(The new President goes briskly to work on day one. What, precisely, does he mean by “change”?)
The newly-inaugurated President arrived for work bright and early and obviously energized. Among the first of Barack Obama;s comments recorded by the press was, “What an opportunity to for us to change this country!” Well, hey, not so fast there, Hoss. There’s not so much wrong with this country that the ebb and flo of a market economy won’t change radically over time. Sure, government intervention may well be called for to accelerate that change in the short term, but “changing the country” whatever Mr. Obama may have meant by that, almost certainly is uncalled-for.
One of Mr. Obama’s first moves was to freeze for one year the salaries of those White House staffers earning at least 100 Grand a year The gesture was largely symbolic, since no one currently clocking in there commands that lofty figure. Reportedly, rumblings of “I wish!” echoed through the Executive Mansion.. It follows, then, that weeping was not heard when the new President issued an order that no member of his staff may give gifts to lobbyists. No, not even a ’Ginzu Knife’. Seriously, though, the President announced that his administration will have the strictest rules on lobbying of “any in history”. Okay. Keep in mind, however, that some guy who buttonholes a white house official and pushes protection for, I dunno, the “yellow-throated warbler”, is in fact lobbying. Personally, I’m too ignorant of bird nomenclature to know the difference. I do like the thought that they’re around somewhere, though.
On something more of a “country changing” note, Mr. Obama circulated the draft of an Executive Order closing the prisoner camp for known or suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year. He then signed it, opening a round of inter-departmental debates the headaches from which he has yet to experience Judicial disposition of the 245 detainees also is to take place within that time, governing authorities to be named at a later date. There are a few who should be summarily tossed into tanks of feeding-frenzied sharks. We’ll see. Certainly, none should simply be released back into the general population for the safety of all concerned, although I put no act of tragic “kindness” past the liberals.
So, getting back to this concept of “changing the country”: the trillions that may be dedicated to economic stimulus (so-called), bank bailouts, health care, automotive company welfare and who knows what-all, seriously threatens to convert the United States from an economy driven by private industry to one that is driven by government. Considering the enormity of that change, it could well be said to be “country changing”. My conviction, my prayer, that it will not happen coincides with my less-than-happy knowledge that it’s the guys with wealth who call the shots. I consider that one of the paradoxes which keeps this country largely on an even keel.
The new President had lunch with his senior military officials. I sincerely hope that Mr. Obama asked more questions than otherwise. He seems smart enough to have done so. It has been widely reported well before now that the master plan is to hand Iraq over to the Iraqis within 16 months and concentrate our considerable combat power on the al-Qaida and Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan. I entertain no doubts that the conflict must spill over into parts of Pakistan, and therefore prayerfully hope that Pakistan’s government stabilizes and remains steadfast.
President Obama also spoke by phone with leaders in Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Iran, speaking also to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Assad, in an effort to cement the cease-fire between Israel and militant members of the Palestinian faction Hamas in Gaza. Since the alternative appears to be the utter destruction of Gaza and more unrest in the Middle East, we can hope those talks bore fruit.
Finally, I want to correct an omission I committed on Tuesday. Thank you, George W. Bush, for eight years of intelligent and dedicated leadership. Because of that leadership and your fearlessness in taking the fight against terrorism to its source, the United States has been protected from attack since 9/11, 2001. I hope against all reason that I express my gratitude on behalf of all Americans both to you and your courageous wife, Laura.
CHANGE This Country? How? Why?
Posted January 22, 2009 by Tom SirmonsCategories: Conservative Political Commentary
(The new President goes briskly to work on day one. What, precisely, does he mean by “change”?)
The newly-inaugurated President arrived for work bright and early and obviously energized. Among the first of Barack Obama;s comments recorded by the press was, “What an opportunity to for us to change this country!” Well, hey, not so fast there, Hoss. There’s not so much wrong with this country that the ebb and flo of a market economy won’t change radically over time. Sure, government intervention may well be called for to accelerate that change in the short term, but “changing the country” whatever Mr. Obama may have meant by that, almost certainly is uncalled-for.
One of Mr. Obama’s first moves was to freeze for one year the salaries of those White House staffers earning at least 100 Grand a year The gesture was largely symbolic, since no one currently clocking in there commands that lofty figure. Reportedly, rumblings of “I wish!” echoed through the Executive Mansion.. It follows, then, that weeping was not heard when the new President issued an order that no member of his staff may give gifts to lobbyists. No, not even a ’Ginzu Knife’. Seriously, though, the President announced that his administration will have the strictest rules on lobbying of “any in history”. Okay. Keep in mind, however, that some guy who buttonholes a white house official and pushes protection for, I dunno, the “yellow-throated warbler”, is in fact lobbying. Personally, I’m too ignorant of bird nomenclature to know the difference. I do like the thought that they’re around somewhere, though.
On something more of a “country changing” note, Mr. Obama circulated the draft of an Executive Order closing the prisoner camp for known or suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year. He then signed it, opening a round of inter-departmental debates the headaches from which he has yet to experience Judicial disposition of the 245 detainees also is to take place within that time, governing authorities to be named at a later date. There are a few who should be summarily tossed into tanks of feeding-frenzied sharks. We’ll see. Certainly, none should simply be released back into the general population for the safety of all concerned, although I put no act of tragic “kindness” past the liberals.
So, getting back to this concept of “changing the country”: the trillions that may be dedicated to economic stimulus (so-called), bank bailouts, health care, automotive company welfare and who knows what-all, seriously threatens to convert the United States from an economy driven by private industry to one that is driven by government. Considering the enormity of that change, it could well be said to be “country changing”. My conviction, my prayer, that it will not happen coincides with my less-than-happy knowledge that it’s the guys with wealth who call the shots. I consider that one of the paradoxes which keeps this country largely on an even keel.
The new President had lunch with his senior military officials. I sincerely hope that Mr. Obama asked more questions than otherwise. He seems smart enough to have done so. It has been widely reported well before now that the master plan is to hand Iraq over to the Iraqis within 16 months and concentrate our considerable combat power on the al-Qaida and Taliban terrorists in Afghanistan. I entertain no doubts that the conflict must spill over into parts of Pakistan, and therefore prayerfully hope that Pakistan’s government stabilizes and remains steadfast.
President Obama also spoke by phone with leaders in Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Iran, speaking also to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Assad, in an effort to cement the cease-fire between Israel and militant members of the Palestinian faction Hamas in Gaza. Since the alternative appears to be the utter destruction of Gaza and more unrest in the Middle East, we can hope those talks bore fruit.
Finally, I want to correct an omission I committed on Tuesday. Thank you, George W. Bush, for eight years of intelligent and dedicated leadership. Because of that leadership and your fearlessness in taking the fight against terrorism to its source, the United States has been protected from attack since 9/11, 2001. I hope against all reason that I express my gratitude on behalf of all Americans both to you and your courageous wife, Laura.
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