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The power of symbolism to create the appearance of CHANGE
Posted by Raven on January 22nd, 2009
The Left and it’s voice, the MSM, are practically glowing over the amount of work His Royal Highness Obama has managed to get done in less than 3 days on the job. With tantalizing and leg tingling sensation, Obama is reversing many of President Bush’s policies.
Good for Obama.
First we have this new order stating that Presidential records will be made avaliable to anyone who requests them, without time limits as has been the tradition. President Bush added some years to this mandate, and included Vice President records as well.
Moving quickly to undo the Bush administration’s regime of secrecy, President Obama on Wednesday repealed a 2001 executive order granting former presidents, and even vice presidents, the ability to keep documents secret long past the 12 years allowed by law.
It was one of Mr. Obama’s first official acts, and was hailed as a rebuke of the past eight years. In announcing the order, Mr. Obama said it will even tie his own hands.
“Going forward, any time the American people want to know something that I or a former president wants to withhold, we will have to consult with the attorney general and the White House counsel, whose business it is to ensure compliance with the rule of law,” Mr. Obama said. “Information will not be withheld just because I say so. It will be withheld because a separate authority believes my request is well-grounded in the Constitution.”
Uh huh…of course he doesn’t mention the fact that a White House councel/US Attorney General will ALWAYS comply with the current White House occupants’ desire to keep his records private. On spite of the elegant sounding phrases, records will remain private because HE SAYS SO. It need not be spoken. But it will be expected…it’s that loyalty thing.
He signed an order to close Gitmo within a year and to halt trials of the enemies. I have little commentary on this. For me, this is petty and meaningless. And it’s all symbolic. The terrorists will have to go somewhere and Obama knows this. Be it Gitmo or some county in PA, it doesn’t matter. Trials and the like will happen, no matter what the Anointed One claims. (After all, trials are an American tradition). Simply, this is moving the enemies to the interior US, where they will either be returned to their own countries (not likely to happen) or held and trialed here…vs. Gitmo.
But it does make Obama look like a savior and the media will fondle and navel-gaze on this news. Not everyone is happy, though. The 9-11 Era has ended. It’s as if that day never happened. Best get used to this. And let’s pray that day doesn’t repeat itself, for if it does, Obama will be blamed and will be impeached, and rightly so.
The other much- drooled-over order is about interrogations. You know- torture. It’s not American and it’s not right and who gives a shit if it’s the only way to get information. As I documented here a couple weeks back, this is ALL hype. Obama has made sure there is a loophole in this policy change…he has not been up front and honest with the masses of people who sit, teary eyed and blinded by his halo light. Obama isn’t about to knowingly allow an attack on this country to happen, if there are terrorists being held or captured who indicate such an attack is pending. To do so would be an impeachable offense, and rightly so.
WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama is preparing to prohibit the use of waterboarding and harsh interrogation techniques by ordering the CIA to follow military rules for questioning prisoners, according to two U.S. officials familiar with drafts of the plans.
The proposal Obama is considering would require all CIA interrogators to follow conduct outlined in the U.S. Army Field Manual, the officials said. The plans would also have the effect of shutting down secret “black site” prisons around the world where the CIA has questioned terror suspects — with all future interrogations taking place inside American military facilities.
However, Obama’s changes may not be absolute. His advisers are considering adding a classified loophole to the rules that could allow the CIA to use some interrogation methods not specifically authorized by the Pentagon, the officials said.
So much for the ceremonial signature hour at the White House. Obama is once again using his magic powers of symbolism to create the appearance of CHANGE. And the people, and media, are soaking it all up like a dry sponge in a puddle of pixie-dusted, blessed water.
January 23rd, 2009 at 11:02 am
So much negativity…Give Peace a Chance! What if there was no Media or Web? Perhaps then the Evil Doers would not have an audience to corrupt and the World would be a better place without so much negative information…ie; Malicious Gossip. Maybe families would bow their heads to pray and Fathers would never go away. Oh Grandpa whatever happened to the good ole days? Possible solution for the woe’s of the World COULD BE; that every man and woman be the best person that they can be and take care of their own without the distraction of Negativity and Social Programs that only enable a person to become depressed, useless and dependent on social programs for their existence. FOLKS EVERYWHERE…THROW OUT YOUR TV and GET OFF YOUR LAZY WIMPY WEAK KNEED SPINELESS LIMP WRISTED BUTTS and GROW UP and stay out of debt…cut up your FREAKIN CREDIT CARDS…shop smart and eat at home…Turn out the lights early and go to bed….STOP THE PROCREATION by using protection and first begin taking care of the darn messes in your very own households. Churches and The Filthy Rich should provide the ways and means of social subsidy programs to assist those in need. Great Responsibility comes to those who have MUCH and a GOD GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY TO SHARE. ITS REALLY ALL VERY SIMPLE JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!And enough already about the teary eye emotional Glorious Day a Black President was Elected. FOLKS GET REAL! We are all united Racially because OUR PRESIDENT IS HALF WHITE AND HALF BLACK and was RAISED by a WHITE MOTHER BUT MOSTLY RAISED BY WHITE LOVING GRANDPARENTS. What little has been mentioned of this FACT since the BIG DAY.
January 23rd, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Susan,
Take your meds and calm down.
Please. Your rant is obnoxious. And I cannot decipher exactly what it is you are saying.