'The Glass Bead Game' (continued)

Jerry Seib is entirely too cautious in predicting the outcome of what the incomparable Hermann Hesse would agree is America’s version of the ’Glass Bead Game‘. These elections, as any others, depend on the overall perception of the disenfranchised electorate. Insofar as the federal government has seen fit to insert itself into virtually every aspect of American life, the exercise becomes an essentially meaningless referendum of Obama’s performance in office.

The only difference is cosmetic. During the last cycle, the media did such a bang-up job in demonizing George W. Bush and Republicans, the only choice left for the public to make was ‘other’ Obama was sufficiently ‘other‘. This time, the media will be powerless to affect the outcome.

When Obama was up for election back in ‘08, it was merely a matter of rearranging the political deck furniture. The clarion call for ‘change’ was mere fluff. This time, a real sense of alarm has descended like a black cloud over America. People will vote out of fear. And their vote will favor Republicans.

The game remains a game. As I have previously stated elsewhere, Obama retains power for at least the next two years. Unless Republicans mount a serious effort to impeach him, he will continue to determine the direction of the nation. As things continue to fall apart, (enter the media) Republicans will be blamed - and defeated in 2012.

Prosperity will continue to diminish, but will appear as robust in relation to the greater diminishing prosperity of others. It will be enough to keep the markets from collapsing and the people happy.

The game continues as scripted. Republicans will take control of Congress in November.

Sorry, Sarah!

If we’ve learned anything from the last election, we know we can’t go by how people look or what they say. We must choose candidates on the basis of our gut feeling. We must look at the whole person and judge. In Obama’s case, we simply did not pay enough attention. The election was treated simply as an irksome formality, to give Bush his final comeuppance. Everything else was willfully ignored. We wanted to wipe that smirk off of Bush’s stupid face; see him disgraced beyond redemption; satisfy our political bloodlust that had been carefully stoked for eight years. We played along enthusiastically because it was fun. And we felt bored. And we thought it didn’t matter anyway; and that it could never happen here. -- Well it did. And now we’re tuned in. And most of us are scared out of our wits. We cling to the November election like drowning men cling to straw.

Look, we know Palin’s heart is in the right place. She says all the right things; and, intellectually, she outpaces Obama by at least two lengths. But does anyone here truly believe she could lead the nation at this critical time? Just because she has put herself in the spotlight, surrounded by adoring crowds, doesn’t mean much. Obama did the same. But note: Despite the polls, Obama is succeeding. Why do you suppose that is?

It is true, if a presidential election were held today, Obama would lose handily. But, what difference does that make? There is no election today or tomorrow. His re-election will not come up until a couple of years from now. That is a fact.

Obama is not a political animal. He is ideological. In his ideological world, elections don’t count. He will do what he must to complete what he came here to do. He will do it if it takes him one term, two terms or the rest of his life. This is ‘do or die’ for Obama. He will not give up. We saw that with health care. If he has to postpone or cancel elections in order to achieve his goals, he will not hesitate. Barack Hussein Obama sees himself as a historic inevitability; a transformational, revolutionary figure.

Could Sarah Palin stand up to such self-importance; such crazed arrogance? Does she look like she’s tough enough? This is no longer “Mr(s). Smith Goes To Washington”. This is “Mr(s). Smith Goes To Tora Bora”! Can’t you just see how she’ll be attacked; the vile, filthy things they’ll say about her? The sewage mills will be pumping all out. An entire Palin term will be taken up by people debating if she did or didn’t (clean under her fingernails). She’ll be absolutely smeared and tarred by the media – worse than Bush. In the end, even we – her supporters - will deny her three times.

We have to have someone who will be able to withstand and counter all the partisan bile – like Reagan did (as Obama is doing now). And even he was wearied by it.

Sorry, Sarah! Would you settle for number two – after Petraeus?

Blame-Shifting

I propose that ‘blame-shifting’ be included as a legitimate sport in the next Olympic Games. It has been endlessly practiced for decades by the Arabs who have sought to excuse their own failed leaderships and blame Israel and the United States for any and all their problems. In addition, it has been routinely used by South American dictatorships to justify their corruption and brutality.

‘Blame-shifting’ did not become popular in U.S. politics until the Clinton-Gore Administration. Before that, it had generally been understood that “the buck stops here” (meaning, ‘at the President’s desk’), along with now such quaint and outdated notions like “politics stops at the water’s edge”.

Clinton was the first to introduce the sport to the political leagues. Every former president and every founding father was smeared in order to show that what Bubba did wasn’t so bad. Then, during the George W. Bush administration every human failing was dropped on the White House. To his credit, Bush seldom responded. In fact, I cannot remember a single time Bush bothered to deflect or counter a single criticism or accusation.

The Obama administration brought ‘blame-shifting’ back into vogue big time. Nothing is this president’s fault. Most domestic and foreign policy failings still remain the previous administration’s fault, while the balance can be blamed on America and its racist Constitution in general.

Maybe the Olympic committee, in its infinite wisdom can take a cue from the Nobel committee and award Barrack Hussein Obama the gold medal in ‘blame-shifting’ before the fact. It’s difficult to imagine anyone who has ever lived or is yet to be born being more adept at negotiating the intricacies of this particular exercise.

Breaking the Cycle

We've got to break the cycle, John! This is not breaking the cycle. It all started with Bill Clinton who disgraced himself, and the Democrat Party that decided to defend the indefensible. After Bill, George W. absolutely had to be destroyed in order to save Bill's legacy and his party's viability. They succeeded with smoke, mirrors, and lies oft repeated in classic propaganda style. The Dems could have put Daffy Duck on the ballot - and they practically did.

The American people had no clue as to how bad it could actually get until Obama came along. Now they know. They also know it can still get much worse. At this point too, the Republicans could put Daffy Duck on the ballot and he would win overwhelmingly. The Dems are done. They will not be effective in the next go-round. Never has a political party been so obtuse to the wishes of the voters. It seems, quite like Kamikaze pilots, they are absolutely determined to go down in flames.

Don't get me wrong, I think Sarah Palin is a fine person. Under normal circumstances, she'd make a fine chief executive. But these are not normal times. We are all collectively in intensive care. We need our wounds to heal from the accumulated damage of three successive administrations. We cannot afford a fourth fatally wounded administration to continue our drift.

At this time, I see no one out there who can withstand the slings and arrows of a vicious Left. I see no one who can resist being seduced by the gossamer illusions of Hollywood. We've got ourselves a situation here, much like exists on the Palestinian side of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. How long would you think an honest Palestinian bloke would last getting up on a soap box in the market square, saying what the majority of Palestinians must be feeling in their hearts?