Posted on 09/07/2009 3:31:00 AM PDT by Kaslin
"Very active." That's what White House aides say Barack Obama is going to be this month. That's probably an understatement. Obama faces September deadlines on three issues, on each of which he could get himself in political trouble, not only with those on the right and center but also those on the political left.
Only one of those issues is domestic: health care. Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress, scheduled rather hastily for Wednesday night, gives him a chance to turn around public opinion, which has been going against his policies, and to generate something like the enthusiasm his candidacy created last year.
But he faces a binary choice: The president must either insist on a "government option" insurance plan or must let it be known that he will sign a bill without one. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House won't pass a bill without the government option, and leftist Progressive Caucus members threaten to withhold their votes from any such bill. But Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad says a government option bill can't pass the Senate.
Sooner or later the old politician's dodge -- "some of my friends are for the bill and some of my friends are against the bill, and I'm always with my friends" – won't wash. As a practical matter, Obama will surely sign a bill without the government option, and the Progressive Caucus most likely can be whipped into line by Pelosi. But the always angry left will become even more angry at their leader when these realities are acknowledged.
Obama may also face a binary choice on Afghanistan. Reading between the lines of stories on Gen. Stanley McChrystal's recommendations, it seems likely that the White House has been pressuring him not to ask for more troops and that he will do so anyway, and with the approval of Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Obama, having already dispatched more troops there, will be asked to double down on a policy that public opinion polls show is unpopular with Democratic voters -- and with some conservatives, like columnist George Will, as well.
Obama is averse to using the V-word (victory) and the American left since the Vietnam years has not wanted to see America victorious in war. They think it makes us look chauvinistic and proud about our nation when we should be, as Obama often has been, apologetic for its sins. But accepting a recommendation for more troops would set him on a course where victory is the only acceptable result, which will make the angry left angry at him.
The third issue on which Obama will need to choose is Iran. Earlier this year he set a deadline of September for the beginning of talks with Iran. Presumably he thought the mullahs would become convinced of his good will by now and that the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York would be a venue for talks.
But the popular opposition to the rigged Iranian elections in June and the internal turmoil within the mullah regime make it unlikely that Obama will have any reliable negotiating partner. And as George Perkovich of the dovish Carnegie Endowment says, "The Iranians show no sign that they're going to be genuinely prepared to negotiate." They're more interested in getting nukes than in getting to yes, even with a president with an Arabic middle name.
A failure to engage the Iranians will probably not enrage the American left, which tends to see the United States as a bad actor in need of behavior adjustment, rather than a rogue regime like Iran's. But it does raise the awful question, which George W. Bush passed on to Obama, of how to prevent this murderous regime from obtaining and using nuclear weapons.
Septembers often present difficult challenges for leaders. Sept. 11, 2001, transformed and defined George W. Bush's presidency. September 2008 gave us the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the near-collapse of the financial system and the beginning of a deep economic recession. Obama met that challenge better than his rival candidate John McCain by remaining calm, sounding reasonable and cooperating as a minor player with those who were making the difficult decisions.
That won't be enough this September. "To govern is to choose," John Kennedy said, and Barack Obama is going to have to make some tough choices this month -- choices that could antagonize his left-wing base.
It is my opinion, as a very, very, very amateur military historian, that Zero could send every American male over the age of 15 to Afghanistan armed with 20 hand grenades and 5,000 rounds of ammunition, and still not be able to subdue that country. His historical illiteracy is stunning and frightening.
Victory in Afghanistan is not in pacifying the country or bring democracy to it. Neither is in the cards or could be short of exterminating everyone there. Victory is keepng the Jihad off balance and denying the jihadists a safe haven for training bases. That means keeping a force there for so long as this cycle of jihad continues. In the past cycles have lasted foe many decades. It ends when the bulk of the Islamic force is destroyed as at Vienna and Lepanto and way back at Tours. It could have been done in Gulf War I. By the time of the Iraq War the main enemy was becoming Iran. It is still Iran and by not destroying Iran’s military and economic structure we guarantee that in a short time it will be Iran and probably the rest of the Moslem Middle East and maybe Pakistan. If we continue to dither we could lose this thing. We are acting like we wish to create a new Bi-Polar World where the Poles are Islam and China.
Every time he goes on TV in prime time, he suffers for it. And to have the camera panning the faces of the smug, self important Congresspersons and Senators, who as a body, are polling close to single digit approval will be just as damaging.
People are sick of speeches and posturing and flip flopping. They’re sick of seeing Obama every time they turn on the TV. And they’re sick of having their prime time shows pre-empted for the narcissistic DC crowd.
When you say people are etc etc
Have you taken a poll or just expressing your own anger
If People in General were etc etc his approval would be in the 30% range
I’d rather one plane or missile were sent to the Afghan/Pak border.
Too bad for 0. He’s finding out that he can’t just vote “Present.”
The magic is gone. The trust is looong gone.
The School speech and primetime speech will only increase frustration.
The country is sick of seeing him so he plans two speeches in two days. Both filled with potential quicksand.
If he does the correct thing on health care his loony base will cause him further drops in polling. If he does the wrong thing—which most suspect—he will further erode support from centrists and moderates. If they put off till next year he looks like a failure—BIGGER THAN ALREADY.
I hope he keeps it going with even more speeches. I hope he attacks critics as racist stupid and or paranoid.
obozo the marixist clown is his own worst enemy.
Every stupid stut-stut- uh stuttering sentence hurts him but his ego won’t permit him to shut the hell up.
I just wish we had a viable political party that would use this incredible opportunity to promote the American-Conservative banner.
I’m basing my comments on a combination of his polls, which have dropped to Democrat base level support and also the passion and activism demonstrated at the many town hall meetings.
The people who pay attention are ticked off. Those are the ones that interest me.
The rest of the people are still discussing American Idol. I don’t give much consideration to this group.
What hard choices?
Active? That means we have to listen to him talk. I'm so sick of...that odd way...he has of... pausing...irritates the heck...out of me. Maybe Rush could speed him up.
And I'll also remind everyone that the "September 2009 bank holiday" has been an internet rumor for well over 5 months which looks more and more like it's going to occur.
Not saying it won't happen, but how does a bank holiday compensate for Soetoro's low approval rating?
LOL! That says it all. The guy who spent years avoiding tough decisions now finds himself having to make the tough calls. It will be interesting to watch.
It's not a compensation attempt, it's a diversion. When you get caught shoplifting a TV, break a window and start a fire. This is the Alinsky way as implemented by the Chicago Thugocracy.
When you are caught screwing things up, screw things up bigger in a different place. Lather, rinse, repeat until there is nothing left.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.