Last Week in a Whole Lotta Words
Inauguration Day
Tuesday, while the “rest” of
Philadelphia was still lamenting the EAGLES not making it to the Super Bowl, Obama supporters like my self were taking in history being made. On Tuesday January 20, 2009, our first African-American President-elect, Barack Husein Obama, was inaugurated President of the United States. For some, it was an event 8 years in the making. For African-Americans like myself, it was an event over 400 years in the making. While I wanted to be in DC for the history making even (in retrospect, REALLY BAD IDEA), I had to settle for watching it along with a few hundred fellow supporters on the lawn of the Constitution Center in Philly on a giant jumbo-tron screen. I can safely say the joy of the moment was not diminished. Being with so many fellow supporters, it felt good to know that we are finally getting our country back from the ideology of the outgoing administration. After 8 years of the most divisive political environment in our history, we are now going to get an administration that will truly be “Of the people, By the people, and For the people.” It’ll feel good to be proud of your country again, won’t it?
Cleaning House
Have you ever moved into a house that the previous owners kept full of un-neutered cats? Ever try to get the smell out? Takes a while, doesn’t it? Well, such is the job President Obama (feels so good to write that) has drawn. Now that all of the stinky cats (aka Bush and the GOP) are gone, Obama in his first week in office took to scrubbing the White House (and the country) clean of the stench of the last 8 years. A flurry of executive orders designed to signify a break from the previous administration, were signed by Mr. Obama. Orders ranging from overturning the US policy on foreign aid for family planning that prohibits talking about abortion, to CLOSING GITMO. There’s lots more to come, and most of this is symbolic, but it signifies a clear directional shift away from Bush’s “my way or the highway” philosophy. It’s pretty clear that he has a lot more cleaning to do. I’d suggest lots and lots of Pine Sol.
Ali al-Shihri (or “How to Create a Terrorist”)
Recent news of released Gitmo prisoner Ali al-Shihri turning up as a deputy al-Qaida leader in Yemen has right-wingers and Gitmo defenders enraptured with orgasmic joy (watch out or you’ll get something on you). “Here’s why you can’t close Gitmo,” they exclaim. “You’ll be releasing terrorists back out into the world.” Al-Shihri was released in 2007. Like most Gitmo inmates, he was never charged, never prosecuted, never given a trial. His cover story was that he was buying carpets for his store in Riyadh when he was captured in Pakistan back in 2001. The rub of all of this is that because he was never charged or tried, we have no way of knowing if he actually was a terrorist when he was first captured, or if we actually turned him into a terrorist by holding him. Good job keeping us safe, Bushie.
Things I Hate About Obama!
I plan on making this a regular entry. Basically it’s some criticisms of the Obama administration thus far. Things that I don’t necessarily agree with. This one is for the righties who are reading this. See, unlike you guys, we on the left of the aisle don’t think it unpatriotic, or un-American to criticize our president, fairly or unfairly. For all of Obama’s strong points, he’s made what I consider some missteps. And since he’ll inevitably make more throughout his presidency, I feel this column should serve as a reminder that we elected a human being for president, not a Messiah.
To Lobby or Not To Lobby
On Wednesday Obama signed an order prohibiting lobbyists from working in areas of his administration for which they once lobbied. This is an evolution of his campaign promise that started with “No lobbyists will work in my White House”, then became “No lobbyists will influence policy in my administration” to the current version. On Friday, that version was cast into the Darwinian scrap-heap of evolving policy when he signed a waiver that would allow him to appoint Bill Lynn as Deputy Secretary of Defense. Mr. Lynn was a defense lobbyist for a corporation called Raytheon, which among other things provides military and homeland security for the Department of Defense, where he’ll be working. Armed Service Committee chairman Carl Levin insists that strict rules will be applied to Mr. Lynn. However, I’m afraid of the proverbial slippery slope Mr. Obama appears to be on. This ignoring of the rules as soon as they become inconvenient is the very thing that defined the previous administration. In that case it extended all the way up to the constitution. My biggest fear is that this becomes just another administration that bends the rules in the name of expediency.
Prosecute Now!
That pretty much describes my view on this one. Obama has shown a reluctance (more like punk-assed wussiness) to pursue any kind of investigation into the allegations of torture by the Bush administration. Even though his AG designate, Eric Holder, has stated that “water-boarding” is torture, the chief prosecutor at the Pentagon as indicated that torture took place, and both Bush and Cheney have all but put up billboards saying “WE DID IT!”. Still, Obama wants to maintain this kumbiyah moment and move forward to the future. The problem is that the past will always come back to bite you in the ass. In this case the bite will be in the form of a UN investigation, which doesn’t need Obama’s permission to move forward. Bottom line, handle your business on this, Mr. President, or it will be handled for you.
Who won again?
Speaking of kumbiyah moments, why are Obama and the Democrats bending over backwards and forwards for the Republicans on this Stimulus package. It’s pretty much established that he has the House votes to pass it without them, and will likely sail it through the Senate as well. So why are we even talking to the Republicans. After the way they treated Democrats the past 8 years, they should be thankful that Obama allows them in the White House. Clearly they’re playing the obstructionist game and aren’t interested in any measure of bi-partisanship. Obama needs to learn (like many Black leaders, sadly) that you can’t change people who don’t want to change. Reconciliation is not possible with people who don’t want to reconcile (see Rick Warren), and bi-partisanship only works when both parties are bi (trust me on this). It’s time for Obama to take his tongue out of John Boehner’s ass and do the work he was voted in to do.
Final Thought
While I have the attention of you Bush supporters (shrubbies) who believe that he kept us safe since 9/11, allow me to put this question to you. Where is Osama Bin Ladin? If Bush really kept us safe, then why isn’t he in custody? If all of these “enhanced interrogation” techniques resulted in such valuable information, then why haven’t we captured him? If the warrentless wiretapping was such an integral part of our national security, then why is Bin Ladin still languishing in a cave somewhere, laughing at us? Tell me this. If someone burst into your home, robbed you, beat you senseless, murdered your children, raped and sodomized your spouse, would you feel safe if he was still at large? Seriously, try to lie to me and tell me “yes”. Osama Bin Ladin masterminded the most horrific terrorist attack on American soil, and he is still at large. Yet you shrubbies claim that Bush kept you safe because he hasn’t tried again. This is the delusion that he fed you for 8 years. This is the lie that kept you in his pocket. This is the manipulation that he used to convince you to give up your freedom, your liberty, and your privacy, for his own benefit. For all of you who are hoping that Obama fails in his presidency, or worse, hoping for another 9/11 attack, here’s something you may want to think about. If Osama Bin Ladin attacks us again, it won’t be Obama’s fault. It will be the fault of George W. Bush.
Sleep well, shrubbies.
