Respect Runs Both Ways, Mr. President
The introspective analysis is complete and the preliminary reports from President Obama's therapy session with "60 Minutes" are in. After a painful search, the President has seen the problem, and it is him. Well, sort of. In a stunning revelation, he says that, "...leadership is not just legislation," adding that, "it's a matter of persuading people." Even more, he says, it's about:
"...giving them confidence and bringing them together. And setting a tone. And making an argument that people can understand."
Apparently, the dozens upon dozens of endless, tedious, tiresome, stupefying, butt-numbing lectures on comprehensive healthcare law weren't enough, because we couldn't understand the argument, see? If only we had been able to overcome our own stunted intellects and see the grand vision of a utopian paradise with an overflowing cornucopia of goodies waiting just over the next horizon, or the one after that, the mid-term elections would have played out differently. These are the tribulations of great men.
Speaking with just enough disdain to be worthy of the state that keeps electing him, John Kerry laments the epidemic of, "know nothing-ism," currently sweeping the land. And Barney Frank, reclaiming the mantle as most the boorish ass in congress after the voters fired Allan Grayson, launched a frontal assault on an electorate that actually compelled him to campaign for his job and then compounded the error by voting for him.
The remedy, according to the President, will not be a moderation of his agenda, but rather more communication. So get ready for an avalanche of speeches, talks, lectures, seminars, fireside chats and bully pulpit sermons, all designed to present his case on a level we can understand. Perhaps he will speak slowly, like Al Gore on valium. Perhaps he will don a sweater and ask, "Can you say social justice?" Perhaps he will be even more repetitive, as if he were interviewing to be Secretary of the Department of Redundancy Department.
Whatever remedies Messrs Obama, Kerry, Frank, and the rest apply, do not expect them to consider the obvious; that we have heard them and understood them, and found their policies to be offensive to our liberty and principles. Because what they fail to understand is that we cannot respect an ideology that refuses to respect us, and that leaders who hold contempt for those they would lead, should expect nothing less in return.
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Sep '10
Re: Respect Runs Both Ways, Mr. President
Hardly expect to be noticed at this receding horizon of the comment section, but I wish I had served with Mister Carter, or at least ridden a few thousand miles in his shotgun seat. He's one of the people my wife Linda and I always read, because he's the voice of common sense, which isn't so common these days.
Here's to you Dave
Carsten and Linda
Re: Respect Runs Both Ways, Mr. President
Carsten, thank you so much! That's very kind of you. A buddy reminds me that common sense can be laudable, but that it's good sense that is most lacking. But he's much smarter than I, so I defer to his judgement on that one. Thank you again for the kind comments.