Führerbunker?

On January 20, 2009, a beaming Barak Hussein Obama strode down Pennsylvania Avenue.  He was President of the United States of America.  Basking in the cheers of the gathered throngs, this was his moment of triumph.  Backed by veto proof majorities in Congress, and supported by high approval ratings, Barak Obama had great plans for the nation he now led.

Weekly parties at the official residence, Air Force One and Marine One at his beck and call, dinners with heads of state, 5-hour days playing golf, whole cities brought to standstills as he enjoyed 'date nights' with his First Lady, Obama clearly relished the trappings of power.  Yet, he was woefully unprepared for the demands on, or criticism facing, the occupant of the Oval Office.

The first indications of how the new president would react to anything other than unbridled adulation came less than a month after his inauguration.  The Democrat controlled Congress rushed through the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” (aka “Stimulus Bill”), ready for his signature on February 17, 2009.  Hundreds gathered outside Dobson High School in Mesa, Arizona the following day in protest as Obama arrived to champion the new legislation.  The presidential motorcade made a last second change to bring Obama in from a different direction so he would not have to pass the signs mocking this great give away of the peoples' treasure.

More protests came, each larger than the previous, culminating in a massive tax day rally.  The TEA Party Movement captured the Nation's attention as millions gathered on the National Mall.  Yet, White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, made every effort to downplay the impact of such a demonstration, insisting the administration wasn't even aware of masses marching through D.C.

Obama continued his push to “transform America” as fewer and fewer citizens swooned in awe of his personality.  The populace began to see through this political Professor Harold Hill, and started demanding music right here in River City.  Finally, embarrassed after having been called to account for blasting the Cambridge PD as “acting stupidly”, Obama retreated behind the Rose Garden walls, refusing to hold a formal press conference for months.

Vice President Biden continued making inane statements as the Mad Hatter of the House, in concert with the Senate's Harry the Despised, spindled, folded, and mutilated the Constitution to force passage of the president's signature legislation, ObamaCare.  The people were outraged at this naked power grab, especially following the government take over of the auto and banking industries.  Stung by this rebuke, the administration began lashing out at those dissenting.  His followers denigrated tax and spend protesters with a vulgar sexual reference.  Obama personally attacked the banking and financial industries in hopes of shifting the public ire.

Meanwhile, his administration repeatedly demonstrated incompetence when it came to national security.  The right was outraged at the Ft Hood murders and Janet 'Ineedanap' declaring “the system works” as the actions ordinary people foiled attempts to blow up a plane over Detroit, and car bomb the heart of Times Square.  Even Obama's political base grew more and more disenchanted with his failure to deliver on campaign promises regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, closing Guantanamo, “don't ask, don't tell” and a host of other leftist hot button issues.  Obama's popularity and approval ratings fell faster than the nation's employment figures.

Baghdad Bobby Gibbs did his best to gloss over and ignore questions about the thirty some odd days it took Obama to respond on the Deepwater Horizon disaster.  Obama finally came forward himself to answer questions, making every effort to sound convincing in his assertion that he was really on top of the situation.  The news conference ended with a terse non-response to a question about the growing Sestak bribery scandal.

As each news cycle brings more questions of competence, the Obama administration exhibits an ever growing siege mentality.  No longer admired as “the one we have been waiting for”, Obama's fragile ego is shattering under the pressures of a job well above his pay-grade.  He is becoming almost Nixonian with the constant attacks on those he perceives as wronging him.  It is a disturbing revelation about his personality as he retrenches deeper behind those Rose Garden walls.   The most transparent and open administration in history has closed the shutters, and the White House seems to more closely resemble the Führerbunker.  This cannot bode well for our nation.

Dennis P. O'Neil

Deliverance on the Potomac

The Obama ship of state is floundering, thanks to Arizona and it's recently enacted anti-illegal alien law.  The Arizona legislature wrote the law to help protect the citizens and legal residents of Arizona.  The law was also a plea to the Federal government for action in stemming the invasion of illegals crossing our borders.  However, instead of a shot across the bow of the Obama administration, it seems Arizona's action was a direct hit at the waterline of the SS Turddodger.  

The crew panicked.  Firing blindly at Arizona while never having read SB1070(as amended), they rushed before cameras of an ever compliant media to denounce the law.  From Captain O himself on down, they implied that all law enforcement officers in Arizona were unrepentant racists, with stout lynching ropes in the trunks of their patrol cars, on the hunt for people with brown skin and accents.

Instead of support and positive action to secure America's borders, all that is coming out of Foggy Bottom is a squealing that would make Ned Beatty proud.   The only thing missing is the banjo music.

Dennis P. O'Neil

OK, Let's Rock

National reaction to the Arizona anti-illegal immigration law by open borders advocates is getting out of hand.  Several communities and organizations have called for boycotts – economic blackmail – hoping to force Arizona to repeal the law.

Leading the list of usual suspects are La Raza, NAACP, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Louis Farrakhan, and poverty pimp Al Sharpton.  Now, the Los Angeles City Council has jumped in the same cesspool as the cities of West Hollywood, San Francisco, Oakland, CA and Boston with their vote to bar Los Angeles from doing business with Arizona.

The left-leaning old media was all atwitter over the Council's action, initially touting a potential $52 million hit to Arizona's economy, as indicated by a CBS report:

The proposal could affect investments and contracts worth as much as $52 million, including contracts for airport, harbor and trucking services, according to a report from the city's chief legislative analyst.

However, any actual impact would be substantially less according to Councilwoman Janice Hahn.

Hahn, who co-authored the resolution, said it would be impractical to cancel most of those deals and only about $7 million to $8 million in city contracts probably would be affected.

"US Airways is based in Arizona and they certainly fly in and out (of Los Angeles)" and it would hardly be feasible to end those flights, Hahn said before the council vote.

“Hardly feasible” is new speak for against Federal law. Nice dodge on Hahn's part, but the kicker is what other areas this misguided resolution will not force to participate in the boycott.

Hahn said the Los Angeles boycott also won't affect the city's Department of Water and Power, which has wind farm and nuclear energy contracts in Arizona.

That's because the largest nuclear power plant in the free world, Palo Verde, sits just 45 miles west of Phoenix, and supplies a large portion of the electricity keeping those in the dark about immigration from actually living in the dark.  Southern California also draws large amounts of water from Arizona's share of the Colorado River.  If Los Angeles truly wants to make a statement, let them unplug their giant extension cord from Palo Verde and pull their sippy straw out of the Colorado River.

I would like to remind them the Arizona Corporation Commission sets rates and tariffs on resources such as water and power produced in Arizona.  It wouldn't take much of a hike to recoup that $7 million to $8 million lost to Los Angeles petulance from the California citizens dependent on those resources.

It's time for Arizona and its citizens to drop the gloves with those communities and organizations pushing for a boycott in favor of illegal activity.   To the Los Angeles City Council - Jump if you feel froggy.

Dennis P. O'Neil