I have been focusing my energy on more positive things since I last blogged (a philosophical countenance upon monetary issues, since then a devaluation of the dollar, and a credit downgrade for the USA).
Many of the negative things we citizens have been enduring are in part due to congressional incompetence!
D for CONGRESS
1. Disappointing. Anyone who thought a fresh crop of outspoken freshmen would shift the paradygm should now see that (a) freshmen need to make small committee level type mistakes before getting to run with the big dogs, because the weak Speaker unable to whip the Teaparty group specifically has been a joke; (b) sometimes our system allows legitimate "tails," or minority views, to wag the dog of the center; yet (c) our system is about compromise, and the center has won out in most of the debates. The absurdity of the House of Representatives has been amateur hour.
2. Disrespect. Yes, the Pubs are the "party of No," actively defending their point of view and loudly hoping for the CEO of the USA to fail... except We The People are represented by all branches of government-- that throughputs into hoping against the USA itself, and seems highly disrespectful no matter how rosy the economy. So these red herrings and ad hominems look to be much fiddling whilst Rome Burns! What ever happened to respect for the office of the President?
3. Delay, Distract, and Derail. Between both parties the lack of civil dialogue has led to endless tactical maneuvers that have ultimately kept the American people riding in the rumble seat, while we watch some falsetto reality show about idiots sent somewhere to compromise and lead, but instead doing everything except what has been needed-- and so much needs doing!
4. Democrat. The Dems have been playing chicken, too. What ever happened to civil discourse? Both sides show they dont know how to get things done with fact, consensus, and logic. Keynesian theory, like climate change, is scientifically verifiable, so why do Dems somehow have a big issue explaining that massive cuts at the heart of a recovery will ensure a new downturn in economic activity. What small and large businesses and investors REALLY await is ANY final say on tax codes, securities regulation, and others of the many chickens that came home to roost in 2006 ~ 2008 (under the Bush Administration) still clucking along with us. Not too many care who is to blame, but await the issues to be addressed, solved, and a long term track set up so calculations can be made. We want chicken salad and have been served a lot of chicken $#!+. The whipsaw markets and the inconstant congress have made planning as much of a hunch as a calculation, and this is not right to do to potential employers during the worst job crisis since Ronald Reagan!
C-flat for Obama.
We are really seeing a tin ear on many things, particularly juxtaposed against the congressional reality from the President.
He has fallen flat on many issues that his populist core group, of which I count myself as formerly one, would have imagined his administration could have tackled in his sleep.
1. Habeas Corpus. To me this is the only issue of the 2012 election if this doesnt get handled, very soon. Don't get me wrong, I am sure there are some very bad people out there trying to do very bad things to the USA,, but at what cost are we willing to proceed? Still unsettled is the rejection of the initial human rights of the landholder found in the Magna Carta, enshrined by our civilization, and repealed under the harsh justice of Bush the Lesser. Yet Obama three years in unwilling to re-establish ancient Rule of Law?? Straight up F on this one.
2. Tax. Dear Mr. President, under similar constraints, your hero, Reagan, also raised taxes. What economist is telling you to not generate revenues by simplifying government, tax codes, and regulations-- a net tax increase? Maybe Geithner is the least of our worries, but there is not really a debate amongst scholars as to what is needed stimulatively by the Buyer and Seller of last resort. You are trying to run the largest economy without proper income. Would any millionaire or billionaire also seek to run an operation with expenses exceeding income? No, they would pass the cost on. D+ on economy.
3. Negotiating. Before I consider voting for you again, I need you to show me that you wouldn't be hustled by a car dealer. In the real world, you see, people close deals all day long. I guess its a lawyers in Washington DC thing to expect that you acceed to the oppositions positions before they show willingness to engage in earnest horse trading. Practice by playing poker with your staff or something, because this is getting embarrassing to watch. Then the endless tactical back and forth. Next time, print out your hard and fast deal points and let congress work around you -- not the other way around! Congress is only popular to the tune of their family and friends networks now, so why would you let them have the first or last word ever again? D- on negotiation.
4. Everything else. Obama has been remarkably productive in the first couple of years, but it seems has been caught flat footed. His administration has gotten many remarkable things accomplished while fighting two wars they didnt start. I remember watching Nixon flying away from the White House lawn on TV when I was three, so I have no short term memory issues to somehow imagine that much of our problems stem from the horrible administrative decisions by the prior CEO.
Yet, I tried to bite my tongue about Bush, because I knew (a) he was only a person, (b) tens of thousands of others worked around him to create the millions of bad choices, least of which was Cheney, and (c) barring the previous administrations refusal to leave office without a coup, we are Americans, and even the quasi-fascist neo-cons left when the People spoke. So, yes, comparatively Obama has been a fresh start, but now we are into the quagmired reality of hard choices--regardless of who started what (My argument is that it's Nixons fault for taking us off the Silver Standard, but who cares, right? How will that argument get anything accomplished today??).
I give Obama a B- drifting into a C+ were it not for the key issues above, to combine for a very flat C-.
I can only pray we are restored our rights, and that the people who will be going back to Washington DC in the fall decide to take seriously the multitude of issues that have befallen the American peoples-- for surely this wont do!
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