Barack Obama is on track to have the most spectacularly failed presidency since Woodrow Wilson.

In the modern era, we've seen several failed presidencies--led by Jimmy Carter and LBJ. Failed presidents have one strong common trait-- they are repudiated, in the vernacular, spat out. Of course, LBJ wisely took the exit ramp early, avoiding a shove into oncoming traffic by his own party.

But, Barack Obama is failing. Failing big. Failing fast. And failing everywhere: foreign policy, domestic initiatives, and most importantly, in forging connections with the American people. The incomparable Dorothy Rabinowitz in the Wall Street Journal put her finger on it: He is failing because he has no understanding of the American people, and may indeed loathe them. Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard says he is failing because he has lost control of his message, and is overexposed. Clarice Feldman of American Thinker produced a dispositive commentary showing that Obama is failing because fundamentally he is neither smart nor articulate; his intellectual dishonesty is conspicuous by its audacity and lack of shame.

But, there is something more seriously wrong: How could a new president riding in on a wave of unprecedented promise and goodwill have forfeited his tenure and become a lame duck in six months? His poll ratings are in free fall. In generic balloting, the Republicans have now seized a five point advantage. This truly is unbelievable. What's going on?

No narrative. Obama doesn't have a narrative. No, not a narrative about himself. He has a self-narrative, much of it fabricated, cleverly disguised or written by someone else. But this self-narrative is isolated and doesn't connect with us. He doesn't have an American narrative that draws upon the rest of us. All successful presidents have a narrative about the American character that intersects with their own where they display a command of history and reveal an authenticity at the core of their personality that resonates in a positive endearing way with the majority of Americans. We admire those presidents whose narratives not only touch our own, but who seem stronger, wiser, and smarter than we are. Presidents we admire are aspirational peers, even those whose politics don't align exactly with our own: Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, Harry Truman, Ike, Reagan.

[B]But not this president. [COLOR=#990030]It's not so much that he's a phony, knows nothing about economics, is historically illiterate, and woefully small minded for the size of the task-- all contributory of course. It's that he's not one of us.[/COLOR] And whatever he is, his profile is fuzzy and devoid of content, like a cardboard cutout made from delaminated corrugated paper. Moreover, he doesn't command our respect and is unable to appeal to our own common sense. His notions of right and wrong are repugnant and how things work just don't add up. They are not existential. His descriptions of the world we live in don't make sense and don't correspond with our experience.[/B]

In the meantime, while we've been struggling to take a measurement of this man, he's dissed just about every one of us--financiers, energy producers, banks, insurance executives, police officers, doctors, nurses, hospital administrators, post office workers, and anybody else who has a non-green job. Expect Obama to lament at his last press conference in 2012: "For those of you I offended, I apologize. For those of you who were not offended, you just didn't give me enough time; if only I'd had a second term, I could have offended you too."

Mercifully, the Founders at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 devised a useful remedy for such a desperate state--staggered terms for both houses of the legislature and the executive. An equally abominable Congress can get voted out next year. With a new Congress, there's always hope of legislative gridlock until we vote for president again two short years after that.

Yes, small presidents do fail, Barack Obama among them. The coyotes howl but the wagon train keeps rolling along.

[editor's note: The author is not the not the same person as Geoffrey P Hunt, who works at the Institute for Scientific Analysis as a senior research scientist.]

A failed presidency is now unavoidable
Monty Pelerin
For the past couple of months I have worried about the risks of a failed presidency. No one should want this, regardless of party affiliation. It is harmful and dangerous to our economy and country. However, it appears obvious to me that the royal regime known as Obama has ended.

Seth Leibsohn writing in the National Review summarized it this way:

"This is reminiscent of the Jimmy Carter years - the last time the U.S. was seen as weak - unable to move and coax other countries, unable to reassure dependent allies, unable to have the respect of the world and, of course, unable to move the mullocracy of Iran."


Even the liberal media are beginning to question the effectiveness of the President. The media, in full Camelot mode, are slow to react and often lag what the populace started to recognize months ago. Quotes like these, however, suggest they are not far behind.

The NYT reports: "China held firm against most American demands. With China's micro-management of Mr. Obama's appearances in the country, the trip did more to showcase China's ability to push back against outside pressure than it did to advance the main issues on Mr. Obama's agenda, analysts said."

The Washington Post: "If there was any significant change during this trip, in fact, it was in the United States' newly conciliatory and sometimes laudatory tone. . . . Obama's trip stood in stark contrast to visits by his predecessors."

The Times stated that Obama was given "less respect than was given presidents Bush or Clinton."

All of the above quotes can be found in this highly recommended post by Seth Leibsohn. He concluded his piece:

"Not a very good first year for America, or the world, under a new leadership that promised a new respect, a new start, and a new way of doing business. It's new alright - it just isn't any good."


We have a failed presidency that cannot be retrieved. The dream cannot be rebuilt because there was never a foundation to begin with. It was all show and no substance. Yes, it created much excitement and (false) hope. But so did Elmer Gantry and James Jones. However, the image was akin to an old Hollywood set, all facade and no depth. Now the winds of reality are slowly and inexorably tearing the facade away.

The politicians in Congress see these same signs and read the polls. At this point they are trying to decide what is least dangerous for their individual careers. For the Republicans that probably means pouring gasoline on Obama's burning ship of state. For the Democrats, it is a more difficult problem. Ultimately, I believe they will abandon ship. Politicians of both parties are like rats; they are survivors. All politicians will take that course which they believe gives them the best chance for individual survival. Loyalty be damned.

Hang on, this will be a rough period ahead.

Scary Stuff! This is the post mentioned in the first article posted on this Thread.


That Same Old Carter Feeling Again [Seth Leibsohn]

Yesterday, I detailed how little respect the Chinese authorities gave the Obama administration in its requests for media, "less respect than was given presidents Bush or Clinton" was how the New York Times put it yesterday. "A retreat," the NYT said. This morning the LAT has more, about less: "In China, Obama's Hosts Show No Signs of Budging" is the headline. The subheading: "President Obama is Leaving China Without Any Definable Concessions on Tougher Sanctions on Iran or Currency Exchanges."

The story continues:

When it came to China, President Obama's famous powers of persuasion failed to persuade.

He came bearing a long shopping list, including Chinese support for tougher sanctions on Iran and more flexibility by Beijing on currency exchange rates, but Obama was met with polite, yet stony, silences. . . . Not only is the U.S. president coming away without any definable concessions, but the Chinese appeared to be digging in their heels. . . . Perhaps most disappointing was China's failure to budge in its opposition to tougher sanctions on Iran. With their extensive oil interests influencing their policies toward Tehran, the Chinese are increasingly seen as an obstacle to reining in Iran's nuclear ambitions. . . .

Obama did not meet with Chinese journalists, lawyers, human rights advocates, environmentalists or any ordinary Chinese, and an expected meeting with Hu Shuli, who recently resigned as editor of China's leading business magazine, did not materialize.Obama's limited results in part reflect the profound shift in Sino-U.S. relations and global politics, with China's rapid rise and America's weakened position, especially in the wake of the financial crisis.

There's more. Helene Cooper of the NYT reports: "China held firm against most American demands. With China’s micro-management of Mr. Obama’s appearances in the country, the trip did more to showcase China’s ability to push back against outside pressure than it did to advance the main issues on Mr. Obama’s agenda, analysts said."

And now the Washington Post: "If there was any significant change during this trip, in fact, it was in the United States' newly conciliatory and sometimes laudatory tone. . . . Obama's trip stood in stark contrast to visits by his predecessors."
This gives me no pleasure to report. One might ask what the Asia trip was for? The two most important things happening in and about Asia are Afghanistan, where President Obama did not go, and China's support for our attempt at an Iran policy, which Obama did not get. No budging from China. The whole idea of negotiating with Iran was based on sanctions. And the whole idea around sanctions was that it would work if China cooperated. I never thought sanctions would work; I never thought negotiating with Iran would work. And, regardless, China is not playing ball with President Obama — in part because of our "weakened position."

This is reminiscent of the Jimmy Carter years — the last time the U.S. was seen as weak — unable to move and coax other countries, unable to reassure dependent allies, unable to have the respect of the world and, of course, unable to move the mullocracy of Iran.

As for our "weakened position," there are any number of ways to change that. Yes, our economy is the first problem and right now we have little leverage there. But our foreign policy has been one of retreat and capitulation as well. We capitulated to China on the Dalai Lama, we are capitulating to the Chinese client state of the Sudan, [COLOR=#990030]President Obama on Monday shook hands with the prime minister of repressive Myanmar (another China vassal state), of course he bowed to Japan, he took missile defenses out of Eastern Europe at the request of Russia, he has refused to say anything of strength about Iran, and has shown appeasement to Latin American dictators. Looking at this record: Why would a skeptical country like China think we are strong, deserving of respect?[/COLOR][B][/B]

[COLOR=#990030]This is not only sad, it is dangerous.[/COLOR][B][/B] A weak and disrespected America is bad for America, sends the wrong message to enemies (including terrorists), hurts dissident movements abroad, and — as a political matter, again — reminds us nothing so much as it does of the years of Jimmy Carter, which it took even more years to overcome.

Not a very good first year for America, or the world, under a new leadership that promised a new respect, a new start, and a new way of doing business. It's new alright — it just isn't any good.

— Seth Leibsohn is a fellow of the Claremont Institute.

These guys are acting like they were the ones who thought up the comparison between Carter and Obama.






Us in the know have stopped comparing hin to Carter awhile back. We have resigned ourselves to the fact that he is worse.

Oh hush AC!! you're just jealous he's not a GOP member!! jajaja!

Signs of Great Leadership!!
===================================================================
Obama, House Republicans Lock Horns at GOP RetreatUpdated: 1 hour 33 minutes ago
Charles Babington and Stephen Ohlemacher


AP BALTIMORE (Jan. 29) - In a remarkably frank encounter, President Barack Obama chastised Republican lawmakers on Friday for opposing him on taxes, health care and economic stimulus, while they accused him of ignoring their ideas and driving up the national debt.

The president and GOP House members took turns questioning and sometimes lecturing each other face to face for more than hour at the Republican gathering.

Obama warned that their sharp criticisms of him over the past year make it almost politically impossible for them to agree with him even if an accord would help the American people. They said he was misleading the American people in saying they had offered no serious alternatives to his proposals.

While both parties were conciliatory at times, the televised exchange featured pointed complaints and accusations that went well beyond the terse sound bites that dominate much of the nation's political debate.

Obama said Republican lawmakers have attacked his health care overhaul so fiercely, "you'd think that this thing was some Bolshevik plot." The plan's components are mainstream, common-sense items, he said, and deserving of some bipartisan support.

"I am not an ideologue," the president said.

The Republicans sat attentively throughout Obama's speech and the discussion. There was some grumbling when he remarked - after being pressed about closed-door health care negotiations - that most of the legislation was developed in congressional committees in front of television cameras.

"That was a messy process," he acknowledged.

Several Republicans challenged Obama with lengthy complaints and sharp questions.

"What should we tell our constituents who know that Republicans have offered positive solutions" for health care, "and yet continue to hear out of the administration that we've offered nothing?" asked Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga.

Obama showed little sympathy, disputing Price's claim that a Republican plan would cover nearly all Americans without raising taxes.

"That's just not true," said Obama. He called such claims "boilerplate" meant to score political points.

Obama said a GOP-driven "politics of no" was blocking action on bills that could help Americans obtain jobs and health care.

In another barbed exchange, he said some in the audience have attended ribbon-cutting ceremonies for projects in their districts funded by the 2009 stimulus package they voted against. Obama also questioned why Republicans have overwhelmingly opposed his tax-cut policies, which he said have benefited 95 percent of American families.

"This notion that this was a radical package is just not true," Obama said.

GOP lawmakers pressed him to pledge to support a presidential line-item veto for spending bills and to endorse across-the-board tax cuts. Obama said he was ready to talk about the budget proposal but demurred on the idea of cutting everyone's taxes. Billionaires don't need tax cuts, he said.

In his opening remarks, Obama criticized a Washington culture driven by opinion polls and nonstop political campaigns.

"But I don't believe that the American people want us to focus on our job security, they want us to focus on their job security," he said.

The president acknowledged that Republicans have joined Democrats in some efforts, such as sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. But he said he was disappointed and perplexed by virtually unanimous GOP opposition to other programs, such as the $787 billion economic stimulus bill enacted a year ago.

He also noted overwhelming Republican opposition to his proposed overhaul of the nation's health care, which now is in legislative peril. Obama said he would gladly look at better ideas, but he urged Republicans to acknowledge the difficulties that many Americans face in obtaining good health care.

Obama said it makes ideological sense for Democrats and Republicans to work together on some issues such as charging fees to banks that benefited from a federal bailout, temporarily freezing some government spending, keeping jobs from being exported and paying for new government programs when they are created.

Republicans have sharply criticized Obama's approach to most of these issues.

Good one!

When I was watching the State of Union speech the other night I noticed when Obama attacked the Wall Street banks and said he was going to slap a fee on them to make them finish paying back the tax payers, the republicans sat in silence......... I guess we know who's side they are on.

When Obama said he wanted to take 30 billion of the money that wall street paid back and give it to community banks to lend to small business the republicans sat in silence...... I didn't know they were against small business.

When Obama said he wanted to give tax breaks to companies that create jobs in American and slash tax breaks for companies who ship jobs overseas the republicans sat in silence...... I didn't know republicans were that unamerican.

When Obama said he wanted to give a $10,000 tax credit for 4 years of college and increase the pell grant and said no one should go broke to get a college education, the republicans sat in silence...... I didn't know they were against education.

And when Obama said he would bring the Iraq war to an end and bring all troops home by 2011 the republicans sat in silence

The republicans are more adept to be, to not say always, on the wrong side of history and good of the American people and if they keep up with this 'lets boycott everything the Pres. wants to do' so that he fails and then we can win elections, think again for the Chosen One , the Messiah St Barrack, has noticed that the GOP does not put country first but wishes for his administration to fail, therefore he will call you out on National TV by name on his new idea of televised gatherings with the GOP leaders.

so beware GOP next time you hypocrites vote against a stimulus package and rush out to inaugurate something built by the stimulus package, St Obama will be there to call you out and expose you to the american people.

hahhahah!

That is a delusional and twisted take on things and if you are not an idiot you know it.....they do not applaud stupidity - good for them! In fact the speech shows how desperate Obama is....

Was it not the GOP who came up with the Stimulus Package? Hmmm, guess you forgot that.

Obama, Captain of the Titanic, sinking because it hit a debt ice-burg, steers in into a bigger debt ice-burg as that is his solution. and that is not funny.

Obama is already noted as a failed presidency. Go back and read the original posts. He wanted the WORLD's approval, he went around apologizing for the USA, and now the world despises him and will not listen to the weakened USA! very sad really...

well, i said before he was elected that he was a bum, and i took a lashing from people like blutarsky for it. without values, and committment to ideas, a man is nothing but an opportunist. when he threw Rev Wright under the bus, i saw the writing on the wall, because the Rev never did anything more than speak the truth. but, white people did not like it, so he had to turn tail and run, burying the rev in the process. here is the deal...when Bill Cosby, and Jesse Jackson , and all other so called black leaders criticise the black community for the breakup of the family, irresponsible fatherhood, wanton and mindless promiscuity, gangster rap and tendencies, disrespect of women, slovenliness and general dysfunctional social habits, everyone applauds their HONESTY. white folks give them kudos for their balls, telling it like it is. but, when someone comes along and criticises white people for their racism, oppression, victimisation of people of color, and their general vicious and evil human tendencies, not to mention their sense of entitlement and self importance, people get all dismayed, and demands are made to retract statements to that effect. obama distanced himself from the rev for solely political reasons. if he disagrees with him in reality, then he is not an inhabitant of this planet. i guess i sized him up just about right.

Dread the waffler abandons the sinking ship and begins to machine gun the lifeboats