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Henry J's Blog & BS
Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2014 10:26 AM
As his second term matures (or
festers, if you prefer), President Unibama is leading the executive branch into
closer alliances with lobbying interests and partisan donors...more probable as
members of a foursome. But he’s doing so at the expense of traditional political
alliances, leaving his would-be Democratic allies in the legislative branch to
fend for themselves when it comes to crafting policy and forging both
intra-party and bipartisan political alliances. This is typical of the "golfer".
Barack Unibama acts exactly the same today as president as he did as a student
at Columbia. Unibama has always believed that Unibama is brilliant and better
than the rest of us. He’s arrogant and detached. He thinks he’s too smart to
have to actually do the work the rest of us do. He's above it all. Reportedly, Democratic Congressional
leaders — especially Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) — aren’t happy
about it. The meeting in the Oval Office in late June was called to give
President Unibama and the four top members of Congress a chance to discuss the
unraveling situation in Iraq. But Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, wanted
to press another point.With Mitch McConnell, the Republican
leader, sitting a few feet away, Mr. Reid complained that Senate Republicans
were spitefully blocking the confirmation of dozens of Mr. Unibama’s nominees to
serve as ambassadors. He expected that the president would back him up and urge
Mr. McConnell to relent.Mr. Unibama quickly dismissed the
matter. “You and Mitch work it out,” Mr. Unibama said coolly, cutting off any
discussion while he dreamed of a Birdie on #5 at Congressional CC.Mr. Reid seethed quietly for the
rest of the meeting, according to four separate accounts provided by people who
spoke with him about it. After his return to the Capitol that afternoon, Mr.
Reid told other senators and his staff members that he was astonished by how
disengaged the president seemed. After all, these were Mr. Unibama’s own
ambassadors who were being blocked by Mr. McConnell, and Secretary of State John
Kerry had been arguing for months that getting them installed was an urgent
necessity for the administration...almost as necessary as downplaying the
problems which Israel is facing. But the impression the president
left with Mr. Reid was clear: Capitol Hill is not my problem. When I have
thought of Harry in the past, "addle pated" was the first word which came to
mind. Quickly following were the words "obdurate" and "obnoxious". His concerns
about his boss and the problems his boss is causing Harry and the democrats,
while brightly welcome to me, have only caused me to add "peevish" to his
description. Perhaps he's getting an idea of what we thepeople feel when he roadblocks every piece of legislation which comes
to the Senate. Someone call the "waahmbulance"...Harry's been
abandoned!In interviews, nearly two dozen
Democratic lawmakers and senior congressional aides suggested that Mr. Unibama’s
approach has left him with few loyalists to effectively manage the issues
erupting abroad and at home and could imperil his efforts to leave a legacy in
his final stretch in office. “It’s hard for us to fathom; I mean, is it just
lack of full staffing and resources? [Is it] professional commitment? Is it a
disdain for the legislative branch? I mean, what is it? People like me want to
be allies — I mean, I am an ally. So work with us, reach out to us; you know,
we’re not the enemy,” said Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-Va.). “Not being
consulted ahead of time — that just makes people crazy. Let us know ahead of
time. Call us in when you’re developing something so we can give you our
ground-level reality check about how this is going to work,” said Congressman
Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.). Sorry boys! Time to put on your "big boy drawers" and
own up to the fact that you've been salivating at the throne of a political
pariah. Time to clean out your noses and move on. ( no "org. )There’s another side to the problem,
though — one that betrays a more calculating aspect to Unibama’s shunning of
Democratic Congressional leadership.Unibama surely knows he’s toxic to
many Democratic incumbents seeking to retain their seats in the House and Senate
this November...not that he really gives a damn. He’s even demonstrated a
willingness to show face on behalf embattled Democrats — even when they dodge
their own
fundraisers to avoid being
seen and photographed with the divisive president. He knows, in many
Congressional races, he can only get so close to candidates in their own
districts without poisoning their efforts. If Unibama’s a political
albatross hanging around his own party’s neck, it makes little sense for
him to keep fighting counterproductive battles in legislative districts where
Democrats want nothing to do with him. But he can (and does) fundraise on his
own, and he can (and does) forge alliances with lobbying interests ostensibly
outside of government — alliances that ultimately could prove more effective
(for Democrats) than any relationships he might be able to mend in the 113th
Congress. But mostly...he just plays golf. When Unibama was caught on a hot mic
telling Russian President Medvedev that "after my election I have more
flexibility", he wasn't really talking to Medvedev. It was a Golf Pro who looked
like Medvedev and Unibama wanted him to know that he'd be playing more
golf. Jim Morris
Twilight
Imagery, Inc.
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