Other sites are covering these things in much more depth than I am. I'll just weigh in with Assistant Village Idiot obvious sort of stuff.
Why is a president weighing in on a local police matter in Cambridge? That's just completely inappropriate. Even if he were very wise, had looked into the matter deeply, and given a measured response, it's not his yard. I conclude that this is some sort of mission creep, where Obama envisions himself as the race arbiter for the nation. He's not.
I am willing to believe just about any bad thing about any major side in a Central American country. That's just their history. I don't think I had even heard of Zelaya before a few weeks ago. There are likely two sides to the discussion about whether a president claiming constitutionality trumps the legislature and the Supreme Court, which disagree with him. I don't know where I would stand on such a discussion. But we're not having that discussion. The people defending Zelaya are not merely saying he has the better claim, they are insisting that the actions of the legislature and the Supreme Court should have no weight at all. That's just nuts. Game over; one side is not arguing honestly.
Following all the stories about GM execs being threatened if they speak up, IG's fired just after critical reports come out, financial institutions told they will be cut off from the table if they speak up, and now major health care players being ordered not to take out critical ads, I have to conclude: We all live in Chicago now.
Awesome Post!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'll point out that the people defending President Obama' friend Skip in Cambridge assert the actions of the police have no weight. The theme you present is one of 'freedom of speech for me, not for thee' is original and I love it.
ReplyDeleteTo which I might add: lefties complaining about recent second quarter profit reports from Goldman Sachs. I thought the whole point of the bailouts was to return financial institutions to profitability?
ReplyDeleteObama has no sense of boundaries - personal, political, or any other.
ReplyDeleteHe's simply socially inept.
re:Obama
ReplyDeleteHe's not the race arbiter of the nation....however, to play devil's advocate, I would imagine that it wouldn't be difficult to place himself in Gates' shoes--a Harvard educated, mixed race(I know this from a PBS special in which Gates traces his roots)man, who thought that perhaps he, at least, would be beyond such an incident.
Identification with Gates would be very easy.
Should he have said something? Maybe not.....but politicians seldom think there is anything beyond their scope of comment.
Personally, I think the whole incident had less to do with race and more to do with the police over-reacting to Gate's over-reaction.
He ticked off the police with his accusation of racism, and his loud protestations. Was it worth it to arrest him to prove a point that you must be more cooperative and cool-headed when talking to police officers?
An immovable object meeting an irresistible force.
I think Obama simply believes he's about the smartest guy on this planet. So therefore why not share every single thought with the waiting world? He cannot resist.
ReplyDeleteWe all live in Chicago now.
ReplyDeleteYou might find my maps to be helpful.
Historical Maps of Illinois's Political Corruption
ELC - Heh.
ReplyDelete