the sobering fact that he has about 45 months left to screw more things up while getting more OJT.
Hell, I’m just a construction worker and I validated every thing you espoused in your blog by just watching A television let alone going to different links…..thanks for the piece, keep it up.
If Obama continues to go down the path of forsaking his oath to the Constitution–and he DOES still have time to turn around–the worst part will be listening to little pissants like you gloat about how this just proves that it is somehow naive or unrealistic to not illegally spy on Americans or torture people. To hell with that. It was vile and unamerican when Bush did it, and it will still be vile and unamerican if Obama does it.
No- what is really disgusting it to listen to little pissants like you whine about rights being violated, when in fact no valid gross violations have ever been brought forth. You whine like little pussies about “rights” being violated, but forget that you have been kept safe.
You whine about nothing, yet create “something” in your mind, like violations of human rights, when in fact you cannot create a valid case for your argument with actual evidence.
Obama, even though he is a misguided inexperienced ass, has come to the same conclusion the nemesis of his political supporters came to- that wiretapping is a valid and valuable source of intel that helps keep the nation safe, and it is LEGAL.
And that drives the likes of you crazy.
No gross violations have ever been brought forth? Warentless wiretapping is legal?! If you truly believe that, please keep an eye on this thread and I’ll come back to you with examples galore. Don’t have time for it now, unfortunately–I don’t work at a desk. I will say, as I always have, that the spectacle of big bad conservatives living in the _most powerful empire in the history of the world_ pissing themselves in fear over a pitiful handful of religious nuts jerking each other off in the desert is very nearly worth the price of admission. Personally, I didn’t need anyone to replicate the gestapo or tap my phones to be “kept safe” because I wasn’t in any real danger in the first place.
One can only imagine the things you would have cheered on had this country faced an actual existential threat.
“I will say, as I always have, that the spectacle of big bad conservatives living in the _most powerful empire in the history of the world_ pissing themselves in fear over a pitiful handful of religious nuts jerking each other off in the desert is very nearly worth the price of admission.”
Your point is completely invalid. These religious nuts are not just jerking each other off in the desert. Perhaps you have forgotten that the nuts have attacked the US, London, Spain, etc. and have been for the last 30+ years. Should we sit around with our proverbial dick in our hands and wait for Barry to hand over the keys to the country to these religious nuts? Oh wait, maybe he’s already doing it, or like COasis has said maybe Barry’s realizing that if he doesn’t take some offensive action like Bush/Cheney did, the USA won’t have a dick left to hold. I don’t remember any attacks on the United States since 9/11/01.
Great Blog, COasis, and well written, also. Thank you!!
You’re quite welcome, and thanks JJJohnson.
This guy has hit panties in a wad mostly because the left thought that Obama was going to come in and make some decisions that would somehow validate their claims that warrantless wiretapping is illegal. Now it turns out that Holder and Barry are coming to their senses. Amazing what a little edu-mu-cation can do for an idiot.
As I told the love of my life the other day- I think that even IF the wiretapping is a violation of people’s rights periodically, as long as there can be no shown pattern of intentional abuse, then I think, and I think the Government thinks, that that is just fine to lose a lawsuit here and there. What is a couple million dollars here or there in exchange for security? Hell, wiretap ME. I couldn’t care less.
What Obama is finding out is that there is not this big indiscriminate dragnet out there runny willy nilly over people’s rights. Regardless of what rants panty-wad leftneck comes up with, the first thing that will likely be incorrect is half of his assumptions.
Right now, the law is standing on the fact that warrantless wiretaps are legal… the Fed is still getting the warrants, they are just not waiting for the courts to take action- meaning, they apply for the warrants but take action immediately instead of waiting. So the warrants still are issued, just after the fact. Sounds crazy, but so far the courts are supporting the program’s legitimacy because to do it otherwise is impractical, and would turn the intent of the program on its head.
Even courts understand that law has to be applied with the practical intent of success. Zealots do not.
Good blog post. I’ve had that same sense lately, Obama following in Bush’s footsteps in a few issues, and contrary to Obama’s campaign rhetoric.
And one slight correction: Bagram is in Afghanistan (not Iraq).
Thanks for that. Now THAT kind of error I expect to be criticized for. Not having links to MSM for my story? Ha.
amen bro!
COasis, Nice blog post. I am a conservative and liked the post, but I do have a basic problem with your writing style. There aren’t any links to mainstream news sources. All of the links go back to your blog. While this is your blog and you can do with it what you feel you must, you will always be considered a fringe blogger until you decide to start listing your sources in a cogent manner. It is perfectly fine to blog about anything you want, giving your own commentary and opinion the whole way. The problem with this type of writing is that you will not be taken seriously or rise above the ranks of other rabid bloggers out there. I found your writing provocative, but untrustworthy because there weren’t any easily decipherable references to MSM reports. Sorry.
I am not really worried that much about “writing style” being tied to “give me links to MSM”. One, if you are not aware of the veracity of much of what I stated, you just simply aren’t watching enough news OTHER than MSM.
Second, I could (and will, just for you, this one time) give plenty of links to “sources” that are reliable. I don’t normally do so unless the reported link has more to add, or I think the reader might want to read more on the story. In most cases, I am here to make MY point, not echo the “MSM”, as you put it.
Third, as to being taken seriously, I really am not sure what delineates the threshold for being taken seriously, or being a “fringe blogger”. This site has hit DIGG’s front page several times. It has been quoted and referenced by Michelle Malkin. It has been referenced on talk radio. (Real talk radio, on a Fox affiliate.) It has gone from 12-24 hits a day to over a thousand when I am busy working and writing.
Is it my pride and joy and ego? No. Is it huge? No. Do I care? No. It is my outlet. Some people like it. About 2500 unique visitors a month, when I do NOTHING, and up to 15,000 when I am busy writing. I do care if people like it, but first, I care if I like it. And I never care if someone says “hey- stinks. No links. You’re not serious.”
You are the first person out there to complain, in over a year, about there not being enough “MSM” references. I figure that is because most people that dig into blogs don’t give a shit about MSM supporting their OPINIONS, because the MSM is in the liberal tank.
Lastly, I don’t really care what anyone thinks about the blog or my writing “style”. As I said, I have never seen anyone talk about “style” having anything to do with providing reference links. You spent a good bit of time whining to me about not being able to trust me because there are no links, rather than do what most people do, and that is discuss the POINTS MADE, and/or go cross check the facts themselves. Seriously, and idiot sitting at a computer can QUICKLY check and see if the facts which the story is based on are true or not.
But for those of you who need training wheels and mommy to scoop the food off your chin, here are some links for you relative to the points I made.
http://my.auburnjournal.com/detail/111636.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/opinion/13mon1.html?hpw
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/06/AR2009040603338.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/10/AR2009041003269.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/06/MNRP16TJOQ.DTL
I personally thought this was a very well written “I told you so.” The liberals are dismantling our country and selling it for parts. I’m usually pretty peaceful, but I would love to walk in the white house and sock a few liberals.
I’m sorry but get to the point — i couldn’t tell where obama was saying bush was right, god this was poorly written
Seriously, if you can’t see the point, I am willing to go wayyyyy out on a limb and say you voted for Obama, too.