Ground-to-air presidential affairs

As far as I can remember President Obama has been displaying an inexcusable air of aloofness. His recent ground-to-air movements along the West Coast evidence the virtual severance of presidential affairs from international and domestic matters of central importance.

Over the last couple of days Mr. Obama has touched down in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles attending a total of six fundraising events. Although this tour is considered by some as key to keeping his party from going politically bankrupt in the upcoming congressional elections, it seems to have done more harm than good from a public relations standpoint.

Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein said in a recent TV interview “the world would respect his (the President’s) increased attention.” Moreover, she added, “the leader of the free world needs to be strong and this is a time where strength is necessary.” Coming from a fellow Democrat, Mr. Obama should consider this public proclamation as an overdue wake-up call. But will he, and if so, in what manner?

Should past performance be an indication of future results, Mr. Obama will continue to “lead from behind.” Dating back to Iran’s 2009 Green Revolution, the hallmark of his administration in regards to both foreign and domestic policy has been deciding not to decide.

Then came the Arab Spring, the 2012 Benghazi attack and now the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Before this predicament people from across party lines and around the globe are asking the question “what will you do Mr. President?”

Perhaps another apologetic ground-to-air presidential affair throughout the Muslim world is due in his agenda. Should that be the case while he is at it, I reckon he must aide the Christians that are being murdered, unfairly taxed and displaced in northern Iraq. He should definitely set a deadline for that.

To mention one out of many items in the domestic front, turning the corner on the border disorder does not seem to be in the presidential order of priorities. Nothing important seems to be so when one’s leading from behind as it’s all about deciding not to decide.

Actually the President’s leadership style strikes me as decisive if and only if he cannot be decisive on certain issues. For instance, now he seems to be ready to solve the immigration problem, but lacks the political wherewithal to do so in a definitive fashion. He could have solved it rather effortlessly during the 2008-2010 period when he had a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate.

Now that Republicans control the House, Mr. Obama, in his reticence toward engaging them, is opting for using his pen to sign executive orders into effect in a quick fix and, oftentimes, unconstitutional fashion.

But We the People do not hear this side of this story as much we are exposed to the opposite viewpoint. The President plays a preeminent role in this marketing dynamic as he overuses his bully pulpit to blame Congress or the previous administration in mostly every other unresolved domestic and international issue at hand. Frankly, at this stage, the blame game is becoming unbearably lame.

If something does not happen to stop this trend come November, Mr. Obama’s perceived disconnectedness from the things that matter will make him a lame duck. So, somebody please tell the President that he better not pass the buck or duck when problems come his way. I truly hope that he will be able to cope and rise to the occasion in order to exalt the greatness of the United States of America as “one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Jonathan D’Oleo is an author, speaker and management consultant based in Miami, FL. Twitter @doleojj