There are now so many serious Obama administration
scandals in front of the American public that it is, for
the moment, difficult to assess their full impact.
I am reluctant to make final judgments until more of the
facts are known, but since the Obama administration
has conceded that most of the allegations of wrongdoing
are true, there can be no reasonable question that the
political damage, not to mention the damage to the
credibility of government itself, will be enormous.
Typical of Mr. Obama’s stewardship of the White House
and the executive branch, we are now engulfed with
finger-pointing to minor officials, laughable rationalizations,
virtual total avoidance of responsibility, and a dismissive
tone about some of the most serious breaches of federal
intrusion on the citizenry in memory. It would appear that
Mr. Obama and his associates regard much of the U.S.
constitution as an “impediment” to running the country.
Among the charges in just one scandal, the IRS intimidation
of conservative organizations and individuals, is the allegation
that information obtained by the IRS was, in turn, used against
the 2012 Romney campaign. That is not yet proven, but if it is,
that allegation alone raises the case to the level of Watergate
(when President Nixon attempted to obtain information to be
used against his Democratic opponent in the 1972 presidential
election).
But that seems to be only the tip of the iceberg. Singling out
conservative organizations and others potentially hostile to
the Obama administration, while ignoring any improprieties
of liberal organizations and other friends of the president,
represents a naked attempt at imposing illegal and totalitarian
government. (As noted, it was a Republican president, Richard
Nixon, who brought us the scandal of Watergate. Malfeasance
in office is not something which happens with only one
political party.)
But the IRS scandal is only one of many now before us. In the
case of the tragedy in Benghazi, the administration has been
accused of a massive cover-up directly related to helping
President Obama’s re-election in 2012. Testimony in recent
hearings by diplomats and public officials with first-hand
information about Benghazi directly contradict the
administration’s explanation of events. Both President Obama
and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have adamantly
denied responsibility for what happened in Benghazi. The
testimony of those present and involved so far indicate they
are not telling the truth.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
has been attempting to induce private donors, including
large insurance companies, to pay for part of the
establishment of Obamacare (which the Congress has
deliberately refused to pay for). Newt Gingrich has described
her actions as a “shakedown” of the private healthcare
industry. He also points out that one has to go back to the
notorious administration of Warren Harding for something even
similar. Her actions would appear on their face to be close to a
blunt form of illegal intimidation by the federal government.
As if the above were not enough, it has been admitted by the
administration that it placed wiretaps on the Associated Press
(AP), presumably in order to track down “leaks” of a political
nature. What makes this so remarkable and devastating is
that AP is part of the Old Media establishment which has been
so favorable to Mr. Obama for the past five years, so uncritical
of him while at the same time so critical of his opponents.
However despicable it is for a government to use its power
to go after its political “enemies,” it is bewildering to
observe a government to go after its “friends” in the media.
(It is important to remember that these wiretaps are not
allegations, they have been admitted to by the Obama
administration.)
Those are the four major scandals unfolding in front of the
American public at this time, but there is at least one more
major scandal soon to come to light. This is the scandal of
Obamacare itself, its full regulatory details, its true insurance
costs to individual Americans, and its ultimately “scandalous”
future impact on an already struggling economy.
Although Watergate rightly aroused profound anger, and by
both Democrats and Republicans, it might prove ultimately
an “amateur” government trespass compared to what has
already occurred, and is even now occurring, under the
administration of President Obama.
“Obamaismo” is no longer sitting safely on its “royal” wall.
All “King” Obama’s (media) horses, and all the king’s men
might not be able to put this administration back together
again.
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Copyright (c) 2013 by Barry Casselman. All rights reserved.
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