With today's ceremony beginning the second term of Obama as president, I was thinking back on the events of the first term. The single biggest characteristic of the last four years can be summed up with one word: phony. So much of what happened was dishonest, that, even for Washington, it was extraordinary. I know, you are saying right now that no one ought to be surprised by a politician who lies or misleads. I agree. the difference with Obama, however, is the level of the dishonesty. We are not talking about a president who emphasizes one thing while giving in to the contrary. (Think George Bush who promised to cut the deficit while instead increasing it.) Nor are we talking about a president who blatantly lies about one major item of critical importance to his presidency. (Think "I did not have sex with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.") What we have with Obama is a president who seems incapable of telling the truth on almost everything. Let's just think back a bit about the last four years:
1) Obama promised that he would cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term. Instead he tripled the annual deficit and fought every attempt to reduce it.
2) Obama promised that he would close Guantanamo as a prison within one year of taking office. It is still open and there are no plans to close.
3) Obama told the country that he supports increased oil and gas production in the USA. The truth is that he spent four years fighting to reduce the production of oil and gas and succeeded in lowering output on federal lands (where he can assert control) by close to 20%.
4) Obama tells us that he supports our special alliance with the United Kingdom. Meanwhile over the last four years, Obama has consistently insulted the Brits and taken positions that were totally inconsistent with an alliance, let alone a special alliance. A good example here is Obama's claim of neutrality in the dispute between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands. Argentina is threatening invasion of those islands despite the clear preference expressed by over 95% of the inhabitants to remain part of the UK. Indeed, Britain had to fight a war with Argentina when the Argentines invaded the islands 30 years ago. Now, we are neutral? Should the UK be neutral if Cuba claims Puerto Rico? It is the same thing.
5) Obama tells us that he supports our ally Israel. Really? Obama has done more in four years to undermine the relationship between the US and Israel than seems possible. Just in the last few days, Obama has meddled in the Israeli election by criticizing the government of the incumbent prime minister Netanyahu. Imagine for a moment what Obama's reaction would be had Netanyahu leveled major criticism of Obama the week before November's elections.
6) Let's go to one of my all time Obama favorites: Obama tells us that he sat in the pews of his church in Chicago for 20 years but never heard what the preacher was saying.
The list goes on and on. Each time I listen to a press conference or a speech from Obama, I hear the lies. Let me be clear: I agree with precious little that Obama wants, but that is not what I am talking about. I can disagree with someone without deciding that the person is a liar. This is more than a disagreement. Obama is just a total phony, a pathological liar.
Oh well, at least we only have four more years of this.
1) Obama promised that he would cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term. Instead he tripled the annual deficit and fought every attempt to reduce it.
2) Obama promised that he would close Guantanamo as a prison within one year of taking office. It is still open and there are no plans to close.
3) Obama told the country that he supports increased oil and gas production in the USA. The truth is that he spent four years fighting to reduce the production of oil and gas and succeeded in lowering output on federal lands (where he can assert control) by close to 20%.
4) Obama tells us that he supports our special alliance with the United Kingdom. Meanwhile over the last four years, Obama has consistently insulted the Brits and taken positions that were totally inconsistent with an alliance, let alone a special alliance. A good example here is Obama's claim of neutrality in the dispute between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands. Argentina is threatening invasion of those islands despite the clear preference expressed by over 95% of the inhabitants to remain part of the UK. Indeed, Britain had to fight a war with Argentina when the Argentines invaded the islands 30 years ago. Now, we are neutral? Should the UK be neutral if Cuba claims Puerto Rico? It is the same thing.
5) Obama tells us that he supports our ally Israel. Really? Obama has done more in four years to undermine the relationship between the US and Israel than seems possible. Just in the last few days, Obama has meddled in the Israeli election by criticizing the government of the incumbent prime minister Netanyahu. Imagine for a moment what Obama's reaction would be had Netanyahu leveled major criticism of Obama the week before November's elections.
6) Let's go to one of my all time Obama favorites: Obama tells us that he sat in the pews of his church in Chicago for 20 years but never heard what the preacher was saying.
The list goes on and on. Each time I listen to a press conference or a speech from Obama, I hear the lies. Let me be clear: I agree with precious little that Obama wants, but that is not what I am talking about. I can disagree with someone without deciding that the person is a liar. This is more than a disagreement. Obama is just a total phony, a pathological liar.
Oh well, at least we only have four more years of this.
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