Sowell has capsulized another trait, however, which revealed itself several times during that performance. That it his shamelessness in regularly making statements which are either false or misleading.
During his first campaign, the President told us that "words are important." Throughout his term, he has demonstrated how "words" can be used to either clarify or to confuse those whom he wishes to persuade.
Words such as "judicial activism," for instance, may have been used by him this week to confuse the public about the constitutionally-appropriate role of their Supreme Court when it rules on a case brought to it for a ruling on the Constitution's own limits on government power.
Historically, learned persons have understood the importance of words, their meanings, and the important role they play in the transmission of ideas. One such person was Noah Webster, a Yale graduate, educator, and devoted patriot. Webster believed words, and a common understanding of their meanings, were important in the new nation, as citizens struggled with questions involving tyranny and liberty. He spent many years developing a dictionary which, when he was 70 in the Year 1828, became a dictionary.
By the way, the following words from Webster might serve as a rare caution for today:
"When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, "just men who will rule in the fear of God." The preservation of [our] government depends on the faithful discharge of this Duty; if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded. If [our] government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect the Divine Commands, and elect bad men to make and administer the Laws." -History of United States by Noah Webster.
During the campaign of 2008, many individuals heard the words, "hope" and "change." In their minds, they may simply have substituted their own vision of what those words mean for what they believed the then-candidate Obama meant.
After 3+ years, they have found that while using those words, his purpose and agenda for them and their nation did not fit the meaning they had attached to his words and promises.
That is a very succinct way of saying that every word uttered out of that POS' mouth has been a LIE. Obama could hold a Doctorate class in parsing. Ole Bill was just a piker compared to Mr. Scratch.
That is exactly what the Obama campaign undertook from the very first. This according to the admission of ex-Sen. Tom Daschle, whom Obama intended to make a cabinet officer, in a PBS interview ("safe interview", safe audience) a week before the 2008 election.
Bold admission, made confidently in the knowledge that the corrupt Media were complicit.
Good help this country if he is