Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The first Post-American Anti-American President

Former U.S. ambassador to the UN John Bolton has referred to Barack Obama as our country’s first post-American president. As the title of this post indicates, I don’t think he went far enough.

Obama recently had the immortal rind to submit a report to the UN Commissioner on Human Rights in which, once again, he apologizes for our shortcomings (“our” signifying the America of the pre-Obama era, of course; the president has displayed no reluctance in apologizing on his nation’s behalf - rather in the manner of an attorney who, while noting his client’s many moral and intellectual deficiencies, is secure in the knowledge that he, himself, is not personally tainted). Particularly obnoxious was his inclusion in the report of S.B. 1070, Arizona’s immigration enforcement law, which – once again, for those who have not been paying attention – perfectly mirrors federal law and was passed in the first place only because the federal government was failing to uphold its own statutes and regulations. As Nile Gardiner points out in an article in the Telegraph, the reference to S.B. 1070 is intended to enlist foreign support for the administration’s opposition to this bill:
The highly controversial reference to the Arizona law serves only one purpose – to gain UN and international support for the Obama administration’s position in the face of mounting opposition from Arizona legislators and a majority of the American people. A recent Rasmussen poll showed 61 percent of Americans backing Arizona-style laws for their own states, and just 28 percent supporting a Justice Department challenge.

By doing so, Obama officials undoubtedly hope to stir up international condemnation of the Arizona policy in advance of the UN General Assembly meetings in September, which they believe will increase pressure on Arizona to back down. It is a highly cynical move that speaks volumes about the Obama team’s willingness to undercut American sovereignty and popular will on the world stage.
What makes this even more galling is that the report will wind up going to the UN Human Rights Council – whose membership includes representatives from such paragons of enlightened government as Cuba and Libya. The action is contemptible and the venue is preposterous.

If it weren’t for the short memories of voters (exacerbated by the sometime utter fecklessness of the Republican Party), I’d say that Obama had single-handedly set back the American Left for a generation. As things are, I’ll be satisfied if we can just get this guy out after one term and prevent the debut of any similar specimens for a couple of administrations. That is as far as my optimism reaches.

11 comments:

richard mcenroe said...

SO. Just to distill: "OUR" President is trying to drum up foreign support to crush the dissent of 70% of we, the people. That 'bout right?

cac said...

I get the impression Paco that you are not overly keen on the French but I'm always impressed by their ability to tell the rest of the world to but out of how the French choose to run their country and Obama could take lessons.

Recently, the UN Human Rights Commissions criticised France for deporting a bunch of gypsies who had been involved in crime in the south. The French response was merely to point out which countries were on the committee and ask what right Burma, China, Russia etc had to lecture anyone.

Paco said...

cac: I have nothing against the French, per se; or at least, nothing against the French that I don't also have against other European countries (which, these days, would be primarily the general lack of spine with respect to Muslim immigrants and their higher level of lawlessness). In fact, the incident you describe is entirely consistent with similar responses to foreign interference that various French governments have made in the past.

Isophorone said...

Obama is making the Dixie Chicks look downright patriotic.

missred said...

i printed out the 29 pager.. its on my list to read, with highlighter in hand. i heard there are a lot of "i"s in the report

Merilyn said...

This is just a thought from an outsider, but do any of you ever feel that Obama is a "bit" of a puppet and that someone else is pulling the strings? Do you ever get the feeling he is a bit lazy?
Hope I haven't offended anyone by those questions.

Paco said...

No offense taken at all. I don't know if somebody else is pulling the strings, but I definitely believe he's lazy. Not necessarily in the "lays-on-the-couch-all-day" sense, but as a chief executive, he doesn't seem interested in actually doing anything. For example, he turned his signature idea - health care - completely over to congress.

Bob Belvedere said...

Merilyn: I agree with Paco. BHO has led a rather charmed life and not had to ever put much effort in to earn his advancements. He has been able to climb the ladder with a lot of pushing from others who have gathered around his star.

But, there is another factor at play that could give the perception of puppetry: the Left is all about power [achieving it in order to ram through their schemes which are always, once seen in the light of day, unpopular]. In all Leftist regimes there are power arrangements - various power centers, kind of like the Five Families of Mafia fame. Each believes it is better qualified to be the boss of bosses, but is willing to live under whoever manages to win the top spot because the goal is the implementation of their socialist paradise. They cooperate as re quired. However, they still continue to operate independently. And that gives them a certain strength because they share the same vision so, even though they may be working solo, the goals they are working towards are the same as all other Leftists hold. Power struggles will and do happen, and sometimes the top guy gets knocked-off [sacrificed for the greater good of The Struggle], but the cause remains. BHO was necessary, but he is not indespensible.

RebeccaH said...

Condemnation from the UN? Right. I have a prediction about how Arizonans (and Americans in general) will react to that.

Steve Skubinna said...

And so an entire state gets thrown under the bus. I really hope the rest of America (excepting of course the Coastal Elites) is as outraged and furious as I am.

Oh, and Merilyn, I don't think Obama's strings are being pulled. The hard left is using him, of course, but wholly with his consent. It's a symbiotic relationship.

Merilyn said...

Thank you. It is good to get other people's perspective.