For my more than half century alive on this globe, a proud citizen of these United States of America, have I ever spoken derogatorily of a sitting President, until this past year. Listening to President Barak Obama tonight (July 22, 2011) speaking about the failed budget talks raised my already high blood pressure through the roof. First, he created a straw man to blame this crisis upon, then rip the straw man or should I say men down. I think I detected an Irish jig being danced by our Commander-in-Chief on the effigies. The straw men were the Republicans in the House, the Tea Party Caucus, the independent Tea Parties nationwide and Speaker John Boehner. Secondly, he erected Bogeymen, resurrecting the Tea Party and Speaker Boehner to become the intended hated target. Shame on them for wanting to decrease the deficit and prevent our nation from becoming the next Greece. Lastly, he named the victims of these horrible Bogeymen, the military service members and senior citizens Social Security recipients who wont be paid in August. I hear Representative Joe Wilson in the back of my head shouting "You lie!".
What precipitated this massive meltdown? The walking out of Speaker of the House John Boehner from budget negotiations created this episode. President Obama "demanded" an additional $400 Billion in tax increases above and beyond the concessions that the Republicans already offered. Along each step of this process President Obama has "demanded" from the Republicans one concession after another, without providing a written plan which can be graded by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). In fact, for 2 1/2 years a Democratic held Congress consistently failed to pass any budget. In his letter to fellow Congress members following the breakdown in the talks, Speaker Boehner wrote; "A deal was never reached, and was never really close."
Did Speaker Boehner leave President Obama at the altar? No, President Obama never even entered the church! Arrogance, you ask? Yes, King Obama "ordered" members of Congress to be at the White House at 11am tomorrow! Ordered? Demanded? Last I looked we are a Republic of "equal and separate powers", executive, legislative and judicial. After the temper tantrum of King Obama, Speaker Boehner stepped forward gentlemanly, explaining the differences calmly and said he would be at the White House at 11am tomorrow and continue to work toward a final budget bill.
Mr. President, that was egg Mr. Boehner wiped off of your face. Until you succeed in finalizing the socialization of America, remember that is not a throne behind the desk in the Oval Office. I foresee a long 18 month ahead!
