Chicago Republicans

This past month the President showed us another talent of his, something he's really quite good at - distraction.  Magicians refer to distraction as, "misdirecting the audience's attention to perform your secret moves without notice."  While sitting down with Sgt. Crowley, Professor Gates and VP Biden, BO tried his best to focus our attention off the major issues of the day.  Whether it be ObamaCare, a 2nd Stimulus Bill, canceling missile defense development while North Korea launches missiles, offering for the umpteenth time negotiate with Al-Qaeda or anything else on his far-left agenda, he's done his best to have us look this way while he's doing something else that way.

Fortunately, some news outlets are calling him out on the above issues - primarily Fox News and, in fairness, to some extent, CNN and the Washington Post.  While all of the above noted issues are important, I haven't seen much coverage, anywhere, of another issue that seems to have fallen off the radar - the closing of Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.  On January 22, 2009 BO signed an Executive Order to close Guantanamo within one year.

On May 22, 2009, the US Senate effectively halted the President's plan by voting to keep the facility open, indefinitely, and refusing to fund the transfer of any prisoners to the US mainland until the Administration produced a "coherent plan for closing the prison."  Be honest - do you remember hearing about this on any major news outlet?  This was a MAJOR defeat for the President.  Of course, at the time of the vote, the Senate expected the so called Terror Policy Report within a month.

Last week the Administration quietly announced it had not yet completed the plan even though a six-month self-imposed deadline had come and passed.  Administration officials have stated the President granted a six-month extension.  This means the report on how to detain, interrogate and transfer to American or foreign soil suspected terrorists isn't even due, let alone to be implemented, AFTER the deadline BO set Guantanamo's closure.

This should be major news, but it's not "sexy" compared to the outrage over ObamaCare or the ridiculousness of the staged beer event.  A cornerstone of The Apologizer's campaign was the closing of Guantanamo Bay, now, even as President with a Democratic majority in Congress, he can't accomplish it.  We should all be grateful, Obama has stumbled yet again and we may be a lot safer for it.

Sources:

AP sources: Gov't delays terror policy reports

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090721/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_guantanamo

"Senate Nixes Obama's Guantanamo Plan" http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/05/20/obama-guantanamo.html

http://www.magicwhiz.com

I have to confess, for the last two weeks I have been on a "vacation" where I have been blissfully unaware of what is going on in politics both in Washington and Chicago.  No newspapers, no radio, no television and only rare internet access.  I am amazed at how much less stress I feel not keeping track of the shenanigans of our elected representatives.  I have to believe that this is how much of the rest of the country probably lives.  And yet, in a scary way, I also am beginning to realize, as I re-enter the media world, how much goes on that I am not aware of and yet will affect me dramatically.  Yes, I am talking about this whole healthcare thing.  For once, I hope Dick Durbin is right and that nothing will be decided before the August recess.  I guess I am amazed at how quickly our President wants to get this going despite the fact that there is so much ambivalence, let alone push back from the American public.  I caught only bits and pieces of his "resell" speech and apart from trying to figure out what he was trying to say, I felt like we'd already heard his prime -time pitch before.  Is it really that hard for him to believe that Americans don't actually like what is going on?  Does he really think that Americans voted for him for his ideology and his insight into what is really good for us?  As Chicagoans, shouldn't we be frightened for the rest of the country that the key players in trying to get this healthcare nightmare passed are Rahm Emanual and David Axelrod ?  Neither of whom is known for his kindness and altruism.  In many ways I feel like Rip Van Winkle and am debating:  do I go back to sleep and hope to avoid confronting this reality or do I try to wake up and face the frightening present? 

One thing I have noticed is all this focus on the healthcare debate seems to have overshadowed some of the horrors happening overseas, including the kidnapping of our soldiers and the bombings in Indonesia to mention  a few.  Is there any doubt that the world seems less safe today than say, nine months ago?  Obama should relish the fact that thanks to the media and the political debate, Americans are focused on healthcare, global warming, and cap and trade rather than the rapidly destablizing world.  More than anything this tells me there is much to pay attention to in the upcoming months as gubernatorial and senate candidates emerge.  More than we realize, these folks will affect our lives, even if we are unaware of it.  It makes me think that many Americans have been blissfully sleeping while the busy political mice have been scurrying away our money, security and rights.  Rise and shine and wake up!

What is he thinking?

Recently, President Obama went to Europe, apparently more to apologize to the G20 for the arrogance and incompetence of the US in international matters, than to advocate on behalf of US interests.  Although European crowds cheered his words as a humble alternative to George Bush, who is has been frequently accused of being a cowboy with no regard for international "feelings," there is no advantage gained to Obama's participation and use of this language.  Crowds cheered, which makes Barack Obama happy, but, little was accomplished.  Furthermore, he is undermining our position in the world and providing justification for terrorists.  What better recruiting material for terrorists is there than the President of the United States claiming mistakes and arrogance?

The job of the President is to protect the economic and security interests of the US.  His function is much like a salesman.  It is not unusual for sales professionals to have somewhat adversarial relationships with their customers.  After all, a salesman is supposed to maximize revenues to his company, not help out customers.  If a salesman is making customers happy all the time, then, he is not getting as much out of his customers as possible.  A sales manager is always under pressure to increase pricing.  The idea that we all need foreign nations to like us is ridiculous. 

The people who hate us are not going to change their mind because of a few conciliatory speeches by President Obama or Hillary Clinton.  No matter who sits in the White House, the U.S. remains the richest nation on the planet with the biggest and most effective military force.  These are the reasons for the envy and fear that drive the hatred and resentment directed at the U.S. abroad.  However, Obama needs to choose his words very carefully.  He can do so much more harm than good with his speeches.  The exploitation of his speeches among the indoctrination machines within terrorist communities is particularly risky.  In addition, I find it ironic that the same President, who wants to apologize to the world for arrogance and forcefulness, also suggested in the debates that he would militarily strike Pakistan if they fail to cooperate with his idea of fighting terrorism.  So, if George Bush demands international cooperation, it is arrogant, but, when Barack Obama does it, it is wisdom!