You Can't Vote Present in the White House

President Obama was inaugurated last January with bushels full of goodwill. He offered to transcend politics; to open a new era of dialogue and compromise. After some window dressing efforts, what he has given us is San Francisco liberalism enforced by Chicago thugery. During the election last fall, I wrote that I hoped Obama would live true to his word although I doubted it would be possible. Extreme left wing beliefs die hard. Ideologues by definition are not pragmatic. Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, could care less if they get re-elected. This is their moment in history to shove the political beliefs of 20% of the American public down the rest of our throats.

But now they are running into trouble. As time ticks by, and the 2010 mid-term elections begin to play an increasing role in the country’s body politic, those folks who do care about re-election, translate doing what the constituents want, are beginning to back off and stand up to the radical left bullies. As I write this, it has gotten so bad, or good depending on your point of view, in the Senate, there are strong doubts that health care reform based on government takeovers will even reach the floor of the Senate for a vote. Without Olympia Snowe, who the Senate leadership played for a fool, and Joe Lieberman, who left wing Democrats tried to unseat in the last election, the issue is dead in the water. The chickens, to quote Reverend Wright, are coming home to roost. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Obama needs to follow Bill Clinton’s example and move to the middle. Oh yes, and try to actually act like a President. While he is off playing golf or traveling the world pontificating, his left wing cohorts in Congress look like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off trying to do what the American public is resisting. Harry Reid looks like an idiot shifting from thing to thing, all the while knowing he faces the fate of Tom Daschle when he goes back to Nevada for next year’s election. He is weak and whiny. Nancy Pelosi is just plain goofy, and has lost not only all credibility with the American public, but only maintains a 34% approval rating in her home state of California.

Meanwhile, people and our troops are being blown up in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq. Obama is still trying to figure out how to vote “present” on his Mideast war policies. Mr. President, you cannot vote present in the White House. Make a decision. Either go in there and win this thing, or get the hell out. But what we will get is Vietnam all over again with military decisions being micro-managed by weak politicians in Washington. There is no compromise in war, only dead people.

Finally, quit dissing Fox News. How pitiful and small you look. You have surrounded yourself with the most radical among us to the point where it is scary. You cannot bully the truth. It’s those people you need to get rid of if you want to move this country in a positive direction. There is no place for animal rights whackos, environmental extremists, communists, socialists, NAMBLA sympathizers, euthanasia proponents, and pot heads at the table in the White House. The truth about these people will come out no matter how much you whine about a news organization actually doing investigative reporting and telling us what is going on.

Mr. Obama, I hope you look in the mirror and learn before it is too late for you, and too late for us.