Truth by its very nature is controversial. And that’s probably because truth has always been subject to individual interpretation. Despite varying perceptions from individual to individual, one can always arrive at the objective truth through common-sense, logic, science, investigation, analysis, reason, technology, and a few other valid and time-tested means. So you see; the truth cannot be hidden all the time: that’s very difficult to accomplish.
Nowadays in the USA, it appears that the search for objective truths isn’t a pursuit of the most fanatical members of the present apology for a Republican political party. It’s ostensibly worse yet, if you are a card-carrying-member of the intellectually-challenged appendage of that entity: the Tea Party. That’s when insincerity, dishonesty, mendacity and the like, become the primary tactics for justifying attempts at political chicanery. That’s when common sense, humanity, moderation and reason flee to brutish beasts.
If the recent political victories of Tea Party-backed candidates reflect a trend in US politics, then we are in real trouble here folks. How can a political movement advocate reducing government-spending during a deep recession? It only makes sense if you are deliberately trying to tank the economy; or if you haven’t studied capitalism as an economic system. Don’t believe the lie that small businesses are the economic straws that stir the drinks; it’s government spending that’s make things move and flow for the most part. Especially the big ticket items and the hiring of personnel.
I remember predicting that Barack Obama will become president of the USA almost a year and a half before the 2008 election. Even brilliant political analysts (like Gatemouth) couldn’t see the phenomenon flying up the turnpike. I qualified my prediction by making allowances for a physical or political assassination. I could (and probably should) have also said a “literal” or “figurative” assassination; although it was implied. What too many in this nation continually fail to ascertain -even now- is that these types of assassination-attempts on Obama, have been planned and tried, over and over and again. Starting long before he even declared to run for the presidency. Although they keep failing, the perpetrators keep trying in all kinds of nouveau ways nonetheless.
And this is what already places Barack Obama in the top ten list of great US presidents: his decency. Thirty-two months after swearing in, the things that still sparkle and shine -after some rough and tough political battles- is the man’s grace, demeanor, elegance, decorum , style, temperament, sophistication, et al. Barack Obama is the personification of what a classy individual should be. On that basis alone he earns the label of greatness. How many of us could have put up with all the crap he has been putting up with, without “losing it”? Especially those of us who are black and have lived in this country for some time now.
White-America (mainly) should go down on their knees and thank their Gods for making Barack Obama a mulatto and not a “nigger”. You see, if he were a nigger, let me tell you what would happen next Monday morning.
After spending the last two weeks coming up with comprehensive plans for dealing with both the economy and deficit spending (at the same time), our president has been subjected to the same nonsensical partisan attacks from brain-dead republicans who offer nothing innovative in terms of solutions; attacks to which he has been subjected from day one of his presidency. His plans which are reasonable and solid, not only addresses job-creation and restructuring the tax code, but it also addresses reorganizing government as a money-saving measure.
If he were a nigger; next Monday he will finally lose it. You see, he would call a mid-day press conference on the white house lawn. Then he would stride to the podium with his resignation in his right hand. Then he would take the microphone in his left hand, and in a display untypical of any he has demonstrated so far, he would tell white-America (and non-whites who don’t get it) to take this job and shove it. Then he would further make one request of these groups: to kiss the black side of his black and white ass.
But this wouldn’t happen. Barack Obama is too classy for this. Barack Obama is too decent for this. But there are many who sometimes wish he had a little “nigger” in him. Include me in that list.
Here is an objective truth that many Repugnicans would hate to read. Barack Obama inherited one of (if not “the”) worst batons ever passed from president to president: in this never-ending executive relay.
Here is another objective truth: Barack Obama has been the most disrespected president in the history of this country.
And another: Barack Obama is one of the most brilliant political minds ever to grace the White House. A president totally and honestly committed to forging bi-partisanship in national governance despite the high level of polarization in congress; a man who sees himself more as a facilitator/mediator and less as a semi-dictator/enforcer. One who has bent over backwards -far beyond what should be reasonably expected- in order to accommodate ideas from a deceptive two-faced opposition-party which hates his guts and aims to tarnish his glory.
Which other president do you know has had to deal with his mother being called a whore and worse? If you think I am lying, then subpoena the logs of most political blogs since he first declared for the job. Which other president do you know, has had to deal with all the negative aspersions cast on his father’s public and private life? Even other relatives of this man haven’t been spared the venom and outright lies of right-wingers; folks whose never-ending quests are to make the man’s tenure in office a living hell, and to eventually drive him out of the White House entirely.
Tell me which president has had to (and still does) endure as many attacks on his heritage(s), birthright, birthplace, citizenship, patriotism, scholarship, intellect, integrity, vocation(s), religion, associations and more: when taken in combination?
Which man has ever had to watch his two lovely daughters (Malia and Sasha) face these disgusting reports suggesting non-ending attempts at dehumanizing their dad? Reports that suggest he hates America and is even treasonous. Some say he is a socialist; as if they don’t understand what a socialism is: when government has total control of the whole economy; or at minimal, control of major parts/segments of the economy. And then there are innuendos which continually posit him as an alien, or even an extra-terrestrial, or worse; in the very country over which he presides. In a job he was elected for.
No amount of screening can shelter these kids from various news items filtering out. In their classroom alone, some other kids are sure to mention something about all this. And kids are curious: they will ask questions; they will say “stuff”.
Which other president do you know has been forced every day, to deny his biological truth (that he is a mulatto/both black and white/ neither fully black nor fully white/ half-black half-white) because of a nation’s political, psychological, social and cultural history which to this day, still cannot accommodate racial truths and justice for all?
Which other president do you know has had to encounter a senate majority leader of the opposition party, who publicly declared that his main objective is to “prevent the president from attaining a second term in office”?
Which other president do you know, has heard within hours of his inauguration, the voice of a Rush Limbaugh announcing to millions of rabid right-wingers, his expressive wish for a failed Obama presidency? Some patriot that Limbaugh druggie! Now we can all see the lack of co-operation from Republicans nationwide is really an expression of that semi-tacit Limbaugh dictate. Republicans are now taking cues from a political crack-head. This is what the party of Abe Lincoln has devolved into.
Let me go deeper with the truth.
Which other US president ever inherited as many raging wars as Barack Obama has? You don’t believe me? Then let’s count them off: the war on terrorism (draining much-needed resources which could be better utilized in today’s horrible economy); the war on drugs and illegal immigration (daily destroying, dozens of innocent lives, on, around, and beyond our southern borders); the mendacious Iraq War; the knee-jerk Afghanistan War; the many other undeclared wars whereby our unmanned drones arbitrarily slam bombs into specific countries and targets almost daily; the many semi, quasi, and mini-wars whereby our citizens, diplomats/ambassadors, CIA personnel, strategic military-men, military-advisors and assorted troops, are involved/engaged in over eighty countries worldwide. It is not simply about international relations folks. It’s also about policing the world so that our immoral arms-merchants and warmongers (operating within the military-industrial complex) can grow richer.
Folks like Dick-head Chaney and his classless family are among this group. And to think they are blood relatives of Barack Obama. You really can’t pick your relatives; can you? The shameful thing is that Barack doesn’t seem to get this: he has never spoken out against the military industrial complex during his presidential tenure.
Here are some more truths: only one other president has ever inherited an economy performing worse than this one. In fact, when it comes to economic and social turmoil…… well, let’s not go there: not with poverty on the rise; with the middle class being squeezed like a old tube of toothpaste; with the gap between rich and poor in the USA wider than lake Victoria (the widest gap in our economic history); with house prices /values falling by the minute; with bankruptcies breaking records annually; with homelessness and joblessness at ridiculously high numbers; with BMWs (Black Men Who Work) paying social security taxes they will never collect: since many will die before collection time; with high-schools and colleges graduating fools; with unemployment and underemployment at near record highs (even with the undercounting); with guns flying around the streets like UFOs; with crime climbing faster than the stock market; with prisons packed like sardines in a small can; with black men becoming an endangered species; with black women aborting half their pregnancies; with this and that, and many other things stalking this nation like plagues from biblical times; with racism alive and well and kicking like the proverbial mule -although buried under the dirty laundry of our nation’s tortured soul.
Do I really need to go on?
Let me tell you something that may be surprising to many. I have been getting around to the position Ralph Nader recently took: that Barack Obama should face a primary challenger (who will have practically no chance of unseating him). I know that in this scenario, there aren’t many tactical political-benefits for the Democratic Party; but somehow I feel that Mr. B.O. should be made to explain and expound on the political philosophy underpinning his presidential decisions. There are many areas where he has disappointed independent-thinking democrats like me.
I must confess that over time, I have accumulated enough evidence to conclude this: Obama’s policy prescriptions for many of our national and international problems aren’t close to mine. Politically speaking, I am closer in my thinking, to people like senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont; or Rachael Maddow of MSNBC; or Michael Eric-Dyson; or Michelle Perry; or Keith Olbermann. But I do admire BO’s consistency. I do admire his determination. He is indeed a class act.
I also admire the reasonable arguments President Obama advances when justifying (or explaining) his position-takes and policy-decisions. At least they are well thought out. I disagree with him from time to time, but it isn’t because he is as stupid as those on the other pole; those who actually contradict themselves a hundred times in one five minute conversation/interview.
Obama is a man who -true to his maxim (and mantra) of bi-partisanship- has embraced position after position initially articulated by elected republicans and their party-spokesmen. However, once he adopts such a position the republicans then walk away and abandon it: no co-operation. Instead of trying to help fix the economy they prefer to further punish already-suffering citizens, because of their hatred for this mulatto. This childish behavior is becoming nothing short of an international embarrassment.
How do you advance failed policy ideas over and over without checking yourself before wrecking yourself for good? The only suggestion for our economic salvation emanating from republican quarters is a relic from the Ronald Reagan administration. In fact it goes way back to Hurbert Hoover (1929-1933) and ideas around the strategies of trickle-down economics. It has been warmed-over more times than last week’s leftovers stinking up the refrigerator. It goes like this: cut taxes on wealthy individuals, small businesses and rich corporations. It will then free them up to create jobs. WTF! So what encumbered them before?
Every republican talking head repeats this mantra no matter what channel you surf. If you don’t believe me try this: go from CNN, to Fox News, to MSNBC, to PBS, to BBC, or to any other network news station and tell me what you hear when republicans talk economics.
So here is another truth: that idea has failed more times than I have run for public office. When Bill Clinton raised taxes on the wealthy folks in this country, he created a budget surplus which his successor squandered. George Bush jnr. dropped tax rates for the rich and got us into wars he couldn’t and didn’t pay for. He also passed a health care/prescription bill for seniors and put it on our nation’s credit card. And now republicans act surprised that we are in the economic mess we find ourselves in.
Tax rates are close to an all-time low right now. That’s one of the many problems with this economy. Plus the fact that many corporations have parked trillions of dollars on the sidelines refusing to invest and create jobs in this country. This is something that has never ever happened at any point in our economic history. Is this just coincidental? Or is it a conspiracy to make Obama a failed president a la Rush Limbaugh?
Plus, many of these said corporations are paying zilch in taxes while raking in billions in profits. Corporate profits are at an all-time high while corporate tax liabilities are at an all-time low. Most people in this country are hurting because of this economy, but the corporations are doing well: thank you very much you republican meatheads.
Plus, loopholes in the tax code favor the rich and hurt the middle class. These loopholes reflect a structural issue with our system of government (and that’s another column). The influence of the wealthy and powerful transcends the ideals of our founding fathers for a true democracy. This is a major problem and the present composition of the Supreme Court is no help in this regard.
To me, the biggest issue with our president is his hubris. He says: “I want the ball in my hands when the game is on the line”. Why? Because he wants to make the winning buzzer-beating shot. But it does matter if someone is wide-open under the bucket, and he is twenty-five feet away from the hoop. And our president needs to recognize that and a few other things; like the fact that he isn’t the only bright person in the room.
In his recent ranting and ravings, Democrat James Carville is right about only one thing: Barack Obama needs to shake up his team. He needs to reach out further for new advisors. He needs more blacks and minorities on his team. He needs to get wider perspectives that can contribute to, and enhance the discourse taking place within the White House. James Carville is wrong about this though: Barack Obama will never panic. That’s not in his repertoire.
Stay tuned-in folks I am not finished with this; so look out for part two.