I am often left nearly (but not
completely) speechless at comments I run across that castigate
President Obama. From the wide spectrum of comments I can only
conclude that people really don't have a clue about what is really
going on in our country. Facebook is alive with posts that do more
than border on ignorance of public affairs. I am under no illusion
that those people read this column but I am going to address just a
few. I am going to try to do it without using the profanity of the
posts.
Recently there was a group of
motorcyclists that went to DC to parade in protest against something.
Take your pick. They had a permit to parade on such a date but just
to poke their fingers in President Obama's eye they weren't going to
do it that day. They were going to exercise their right of assembly
and do it on another day. A group calling itself “Breaking Obama's
----s” posted on Facebook and the number of likes is in the
thousands. Now, do these people think that the President rules DC
the way Putin does Russia or what? Is there really someone who
thinks that President Obama sits around all way thinking of ways to
diss the nut jobs? Guess there is.
Locally the taxpayer just spent abut
$10 million to tear up bypass 80 and then put it back. This after
using last year to tear the intersections out and redo them. Obama
did that. I remarked that the money would have been better used to
finish another leg of our beltline but I found out that Obama is
responsible for that too. I suggested that Congressman Rogers, who
chairs the Appropriations (that's money) Committee may be too timid
to fund that since the Tea Party is showing what it can do to
Republicans that are too profligate. Just ask Mitch. I also
reminded this person that if the President had his way we would be
building roads, bridges and just about anything that could qualify as
a public work but the Party of No just said no.
The people who say that our national
budget is just like your checkbook are screaming that we just can't
afford to feed people who have fallen on hard times. They point out
that they really don't mind those that REALLY need it to get it but
those people who just waste the money because they are spending all
their money on drugs need to be tested. That'll weed them out.
Where testing has been implemented the results are in. Less than 2%
of those tested are using non-prescribed drugs. The cost of the
testing far outweighs any money saved by cutting those people off.
I have never seen an issue weld the
left and right together they way the prospect of attacking Syria has.
It is plain that the American people have had enough of war. But I
hear that Obama keeps trying to take us to another war in the Middle
East. I would have been ecstatic if that reaction had been around
when we blundered into Iraq. But Obama wants to help the radical
Muslims who are defying the Assad government. Now, let me get this
straight. Is this the same President who has spent the past year
resisting calls from the Neocons including Senators McCain and Graham
who take vacations to Syria to see what the rebels are up to? Are
they talking about the guy who stuck his foot in his mouth with the
“red line” thing and has been looking for a way out ever since?
The same guy who decided that “hey, let's ask the American people?”
Now, exactly what is he doing wrong? And what can we say about
those stalwarts of the GOP, McCain and Graham? Are they trying to
help the radical Muslims also?
Bumper stickers excite me. They are so
creative. I saw one that read “if Obama is the answer, how stupid
was the question?” Either the creators of that sticker didn't
think that through or they just knew that the people that would put
that on their cars wouldn't either. Maybe the question was, “what
should we do if the people we elected keep getting us in places we
don't like?” My guess is that would make Obama the smart answer.
Doing the same thing wouldn't be too bright.
And now for the closer. Obamacare
begins to enter the markets next month. An ad claimed by the
Conservative Senate Republicans are all over Mitch over not doing
enough to defund Obamacare. Positive aspects of the Affordable Care
Act are already in effect and benefiting Americans across the
country. I personally know people who will be able to afford
insurance they lost when the corporate banks took down Wall Street
and threw Middle Class America into the ditch. I can understand what
some businesses are wailing about but it befuddles me as to why what
used to be Middle Class America is whining about. It is nothing but
good for them. I sometimes wonder if it would be different if it
were called RomneyCare or BushCare. After all, Romney installed it
in Massachusetts and Bush gave us Medicare D. Attach Obama to the
name and it is a whole different thing.
I don't mind disagreement on issues.
As a matter of fact I welcome it because that is a sign that people
are paying attention. It is just that it is so rare to find someone
who understands the issues enough to discuss them without resorting
to pejoratives.
What is my take on this irrational
behavior? It is irrational, I just don't get it. Understand the
issues and let's talk.
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