Saturday, July 30, 2011

Maureen Dowd's "Tempest in a Tea Party": Maybe Obama Just Wants To Be Loved

In her latest New York Times column entitled "Tempest in a Tea Party" (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/opinion/sunday/dowd-tempest-in-a-tea-party.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss), Maureen Dowd justifiably rips into those in the Tea Party, who, blind like Samson, are attempting to bring the temple down upon themselves. But whereas her criticism of the Tea Party was to be anticipated, her scalding criticism of Obama breaks new ground:

"Amid the chilling anarchy, there’s not a single strong leader to be seen — not even a misguided one. All the leaders are followers. You have to wonder if President Obama at some level doesn’t want to lead. Maybe he just wants to be loved.

. . . .

Democratic lawmakers worry that the Tea Party freshmen have already 'neutered' the president, as one told me. They fret that Obama is an inept negotiator. They worry that he should have been out in the country selling a concrete plan, rather than once more kowtowing to Republicans and, as with the stimulus plan, health care and Libya, leading from behind.

. . . .

The laconic president emerges from the sidelines periodically to warn about economic default, but we’re already in political default."

Maybe Obama "just wants to be loved"? Given that Obama was abandoned by his father at the age of two and sent away by his mother at the age of 10, this should sadly come as no surprise. Likewise, Obama's inability to foresee the debt ceiling crisis, his abrupt about-face on deficit spending, and his incapacity to broker a deal, all stemming from an arrogance which in turn might be attributed to an absence of parental love, were also to be expected.

Bottom line: We are witnessing the ultimate game of "chicken," where both Republicans and Democrats are demonstrating their willingness to jeopardize the future of the US as they pursue partisan political advantage: Republicans fearful of compromise which could cause them to be jettisoned in favor of persons further to the right in contested primaries; Democrats unable to consider any agreement that might require further consideration of the debt ceiling prior to the November 2012 elections.

Maddening and sickening, yet unless all of these politicians are truly insane, someone will flinch before the onrushing train squashes the economy.

2 comments:

  1. This is not about Republicans vs Democrates or Liberals vs Consrvatives... It's about the haves and have-nots. The middle class will be screwed no matter how this is settled and the wealthily and powerful will prosper.
    http://www.alt-market.com/articles/198-the-essential-rules-of-tyranny

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  2. Narcissism is characterized by arrogance, a need for admiration, and a lack of empathy, beginning in early adulthood. Would it be any wonder if President Obama, deprived of parental nurturing, were to turn inward, given this absence of love? In light of this depravation, his achievement is all the more remarkable, but this does not help him to sway others when compromise is required.

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