By Nelson Nix
When I met Barrack Obama, he was a senator in the Illinois Legislature. Although our meeting was one-on-one, he was a complete stranger about whose activities I knew nothing, even though I resided in his district.
Obama made political friendly small talk about local issues and I chose one as the basis for a discussion. Unlike most windy politicians who could speak for hours on most any topic, he was evasive. This triggered my training to ask more penetrating questions but this tactic soon led to his excusing himself, shaking hands and striding away. Strange, I thought then.
He made a good first impression but would not engage, so I was left to wonder about this slick talker in an ill-fitting suit. I tried later to learn more about this mysterious fellow but the web site was of little help.
OPINION: Where sails our ship of state?
Attempts to follow his achievements in the media were not fruitful as he was not deeply involved in the issues of the day and often only voted “present.” He next surfaced in the Illinois senatorial race. Some of his controversial background, lack of educational detail and thin work history did come to light, but it boiled down to having been a state legislator as well as a local attorney and community organizer.
The race was soon won after the opponent was forced off the ballot. And then came the autobiography that somehow became a best seller.
Next thing I knew, it was “Obama for President,” with a massive campaign run by someone else I had met, David Axelrod. It was a marvel of modern communications media usage and very effective at impressing students and raising funds from a variety of sources. The candidate made many sweeping promises and exhorted the expanded electorate to have hope for the future. He promised government transparency and change we can believe in.
The other side of the ballot bore the name of Senator John McCain. I had never met the senator but had often heard his views and also had a bit of character insight from my old friend, Lee Ellis. Lee had been the next-door neighbor of McCain during their long POW stay at the Hanoi Hilton. I suppose I identified with the former Navy officer a bit from my own days of living with fighter pilots.
So, with a couple of quivers of the pen in the voting booth, I went with McCain who had a long record of public service over the completely unknown but new and improved Obama who was being sold like packaged goods without an ingredients label. We’ll never know what McCain would have accomplished but we do know what President Obama did not.
Soon, I will see the Obama name on a ballot and will reflect once again. Perhaps with little or no work, military or management experience to draw upon, he seemed often to hesitate and even during a year with control of both Houses of Congress, had few initiatives except the frightening Obamacare. His key appointees were either Chicago politicians (his chief-of-staff became mayor and he was replaced by Mayor Daley’s brother) or a dubious array of others who often did not seem to fit responsibilities they were given.
The Chicago crowd characteristically pitched giveaway programs to influence votes and hooked up with the unions, practices that helped accelerate a fall to near bankruptcy for city and state back home. Meanwhile, neither his cabinet nor the phalanx of appointed czars brought compelling management experience to the table and without strong leadership and direction, they too, faltered.
Campaigning for reelection has been ceaseless with Air Force One flying like an airliner to campaign stops and vacation destinations. Lots of promises came such as the big one to cut the federal deficit in half but the inspiration soon changed to disappointment. Excuses for failure usually boiled down to rehashing problems inherited from the Bush administration. A second Obama term would be unable to use that one. What’s the new excuse?
“It’s unpatriotic,” said candidate Obama. Yet, during the Obama administration, in just over three years the national debt has soared to $16 trillion from the $9 trillion left by the first 42 presidents together. He and an errant Congress spend and spend on more and more entitlements and by cherry picking winners in industry that too often turn out to be losers.
Without good direction from the White House and Senate leadership, Congress sank into deadlock and then faded — eight legislative work days on the floors of Congress in the last 14 weeks. It is the least productive Congress in history. The nation too has been divided rather than united. And foreign relations have turned to apologies and excuses instead of conviction and action.
Without a united front in this age of instant communication around the globe, America is viewed as weak and indecisive and this emboldens enemies. Our allies fear we will not (or cannot) honor our commitments to defend common interests. The murder of our ambassador in Libya prompted a bewildering assortment of statements and the specter of our leader not at his post but hanging with Beyonce and Jay-Z.
Too busy to meet with the array of world leaders gathered at the UN, he chatted with Whoopi Goldberg on morning television. Business as usual — campaign continuously at all costs. By all accounts, the nation is in serious difficulty. And now, as the nation faces huge challenges around the world, what is the response?
It is leading from behind with more speeches given about moving forward, requests for a second chance and government giveaways to all who will accept them. But no jobs encouragement to restore self-respect, eliminate debilitating dependency and regain the prosperity we all enjoyed for so long.
I am under no illusions that anyone has a right to healthcare, a college education or even a job. I have worked and paid my way all my life. And I certainly do not wish to be a ward of the government waiting for my handout in return for blind allegiance. The healthcare industry envied around the world is coming unhinged and my long-term care insurance premium is increasing 50 percent, the third jump. Taxes are on the rise. More healthcare bombshells are waiting as healthcare laws no one read before adoption kick in after the election.
Time to turn the nation around is short. American exceptionalism our parents fought for is being mocked. Our international leadership position is threatened, ominous events around the world loom and our own borders are not secure. We are poised to reduce further our military to a level not seen in modern times just as belligerent world powers rapidly expand and we have no budget. A formidable military with a strong leader is essential to the survival of our republic (not a democracy).
Today that man I met in Chicago answers “present” at the helm of our ship of state but we are lost at sea after a four-year attempt to change critical parts of government, the economy and our very way of life. His crew and his course are destined to run America aground in a troubled world. And that is not where I want to be.
Nelson Nix is a retired marketing communications executive. A Commerce native and Commerce High School and University of Georgia graduate, he has lived in the Mid-West and on both coasts.
The race was soon won after the opponent was forced off the ballot. And then came the autobiography that somehow became a best seller.
Next thing I knew, it was “Obama for President,” with a massive campaign run by someone else I had met, David Axelrod. It was a marvel of modern communications media usage and very effective at impressing students and raising funds from a variety of sources. The candidate made many sweeping promises and exhorted the expanded electorate to have hope for the future. He promised government transparency and change we can believe in.
The other side of the ballot bore the name of Senator John McCain. I had never met the senator but had often heard his views and also had a bit of character insight from my old friend, Lee Ellis. Lee had been the next-door neighbor of McCain during their long POW stay at the Hanoi Hilton. I suppose I identified with the former Navy officer a bit from my own days of living with fighter pilots.
So, with a couple of quivers of the pen in the voting booth, I went with McCain who had a long record of public service over the completely unknown but new and improved Obama who was being sold like packaged goods without an ingredients label. We’ll never know what McCain would have accomplished but we do know what President Obama did not.
Soon, I will see the Obama name on a ballot and will reflect once again. Perhaps with little or no work, military or management experience to draw upon, he seemed often to hesitate and even during a year with control of both Houses of Congress, had few initiatives except the frightening Obamacare. His key appointees were either Chicago politicians (his chief-of-staff became mayor and he was replaced by Mayor Daley’s brother) or a dubious array of others who often did not seem to fit responsibilities they were given.
The Chicago crowd characteristically pitched giveaway programs to influence votes and hooked up with the unions, practices that helped accelerate a fall to near bankruptcy for city and state back home. Meanwhile, neither his cabinet nor the phalanx of appointed czars brought compelling management experience to the table and without strong leadership and direction, they too, faltered.
Campaigning for reelection has been ceaseless with Air Force One flying like an airliner to campaign stops and vacation destinations. Lots of promises came such as the big one to cut the federal deficit in half but the inspiration soon changed to disappointment. Excuses for failure usually boiled down to rehashing problems inherited from the Bush administration. A second Obama term would be unable to use that one. What’s the new excuse?
“It’s unpatriotic,” said candidate Obama. Yet, during the Obama administration, in just over three years the national debt has soared to $16 trillion from the $9 trillion left by the first 42 presidents together. He and an errant Congress spend and spend on more and more entitlements and by cherry picking winners in industry that too often turn out to be losers.
Without good direction from the White House and Senate leadership, Congress sank into deadlock and then faded — eight legislative work days on the floors of Congress in the last 14 weeks. It is the least productive Congress in history. The nation too has been divided rather than united. And foreign relations have turned to apologies and excuses instead of conviction and action.
Without a united front in this age of instant communication around the globe, America is viewed as weak and indecisive and this emboldens enemies. Our allies fear we will not (or cannot) honor our commitments to defend common interests. The murder of our ambassador in Libya prompted a bewildering assortment of statements and the specter of our leader not at his post but hanging with Beyonce and Jay-Z.
Too busy to meet with the array of world leaders gathered at the UN, he chatted with Whoopi Goldberg on morning television. Business as usual — campaign continuously at all costs. By all accounts, the nation is in serious difficulty. And now, as the nation faces huge challenges around the world, what is the response?
It is leading from behind with more speeches given about moving forward, requests for a second chance and government giveaways to all who will accept them. But no jobs encouragement to restore self-respect, eliminate debilitating dependency and regain the prosperity we all enjoyed for so long.
I am under no illusions that anyone has a right to healthcare, a college education or even a job. I have worked and paid my way all my life. And I certainly do not wish to be a ward of the government waiting for my handout in return for blind allegiance. The healthcare industry envied around the world is coming unhinged and my long-term care insurance premium is increasing 50 percent, the third jump. Taxes are on the rise. More healthcare bombshells are waiting as healthcare laws no one read before adoption kick in after the election.
Time to turn the nation around is short. American exceptionalism our parents fought for is being mocked. Our international leadership position is threatened, ominous events around the world loom and our own borders are not secure. We are poised to reduce further our military to a level not seen in modern times just as belligerent world powers rapidly expand and we have no budget. A formidable military with a strong leader is essential to the survival of our republic (not a democracy).
Today that man I met in Chicago answers “present” at the helm of our ship of state but we are lost at sea after a four-year attempt to change critical parts of government, the economy and our very way of life. His crew and his course are destined to run America aground in a troubled world. And that is not where I want to be.
Nelson Nix is a retired marketing communications executive. A Commerce native and Commerce High School and University of Georgia graduate, he has lived in the Mid-West and on both coasts.
Tell me more about this alleged "American exceptionalism." Perhaps this long recession has made Americans realize we aren't better than anyone else. If by exceptionalism you mean a history of racism, of xenophobia, of neoliberal policies, and a general lack of concern for the average person, then I think you should call into question whether this is the type of nation we want. Furthermore, we have never been able to get out from under Reagan's huge tax cuts to the wealthy, increased military spending, and increased Medicare coverage. The national debt is from social security, Medicare and medicaid, and defense. Romney wants to increase medicare and defense spending while cutting taxes-how will that be possible? If the U. S. didn't have the broken healthcare system that we do, these costs wouldn't be so high. There is no way a doctor's visit costs as much as it does-but it's the insurance companies that set the prices. As far as America as an international leader-do you mean a bully? We have to worry about 'borders' and defense because we've pissed off so many people. I'm assuming the 'border' you speak of is the U.S. Mexico border. It costs about $16million/mile to build a 'fence' or wall. The threat to America is not from our neighbors to the South. You condemn Obama for hanging with black celebrities-but Bush's BFFs on Sept 11 were the Saudi princes. It's big business that has been allowed to run amok that is hurting our country more than anything.