How 'hope' destroyed America's trust

NY Post ^ | April 20, 2010 | Rich Lowry

[Scanian]

Barack Obama used to call himself a "hopemonger," mocking skeptics who thought the young presidential candidate was entirely too hopeful. No one would accuse him of that anymore. President Obama has done more than anyone else during the last two years to destroy trust in Washington.

His administration is the latest in a series of blows to the credibility of the system. First, there were the Bush administration failures in Hurricane Katrina and Iraq. Then, the financial collapse. Finally, a president who got elected promising a new, bipartisan way of doing business and a pragmatic approach to governance, who has catered to his base in a mad rush to expand government.

In Washington, even a self-described hopemonger can't be trusted to tell us the truth. If Obama's job-approval rating is holding steady just below 50 percent, the standing of Democrats in Congress has collapsed, and faith in government -- at a time when Democrats have staked everything on expanding the state -- is scraping historic lows.

If Glenn Beck and the progenitors of the tea-party movement had conspired long ago to create a Manchurian Candidate of limited government -- a candidate who'd entice the middle of the country with his beguilingly moderate rhetoric, then repel it with his vast governmental schemes -- they couldn't have found anyone more suited to the role than Obama.

[fr_freak]

First, there were the Bush administration failures in Hurricane Katrina and Iraq.

Failure in Hurricane Katrina and Iraq? What the hell is this author smoking? The only real failure there was Bush's absolute refusal to defend himself and his policies to the public. He just let the Left paint those things any way they wanted. And as far as Katrina goes, Bush's real failure was in failing to tell the pitiful excuses for government officers in Louisiana to learn how to do their jobs for a change instead of crying to mommy and daddy the first time something bad happens.

[livius]

I never thought he sounded “moderate” to begin with. Plus, it was so clearly apparent that virtually everything he said (probably including his name) was a lie, that I can’t imagine how anybody fell for him.

[ez]

Only 22 percent of people say that they can trust government almost always or most of the time, "among the lowest measures in a half-century."

And half of those 22 did not understand the question.

[Pollster1]

"Only 22 percent of people say that they can trust government almost always or most of the time, "among the lowest measures in a half-century."" And half of those 22 did not understand the question.

They probably understood but took the question as a surrogate for trust in Obama. Even though his supporters don't trust him either, they often answer the opposite of their beliefs to make their person sound more trusted. This is no different from a Freeper rating Obama and giving him an "f" in every category even if they think he deserves a good solid "d" in his strong area.

[101voodoo]

Iraq was indeed a failure. I know this is true because Harry Reid said so

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

Totally agree with you.

Have to call Bullsh!t on Rich Lowry here. In matters concerning war and weather, the enemy and mother nature have a vote, Rich.

[RoadTest]

“First, there were the Bush administration failures in Hurricane Katrina and Iraq.”

Failures at precisely what?

[NTHockey]

In his famous Jefferson-Jackson Day speech in Iowa that year, he promised: “A nation healed. A world repaired. An America that believes again.” So far, he’s zero-for-three.

Three strikes - outta here.