Obama Is Copying The Bush Administration
The last election cycle featured sharp criticism of Bush’s use of fright tactics to get passage of some legislation without proper debate and thoughtful modification. The Patriot Act was the prime example used by Obama’s supporters to describe legislation pushed to passage by the use of fear.
There was some validity to the criticism and certain aspects of the Act which may have been modified if careful and honest debate had taken place. Unfortunately the political contention taking place during that period precluded the type of honest debate that was needed. The fear of terrorism was used time and time again as a tool to get legislation passed. The Patriot Act gave the administration valuable tools in their determination to protect America. It also had aspects that seemed to threaten certain basic rights of citizens. These issues are still being debated and addressed by the current administration.
The tactics used by Obama and his administration to get approval of the Stimulus Bill were the same type of fear generated approvals as were used in the previous administration. Obama and his administration have not only emulated Bush but have trumped him in the use of fear. The collapse of banks, the auto industry, and the end of American as an important country has been trumpeted by the President and his staff. They had the nation trembling each day waiting for the next doomsday prediction of Geitner and Bernanki. The almost daily pronouncements were interspersed by the President bemoaning the problems left to him as the main part of his blame game tactics. Nancy Pelosi has stood ready to keen* at a moments notice to help set a properly mournful tone for the potential end of America as we have known it.
911 gave us a clear picture that terrorism was more than just a threat. The reality was in the rubble of the twin towers for all to see. In our current financial dilemma we all understand we are in some trouble but there is no rubble as a pile of financial destruction to warrant the take over of large sectors of the private sector by government. The pell mell rush to spend trillions without proper debate and consideration is showing the unintended consequences within weeks of the money being allocated.
AIG is giving millions of dollars in bonuses to those very people who were at the heart of the Credit Default Swaps problem that put AIG in such dire straits. Where was the clear definition by the Obama administration as to the use of funds that should have been part of the deal. Paulson followed by Geitner are of the same mind set that shows little consideration for any issue besides those troubling their true colleagues, who are on Wall Street.
Now that the money has been allocated and being used to reimburse Deutsche Bank, Societe’ Generale’ and as bonuses for AIG executives the, keening* is increasing in the Obama administration. When there is a conflict in business over a money issue, I always thought that it is better to be the party holding the money. Barney Frank can wail and call for firings, but AIG holds the money.
* Keen is an Irish term– To lament or wail for the dead
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