Sunday, March 8, 2009

Replacing a Cowboy With a Crybaby


Bush's "cowboy diplomacy" was relentlessly derided by liberals. One of their favorite churlish refrains: "Yeehaw! is not a foreign policy." They said we needed to restore America's reputation and leadership, so they gave us the gift of Obama. Note to Obama worshipers — Obama is not off to a good start.


Obama 'too tired' to give proper welcome to Gordon Brown

Barack Obama's offhand approach to Gordon Brown's Washington visit last week came about because the president was facing exhaustion over America's economic crisis and is unable to focus on foreign affairs. Sources close to the White House say Mr. Obama and his staff have been "overwhelmed"...and have voiced concerns that the new president is not getting enough rest.

British officials admit that Obama aides seemed unfamiliar with the expectations that surround a major visit by a British prime minister. A well-connected Washington figure, who is close to members of Mr Obama's inner circle, expressed concern that Mr Obama had failed so far to "even fake an interest in foreign policy".

British diplomats insist the visit was a success, [b]ut they concede that the mood music of the event was at times strained. Brown handed over carefully selected gifts, including a pen holder made from the wood of a warship that helped stamp out the slave trade - a sister ship of the vessel from which timbers were taken to build Mr Obama's Oval Office desk. Mr Obama's gift in return, a collection of Hollywood film DVDs that could have been bought from any high street store, looked like the kind of thing the White House might hand out to the visiting head of a minor African state.

The real views of many in Obama administration were laid bare by a State Department official involved in planning the Brown visit, who reacted with fury when questioned by The Sunday Telegraph about why the event was so low-key. The official dismissed any notion of the special relationship, saying: "There's nothing special about Britain. You're just the same as the other 190 countries in the world. You shouldn't expect special treatment."

As we round out Obama's first 50 days, let's look back on some of the highlights:
  • After their first two weeks in the White House, Barry and Michelle were already creaking under the pressure, and they left the White House on short notice to chill out with second-graders. Barry: "We were just tired of being in the White House."
  • Barry was quick to bounce back and soon developed a reputation as a party animal, throwing taxpayer money away for parties nearly every night with ‘friends’ and supporters, celebrating everything from the Superbowl and Valentine's weekend to President's Day and the Passage of the Porkulus bill.
  • Almost every time he spoke, Obama whined about the incredible mess he inherited. In turn, the Dow-Jones plummeted just about every time Obama opened his mouth.
  • Obama displayed incredible ignorance with regard to elementary economic issues, and sent incredibly confusing signals about the health of the economy. In one breath Obama would tell us not to "stuff money" in our matresses: “I don’t think that people should be fearful about our future, I don’t think that people should suddenly mistrust all of our financial institutions.” In the very next breath, he would tell us that the end is not in sight when it comes to the economic crisis.
  • Obama sent Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Russia, and in a stupid stunt worthy of Tracy Flick, Hillary embarrassed the whole world with a gift gaffe from Hades.
  • As the embarrassment of his incompetence became increasingly painful, Barry spent an inordinate amount of time trying to distract voters from the real issues by picking fights with a harmless radio talk show host.
Now we hear that poor Obama is shirking his responsibilities because he is tired. What a crybaby! What happened to the boundless energy of "Campaign Obama"...that studly young man who pranced around on the beaches of Hawaii to show us what a beefy hunk he is?

And what happened to the promise of repairing our reputation in the world? Is this what they had in mind? Insulting the British and playing silly games with the Russians? Are they kidding?? It's not funny. It's an outrage!

CNN glosses over the Administration's failures, telling us it's the thought that counts. I'd like to think Obama has more than good intentions up his sleeve — but he doesn't, does he? In a few years we will look back on Obama's first fifty days and think "those were the good times, before we had any idea how bad things would get."



More

Presidential Approval Index Dropping
Obama has a Presidential Approval Index rating of +6, his lowest rating to date.
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Not a Socialist
For the record: Obama is NOT a socialist or is he? Read the whole article...methinks he doth protest too much.

Obama is Pro-Life
George Soros Funds Catholic Groups Making Obama Seem Pro-Life on Abortion. Via Michelle Malkin.

Obama's unprecedented dependence on the teleprompter

Have you not heard enough lies from Hussein lately? This should satisfy your needs.

Jindal Blasts Budget, Answers Critics

Is Specter History?
Former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) will challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in a primary for the second straight cycle, according to Pennsylvania GOP sources. Toomey narrowly lost to Specter in a 2004 primary by less than 1 percent and recently said he was considering another run.

Jesus was a Palestinian?
A "true or false" question on the origins of Christianity asserted that "Christianity was started by a young Palestinian named Jesus." The teacher's edition says this is "true."

Today's Obama Economy May Be Worse Than Great Depression

17 comments:

robert verdi said...

to think McCain was derided as the old man who wasn't fit.

Anonymous said...

Poor Obamabi,are the Limy Brits picking on you.

Geesh,man up already.

Franklin's Locke said...

Great post!

I love how hypocritical Liberals and the media are acting now. Obama has been rude and abysmal and we do not hear about it. We have to read it in the foreign press. He keeps showing his narcissism.


http://franklinslocke.blogspot.com/

Adrienne said...

Obambi is a very dangerous crybaby. Just witness any 3 year old having a melt down in the candy aisle of the grocery store.

The whole Russia "re-set" button thingy along with giving Brown DVD's, backed up what I've thought from the beginning. No class - none, zero, zilch!!

Humble wife said...

First off, I believe FAILURE is the only option Obama wants. Say what you will, that is the message, and when even Whoopi Goldberg is getting upset-then you know that the messiah is in trouble.


As to the text and Jesus being a Palestinian- anyone who sends their children to public schools have much more than a LIE about Jesus Christ. WE ARE ALLOWING OUR TEXTBOOK CONTENT TO BE SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER-

I have been pondering a post on this but homeschoolers are treated so far fringe...yet the textbook the school district gave me to school my oldest(in 1994-I began homeschooling on a satellite premise using the schools curricula)...had Columbus discovering the New WOrld in 1500. Remember the chant Columbus sailed the ocean blue, in 14 hundred and ninety two. Once I found that I really began to read the texts.

We use a hand picked selection of texts and books that are not traditional in our modern schools.

Long winded Rightklik...but the light is coming out on the INDOCTRINATION that is occurring in our schools- which are educating the next generation and look they are raising socialist.

Have you seen the study on the Nursery Rhyme the Little Red Hen? All about hard work being rewarded...now children are ANGRY at the hen and the teacher encourages the children to discuss why the mother hen was wrong...

We are reaping what we have sown, and Obama the MSM and the path of socialism we are on...ALL can be traced to the brainwashing(oops)educating that we have been performing for 30 years.
Jennifer

Anonymous said...

Talk about crybabies.. You take the cake

RightKlik said...

RV: It seems very stupid at this point, but what else could the libs pick on other than McCain's age? He was the maverick centrist Republican they all had been pretending to love.

CS: He apparently really believed that running the country would be as easy as running a campaign. Surprise!

FL: "We have to read it in the foreign press."
...and the British press is at least as liberal as the American press, and was as in love with Obama as anyone else...but they're not going to pretend that they haven't been insulted.

Adrienne: It's still really hard to believe that Obama was so stupid...as much as he loves to spend money lavishly.

HW: Public schools have ruined this country. We would not have Obama without the mis-education they have provided.

Napqueen: As an Obama supporter, surely you've been embarrassed by some of Obama's actions lately.

Anonymous said...

Humble wife...
Right Klik already did a reference to "The Little Red Hen", and I posted a link myself a few days later (dumb me!) but here it is again. It's worth saving.

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/02/an_updated_version_of_the_litt.html

I've wondered how kids would react if the teacher got up at the end of the year with a statement that "the class average is C (or whatever) so everybody will be getting a C for a final grade". The kids with Ds and Fs would probably be ecstatic.

And of course, we should just pull names out of the hat for who gets the available places in college. Think how much time and effort the colleges would save - they could probably let most of the Admissions staff go as well...

Humble wife said...

Suek- well I am a nut! I have seen in my circle and could not tell you where as many blogs I read are of homeschoolers! So call me crazy:)

I am pretty passionate about my opinions on public schools, because I have seen the dramatic differences in homeschool kids vs public school kids. The test scores are staggering. At first my husband and I were proud that we has borne such geniuses, then after a while realized that our children were normal, just challenged to think and process learning in a way no longer taught in public schools.

Jennifer

RightKlik said...

Suek: I've wondered how kids would react if the teacher got up at the end of the year with a statement that "the class average is C...

As much as that would upset the kids it would be a great lesson in socialism.

Anonymous said...

I get just a bit touchy about the public schools bit...I served as a school board member on our local elementary school for 15 years. I learned a lot! I encourage you to get involved, or at the very least, attend board meetings, or even read the minutes of the meetings.

A couple of caveats: our school is very small - between 200 and 400 students (we were as low as 175 at one point, and the high includes our homeschool group, which started at 17 and increased to 175. We had to freeze it at that number due to the impact on the physical facility. We anticipate a dropping enrollment due to an aging population, and the homeschool group could then increase, but that's still in the future.) We were unpaid, but elected.
I learned that superintendents are critical, and that the state law has way more influence than I liked. I also learned that teacher's unions also had a lot more influence than I liked. I learned that teachers can be willfully ignorant of basic practicalities - but will be kept in line not by actual self interest, but what the union tells them is in their best interest - regardless of the facts. During one strifeful negotiation period, a key issue was the cost of health insurance which had nearly doubled since the previous contract. Our accountant arranged for a health insurance specialist to have a meeting - actually, a series of meetings - to discuss various plans, their costs, and ways the teachers could get the benefits they wanted and still cost the district less. Their union told them not to attend - that they _would_ get the same benefits they had had, regardless of the cost. Not a single teacher attended.
I'd say that one of the biggest problems is that the superintendent is technically an employee who reports directly to the board, but is normally also a former teacher who is more or less inclined to be more favorable to the teachers than to the board - which represents the voters of the district, and answers to the parents more directly.
The system was set up to be local in nature, and not as it has become - controlled by the state and the unions. I dread the day when D.C. gets involved. On that day, local voters/parents will lose their voice entirely.

Personally, I'd like to see all boards serve as unpaid, and have control over no more than 2-3 schools. Too many who serve see it as a stepping stone to a political career, rather than a citizen's responsibility to their children.

RightKlik said...

Suek: This is why I strongly support vouchers. Put all the power back in the hands of parents.

Anonymous said...

I see two problems with vouchers:
1) public school funding may suffer. This can be solved, but it definitely could be a problem, especially because of the dominance of teacher unions. We were actually told by the president of the teacher's union "we don't care _where_ you get the money - we won't settle for less" ... as if we had a magic well we could pull it out of! We were also limited on who we could fire/lay off.

2) Vouchers help the children of parents who care. What that means is that the children of parents who _don't_ care would end up being left in the public schools. You might as well consider them juvey retention halls. It would make the public schools absolutely worthless.

That said, if I were the public official tasked with a voucher/no voucher vote, I'd vote in favor of vouchers. But it _would_ cause problems. I'm not sure _those_ problems would be solvable. At least, not as long as there were teacher's unions.

Hmmm. Charter/private schools usually don't have teacher unions. Public schools do. Maybe sticking the unions with the job of handling the little juvenile delinquents wouldn't be such a bad idea. They might deserve each other!!

RightKlik said...

Suek: The problems you've mentioned are important. In November I posted some of my thoughts on the subject and I included a link to a very good video:

http://www.cblpi.org/choices/

This addresses some of the issues you brought up and I think you will agree that it is an excellent video.

On the problem of parents who don't care...I suspect that many of the underinvolved parents would become more involved if they had the power to bail their kids out of failing schools. Of course some parents will insist on being losers no matter what kind of system we have in place.

a red voice said...

What class Obama has - the DVD he gave were probably American format so they won't be able to be played over there as well. What a way to alienate our allies. I just listened to a clip on youtube on an interview with Obama & he (Obama) kept saying about how everything was Bush's fault... what a man - just point the finger at someone else.

Very interesting discussion on vouchers and charter schools. When there is choice and competition, the bad schools and teachers are weeded out. I'm a teacher by profession (back before I had kids) and have homeschooled and have done public school for a year. I don't believe all public schools/teachers are bad - but there are a lot of problems that could be solved by introducing free market principles. My family in AZ loves charter schools - but here in WA - it is so unionized that charter schools never will pass the ballot. What's wrong with more choices? Those schools that are good will continue to succeed, and it will also force schools to cut out a lot of wasteful spending. If private Christian schools/Charter schools can educated students on less money - public schools can do the same.
Many families elect to homeschool as they are not satisfied with the one option (public school) they are offered and forced to pay for. It is our money and our kids - we should have more choices.

adagioforstrings said...

Go Toomey!! Beat Specter!!!!

re: Humble Wife: You would think that a character with a name like Little Red Hen would be a good socialist already

re: Right Klik: "but what else could the libs pick on other than McCain's age?"

They,at least the Kos Kids, could & did pick on him for being a nazi baby killer fascist.

re:suek:"I've wondered how kids would react if the teacher got up at the end of the year with a statement that "the class average is C (or whatever) so everybody will be getting a C for a final grade

that sounds like the people's cube satire:

"Competition is a barbaric, insensitive ritual that reeks of social Darwinism. We cannot allow the fittest to survive on our pages. Your loss is someone else's gain, and your gain is someone else's loss...."

RightKlik said...

Red: " It is our money and our kids - we should have more choices."

"I don't believe all public schools/teachers are bad - but there are a lot of problems that could be solved by introducing free market principles."

These are the most compelling arguments in favor of school choice. I think most public schools would do quite well if vouchers were introduced. In fact, many of the ailing and failing public schools would soon excel. Competition would force them to improve. But even if all public schools failed, that would be fine with me. Who cares if you don't have a public school in your area if you have private, parochial, charter, and/or homeschool options?

AFS: "Competition is a barbaric, insensitive ritual that reeks of social Darwinism. We cannot allow the fittest to survive on our pages. Your loss is someone else's gain, and your gain is someone else's loss...."

Libs are tripped in the zero-sum game mentality.