“The World’s Credibility Is On The Line.” – Barack Obama 9/4/13 In reference to his “Red Line” comments made earlier this year and repeated, for the record, on the White House website.
The President should be given a break here.
Mr. Obama was simply doing the work of the world. Someone has to speak for the rest of the Nations, and he was only doing his part to communicate what he knows the Global Community wants to say. In other words, he’s doing the heavy lifting… the job Global Citizens will not do…
This addresses something I noticed during Obama’s first State of the Union Speech.
We have a little game we play during State of the Union Speeches… you draw words, and if they are used you drink. I like to keep my Drinking games simple, it helps once you’re about an hour into them.
The words I drew were “I, Me and My”
I believed I had won the lottery because Presidents avoid such words. Typically, they understand they are simply the Representative chosen to head the Executive Branch of Government. It is always “Our, We, Together” etc. As it should be.
However, It was not a win…
In fact, It was a painful evening… and I’m a professional.
That episode aside, it illustrates a mentality. It demonstrates a certain level of Narcissism, or Ego, that can lead an individual into mistakes such as the current Syria debacle.
The above Elitist approach to governing can result in avoidable loss of life such as the events surrounding Fast and Furious, Benghazi etc.
Such a view of one’s self can allow an individual to turn a blind eye to the destruction of the Privacy of Others, as in the case of the NSA Domestic Spying Programs, or direct government intimidation and oppression as represented by IRS Targeting, Militarization of Local Police, TSA and DHS tactics.
While the President is just one person, it starts at the top. Are Leaders tend to surround themselves with people who view the world in the same way. (A noted exception was Mr. Bush’s appointment of Colin Powell. But, if you recall, Bush was criticized for not following the advice of Powell. The media demonized a Leader who strayed from surrounding himself with those he would disagree with. I’m not a Bush “fan”, it’s just an interesting observation. Make of it what you will.)
Elitists surround themselves with sycophants and then Demonize those that challenge the way they see themselves. This results in appointments like John Kerry, allies like John McCain and attitudes exhibited by Nansi Pelosi and Harry Reid. It also explains the destructive rhetoric leveled at men like Mike Lee, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, TEA Party Conservatives and Libertarians. (For those of you out there that disagree with me here, please give an honest moment of thought regarding what these individuals and groups stand for. You can find it easily with your googler. Go directly to their sites… read their words verbatim… don’t allow someone else to tell you what they said or what they think. It has been my experience that Evil does not view itself as such and will speak freely. It Evil is there you’ll find it for yourself, in their own words without the careful editing, comedic or otherwise, from the opposition.)
With a little reflection one can pick out those Presidents, Senators and Congressmen (Our Representatives) that view themselves in this way.
Once you’ve decided you’re smarter than everyone else… it’s easy to then to decide you speak for the world.
So in his mind, why would his credibility be on the line?