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« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2016, 08:09:46 PM » |
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________________________________________ The Patriot Post Digest 9-22-2016 From The Federalist Patriot Free Email Subscription ________________________________________
At some point, it becomes difficult to describe an Obama speech without sounding abrasively repetitive. That’s because his speeches generally are exactly that. Certainly, he’s a charismatic orator. But beyond that, if you apologize for the evils of America (past, present, future and imaginary), laud European progressivism, claim certain future defeat of the Islamic State (recent attacks in your own country notwithstanding), insult conservatives and take credit for preventing a nuclear Iran (while subsidizing Iran’s nuclear program19), you’ve pretty much got an Obama speech.
If that’s the criteria, Tuesday’s speech didn’t disappoint. Consider Obama’s partial laundry list of attacks on the nation he purportedly leads: “Yes, in America, there is too much money in politics; too much entrenched partisanship; too little participation by citizens, in part because of a patchwork of laws that makes it harder to vote.” As National Review’s Jim Geraghty rightly observes20, “It’s pretty insufferable for the guy who raised a billion dollars for his reelection campaign to lament ‘too much money in politics,’ and for President ‘I won’ to lament the entrenched partisanship.” But we shouldn’t be surprised. After all, Obama often bemoans the very things he propagates.
Note, for example, his observation that “too often, in capitals, decision-makers have forgotten that democracy needs to be driven by civic engagement from the bottom up, not governance by experts from the top down.” We’re to believe Obama has an aversion to top-down, bureaucratic government? Does the word, “ObamaCare” mean anything?
And we mustn’t overlook Obama’s obligatory attack on the “rich” and his call to tame the “excess of capitalism.” “A world in which 1% of humanity controls as much wealth as the other 99% will never be stable,” he said. “A society that asks less of oligarchs than ordinary citizens will rot from within.”
Of course, Obama repeatedly ignores the fact that the income required to make that “top 1%” in the world is actually about $32,400 per year21. This means about 50% of Americans are in the 1%. What’s the economic system that’s allowed them to get there? Wait for it… Yep, capitalism.
But all is not doom and gloom. After all, with his presidency coming to a close, Obama is now desperate to create the illusion that his legacy is something other than economic chaos, global instability, racial tension, and abuse of governmental power. So, naturally, he touted22 things like the “end of two wars in the Middle East” (even though the other side is still fighting), a “global agreement to combat climate change” (despite a lack of agreement that man-made climate change even exists,“ and a "normalization of relations with Cuba, Burma and Laos” (as if relations with a communist regime is something to celebrate).
Truth be told, Obama’s in a race against time — or, more accurately, against the Election Day countdown. Few things would shout eight years of utter failure more loudly than a Donald Trump victory. It’s little wonder, then, that Obama is planning an “unprecedented23” campaign to get Hillary Clinton into the White House. After all, if Clinton wins, Obama’s legacy is safe — at least in the short term. If she loses, the loss would be even more devastating to Obama than it would be to Clinton, because it would prove the last eight years have been an utter failure.
As The Washington Post notes24, “White House officials have privately fretted about some of Clinton’s recent missteps. … Those mistakes and the narrowing polls have only intensified the president’s focus on the campaign. … In remarks in recent days, Obama has cast the election as central to his legacy, essentially placing himself on the ballot with Clinton.”
Of course, it’s unlikely his UN speech helped Clinton’s chances on the ballot. If eight years of the same formulaic speeches haven’t secured the White House for a Democrat, one more certainly isn’t going to tip the scales in the Left’s favor.
MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST
Democrats Will Abide Domestic Terror to Preserve PC25 — A reasonable level of domestic terror is the price all of us must pay. Legacy Hungry Obama Stumps for Clinton23 — If you want something done right, you better do it yourself.
OPINION IN BRIEF
Victor Davis Hanson: “It would be a mistake to assume that war is impossible because it logically benefits no one, or is outdated in our sophisticated 21st century, or would be insane in a world of nuclear weapons. Human nature is unchanging and remains irrational. Evil is eternal. Unfortunately, appeasement is often seen by thugs not as magnanimity to be reciprocated but as timidity to be exploited. Someone soon will have to tell the North Koreans that a stable world order cannot endure its frequent missile launches and nuclear detonations. Someone could remind Putin that the former Soviet republics have a right to self-determination. Someone might inform the Chinese that no one can plop down artificial islands and military bases to control commercial sea lanes. Someone might make it clear to radical Islamic terrorists that there is a limit to Western patience with their chronic bombing, murdering and destruction. The problem is that there is no other ‘someone’ (especially not the United Nations or the European Union) with the requisite power and authority except the United States. But for a long time America has done more than its fair share of international policing — and its people are tired of costly dragon-slaying abroad. The result is that at this late date, the tough medicine of restoring long-term deterrence is as almost as dangerous as the disease of continual short-term appeasement.”
SHORT CUTS
Insight: “No man who is corrupt, no man who condones corruption in others, can possibly do his duty by the community.” —Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)
For the record: “It’s time to change the narrative, because I can tell you from the facts that the story is a little bit different as to how it’s been portrayed so far, especially through social media. … [The deceased] exited his vehicle armed with a handgun as officers continued to yell at him to drop it. He stepped out, posing a threat to the officers.” —Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Chief Kerr Putney, who is black, on the black police officer who shot and killed a black man, which led to riots and looting in Charlotte
Upright: “If you’re Hillary Clinton, you have to figure a racially incendiary riot is not helpful to your campaign right now. … If you’re throwing rocks off an interstate overpass onto traffic, you’re not protesting anything. You’re just trying to hurt people. This is exactly the sort of environment that makes people who might otherwise reject Trump to offer a sympathetic ear to his ‘law and order’ message.” —Jim Geraghty
Braying Jenny: “‘Why aren’t I 50 points ahead?’ you might ask. Well, the choice for working families has never been clearer. I need your help to get Donald Trump’s record out to everybody. Nobody should be fooled!” —Hillary Clinton
The BIG Lie: “I’m the only candidate in this race who has been part of the hard decisions to take terrorists off the battlefield.” —Hillary Clinton (First, that isn’t a “hard decision,” but second, she and Obama have returned terrorists TO the battlefield.)
Non Compos Mentis: “I accept that it is up to you to judge my overall record. But I believe that impeachment would be improper, it would create disincentives for many good people who serve, and it would slow the pace of reform and progress at the IRS.” —IRS Commissioner John Koskinen
And last… “Every horrible thing the left are saying now about Trump they said about Mitt Romney, which is why no one listens to them26.” —Frank Fleming
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis! Managing Editor Nate Jackson
Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of Liberty, and for their families.
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