Obama takes the Eisenhower approach
The intent of the late Mr. Buckley's missive was to explain why the Republican Party had selected a "non-ideological (and therefore liberal-by-default) leader," John O'Sullivan wrote in the March 24, 2008 National Review farewell tribute to WFB.
"The Eisenhower approach," Buckley said, "was designed not to solve problems, but to refuse, essentially, to recognize that problems exist; and so, to ignore them."
Today's comparisons of the Barack Obama presidency to the Jimmy Carter presidency notwithstanding, I am convinced that Obama is following the Eisenhower presidency – certainly not as a general rule – but specifically as described by William F. Buckley.
(As a general rule, about the only thing Obama and liberals like about Ike is his "beware the military-industrial complex" quote. Aside from that, the liberals hated Ike just as much as any other Republican president.)[[In-content Ad]]
Consider:
Obama's approach has been to refuse, essentially, to recognize that the following problems exist; and so, to ignore them.
• The Southern U.S. border, where millions of undocumented illegal aliens have invaded (yes, invaded) the nation.
• The Sept. 11, 2012 terrorist attacks against the U.S. in Benghazi.
• The IRS scandal and coverup that grows more and more preposterous with each new report.
• Countless constitutional violations and abuses of executive privilege.
• An inept foreign policy that suggests rogue terrorists and hostile countries are free to advance on weaker neighbors.
To date, Obama has, essentially, ignored each of these significant and alarming matters. For these reasons and others, I can't help but believe the Great One read the 2008 edition of National Review and decided to take the Eisenhower approach.
Ike liked golf, too. Keep 'em in the fairway, Barry.
* * *
My friend Jim Thompson sent a column to me this week that one – or both – of us simply must share.
Perhaps some of you have already read this one. Perhaps not. In the case of the latter, let's not take any chances.
The apparent author is Junius P. Long and I did find the column published online in the the Montgomery County (Texas) News, which bills itself as Montgomery County's Only Locally Owned Newspaper. (Where have we heard that before?)
The MCN website link to Mr. Long's words of wisdom is available at: http://montgomerycountynews.net/comments-according-to-docyou-might-live-in-a-country-p742-92.htm.
For those less inclined to look 'em up, here goes:
Food For Thought
By Junius P. Long
If you can get arrested for hunting or fishing without a license, but not for being in the country illegally, you live in a country run by idiots.
If you have to get your parents' permission to go on a field trip or take an aspirin in school, but not to get an abortion, you live in a country run by idiots.
If you have to show identification to board an airplane, cash a check, buy liquor or check out a library book, but not to vote on who runs the government, you live in a country run by idiots.
If the government wants to ban stable, law-abiding citizens from owning gun magazines with more than ten rounds, but gives 20 F-16 fighter jets to the crazy leaders in Egypt, you live in a country run by idiots.
If, in the largest city, you can buy two 16-ounce sodas, but not a 24-ounce soda because 24 ounces of a sugary drink might make you fat, you live in a country run by idiots.
If an 80-year-old woman can be stripped searched by the TSA but a woman in a hijab is only subject to having her neck and head searched, you live in a country run by idiots.
If your government believes that the best way to eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions more, you live in a country run by idiots.
If a 7-year-old boy can be thrown out of grade school for saying his teacher is "cute," but hosting a sexual exploration or diversity class in grade school is perfectly acceptable, you live in a country run by idiots.
If hard work and success are met with higher taxes and more government intrusion, while not working is rewarded with EBT cards, WIC checks, Medicaid, subsidized housing and free cell phones, you live in a country run by idiots.
If the government's plan for getting people back to work is to incentivize NOT working, with 99 weeks of unemployment checks and no requirement to prove they applied but can't find work, you live in a country run by idiots.
If being stripped of the ability to defend yourself makes you more "safe" according to the government, you live in a country run by idiots.
Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.