Opinion - Get Out of the Way

Get Out of the Way

That’s My Opinion

By Bob Robinson

“As we see the Obama administration unraveling before our eyes…”

These words from Newsmax commentator Christopher Ruddy… said with sadness that at a time when the American people needed someone “to assert strong, positive leadership at home and abroad, Obama is failing us.”

Ruddy talked about the BP mess and the lack of federal response, Obama’s refusal to hold a press conference for nearly a year and the alleged job offer to keep Sestak (and possibly one or two others) from running against favored administration candidates in state primaries. Then he reminded us of something Joe Biden had said while they were campaigning in 2008.

Biden said Obama would be “tested” within six months – but Ruddy forgot to note that the now VP also said Obama would prove his mettle when it happened.

Ruddy said that Biden’s timing was off but his comment was “prophetic on the point.” The Detroit plane incident, the Times Square incident and the Fort Hood incident, all challenged his leadership… and he failed.

His administration still refuses to link these acts with “radical Islam” and chooses to treat them as criminal rather than terrorist attacks.

Ruddy notes that Obama’s weakness has been consistently flouted by Iran and, recently, with North Korea’s act of war against South Korea.

He said, “sadly, (Obama) could turn out to be worse than Jimmy Carter.” Crocodile tears? I don’t know. You decide.

One of my favorite commentators, Peggy Noonan, wrote for the Wall Street Journal that our president has had three political disasters in his first 18 months in office. She called them “unforced errors” that had been shaped by the president’s political judgment and instincts.

Her three disasters were the environmental calamity that Ruddy mentioned and two others from her perspective: the “tearing and unnecessary war over his health-care proposal and its cost” and his “day-to-day indifference to the views and hopes of the majority of voters regarding illegal immigration.”

“I don’t see how you can politically survive this,” she said.

According to news reports, Obama seems to agree with her, indicating that he may not be back for a second term. His reasoning, however, is probably different than hers.

Noonan also notes that Americans have spent the last two years worrying about high government spending – the “dollars gushing night and day” – that would undo the republic. Now we have the daily news clip of “the well gushing black oil into the Gulf of Mexico and toward our shore.”

The news on Wednesday reported that BP is now saying the flow may not be stopped until December. The Obama administration continues to say that they are calling the shots, but that BP has the expertise to handle it.

Huh? If that makes sense to you, please explain it to me. Also explain to me why there was evidently no plan to address a possibility like this by an oil company drilling a mile below the ocean’s surface, or by the federal oversight agencies that we pay to keep these companies on a leash.

Noonan said that Democrats, half of whom voted for Hillary Clinton in the primary, will likely start peeling off when the 2010 elections go badly for them.

“This is no cause for joy,” she said. “It’s not good to have a president in this position – weakened, polarizing and lacking broad public support – less than halfway through his term.”

Between Ruddy and Noonan, they discussed 10 “failures” of Obama’s first 16 months in office. And they forgot to mention unemployment, or the controversial moves regarding the car industry, the banking system and the stock market.

He had argued for a time that some of these problems were inherited. No more. After nearly a year and a half he owns them.

Our 44^th president is a product of the far left with no real world or business experience. He’s a tremendous orator without substance. He is like many idealistic visionaries who see a perfect world “if only we can get it right”… right being his or her vision. He simply doesn’t have a clue and, unfortunately, has proven it as he has consistently fallen short when faced with today’s challenges.

The majority of voters wanted a savior from George Bush and their perception of “more of the same” from John McCain. They got it… or did they?

Obama’s vision is that government can fix all ills. Frankly, I think Bush’s “compassionate conservatism” was a huge step in that direction. I have addressed it repeatedly over the years. Obama simply took a giant leap forward.

Noonan said that as the federal government has continually taken on more responsibilities, it seems less capable of performing even its most essential jobs. I couldn’t agree more.

It’s time to tell our elected representatives that their “Big Brother fixes all” mentality has failed. Repeatedly. It’s time to tell them to get the hell out of the way so we can start rebuilding our country.

That’s my opinion. What’s yours?

Bob Robinson is the retired editor of The Daily Advocate, Greenville, Ohio. If you wish to receive his opinion comments by direct email, or automatic updates when a blog is posted, send your email address to: opinionsbybob@gmail.com.