by Michael Hughes
President Barack Obama experienced his bay-of-pigs moment, actually a series of them, after putting forth three federal cabinet appointees that all had major tax problems, resulting in two fatalities and one wounded Treasury Secretary. This ignited a frothy frenzy from the right - complete with mockery of Obama's promise of transparency, charges of hypocrisy and righteous indignation at liberal tax evasion. To be fair, it is not as though the Republican assault lacks validity, and to fault Obama's judgment in the matter, to criticize the vetting process, to question Geithner's capability and to point out Daschle's pharisaism is, I accord - fair game.
Yet, now Republicans are attempting to toss the baby out with the bathwater, thickly claiming that Obama is no more transparent than any other administration and represents "politics as usual", histrionically treating the appointment foibles as evidence of some tragic character flaws, as opposed to what, in reality, are more likely just embarrassing, yet rectifiable, contretemps.
While listening to the drone of these predictably insipid conservative ramblings, knocking with excessive abruptness at the back door of my mind, with hand on one hip and foot tapping irascibly, stands one most persnickety and monumentally pertinent question: "compared to what?"
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Comments: 6
Good article. Compared to what is the perfect ending. The whole bunch of them since Reagan, totally SUCKED. Bush Sr did ok i guess but nothing that stands out. Clinton...was a complete waste of air. Bush jr lost his way from core Republican beliefs and got horrible financial advise (as we know it wasnt him that thougth up the financial policy). Obama is no better. Liars, cheats, racists (Holten calls white Americans cowards).
Obama is using the same double talk. He said he could cut the deficit by 50% by 2012. Followed it up with a 640 Billion dollar package for unified healthcare. Made me curious as to how he was going to do that....
If he did NOTHING, according to the dept of treasury, the deficit would reduce 70% by 2012... so basically he is spending AGAIN but this time is taking credit for a naturally correcting event. Nice.
See my post on Cowboy Ethics...
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977606823
If only...
~M
They are hypocrites. After the secrecy of the Bush, Jr. administration, they have the balls to criticize Obama for transparency? They lose more and more credibility every time they open their mouths.
And those trips around the country? They're not transparent either. Just like in his latest speech, he neglects to mention the pork.
Obama is the "same old, same old" of the Democratic party, only worse. He's all for socializing everything, and he wants his plans and programs to be permanent.
I applaud any local or state government that says, "Thanks, but no thanks!" And the smart thing to do after they refuse funds would NOT BE TO GIVE THEM TO SOMEONE ELSE!!! That's money we don't have anyway. We're either borrowing or printing money. Neither is smart, especially when it's not being used to stimulate the economy.
Not that I don't expect the usual problems. People have real trouble resisting temptation.