Not the President as Commander-in-Chief, not the President as executive of government, but Barack Obama, candidate for President of the United States.
He's not only running, but running almost exclusively. As but one example of this, why the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve? He has spoken endlessly of "investing in green technology" and "winning the future," but what was the "emergency" for selling oil now?
Answer: politics. This is NPR's "fair" analysis:
I would note the very clear outline of Obama's energy policy in the article . . . if I could find it. Because he doesn't have one, and because he chose to go to war with Libya, oil prices have gone up, so the answer to political concerns is to raid the emergency depots?
Obama is raising money like crazy. The plan is to spend $1B on his reelection campaign. If he's doing such a great job, why does he need to shatter all records to spread the news? Rove explains the polls are not promising (Obama is rarely above 50% in approval or in head-to-head match-ups). Furthermore, he's not doing well on the issues and is losing support among key constituencies:
I am not saying Obama WILL lose. I am saying he has stopped trying to govern. He is throwing sops to unions, liberals, and every constituency he can. He will find ways to spend more money and will steadfastly refuse to do anything about the deficit/debt problem. Why? Because he thinks portraying the GOP as the "kill granny and kids with autism" party is the key to his victory.
He's also willing to bypass the Constitution. The DREAM Act went down in flames in Congress. Think that's going to stop this imperial president? No way! It only slowed down Cap and Trade, and it won't stop the DREAM Act--because there are votes at stake!
American be damned, the President has to be reelected. He knows it's for our good and if he has to destroy the country to save it, well, he's willing to make that sacrifice. He is beyond cynical; he is monomaniacal--he alone can save us and that means everything he does is justified.
This is why, no matter who the GOP nominates, I will be actively, financially supporting him/her. The President does not respect the Constitution and does not believe he has any obligation to stop our financial woes from dragging us into insolvency.
He is a permanent candidate; he is not a leader.
He's not only running, but running almost exclusively. As but one example of this, why the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve? He has spoken endlessly of "investing in green technology" and "winning the future," but what was the "emergency" for selling oil now?
Answer: politics. This is NPR's "fair" analysis:
President Obama's decision to sell 30 million barrels of oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve ostensibly to offset supply disruptions caused by the turmoil in Libya will give many congressional Democrats what they've been asking for.
But it is likely to heighten criticism of the Obama Administration's energy policy by both Republicans in Congress and presidential candidates who have bashed the president for not having an energy policy that's to their liking.
Republicans have called for much more aggressive action by the administration to promote domestic oil and gas exploration and drilling as a form of greater energy independence from foreign sources. The release of oil from the reserve doesn't exactly fit that bill. . .
The calls were especially loud a few weeks ago when gas prices rose beyond $4 a gallon. The slowing economy only added to Democrats' sense of urgency that the president release oil from the reserve.
House Democrats even introduced legislation earlier this year to sell oil from the reserve. Speaker John Boehner dismissed those efforts, accusing Democrats of doing little to increase domestic oil production when they controlled the House.
I would note the very clear outline of Obama's energy policy in the article . . . if I could find it. Because he doesn't have one, and because he chose to go to war with Libya, oil prices have gone up, so the answer to political concerns is to raid the emergency depots?
Obama is raising money like crazy. The plan is to spend $1B on his reelection campaign. If he's doing such a great job, why does he need to shatter all records to spread the news? Rove explains the polls are not promising (Obama is rarely above 50% in approval or in head-to-head match-ups). Furthermore, he's not doing well on the issues and is losing support among key constituencies:
While many voters still personally like Mr. Obama, they deeply oppose his policies, and he tends to be weakest on issues voters consider most important. In the June 13 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 56% disapprove of Mr. Obama's handling of the economy. Fifty-nine percent in the Economist/YouGov poll of June 14 disapprove of how he's dealt with the deficit.
About Karl Rove
And his health-care reform still holds its unique place as the only major piece of social legislation that became less popular after it was passed. According to yesterday's Pollster.com average of recent surveys, 38% approve of ObamaCare, while its survey average when the bill was passed in March 2010 showed that 41% approved.
Finally, Mr. Obama has made a strategic blunder. While he needs to raise money and organize, he decided to be a candidate this year rather than president. He has thus unnecessarily abandoned one of incumbency's great strengths, which is the opportunity to govern and distance himself from partisan politics until next spring. Instead, Team Obama has attacked potential GOP opponents and slandered Republican proposals with abandon. This is not what the public is looking for from the former apostle of hope and change.
I am not saying Obama WILL lose. I am saying he has stopped trying to govern. He is throwing sops to unions, liberals, and every constituency he can. He will find ways to spend more money and will steadfastly refuse to do anything about the deficit/debt problem. Why? Because he thinks portraying the GOP as the "kill granny and kids with autism" party is the key to his victory.
He's also willing to bypass the Constitution. The DREAM Act went down in flames in Congress. Think that's going to stop this imperial president? No way! It only slowed down Cap and Trade, and it won't stop the DREAM Act--because there are votes at stake!
Obama is trying to use his executive powers to enforce the Dream Act even though Congress couldn’t pass the legislation. Chris Wallace lays out the details:
I.C.E has announced changes to its deportation program. Agents are now specifically urged to consider whether an illegal is studying in high school or college or is serving or did serve in the military.
Krauthammer says that this is outright lawlessness on the part of the Obama administration because they are doing the same thing with the Dream Act that they did with Cap and Trade, using the EPA to enforce it anyway. He says we have a rule of law where the Congress creates the laws and the Executive executes them. By forcing agents to not deport illegals who are studying in high school or college is running an end around Congress. Further, he adds, by not basing this on the rule of law, the criteria that agents and prosecutors will use to make these judgments becomes arbitrary and unfair which means someone may get to stay that should be deported and visa-versa.
When addressing the political implications of this, that the Republicans risk becoming the party of deportation as suggested by his colleagues, Krauthammer simply states that the Constitution trumps politics. He adds that if we secure the border and then try to work out some type of program to give illegals a path to citizenship, then the American people will be generous if they know this is the last batch that will need this type of program. But if the border isn’t secured and illegals just keep pouring in, then the American people won’t go for it.
American be damned, the President has to be reelected. He knows it's for our good and if he has to destroy the country to save it, well, he's willing to make that sacrifice. He is beyond cynical; he is monomaniacal--he alone can save us and that means everything he does is justified.
This is why, no matter who the GOP nominates, I will be actively, financially supporting him/her. The President does not respect the Constitution and does not believe he has any obligation to stop our financial woes from dragging us into insolvency.
He is a permanent candidate; he is not a leader.