We Need a Scapegoat

by Madeleine Kando

There is an article in the Sunday New York Times by Drew Western entitled ‘What Happened to Obama?’, in which he accuses the President of being weak and too compromising. He blames him for not having provided the public with a narrative and leadership that they expected from someone they had such high hopes for.

All the things that Obama did: stimulus package, health care reform, credit card reform, bailing out the banks and more, was never explained to the voters. The stimulus package, which was too small to be effective, was perceived as the government, yet again, spending money we didn't have. The Health Care Bill was attacked so viciously by the opposition, including the fabricated 'Death Panels', that no one really understood the benefits of it.

The article goes on to describe Obama as an inexperienced, conflict averse, opportunist, whose policies are motivated by wanting to be re-elected.

Western compares him, unjustly in my view, to leaders like FDR whom the author idolizes. 'FDR had a clear vision where to take the country. He branded the depression as a Hoover depression. President Obama did not tell the story right' Western says. All the things that he is now blamed for: unemployment, economic crisis., are Bush creations, but he is too polite to put the blame where it belongs (my words).

Many of his speeches have contradictions. He is talking about supporting off-shore drilling in a 'climate change' speech.

'Most importantly, voters in the center want a President who shows strength. To satisfy both sides and thinking that that will make people in the middle happy is an illusion. Clinton was a centrist too, but he came across as strong. This president has blinked'. Western even goes as far as saying that President Obama is of the opinion that government is the problem, not the solution.

Ok. So what exactly is Obama blamed for? For not being born a salesman? I agree with that. He couldn't sell ME a pair of shoes even if he tried. But is it fair to blame him for the incredible hatred from the Republican Party for him? It is like blaming a rape victim for being raped.

I understand that most of us are looking for a scapegoat. That is the nature of the beast. When things get tough the tough start blaming. But is it going to change anything to blame Obama for a dysfunctional government? Does it make sense to take out your frustration on someone whose hands are tied behind his back?

When Obama tried to pass the health care bill, there was a lot of resistance to it both in the House and the Senate. But he did it. Did we already forget about that? He blinked a few times, yes. When he chose to extend the tax cut so that the unemployment benefits wouldn't be cut as a counter-measure. He blinked when the Republicans were willing to let the US default on its debt.

When you are hated so much by the opposition that nothing you do will ever change your opponents' hatred of you, do you really need to be hated by your 'friends' as well? leave comment here