Thursday, November 7, 2013

Obama's Tangled Web of Deceit

President Obama should brush up on Sir Walter Scott.

In Scott’s poem Marmion he would find a sentence that describes his current predicament:

Oh, what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive.

Obama lied to the American people about the consequences of Obamacare. He lied in order to manipulate their minds and to defraud them… all for their own good.

Having been caught in a lie, Obama is now doubling down on the deception.

His flunkies and satraps are valiantly trying to defend the new gloss on thes old lie, but former Clinton consigliore Lanny Davis is surely correct when he advises Obama to come clean, to admit his mistake, and to move on.

Peter Wehner provides an excellent account of the last few week of the Obama presidency. Some of us thought that the illusion of Obama's competence had dissipated during Obama’s first presidential debate with Mitt Romney. We were overly optimistic.

Now, it looks like America is learning the hard way that it has been duped and defrauded.

Wehner writes:

The last six weeks have been brutal ones for the Obama presidency. And I’m guessing that the damage that’s been inflicted will not be transitory. All the failures surrounding the Affordable Care Act–from the disastrous rollout of the federal health-care exchanges, to sticker shock surrounding premiums and deductibles, to the jolting realization that millions of people are now being forced out of health-care plans they like (with millions more to follow)–has likely left an indelible mark of incompetence on Mr. Obama. He looks like nothing so much as a community organizer who is totally overmatched by events.

That would be injurious enough. But now you can add to the mix the shattering of Mr. Obama’s credibility; the belief among a growing number of his fellow citizens that he cannot be trusted, that he will corrupt words in order to advance his ways. Those character defects would be troubling enough in, say, a state senator. They are much more problematic to find in an American president. It’s all very discouraging.

Mary McCarthy once said of the playwright Lillian Hellman, “[E]very word she writes is a lie, including `and’ and `the.’” Mr. Obama isn’t at that point yet. But he’s closer than he thinks. And unless he puts an end to his multiplying deceptions, Barack Obama’s presidency will not only lie in ruins; his reputation will as well.


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's been brutal in the same way when all the faux scandals erupted all at once last summer--the IRS, AP, etc. In other words, they all went nowhere and ended up not sticking to him and not affecting him.

The election results were very positive for Obama and for Democrats. There was no big backlash--except against Republicans.

It's all wishful thinking on the part of conservatives. Outside your bubble, Obama is doing just fine.

Stuart Schneiderman said...

Except that his approval ratings have fallen to 39-40%. The Obamacare fiasco is different because it touches so many people in their everyday lives. Most of the other scandals did not.

It does not mean that he might not recover. After all, he has been counted out before.

Anonymous said...

If anyone is in a bubble it is the Obama White House desperately trying to keep his health monstrosity afloat. Have you watched Jay Carney's performances recently?

The "faux" scandals - the IRS, Benghazi etc, are all real. A compliant media was more than happy to obscure them for the Anointed One, but they can no longer do this for Obamacare and maintain a shred of credibility.

The election results were clearly not disastrous for the Democrats, but the close result in Virginia (projected to be a blowout)reinforced Dem fears about O'Care. Hence, the hasty meeting at the WH yesterday with fearful Democrats in vulnerable seats. They know things are only going to get worse. Just watch what Landrieu, Pryor, Hagen, and Begich are doing - distancing themselves from O'care as fast as they can. They know which way the winds are blowing.

Obama is deeply politically compromised. He has reaped what he sowed with his lies and a boatload of delusional supporters will not save him. As Stuart pointed out, it is rather ridiculous to claim that he is "doing just fine" with a 39% approval number.

Soviet of Washington said...

The big Kahuna is likely to be O-care's effect on employer plans. Without further extension of the employer mandate, how many plans will un-grandfather-out in 2015? Unknown, but not likely de minimis. If my (large non-union) employer is typical, we do open enrollment in mid-to-late October. A cancellation notice will focus the mind of most every voter.

Another issue lurking in the weeds is the ongoing network restriction. You may keep your prepaid medical care...err, medical insurance, but if you have to change long-term doctors that's likely to rile the body politic as well.

Anonymous said...

We'll see, won't we? You have been crying wolf on Obama every few months. Hasn't gone anywhere yet, however you and the rest of the Fox world wants to believe it will. Everything is always the next Amrmageddon that's going to sink the ship. But...it doesn't.

Oh, those ratings--the people were just telling the interviewer what he or she wanted to hear.

n.n said...

He will be appointed... I mean elected to a third term. There are too many people with an interest in preserving and exploiting the status quo.

Anyway, sacrifice your child's life to earn his favor. Obama desires that your be relieved of your burdens, and wishes you to remain available for progressive taxation, sexual liberation, and democratic leverage.

Dennis said...

Someone would not be trying to dissemble so much if Obama was actually doing well. The only thing keeping Obama afloat is a Republican party that has spent way too much time in DC and become part of the system instead of representing their constituencies. Remove McConnel, McCain and Graham and the Republicans would be well on their way to winning.
I am always amazed at this belief in a fait accompli and an acceptance of the status quo when taking the time to use the advantages that are there and changing the dynamic that exists is in one's grasp if only and emphasis is put on thinking and appealing to the better sense of the American people. The Left only represents, at most 20 percent and that percent can be iso;aged. The battle is won in small skirmishes that can be won at the local level and used to win at each succeeding level.
One cannot win unless one does something to be positive about their situation and utilize those positives.
As long as one acts like a loser one is a loser. There is not a one of you, excepting the "koolaid
drinker," that doesn't possess the skills to make it happen. Complaining solves nothing. We are much stronger than one would think. That is why the opposition is spending so much time trying to dishearten us. Look globally , the down state wins of Republicans, the great number of Republican governors, et al. A house is built from the bottom up. I NEVER give up. When one spends so much time waiting for the storm one does not take time to enjoy the sunshine.

Dennis said...

A little levity:

http://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/690/3289/original.jpg

Courtesy of nixiepixie