AMERICAN FLUTE

In a recent speech in Ohio, Obama stated, “Together there is not one problem we cannot solve”. That sounds like something that a leader might say as he begins to introduce potential solutions to his listening audience. It is a point of emphasis used to say that our collective effort far outweighs that of any individual effort. It becomes the rally cry for those involved to band together and move forward toward eradicating the problem. And, yes, all that would be true if indeed those words had been spoken by a true leader but in this case they were not, they were spoken by a man who occupies the office of the President of the United States who has failed at leadership at every turn since taking office in 2008. On that basis, what purpose can employing such a statement hold for this President?

Obama rose to his high office on the back of promises made yet never completed. He sold “change” like hot dog vendors shout their wares at the afternoon baseball game yet he was never really challenged to back it up or produce anything. The statement noted above contains plenty of messages but they have little or nothing to do with leadership or inspiring people to do the right thing. Obama uses the statement for one reason and that becomes clear when you look at his actions. He wants the majority of Americans to latch on to his direction of movement without questioning it. Using the word “together”, he cites the sense of belonging; of being a part of something bigger than the individual. He wants people to act on their sense and need for belonging. He also wants to issue the assurance that problems will be addressed and eliminated but leaves the specifics off the table. His need is for momentum among the masses in a blind direction more so than support in solving problem or eliminating an obstacle. For the moment, he is the “Pied Piper” calling to the children to blindly follow him out of the city to God knows where. The question then becomes, “are the children too stupid to ask or question?” He is counting on the fact that they will be too enthralled with the music to question the destination or fate. Remember the 2008 mantra…”Yes We Can”….”Yes We Can What?”

Obama hawked the concept of “change” throughout his initial attempt to gain the presidency. He spoke of “fundamental transformation” and how Americans could work together to make America great again. He used a lot of “feel good” talk which was backed up by nothing of substance. Unfortunately, neither the American public of 2008 nor the mainstream media raised any real challenge to the meaning behind his words. Once in office, it became clear that he had only two real intentions in terms of change…bigger, ever-growing government and spending beyond the scope of any ever witnessed in the history of the country.

The re-election process is maturing and once the Republicans identify a nominee, the head to head battle for the Presidency will be on for 2012. Obama cannot run on the record of his accomplishments, that fact is crystal clear. He cannot run on the promise of “hope and change” as he has already had almost a full term in office to demonstrate that strategy. Little has taken place and what has certainly does not represent progress or improvement in terms of sustaining our country under the framework of the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Essentially, the only measurable accomplishment of the first term in office of the Obama Administration is an approximate 20% expansion in the size of the federal government, healthcare legislation which when fully enacted will cost the taxpayers far more than any previous programs and likely provide less care in the process, and an added six trillion or more dollars to the ever-tilting scales of the national debt. In essence, anything related to the past four years is bankrupt in terms of giving an elective edge to Obama.

That said, Obama is left come up with new strategies which will most certainly be creations from the Saul Alinsky play-book, “Rules For Radicals”. To boil Mr. Alinsky’s theories down to a state of simplicity, one can simply assume that nothing is as it appears it if it comes from the brain trust of that philosophy. Given that Obama admittedly worships at the Alinsky altar, one can be quite sure Alinsky will play into the 2012 campaign strategy for Obama. In fact, we are already getting a taste of it. Obama has harped on the rich and generally stirred the pot of class envy and resentment at every turn in the past few months. Now he comes forward with the statement, “Together there is no problem we cannot solve”. Remember, nothing is as it appears and such is the case here. Obama on the one hand is calling for a collective effort to eliminate our problems; while on the other hand, he is inserting divisiveness or envy between Americans. Stir in a bit of unrest and violence from the “Occupy” crowd as the election draws near and we have the recipe for an unstable climate in which far too many Americans resist making any change at all.

Obama will toss “hope and change” into the ditch as a used commodity of past elections and move on to talk of solidarity and new directions for the country. In his normal way, he will never really tell you where he intends to go other than to hint at the “utopia” that America could be if only enough of us will behind his campaign and send him back to office for another term. That additional term will allow him the time he needs to unite Americans in a common effort toward making America great again. Remember that nothing is as it seems thus we can easily assume that nothing has really changed with Obama except that he is replacing the components or “buzz-words” of his campaign. No matter, all of it is simply campaign rhetoric and will be tossed aside once his re-election is assured. He then can get on with the agenda that he put in place early on in his first term…that of growing government to be the central entity in the lives of Americans; spending our way to prosperity, and generally destroying the middle class of the country so that the only thing left is the “haves” and the “have-nots”. Government will continue to domineer over the private sector; the economy will continue to languish in stagnation leaving unemployment at higher than tolerable numbers and more and more Americans will begin to feel the pain of a country bound to the depths of bankruptcy led by a bankrupt leader with every intention of breaking the back of capitalism and eliminating individual initiative and success in our society.

Nothing is as it seems. We have listened to Obama talk about how he would get Washington working again like it should be only to see a full first term go by without one annual budget for the federal government being past; watch time and again as Congress “temporarily” extends some deadline because no one can find a basis of compromise within their politics to take precedence over stubborn, bull-headed career politicians. From Obama & Company’s perspective, it is beneath the dignity of the President to referee or attempt to shape the Congressional politics for the best interest of America. It is unfortunate for therein lies the one opportunity in which Obama could demonstrate some level of leadership to the American people. Instead, he will distance himself from that involvement, spend his time on the golf course or taking vacations and assume that all the short-comings of his administration will be laid at the feet of those who serve in Congress which is probably a pretty good bet if I understand the American public like I think I do. From Obama’s perspective, his journey to greatness could have reached even loftier heights had he not been hamstrung by a dysfunctional legislative branch incapable of acting on the best interest of America.

So the carrot dangles out there having been issued forth on the tongue of President Obama. “Together there is no problem we cannot solve”. The carrot dangles like a baited-hook in front of a hungry trout. Hanging there until that moment when the fish takes the bait and the hook gets set to reel it in. The 2012 campaign for leadership and unity has been launched by the President and he stands waiting for the public to board his bus once again and ride through another term with him. Nothing is as it seems and no one better understands that than Obama as he baits the hook once again and waits for the fish.

How successful will this new effort be for 2012? That answer depends greatly on how the opposition approaches the election process. If the Republicans allow Obama to set the tone in the race and work solely on the basis of responding to his calls, then it can only work in his favor. The opposition has the means, the facts, and the ability to go after Obama with a full-frontal assault keeping his lack of accomplishment and miserable leadership record in the forefront at every juncture and keeping him and his handlers on the defensive. That message needs to be there every single day at every single opportunity for the American public to absorb and dwell upon. Then as Obama comes forth spewing his new words of unity and leadership, the public can measure it against the backdrop of the realities of his first term in office. Some might recall the attacks of Bill Clinton on George Bush Sr. with a focus on the economy in that historic election year when everyone was convinced that the incumbent could not lose. “It’s the economy, stupid”, was the phrase designed to keep Clinton and company on focus and on message and it was effective.

A second element to consider and a very real possibility is a possible splintering within the conservative ranks. Given Ron Paul’s mediocre performance in Iowa, it is likely that his campaign for the Republican nomination will slowly drift into the sunset as more and more states sort out the nominee process. Now, if Mr. Paul was a true conservative who really cared about “conservative values” being re-instilled in the country, he nor any other conservative for that matter would not contemplate running for the office of the President as an independent. If that should happen, America will see the “conservative voter base” splinter between the Republican nominee and some smaller faction willing to support the independent. In the end, the effect will be nothing more than a “spoiler” role just like the one played by Ross Perot when George Bush Sr. went down in defeat. If that scenario takes place, Obama will never leave the White House in 2012 and America may eventually be only a forgotten memory lost in the mass rumble of financial destruction and socialist manipulation.

Anytime a politician tells us that “together there is no problem we cannot solve”, we need to be looking for the other shoe to fall. To let that statement stand on its own is simple to prop up the false promise of assurance that good things will happen without ever receiving any factual assurance as to “how” or “at what costs”? It is time that someone began asking the hard questions of those seeking to serve America and demanding that answers be forthcoming in great detail. At one time, Americans could count on the media to carry that mantra…those days are over. No longer is the media part of the solution…it is part of the problem. One only has to witness their foaming at the mouth over the President’s speaking of those words noted above to realize it. The magic flute is already playing its tune.

©Copyright WBrown2012. All Rights Reserved.

4 Jan 2012