“Arab Spring” shows little hope

By William L. Garvin

Ever since we had a past president wrestle with what the meaning of “is” is, politicians of every stripe have developed a pernicious and pervasive habit of making technically accurate statements with the intent to deceive.  High level witnesses before congress have now developed the same despicable pattern.  As a result, every single word uttered, even under oath, must be closely examined.  Unfortunately, the only I’s being dotted during this presidency are those in “inconsistent, inexplicable, and ineffective.”  The T’s they have failed to cross are “terrorism, tyranny, and transparency.”  This government is doing its best to keep citizens in the dark.

Apparently, it is too much to ask of main stream media to stick to an issue and actually perform solid investigative reporting.  Only in a fantasy world will Charlie Gibson look down his nose over his scholarly half-glasses and dare someone to explain “the Obama doctrine.”  Only in fantasy world will Charlie ask why “leading from behind” isn’t the same thing as “following.”  Only in fantasy world will reporters ask what the basis is for intervention in Libya and Egypt but abstention in Iran and Syria.  Only in fantasy world will government witnesses who utter “the least untruthful statements” be confronted with their “LIES!”

Only in fantasy world will the media point out how disastrously the president performed on this last trip abroad.  He made so many gaffes that even Joe Biden is embarrassed!  Forget the First Lady staying in the Princess Grace Suite at $3,300 per night while the White House tours are shut down because of a lack of funds.  Forget the President insulting both Catholic and Protestant schools but saying nary a thing about madrassas.  Forget the President continually confusing British Finance Minister George Osborne by calling him “Jeffrey.”  In his awkward apology, the President said Jeffrey Osborne was his “favorite r and b singer.”  How badly must Al Green be feeling?  Forget that the 200,000 crowd Senator Obama commanded dwindled to 4,500 for his presidential speech in Berlin.  Forget that media press secretary Chris Mathews excused his tepid and mundane delivery as “too much sun on his teleprompter.”  Instead, just look at his one on one with Russian president Vladimir Putin.  Our President threw up more bricks than his last basketball shooting video.  This was the ultimate “never bring a knife to a gun fight” scenario.  Never bring a community organizer to a negotiation with a KGB operative.

Remember, in his first term, President Obama had already been snookered by the Russians with the START treaty and the cancellation of the European missile defense system.  The “reset button” and “increased flexibility” don’t seem to be serving the President or the United States any better this time around.  For instance, please explain how the United States buying Russian helicopters for use in Afghanistan is advantageous to our country and our own aerospace industry.  This is especially puzzling when Russia then uses the proceeds of those sales to send arms, munitions and other war supplies to the Assad regime in Syria.  After you shake hands with Putin, you better not only check your rings (ask Robert Kraft!), you better also count your fingers!

Only in fantasy world will the White House be asked how much influence the Big Dog wielded in saying the president might be perceived as a “wuss” or “a total fool” if he continued to dither.  Goaded into action, President Obama now says he will supply small arms to Syrian rebels.  This will be the equivalent of President Clinton bombing an aspirin factory.  Additionally, how about some background checks before you walk weapons into the hands of crazy people who are bent on our destruction?  One would think you would have learned some lessons after gun walking weapons into the hands of Mexican drug cartels, but apparently not. 

The highly touted “Arab Spring” shows little hope for the future.  Likewise, the North Korea situation and the Iranian pursuit of nuclear weapons seem undeterred.  Russia is totally intransigent in their support of the Syrian government and Hong Kong refused to extradite an American charged with treason.  The Muslim Brotherhood rulers of Egypt get fighter planes, tanks, and millions of dollars of American money and what do we have to show for it?  Hillary Clinton traveled millions of miles as Secretary of State but what tangible results did she achieve?  Maybe she could explain the Obama Doctrine but only in fantasy world will she ever be asked.  After all, at this point in time, what difference does it make? 

Is Enough EVER Enough?!

By William L. Garvin

 
A few years ago, Dr. Wess Roberts wrote a management primer called LEADERSHIP SECRETS OF ATTILA THE HUN.  In it, Attila explored various management principles in teaching his Huns how to become chieftains.  Keep in mind that Attila did such a skillful job of organizing a bunch of nomadic tribes into such an efficient fighting force that the Pope called him “the Scourge of God.”  Obviously, he had some skills.  One of his fireside lessons to his potential chieftains was that “You don’t kill the messenger who brings you the bad news; you kill the messenger who FAILS to bring you the bad news.”  It is obvious that President Obama has not read this book.

Apparently in the Obama Administration, messengers feel they are likely to be killed if they bring the President ANY news of any sort whatsoever!  Has there ever been a president so uninformed as to what is going on in any of his departments?  In the normal government and business world, it is an operating maxim that “bosses don’t like surprises.”  In any healthy organization, direct reports are always encouraged to spot potential mistakes and/or disasters and immediately bring them to the attention of their superiors.  Not in this one.  Somehow, absolute and total ignorance is seen as some sort of virtue rather than a prima facie case of managerial incompetence.

Real or feigned ignorance of inappropriate government activities should not be a shield from consequences for wrong doing.  Where was the accountability for the “Fast and Furious” fiasco where the Department of Justice put thousands of guns into the hands of Mexican drug dealers and murderers?  If the President was not involved and had no knowledge, why did he invoke executive privilege?  Was it to cover up the obvious “inconsistencies” in the statements of Attorney General Eric Holder?  Why did the mainstream media bury the resignation of DOJ attorney, J. Christian Adams, when Holder refused to prosecute the sentencing of the New Black Panther Party for voter intimidation after the case had already been won by summary judgment?

If that wasn’t enough, then we have the massacre of four Americans in Benghazi.  The murderers have yet to be hunted down and held accountable even though their identities are known.  Furthermore, whoever told our military to “stand down” has neither been identified nor held accountable.  Whoever denied the Benghazi requests for security has neither been identified nor held accountable.  Whoever concocted the ridiculous pipedream that a video caused the terrorist attack has neither been identified nor held accountable.  Remember when George Bush was castigated and publically flogged for waiting eight minutes before responding overtly to the 9/11 attacks?  Where was President Obama for the seven hours during the Benghazi attack?  His whereabouts have not been identified nor has he been held accountable.  No, Jay Carney, it was not a long time ago and yes, Hillary, it does make a difference.

If that wasn’t enough for loyalist lemmings, now we have the IRS admitting they targeted the Tea Party and conservative groups.  Not enough?  They targeted pro-Israel groups.  Not enough?  They targeted religious groups.  Not enough?  They targeted private businesses if the owners made contributions to conservative causes and candidates.  Not enough?  The IRS has 60 million medical records.  Not enough?  DOJ targets Fox News.  Note enough?  DOJ targets the Associated Press.  Not enough?  NSA is capturing and storing phone records for millions of Americans with no reasonable suspicion let alone probable cause.  Not enough?  John Kerry “secretly” allocates $1.3 billion to Egypt and its Muslim Brotherhood rulers.

However, as Colonel Allen West aptly notes, we did not monitor the Tsarnaev family despite clear warnings from Russia.  We did not monitor Major Nidal Hassan’s conversations with radical cleric Anwar-al-Awlaki before his terrorist attack at Ft. Hood.  Mr. President, that was not “workplace violence” when the extremist major is yelling “Allahu Akbar”!  We did however put the Benghazi video maker in jail where he remains today.  Unemployment remains up.  Health care costs are up.  Food stamp usage is up.  Food costs are up and the stimulus didn’t stimulate.

For the low information voter none of this is enough.  In fact, nothing will ever be enough.  Even Jon Stewart, their “favorite philosopher,” mocking the IRS, DOJ, and the Chosen One, will not be enough.  The Emperor will always have clothes; government can always be trusted; absolute power will never corrupt; and they will continue to blindly support President Obama.  Being liberal is never knowing you should be sorry for what you are doing to America!