For all of his hopes about bipartisanship, Barack Obama has the most polarized early job approval ratings of any president in the past four decades. The 61-point partisan gap in opinions about Obama's job performance is the result of a combination of high Democratic ratings for the president -- 88% job approval among Democrats -- and relatively low approval ratings among Republicans (27%).
Isn't that interesting. Pursuing socialism makes you the darling of one party and not the other. Anybody see that coming? From ten miles away?
Someone once said that, for every rookie you have on your starting team in the National Football League, you will lose a game. Somewhere, at some time during the season, a rookie will make a mistake that will cost you a game.
We now have a rookie President of the United States and, in the dangerous world we live in, with terrorist nations going nuclear, just one rookie mistake can bring disaster down on this generation and generations yet to come.
Barack Obama is a rookie in a sense that few other Presidents in American history have ever been. It is not just that he has never been President before. He has never had any position of major executive responsibility in any kind of organization where he was personally responsible for the outcome.
Other first-term Presidents have been governors, generals, cabinet members or others in positions of personal responsibility. A few have been senators, like Barack Obama, but usually for longer than Obama, and had not spent half their few years in the senate running for President.
What is even worse than making mistakes is having sycophants telling you that you are doing fine when you are not. In addition to all the usual hangers-on and supplicants for government favors that every President has, Barack Obama has a media that will see no evil, hear no evil and certainly speak no evil.
They will cheer him on, no matter what he does, short of first-degree murder-- and they would make excuses for that. Even former Reagan speech writer Peggy Noonan has gushed over President Obama and even crusty Bill O'Reilly has been impressed by Obama's demeanor.
There is no sign that President Obama has impressed the Russians, the Iranians or the North Koreans, except by his rookie mistakes-- and that is a dangerous way to impress dangerous people.
What did his televised overture to the Iranians accomplish, except to reassure them that he was not going to do a damn thing to stop them from getting a nuclear bomb? It is a mistake that can go ringing down the corridors of history.
Future generations who live in the shadow of that nuclear threat may wonder what we were thinking about, putting our lives-- and theirs-- in the hands of a rookie because we liked his style and symbolism?
In the name of "change," Barack Obama is following policies so old that this generation has never heard of them-- certainly not in most of our educational institutions, where history has been replaced by "social studies" or other politically correct courses.
Seeking deals with our adversaries, behind the backs of our allies? France did that at Munich back in 1938. They threw Czechoslovakia to the wolves and, less than two years later, Hitler gobbled up France anyway.
This year, President Obama's attempt to make a backdoor deal with the Russians, behind the backs of the NATO countries, was not only rejected but made public by the Russians-- a sign of contempt and a warning to our allies not to put too much trust in the United States.
Barack Obama is following a long practice among those on the left of being hard on our allies and soft on our enemies. One of our few allies in the Middle East, the Shah of Iran, was a whipping boy for many in the American media, who vented their indignation at his regime-- which now, in retrospect, seems almost benign compared to the hate-filled fanatics and international terrorism sponsors who now rule that country.
However much Barack Obama has proclaimed his support for Israel, his first phone call as President of the United States was to Hamas, to whom he has given hundreds of millions of dollars, which can buy a lot of rockets to fire into Israel.
Our oldest and staunchest ally, Britain, has been downgraded by President Obama's visibly less impressive reception of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, compared to the way that previous Presidents over the past two generations have received British Prime Ministers. President Obama's sending the bust of Winston Churchill in the White House back to the British embassy at about the same time was either a rookie mistake or another snub.
President Obama, in his taping with Jay Leno Thursday afternoon, attempted to yuk it up with the funnyman, and ended up insulting the disabled.
Towards the end of his approximately 40-minute appearance, the president talked about how he's gotten better at bowling and has been practicing in the White House bowling alley.
He bowled a 129, the president said.
"That's very good, Mr. President," Leno said sarcastically.
It's "like the Special Olympics or something," the president said.
Isn't that special? I bet he wishes he'd brought along his teleprompter.
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 38% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. With just a few exceptions, that number has remained steady on a daily basis between 38% and 42% since Inauguration Day.
Thirty-two percent (32%) now Strongly Disapprove of the President’s performance, the highest level of disapproval measured to date. The rising negative is driven by Republicans, 56% of whom Strongly Disapprove of Obama’s performance. Since Inauguration Day, Republican opposition has doubled.
These figures give Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of +6, his lowest rating to date (see trends). The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates also available on Twitter. [emphasis mine]
And, for those who voted for The Big Zero, here it is in a picture.
He had put clearly great thought into giving the U.S. President lavish gifts to signify Britain's 'special relationship' with the U.S.
During his historic trip to Washington, Gordon Brown gave Barack Obama an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet - once called HMS President.
The unique present delighted Mr Obama because oak from the Gannet's sister ship, HMS Resolute, was carved to make a desk that already takes place in the Oval Office in the White House, after being presented by Britain to the US in 1880.
The Prime Minister went to the trouble of hunting down the perfect gift after becoming the first European leader invited to the White House by the new Commander In Chief.
So far, so good. And then comes the embarrassment.
So it would be perfectly understandable if Mr Brown felt a little underwhelmed at the official gift he received in return.
For despite being leader of the world's most bountiful nation, President Obama handed over nothing more thought-provoking than 25 classic American films on DVD.
...
Despite being a 'special collector's box set', any film buff could have picked up the movies from their local video store for just £250.
Can you believe that? The Big Zero bought the Prime Minister of our most trusted ally a boxed set of DVDs. He's the epitome of cluelessness.
I wonder if he'll brag about buying them from Amazon with his Blackberry.
At a news conference in Chicago, Obama said he had spoken with all the living presidents as he prepares to take office in January. Then he smiled and said, "I didn't want to get into a Nancy Reagan thing about doing any seances."
The 87-year-old former first lady had consulted with astrologers during her husband's presidency. But she did not hold conversations with the dead.
Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said the president-elect later called Mrs. Reagan "to apologize for the careless and offhanded remark." She said Obama "expressed his admiration and affection for Mrs. Reagan that so many Americans share, and they had a warm conversation."
The Big Zero, of course, was confusing Mrs. Reagan with Her Vileness, Mrs. Clinton, who sought to communicate with Eleanor Roosevelt.
Can it really be true? Have Americans become so utterly stupid as to vote into office an unexamined, unaccomplished, inexperienced, unqualified socialist as their chief executive? Apparently so.
Part of me wants to not care, to just watch the repugnance spread and corrode our society. To have He-whose-middle-name-must-not-be-spoken try to stand up his "National Civilian Security Force" and watch the ACLU debate itself on whether or not to try to stop it. Or to watch people like this:
Ha! This moron actually believes He-whose-middle-name-must-not-be-spoken will pay her gas bill and her house note for her. I'd love to see her face when she realizes that she'll actually pay more taxes. We can weather the economic misery that will come. We got through Carter, we can get through The Big Zero, even though this might be worse.
But the court appointments will truly harm our nation. It will take a generation, perhaps two, to right the coming wave of liberal judicial legislators The Big Zero will appoint to the courts, if it can ever be righted. And he will bring such loss of stature to our country. We will surrender to the terrorists. We will prostrate ourselves to any country with the slightest grievance. He will nationalize health care. We will follow the failed paths of so many nations seeking to become a nanny state for all.
It took a Carter to give us Reagan. Now we have something even worse than Carter. Start praying.
I'm a middle-aged, father of two, husband of one, conservative, Christian, white boy from the south - the only demographic against which discrimination and disparagement are not only encouraged but also expected. But I can take it. I am blessed to live in the most wonderful country on earth, and because of that I have opportunities too numerous to count.
The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do. Thomas Jefferson
Every immigrant makes America more American. You can't become an Englishman by going to live in England, or a Frenchman by going to live in France, but anyone can become an American. Ronald Reagan
Our destruction, should it come at all, will be from another quarter. From the inattention of the people to the concerns of their government. Daniel Webster
While capitalism and socialism exist side by side, they cannot live in peace. One or the other will triumph — a funeral dirge will be sung over the Soviet Republic or over world capitalism. Lenin, On Peaceful Coexistence, 1920
The family, however, has to be a sacred unity believing in the permanence of what it teaches, if its ritual and ceremony are to express and transmit the wonder of the moral law, which it alone is capable of transmitting and which makes it special in a world devoted to the humanly, all too humanly, useful. When that belief disappears, as it has, the family has, at best, a transitory togetherness. Allan Bloom, The Closing of the American Mind, page 57, 1987
It is a paradoxical truth that tax rates are too high and tax revenues are too low and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the rates now ... Cutting taxes now is not to incur a budget deficit, but to achieve the more prosperous, expanding economy which can bring a budget surplus. John F. Kennedy
We live in an age of science and of abounding accumulation of material things. These did not create our Declaration. Our Declaration created them. The things of the spirit come first. Unless we cling to that, all our national prosperity, overwhelming though it may appear, will turn to a barren sceptre in our grasp. If we are to maintain the great heritage which has been bequeathed to us, we must be like-minded as the fathers who created it. We must not sink into a pagan materialism. We must cultivate the reverence they had for the things that are holy. Calvin Coolidge
The issue as regards judicial activism is not whether there shall be "change” since no one is against generic "change" but who shall wield the enormous power of prescribing the particular nature and direction of change and by whose authorization? More specifically, shall it be done openly by officials assigned this task by the Constitution and responsible to the voters, or shall it be done furtively by unelected judges using verbal sleight-of-hand to attribute to the Constitution things that the Constitution never said? The issue is preemption of power, not "change." Thomas Sowell, The Vision of the Anointed, page 230, 1995
America, is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within. Joseph Stalin
Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great Pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and citizens. George Washington, Farewell Address
This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. I make such material available in my efforts to advance understanding of political, human rights, economic, democracy, and social justice issues, etc. I believe this constitutes a "fair use" of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research, educational, or satirical purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond "fair use", you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
FOR THE LAWYERS
Mr. Light Bulb produces this blog as a citizen, exercising his Constitutional right to free political speech. The opinions expressed by Mr. Light Bulb and those providing comments are theirs alone and do not reflect the opinions of Google or any employee thereof. Google is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information provided on The Light Bulb.
DISCLAIMER: Please read all instructions and warnings before use. Must be 18 years of age or older to proceed further. Enter at your own risk. Hostess will seat you. Trucks over 4 tons excluded. Void where prohibited by law. Some assembly required. Batteries not included. Contents may settle during shipment. Use only as directed. Do not play with matches. We make no other warranties, expressed or implied. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. This is not an attorney advertisement or referal service. No user-serviceable parts inside. Website contains small parts and is not intended for use by children under the age of eighteen. Void where prohibited, taxed, or otherwise restricted. Caveat emptor. Provided "as-is" without warranty. Reader assumes full responsibility. We are an equal opportunity employer. No shoes, no shirt, no service. Quantities are limited while supplies last. Read at your own risk. No animals were harmed in the preparation of this web site; only humans. This web page contains no CFCs. Discontinue use if nausea or dizziness occurs. Use only in a well-ventilated area. Keep away from fire or flames. No soliciting. Action figures sold separately. No preservatives added. Some equipment shown is optional. Price does not include tax. Do not remove any HTML tags under penalty of law. Your mileage may vary. All rights reserved. . Smoking could be hazardous to your health. Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide. Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema. Actual cash value of this website is 1/1000th of a cent. Listen to your mom. Eat your veggies. Wear your seatbelt. Don't take candy from strangers... or strange people... or anyone really. Terms are subject to change without notice. All decisions are final! This supersedes all previous notices.
Disclaimer does not cover misuse, accident, lightning, flood, tornado, tsunami, volcanic eruption, earthquake, hurricanes, or other acts of God, neglect, damage from improper use, incorrect line voltage, unauthorized use, unauthorized repair, improper installation, typos, broken antenna or marred cabinet, missing or altered serial numbers, electromagnetic radiation from nuclear blasts, sonic boom vibrations, customer adjustments that are not covered in this list, and incidents owing to an airplane crash, ship sinking or taking on water, motor vehicle crashing, dropping the item, falling rocks, leaky roof, broken glass, disk failure, accidental file deletions, mud slides, forest fire, hitting of a deer, milk coming out of your nose due to laughing while drinking, or projectiles, which can include, but are not limited to, arrows, bullet shots, BBs, shrapnel, lasers, napalm, torpedoes, emissions of X-rays, Alpha, Beta and Gamma rays, knives, stones, etc.
ABOUT ME
