Obama watching - early days
There are parallel and potentially competing story lines developing, with different constituencies. One line sees Obama struggling against the residual encumbrances of Bushgov, in which he might fail. The other story line sees Obama as simply a piece in the ongoing erosion of representative democracy in America. Obama himself is sending out mixed messages.
For instance, why is it necessary that "extraordinary rendition", a nefarious totalitarian practice, be retained in Obama's arsenal?
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-rendition1-2009feb01,0,4661244.story
The Europeans don't seem to need it. Does it go back to "911 changed everything", and that American lives and America’s "right" to be free from terror attacks are paramount to others in the world, including the Europeans?
Sometimes I just get the feeling Obama is trying to be too cute by half. It has long been my feeling that a statesman (not a politician) could succeed wildly by following ethical instincts. Now that may be a foolish assumption, probably is. But the more deviations a politician makes (in this case Obama in his new role, clean slate potentially) from the ethical, the harder it is to come back, to kick the habit. Like the little white lies the alcoholic starts with to cover his addiction that eventually come to define and control his every move.
For instance, why is it necessary that "extraordinary rendition", a nefarious totalitarian practice, be retained in Obama's arsenal?
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-rendition1-2009feb01,0,4661244.story
The Europeans don't seem to need it. Does it go back to "911 changed everything", and that American lives and America’s "right" to be free from terror attacks are paramount to others in the world, including the Europeans?
Sometimes I just get the feeling Obama is trying to be too cute by half. It has long been my feeling that a statesman (not a politician) could succeed wildly by following ethical instincts. Now that may be a foolish assumption, probably is. But the more deviations a politician makes (in this case Obama in his new role, clean slate potentially) from the ethical, the harder it is to come back, to kick the habit. Like the little white lies the alcoholic starts with to cover his addiction that eventually come to define and control his every move.
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