Obama listens neither to people nor generals

by
Curt Dale

An ultra-liberal columnist's comment, "President should listen to people, not generals," is so naively ludicrous and ill advised that one hardly knows whether to laugh or weep. Of course, it's not original, only one more Obama mantra talking point. But, why do I say naive and ludicrous?

Where has Obama listened to the people once since he was sworn in? The people don't want Obamacare by a huge majority, but he's forcing us into the socialistic legislation in a land rush. He claimed he didn't know we had Tea Parties against it and his other legislation. We know he doesn't listen, because he totally ignored 1.7 million people on the Capitol Mall at the 9/12 protest of just about everything he's ever done.

So it's ludicrous to say Obama should listen to the people, implying he might. The naivety is not realizing he doesn't want to listen and won't be listening.

He's not listening when a huge majority of people are telling him that Nidal Malik Hasan committed a terrorist attack at Fort Hood, TX, killing 12 soldiers, 1 civilian Physician Assistant, 1 unborn baby, and wounded 30 others. By Al Qaeda standards, Soldier of Allah Hasan committed a tremendously successful terrorist attack against America.

The people don't want 9/11 mastermind terrorist Khalid Sheik Mohammed to be brought from Gitmo to New York City along with 4 other terrorists to be tried in the US Justice System. But Obama is touting this as a wonderful way to demonstrate our justice-as if he really cared, given his constant criticism of and apologies for America, worldwide. Obama's ignoring that the people want these terrorists to face the military tribunals, as is appropriate for these brutal terrorist.

They are not US citizens. Wanna bet that there will be a bunch, or all, of these terrorists who will "walk" on technicalities, right out of the Manhattan Court House, past the World Trade Center's Ground Zero, mocking our 9/11 heroes, victims and families ripped asunder. Nope, Obama doesn't hear! See, he doesn't even recognize the word "terrorist" any more. The people know and use the word, but Obama can't say it.

The people don't want amnesty for illegals, but Obama's announcing just that for some 18 million illegal immigrants in his highly touted "Immigration Reform," another guise designed to insure a bigger Democrat voter pool, hoping to avert a Dem disaster in 2010/2012. Guess the $500 Billion re-election fund skimmed from the Stimulus Bill for re-election largesse just isn't insurance enough!

The people don't want Cap and Trade by a large majority, but he's set to add insult to injury for our economy through this "tax 'em all more" program. The people didn't want the Stimulus Plan with its bailouts of automobile builders, Cash for Clunkers debacle, and taking over failed banking institutions. Obama said do it. Pelosi and Reid drove it through Congress in panic fashion. It didn't stimulate. Unemployment's increased another 2 percent. Guess it's only a couple of Trillion dollars wasted, but who's counting. Not Obama!

The columnist held that Obama should not listen to generals. President Lincoln listened to Gen. Grant and won the Civil War. President Roosevelt listened to Gen. Eisenhower in WWII's Crusade in Europe, and Hitler was defeated unconditionally. He also listened to Gen. MacArthur and Adm. Nimitz in the Pacific and Japan surrendered unconditionally. Reagan listened to his generals and won the Cold War. Same in Grenada and Libya!

Jimmy Carter didn't listen to his generals on Iran, and he had one useless miserable term dominated by his Iran Hostage nightmare. LBJ didn't listen to his generals in Vietnam, but listened to some people, i.e. Jane Fonda, John Kerry and Robert Strange McNamara. He made daily decisions for his generals from the Oval Office. I observed the disastrous results. He abandoned a second full term campaign and left an impossible morass, forcing President Nixon to egress Vietnam. Clinton didn't listen to his generals in Somalia! Disaster!

Obama just went through a string of summits on deploying 40,000 troops to Afghanistan, huddling with his top advisers. Outcome? He didn't like any solution, so it's back to square one, while our troops in Afghanistan are dying from lack of a strong cadre. He listens to no one!

The columnist's most laughable comment was pleading the inappropriateness of past administration officials criticizing Obama's Administration. Delightfully delicious, particularly in light of how Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Jimmy Carter and an array of Democrats kept up a steady drumbeat, demeaning George W. Bush for 8 years, both within our borders and throughout the world. The final point was that McCain and Cheney should fade away. What about Carter, Gore and Clinton?

I believe the truth is that Obama listens to no one--unless it's someone who pays the price for getting him what he wants, not what the people-or the generals-want.

© Curtis D. Dale, PhD, November 2009