Many Democrats are outwardly cheering Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan. But I wonder what’s actually going through the minds of Obama’s inner circle. David Axelrod has probably run enough campaigns to realize that Paul Ryan is an exceptional political talent whose star is rising just as Obama’s is fading. And what’s the president thinking? Back in 2007, this was how Obama’s personal frustrations with his self-identity were described to the authors of the book Game Change:
“[Obama] wanted to be seen as substantive. He was substantive. And not being viewed that way was hurting his chances, he thought. I’ve spent my whole life caring about policy, he told his staff. I want to have new ideas. I want them to be specific. I want to make sure that no one can say they’re not specific enough. Obama had imagined at the outset of the campaign that he would set aside hours to consult with world-class experts, delving into the issues, devising innovative solutions. He kept asking for more time to do that, but his schedule was too jam-packed with fund-raisers and campaign events.”
Even back then, Obama was attached to the image of himself as a Serious Person. At the time, he didn’t have a history as someone who devised “innovative solutions” — in the Senate he had mainly voted along party lines, shying away from controversial issues. Since taking presidential office, Obama hasn’t fared much better when it comes to substance. He’s hopped from issues to issue — energy, jobs, the deficit, immigration — giving speeches, signing symbolic orders, proposing vague plans that don’t tend to get implemented. Even Obama’s signature achievement, health care reform, was crafted primarily by Congress.
Yet he continues to latch onto an image of himself as a policy wonk. During a recent interview with CBS, he said his biggest mistake as president was focusing too much on the “policies” and not enough on “tell[ing] a story to the American people.”
This seems to be a major element of Obama’s own self-identity. So it will be interesting to see how he handles a challenge like Paul Ryan — someone who is actually viewed in Washington as both a political superstar and a substantive man of ideas. Obama seems to be fairly thin-skinned for a politician, and he has a difficult time hiding it when he resents someone (see: Benjamin Netanyahu). He never appeared to hold strong feelings about Mitt Romney, but could that change now that Ryan’s entered the race?
Obama, being an expert demagogue, understands how the people want to view their leader. So Obama, regardless of the facts, has always described himself as whatever sounds most popular. He says he is a policy wonk, but he never crafts viable legislation himself and, as Harvard Law Review editor never wrote any articles himself. He wrote memoirs containing half-truths and composites to give himself a depth that he knew people would want to relate to, whether the life experiences he described actually happened that way or not.
Reminiscent of JFK, the War Hero and Pulitzer Prize winner.
He claimed to be a post-racial healer, yet he cannot help but stick his foot in every racial booby trap possible, while nominating racial hustlers like Eric Holder and Van Jones. He claimed to be post-partisan, while running the the most divisive administration in history, using class warfare and racial separatism to make Americans resent and fear each other. He has a long history of renegging on promises, promises made when politically opportune and rejected when they become a liability. He campaigned on a superficial message of Hope and Change and a new kind of politics while smearing all opposition, getting candidates kicked out, lying about his record, and going completely negative in his messaging rather than running on his accomplishments.
Basically, he is telling America what it wants to hear, then doing what he wants and being who he actually is. He can accomplish this because he knows that the mainstream media will never tell the awful truth about him. Partisan blogs can rant and rave, but the fact of his lies will never be spread to the apathetic populace and independent voters by any (supposedly) objective and trustworthy source. His one talent is his understanding that he is a blank slate reflecting what people want to feel, about him and about themselves. Beyond that, he has a specially unethical willingness to say anything that weakminded people want to hear, despite his history, his actions, and his intentions. So he knows he is no policy wonk, and I am sure that really annoys him. I am sure he would actually like to have all the positive features that he attributes to himself, but they would conflict with his ideology and his path to power, so he just lets people believe, on the basis of no real evidence, that he has them.
Let's forget for a moment that Ryan is a relatively unknown quantity, is only 42, has no professional experience outside Washington politics etc.. Has any VP selection ever made much of a difference? The best ones undoubtedly help by flipping a key swing state (e.g. LBJ in the 1960 election), and may also reassure independent voters by beefing up attractive but relatively untested presidential candidates such as GW Bush or Obama. For better or worse, some of them also yield enormous power *after* the election. But the campaign "boost" (or drag, in case the nominee is someone like Dan Quayle) is negligible. n nAt the end of the day, *Romney* will have to win this election since it is his candidacy. He apparently hopes the debate will now be about the future and what GOP ideologues such as Ryan would do in case they win the election. So far, the economy has not been bad enough for Romney previous strategy (=everything is Obama's fault and I will fix the economy thanks to my Wall Street background) to work. Arguably, it will now be much harder to persuade voters that a truly drastic and painful overhaul of the welfare state is the most pressing need for 2013.
Ryan is a policy wonk, Obama is a policy wanker.
Ryan is the nuclear option. Obama will no longer be able to hide behind a smear campaign, though he will still try because he has no other choice. And the VP debate promises to be almost an almost inhumane match-up. Romney has done very well indeed to force an aggressive campaign on the issues. It's time for America to shake off the Dem-media complex and decide on her future.
Sorry Paul, but you are lost in the reeds of policy and governance, which don't matter. This campaign will be about which ticket single white women believe will best "protect" them. Ryan, a fiscal hawk and a social conservative, will scare a lot of them into ObamaWorld. He may go down as another Jack Kemp figure: right, but not VP.
In Nov 2008 I blogged that "Obama is the personification of eloquence without substance". He has not disappointed me.
This is essentially what’s being accomplished as already two old, long term Senators have been ousted. Lots more can be done—especially if you’re not a freeloader, who seems to be especially prevalent around the Democrat agenda. Millions want a free ride on the backs of the honest taxpayer, other than those seriously handicapped by some physical or mental sickness. A nation cannot survive if half the country lives of food stamps, cash payments and welfare. Many cities throughout the Republic are being forced into bankruptcy, because of huge union pension plans but also for loss of taxes from people unable to find a job. Using federal mandated E-Verify could change this course and unknown numbers of illegal workers would be forced to leave, under the execution of the Legal Workforce Act’. It’s almost incredulous that their elected pariahs in certain cities have approved protected measures for illegal aliens, almost implausible against ICE intervention. Such states as California, Nevada and others are so deep in severe liabilities, because of furnishing uncompensated funds to foreign families. All 50 states have been cutting back on welfare aid to U.S. citizens and lawful populace, especially to the elderly who are on fixed incomes. States are forced by federal unfunded mandates that demand they must pay for public assistant for anybody who applies. n nOver time with the implementation of E-Verify, a much needed enforcement law could seal the fate of illegal immigration. The bill would also deject more from entering the United States. Other than the E-Verify, illegal aliens will pile over the border or enter by some other route. Other than some kind of national identification card, nothing else could symbolize as a deterrent—but then in my mind, perhaps the illegal alien was never meant to be stopped, otherwise why is it not a felony? n nThese two laws are a constant with me, but many other questions are being asked by TEA PARTY members. Such as with gas prices spiraling up, when we have possibly more oil, natural gas and coal to support energy needs for homes and industry? Why is the EPA Environmental Protection Agency not passing out permits, to drill or mine, but instead the U.S. government supporting oil production in Brazil? Before Obama came into power gas was around $1.59 a gallon, when today the implication is scary as it keeps rising. What about ethanol production that is being used as an additive in our gasoline? We are currently confronted with a huge drought and corn prices are going to soar. Why is the Agricultural agency not closing down the Ethanol refineries, and restoring corn production for human consumption? Taxes—everybody must be aware by now, the tax system has been arranged for Democrat and Republican friends and their own profusion of assets. Americans are so gullible, that the only way we will actually see a complete change, as a fair and equitable tax system, is through laws forced through by a TEA PARTY intervention in the Senate and house. n
Enacting many laws under the Democrats, Liberals or Republicans will remain virtually impossible. As an Independent my vote is not going to President Obama and the only reason I am voting for Mitt Romney, is to insure more TEA PARTY LEADERS unseat all those in Congress. I think potential VP Paul Ryan is a good choice, as he is yet another TEA PARTY politician? Any new laws that make financial sense have never had any possibility of enough votes in the House of Representatives and certainly not the Senate, held in contempt of the will of the people. With a steel grip in the Senate, and constantly failing to reach cloture by arch Liberal incumbent Sen. Harry Reid whatever in the way of bills of any need, will never reach the floor. Both political Parties need to be held accountable for not passing the ‘Legal Workforce bill’ or a crucial amendment known as the ‘Birthright Citizenship Law’. The TEA PARTY however has this initiative that if they affirm more authority and influence in the Republican Party, these two laws will find passage. n nOf course this depends on the assertiveness of the American voter and whether they want to pass legislation to replace unauthorized workers with millions of jobless legal countrymen. Hundreds of billions of dollars are not finding their way back into federal and state taxes, reviving our sinking economy or allowing unconcerned, incorrigible business owners who are paying the majority of illegal workers outside of books. Then again, 36 billion dollars which is purely an estimate, leaves this country each year from the paychecks of illegal foreign workers and not back into sinking state economies. n nThis will all transform for the good, if the TEA PARTY can exert pressure in the Congress; if they can fill some of those seats in Washington. In tune with keeping the illegal population down, is by amending ‘Birthright Citizenship’. Sens. David Vitter (R-La.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced this proposal, a simple amendment that no child born in the United States without at least one parent already has citizenship status, or a foreigner who is recruited for military service makes irrefutable commonsense. Again, it’s all about money; once again hundreds of billions of taxpayers’ dollars that are commandeered by the IRS, to pay for baby delivery, and then an ongoing cost for schooling, hearth care and so many other (citizens need not apply) programs. To repeat this information as many times before, that a pregnant female by word of mouth, already has a cerebral guide book on the welfare system and that if she reaches American soil, either by international flight or through the border, they are home free. The immigration agent cannot identify a female who is pregnant and the passport for a visitor doesn’t indicate this? With what is happening now—a cause and effect of the 14th Amendment has placed millions of young children of illegal alien parents in years of torment and anguish. n nIf the Birthright Citizenship law had been enacted decades ago, the parents would have recognized that bringing their child here, would have made them deportable? Also they are well versed in American immigration laws, so that the more children they have, the less chance of them themselves being deported. My question is why citizens and lawful residents should be stuck with this traumatic dollar amount. Why are Americans being forced to subsidize foreigners who have broken our laws in the first place, be greeted and rewarded with support? This has been fulfilled since the mass blanket amnesty of 1986. A huge fraudulent echo from the past, has been inherited by citizens and legal others. n nOur politicians have remained oblivious, or more so incompetency or the intention not to stop the 20 million illegal aliens within the interior, with their old parents and children, that are part of a growing wreck to health care, Medicare, and Medicade. Citizen’s right has been stifled by high pressure groups and thousands of other entities, paying no attention to our crumbling infrastructure and raided taxes. Everything in our wilting economy has something to do with American and illegal immigrant freeloaders. Without any exception, the only way we can crawl from this self inflicted mess is to vote into office every U.S. Constitutional TEA PARTY member. I am an Independent, who was once stupid enough to think either party was working for the American people. I have no choice but to vote for MITT ROMNEY as the TEA PARTY will also do, but with the realization that by being integrated into the Republican echelon they will have enormous influence to change the erratic future direction. n
There is no excuse for not dealing with these issues, before these legislators went off on a nice long rest period. Why would they—as we pay for it. Voters in Missouri who are disturbed and angry at the agenda of President Obama and his 47 Imperial Czars unwaveringly out to dissolve our Republic and place us on a self-destruct path of a Socialistic agenda. President Obama is committed by using executive power to undermine “Checks and Balances” separating the different tiers of government. All TEA PARTY potential lawmakers are true to their oath of allegiance to the United States, the people and the Constitution, while many Liberal politicians are inebriated with power and like the Socialist and even Marxist setups as applied in different regions of Europe. These politicians promised that they will enforce interior immigration laws, the border fence. Moderates and conservatives are observing with antipathy and disgust. They are trying to change America from a free country under God with our freedoms defining the U.S. Constitution into a socialist country that the Leninist have expected since the communist manifesto was drafted. The Obama administration did not cause the disaster we faced in January 2009. Bad policies from both parties in Washington and negligent performance on Wall Street fueled the build-up of bad credit mortgage burden in the financial sector, resulting in crushing insolvency levels followed by a wave of panics, bankruptcies and foreclosures. nDr. Corsi of the TEA PARTY DOT ORG states: n “The Tea Party no longer has the luxury of simply trying to win; it is now do or die for America. The struggle is between a socialist agenda and the survival of the Free-Enterprise Republic. There is no middle ground. To be perfectly clear, if the Tea Party falters now, lays back, slacks-off then America will be gone forever”. n nWe will keep rolling over the Washington establishment, takedown after takedown until Obama, America’s President by default and every one of his anti-American socialist-loving, Constitution mortifying Imperials are gone, obliterated, GONE FOR GOOD! Instead of focusing on getting the economy back on the tracks, the president and the last Congress enacted a government-run health care program. n nWhen Obama’s Czars didn’t like the ‘Defense of Marriage’ Law—they just refused to defend it in court. Oh, then when Congress won’t grant amnesty to millions of ILLEGALS? No problem, America’s pharaoh just opened a gap with an executive order and pressed for the ‘Dream Act’, even though large numbers of our own kids cannot find a job? When they didn’t want to defend America’s borders—they just sued Arizona to reverse the states sovereignty in the courts. And when Congressional inquiries come from evidentiary hearings–his Department of Justice just disregarded the subpoenas. When Obama and his allies wanted to augment their agenda to take away your Second Amendment right to bear arms? They handed guns to known criminals and cartels, in the “fast and Furious” Outrage. The American people have been heavily duped, with con-games such as the numbers associated with the “Dream Act”. How many more foreign nationals will arrive here, encouraged by Obama’s ‘Backdoor’ amnesty. How much fraud will be overlooked by the Democratic administration, canvassing for votes legal and illegal? Nothing is sacred anymore, including honest and fair voting? Using any rhetoric they can, such as voter suppression or the race card in desperation, the Justice Department is once again suing or intimidating states that are trying to protect the electoral cycle from fraudulent voting? This is not a knee jerk reaction, but solid evidence of non citizens voting. Whatever the issue, all can be resolved by the TEA PARTY. You can join the local or central TEA PARTY and help to resuscitate America. n nI am not one to be paranoid—but read about concealed and gagged information on Barack Obama, because there are a lot of inconsistencies in his citizenship background. Read and decide for yourself. Personally, I don’t know what to think anymore of whether he had the right to become President. There is substantial evidence that you must judge for yourself at TEA PARTY DOT ORG. n nNo copyright. Spread to every prudent American. n n n
The tragedy of Barack Obama is that the Great Recession destroyed his plan to continue the struggle to make America a more fair and more just society. Had the boom continued and the budget stayed in better balance, he might have been able to preside over the Great Society, Part 2. Since he controlled both houses, he could have signed into law a laundry list of Johnsonian "programs" and "reforms". But the combination of falling revenue and spiraling spending made that dream impossible, aside from ObamaCare, which is "historic" but not in the way he hopes. So instead of making a permanent mark on history and society, he has had to preside over a painful fiscal crisis. The Great Recession was not his fault, but it is his nemesis whether he wins or loses in November.
I hate to tell you but congress didn't write Obamacare that was done by a couple of far left groups, whose names escape my aging grey cells, though there are a few dems in the House who can walk a chew gum at the same time that nightmare is far above them. Especially the ex speaker, remember "we have to pass it to know what's in it", that from an individual with an intellectual wasteland between the ears. As for Obama telling a storey, what would it be, maybe he would expound on Karl Marx and his crackpot idea of how society should be run, a guaranteed looser. The country doesn't need a policy wonk or a storey teller; we need a leader who realizes what the problems are and takes the lead in solving them.