People who visit here will know that I have been closely following events in the US since Obama was elected. It’s important because eventually decisions south of the border will impact Canada in ways yet to be seen. In Canada our politics are on track and I see nothing that I am concerned about. On the south side of the border I could not be more concerned and I have been since Obama popped up. Nothing to do with color.
More to do with Chicago politics, “Boss Daley” — and what I see happening is Chicago politics writ large. I don’t like it and judging by the reactions of mainstream Americans they don’t either.
From what I understand about Obama’s politics he appeared as the American messiah and building on the trust he gained during his campaign he is taking advantage.
“Hey folks, you can trust me. Give me a blank cheque and I won’t do you harm.”
“Right on — where do I sign up?”
I say this because while everyone is going ballistic regarding his healthcare plan THERE IS NO HEALTHCARE PLAN.
Lou Dobbs said that a week ago.
Paraphrased: “What the hell are they all fighting about? There is no plan that anyone has settled on.”
Good point because at last count there were five if I am correct — each sitting in various committees waiting for a decision. And as I write there are Democrats out there trying to sell them, each referring to a different version of healthcare legislation that has yet to be decided upon. Talk about a mind boggling affair.
Point: These well meaning people don’t understand it any better than the people they are trying to sell it to and Americans are getting very angry.
So they should because nobody is about to give Obama another blank cheque.
This guy is very expensive (just like Jack Layton).
There are strong concerns as outlined in other entries on this site and nobody is answering them properly because nobody really knows what is happening. But that is American democracy at it’s very messiest and it is a wonder to behold. People all pumped up about something that has yet to be decided. My view is that it will all work out as 2010 comes ever closer and Democrats start to worry about holding their seats AND I note that sticking to the party line right now is a death sentence. I think Democrat incumbents know it as they watch Gordon Brown in the UK go down in flames for trying to sell exactly the same bullshit.
My view (for what it is worth) is that Obama is tryng to move far to fast and I’ve mentioned this before. He needs to slow down and create a new body chaired by a judge who will examine and question witnesses over the period of about a year as we do here in Canada. He will then submit his/her recommendations to the White House. There is no rush on this matter and if Obama says there is he is after one thing only (like Al Gore) – American wallets and control of the the voter base just as they do in Cuba.
The thing to be done today is get right in his face and tell him to “f**k off” — which is happening everywhere as I write.
I urge Americans to get out there and tell Rohm Emanual to bugger off also because he’s the real problem.
Final point: Obama is not running the country…Emanual is — and that is clear to anyone who has been watching.
You can take it to the bank.
Updates:
5:23 pm EDT, August 10th, 2009 — Palin: “Pipe Down”
5:31 pm EDT, August 10th, 2009 — Nutty Nancy weighs in
5:53 pm EDT, August 10th, 2009 — Bill O’Reilly on many issues
What strikes me as strange is that in spite of dropping popularity, the arrogance continues unabated.
Its as if the next election is not a worry.
Its as if there’s not going to be a “next” election.
Lee that’s because Obama has never in his life faced reality, he lives in a bubble.
Jack “People all pumped up about something that has yet to be decided”
Obama has decided. He’s decided he wants to rule. He has no agenda. He doesn’t care what the script is as long as he’s the god, the ruler and most importantly always on centre stage which he craves.
I admire your instincts Jack and you may be right about Emanuel. But I still think there is a vacuum of leadership and it is being filled willy nilly by Pelosi , the Czars and so on. The vacuum is caused by a President who doesn’t even read his 1000 page bills and is upset that anyone would need to read them because HE has endorsed it.
He is like Liberals here, he wants to get his paws on as much taxpayer money as possible (ObamaCare is 16% of the economy, crap and trade might take it to 25%??). Once he has the massive revenue flowing, his plan was, like any other liberal, to play central banker to the States and take enough skim to fed the special interest groups that will keep Democrats in power forever.
But none of that is going to happen, only a fraction of the whaco legislation will be passed. Because Americans now realize their mistake of putting a neophyte in the White House plus giving the Senate and Congress majorities. Democrats are worried about 2010 and now the government is hung, gridlocked and that’s good and you take it to the bank .. or better still the stock market which is up 40% since the dark days of March when investors feared Obama might indeed “rule”.
There does indeed seem to be some kind of rush. Interesting that the SEIU has been called into help ‘cool’ things down. And what axe does SEIU have to grind? If I understand things correctly, their health insurance conveyance will be exempt in a manner similar to Congress itself. Interesting, if true, no?
My gut feel is that the American people have about had enough with bald lies coming from the political ranks, no matter what stripe, and they are about to show that in a very meaningful way.
I am no fan of the Obamessiah. Conversely, my wife is. When he was elected I recall telling her that when many of the “O” devotees realize that the pre–election rhetoric turned out to be empty promises, millions of Americans would realize that they had been hoodwinked. Now, the chickens are returning to roost, and that does not bode well for “the one”.
To me, he was always, and continues to be, an empty suit.
With luck, he MAY finish off one term….and that will be it.
I simply cannot see Obama, his admin or his handlers backing off the way they are demonizing over half the nation and shamelessly using power politics to advance thier agenda.
They will try to repackage, distort or distract but at the end of the day they will push resolutely for the agenda that was decided long before the last election.
Dealing with the electorate is just a distraction for these guys, and frankly I don’t think they have an ounce of respect for their opponents or supporters
I might be wrong but I really don’t think so. This thing is going to spin way, way out of control before it’s over and God only knows what “over” will be. Just watching the list of Obama’s cabinet getting routed out because they were crooked is enough to tell you something. Just because they won by 4%, does not give them the right to totally change the country to some Chavez look alike entity.
They have put so much effort into forcing their agenda they cannot back off now. The damage has been done in my opinion and they know it. Only solution is to push forward harder.
N o one had the opportunity to read my comment, but yourself. It made a point.
The supply side of U.S. health care (bureaucracy, Rolex fee schedules as one board member referred to it and rightly so) is well below the radar. That was my point. Don’t have time to elaborate further, but Americans are justified in their angers at the town halls and we should support them. Access and affordability are the first issues. Reform is a given in any ongoing sytem as streamlining is cost saving, etc.
OBAMA should introduce the wonders of the wonder ” like his next doors neighbours liberals ndp and bloc are telling their constituents ”work for 360 hrs and you will get 52wks off- with pay. The liberals ndp and bloc think it is a great buy for votes. Who is going to pay for it. SHHHHH-don’t tell. Even the canadian liberal media think it is a great idea .
Watching the situation today (it changes minute by minute) everything is going south for “The One”. My view is that once you lose the trust of the people you will have a very hard time getting it back. I expect his plans to continue to deteriorate as he loses support.