Monday, March 21, 2011

An Editorial of Import and an Overview: This editorial which appeared in Huffington Post entitled "Barack Obama Gets In Touch with his Inner Neocon" written by Doug Bandow of the CATO Institute a Libertarian think tank (link below) illustrates in fine fashion my qualms about this latest Libyan US-led war. I believe this policy is fraught with danger and goes against the foreign policy Barack Obama said he believed in principle during the 2008 campaign.

This does NOT mean I am abandoning the president on other progressive issues for which he advocated and won. I do not forget the repeal of DADT, the Lilly Ledbetter law, the strengthening of the hate crimes bill, two very qualified rather progressive appointees to the Supreme Court and, as Rachel Maddow enumerated on her show, many many more achievements which go under the electorate's radar screen. I do not forget, too, some positive economic reform and some important aspects of the health care law even though it missed on the public option. He is infinitely brighter and appreciated for that intellect in the international arena significantly more than his know-nothing-and-proud-of-it predecessor, George W. Bush.

Because I support certain policy does not mean I do not entertain important doubts and dismay of other policy. On many of the big-ticket items the president is not the man with the hefty progressive ideas I thought he was. At times he seems like George W. Bush light. He was ineffective in the explanation of the health care law and he was absent in the extreme to help ratchet down the right wingnut Tea Bag insanity of the 2010 election eve summer of discontent. It, in part, I submit, accounted for the Democratic shellacking, as the president put it, in 2010 and the ugly takeover of the House by Republicans most of whom are radical right religious extremists. He is all but absent in securing union rights for which he said he would don his comfortable shoes and take to the streets to walk with workers. The Republicans' plan is to crush unions and voter registration of groups like ACORN singularly to destroy any chance of the president's reelection.

I contend the president has punted on the policies of war, morphing war, extending war, abandoning civil liberties and has sorely lacked economic initiatives. He has shown a paucity of economic policy reform and an insufficiency promoting the Holy Grail of present-day politics -- JOBS! Does that mean I think a Republican could do better? HELL NO! It simply means I hope the president realizes the irritation of his base -- people like ME.

The article below sets out many of the thoughts I entertain on this latest military excursion in Libya costing our country $100,000,000 to $3000,000,000 -- yes MILLION -- per week! How's that for deficit busting! I THOUGHT he would go after military expenditure. I HOPE in lieu of that he does not go after the necessities of Social Security and Medicare. The larger problem for me is I don't trust him.

The editorial below is one of import on important foreign policy I think one should read.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/doug-bandow/war-in-libya-barack-obama_b_838049.html

NOT ANYMORE

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