The President Who Never Was

What strikes me about this president is how unpresidential he can be. We all have expectations of what the chief executive should be; Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush come to mind. A leader who molds the executive branch by sheer force of will and integrity. I don't see that here.

Some of you may wonder what a “Pogue” is. There are several definitions, but I like the military one: Personnel Other Than Grunt. Someone who is not a leader, a support person. As in “I asked supply for 5.56 ammo for the squad, but some F*ing pogue sent .308!” Not a leader of men. A bungler with the minus touch.

This lack of leadership is due to the substance of this man. It's obvious to most that without being breast-fed by his teleprompter, he would be lost and off-script. That does not describe any of the leaders I've worked for in the past, individuals who could speak convincingly from the heart at the drop of a hat.

It's the foundation of his beliefs. His view is that America, as founded, was an exploitative capitalist playground that crushed the poor underneath. A capitalist tyranny in desperate need of a socialist messiah - a Robin Hood who would steal from the rich using the IRS and redistribute to poor. In his mind he may have told himself, I could be that man. Lord, send me!

Est-il faible?

As Obama was glad-handing the elite during a European swaree this year, French President Sarcozy turned and said, "Est-il faible?" which means, Is he weak? Perhaps properly translated, Is he a wimp? What do you think other world leaders think of this man? Countries often go to war not due to strength, but due to weakness.

I'm not going to touch upon any "birther" arguments except to say that Obama's lawyers have expended over $1,700,000 fighting the birth certificate issue. What is more important is his adherence to the Constitution. I have seen nothing since he took the Oath that shows he has any respect for the bill of rights or of checks and balances. Some would assert that he is a domestic enemy of the Constitution. Many of his Czars most certainly are. They are the ones who write for his teleprompter.

As we approach the end of his first year in office, let's take a look at the issues he has faced:

- The economy (Obamavilles springing up all around)
- Climate change (talk about the biggest fraud of the last 100 years!)
- Handling the H1N1 "plague" (my county just ran out of body bags... just kidding)
- Fixing "health care" (was it really broken or just over-regulated?)
- Signing a Hate Crimes bill (what part of the 1st Amendment don't you understand?)
- Providing for our fight in Afghanistan (McCrystal cooling his heels for months)

And so it is. The president who never was, and a superpower without a real leader.

- Hugh Farnham