The audacity of Obama

SO FAR, the Obama administration seems about as narcissistic as the Bush administration in some of its worst days. Perhaps, a recent headline clarifies the point: "Gibbs saw 'genuine anguish' in faces of soldiers' families."

President Obama and press secretary Robert Gibbs claimed they were overwhelmed at the "genuine anguish" they saw in the faces of family members who were greeted at Obama's first trip to the Dover Air Force base, where the remains of American casualties from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are brought back to the U.S.

I wonder if Obama truly expected anything less than "anguish" for someone seeing there son or loved one come home dead in a box. Did he think they would be excited to see him?

So Obama has opted for some coverage of flag-draped coffins. Americans have seen these sad pictures before, but are they allowed to see a single picture of carnage caused by U.S. imperialism by the use of unimaginable "predator drones" over Pakistan?

These same drones, that can kill hundreds of people, are not considered terrorism by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. During her recent trip to Pakistan, a car bomb exploded killing 160 people, maiming more and creating a scene of mass carnage that looked like a photo straight from hell. Clinton did not comment on the incident.

The same president who promised the nation that he would close the Guantánamo Bay prison has not yet done so--and is also the same president who signed a law that would suppress all photos of horrific abuse of detainees. Oddly, this man received a Nobel Peace Prize only shortly after signing the most expensive war bill in world history.

His award came as a sting, considering that Obama led the U.S. in boycotting his first UN World Conference on Racism. Perhaps this move was because of a sincere and common liberal belief that his presidency has suddenly made American society "post-racial," despite a rare nationally reported incident of racial profiling from Massachussetts police which prompted a "beer at the White House."

Or perhaps it was because Obama had surrendered to Israel and the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee.

At the urging of war criminal Benjamin Netenyahu, the conference would be boycotted for any mention of the mere word "Israel"--even though right before Obama became president, Israel killed at least 1,100 civilians in less than three weeks, and maimed many more. Also, Gaza's lifeline had been gradually disrupted for years before, as some Gazans were forced to eat grass and pet food to survive. The so-called "war" was actually a massacre of Gazans that killed just 13 Israelis--four of whom were killed by "friendly fire." Obama and Clinton randomly made a few statements urging a "halt to settlements" while still giving all the funding needed for it to continue.

The level of audacity reached a recent breaking point as the Democratic-controlled Congress assured it will weigh in on a recent report to "refute" an assessment that Israel deliberately targeted civilians and their infrastructure, including a UN safe haven school--therefore engaged in war crimes. The man who issued this report, Richard Goldstone, considers himself a "Zionist" dedicated to Israel, and is himself Jewish. The only (typical and recycled) claim from Israel is that the report is biased and anti-Semitic--and the U.S. Congress is, of course, agreeing.

On the domestic front, the first protest in over 13 years took place to fight for full lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. The only comment made by the White House was that "those bloggers need to take off their pajamas, get dressed and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult." Openly gay Rep, Barney Frank later commented the march was "a waste of time."

President Obama later made a promise that he would repeal "don't ask, don't tell," but gave no specific date. Coincidentally, this is only coming at a time when the military is meeting recruitment goals and Obama has not yet extended unemployment benefits despite historic job losses.

Finally, on the issue of health care, the White House and the Democratic Party has allowed the man in congress with the heftiest campaign contributions from the health and pharmaceutical industry to confer with industry to write the bill. Predictably, a public option was eventually excluded which would only cover a maximum of 5 percent of people anyway. The only time anyone brought up single-payer health care to Sen. Max Baucus, they were arrested.

When Obama held a summit to discuss health care at the White house, Rep. John Conyers, an advocate of universal health care, was invited at the last minute under pressure. He was not given an opportunity to speak, and single-payer health care was never discussed as an option.

Now, the insurance industry itself has warned that Americans will actually pay more for a still-rotten health care system being negotiated by the Democrats. The only reaction from the White House and a bought-out Congress was to deny what was being admitted. I wonder if Obama really thought he would somehow magically reform an industry whose purpose is to make money simply because he is still popular. His popularity, however, is dwindling steadily because of his narcissism.

Obama credits himself as making history and as an ideal of the "American dream." Actually, the American people made history themselves--and they expected big reforms in return instead of the same old America that President Obama represents.
Greg Morse, Providence R.I.