POTUS Campaigns For Financial Reform

The problem with a president who continually campaigns for this and that, who never stopped campaigning even after he won the election, who lives in a state of perpetual campaigning, is that the people are simply tired of him. We are tired of the daily barrage of photo ops and the trips here and there that are to signal his concern for the average American.

After going to North Carolina for a 'getaway' vaca with Michelle, just like any ole average couple, he dropped by the home of Reverend Billy Graham. This was their first meeting. Do the Obamas understand that average Americans do not agree that Graham's son, Franklin, should have been disinvited to the national prayer breakfast for speaking out about fanatic followers of Islam immediately after the attacks of 9/11/01? Both Grahams were present for the visit. This year, by the way, Franklin Graham was the chair of the event to which he was disinvited.

A protest against the impending Obama visit drew over 1,000 people, though we would not know about it from the standard media coverage. Here is an article from a local newspaper.

We have seen the thin skin of the president as he is criticized. In Iowa, he mocked his audience of supporters because he didn't receive any applause for mentioning 'hard choices' that will have to be made to improve the economy. This is his habit. He uses the 'hard choices' argument to pave the way for raising taxes and breaking his premier campaign pledge of not raising taxes on anyone making less than $250,000, then $200,000. Seems this is the cut-off for the 'rich' versus regular working Americans in the mind of President Obama. Only the lemmings bought that pledge but there are numerous sound bites from the campaign trail to point to the fact that the president repeatedly made that promise. The 'debt commission' is the cover for his excuse to bilk everyone, 'rich' and poor alike, for more taxes to waste in Washington as he continues his big government power grabs.

Here is an interesting take on the Obama method. It is a sign of impeding doom for his presidency that he does not feel the need to strive to appear in the best possible light. He possesses a personality that enjoys tearing into his opposition - the more personal the attack, the better - and that is not complimentary to his office. Traditionally, the vice president is sent out to do the president's bidding. If Obama change means resorting to lowering the standards of the office, then we all are the lesser for it.

A little human interest story HERE tells of some behind the scenes action. Seems a 'local hire' by ABC News covering the Iowa event got into a bit of trouble with the Secret Service agents and sent along to the local law enforcement people.

Obama told the audience in Quincy, Illinois, "I do think at a certain point you've made enough money." That is his opinion of the Wall Street crowd. I ponder, has he said the same to his pal, Oprah, the billionaire? Or maybe his big supporter, Warren Buffett? Or George Soros? HERE is a clip of his speech. To say it is disturbing for the president to give voice to his opinion that business success is somehow wrong - that there are limits to how successful a person can be - would be an understatement. We are a capitalist nation. America is the land of opportunity and no one is a better example that Barack Obama. What would be his reaction is, say, the next president told him that since he has achieved the highest position of power in the world and made millions along the way by capitalizing on his own rise to power, then he is not entitled to any more profits - such as those he is sure to receive at a future date from books he and his wife will write upon leaving office? Would he be ok with that? Of course not. He should demand nothing less from others than what he expects for himself.

Obama supporter Buffett does not agree with the financial reform bill for which the president is campaigning. He is more in line with some of the GOP opposition to items in the bill. Senator Ben Nelson, from the state of Nebraska - Buffett's home - was the lone Democrat to vote with the GOP to keep the bill from going to the floor for debate. He held out for changes along with the GOP being spurned by the president. As it is written, the financial reform bill is another lengthy hodge podge - more than 1300 pages - that has solely partisan support. The only bipartisan support is seen in its opposition. Is this yet another piece of legislation that politicians will tell us must be passed so that we may see what is in it?