OPINION:
To date, all of the Obama administration’s attempts to create jobs have failed. The claim that their actions saved millions of jobs is safe enough to make because it cannot be challenged with verifiable economic statistics. Thus, their guess is as good as anybody’s.
Mr. Obama has without exception supported legislative and other initiatives that were demonstratively rejected by significant majorities of Americans (health care, “cap-and-trade,” wild overspending, suing Arizona for daring to defend itself, supporting the Ground Zero Mosque). Why does Mr. Obama continue to push an agenda that is not supported by mainstream America? He is a prisoner of his own far-left ideology. Because of his life-long belief in the redistribution of wealth, collective salvation and the need for America to atone for its sins, he cannot compromise, move to the center or try other approaches - like reducing taxes - as past administrations have done when they have realized their policies were failing.
Mr. Obama is not a traditional politician in the mold of former President Bill Clinton. He does not develop his initiatives to enhance his political future or even the future of his party. What he really wants is to change this country fundamentally, and he will pay only lip service to traditional American values when he thinks doing so is necessary to keep or gain the power to push forward his agenda. He counts on the support of those who will believe what he says without bothering to pay attention to what he does.
If the right gains control of the House this November, we can expect two years of gridlock. The House will refuse to fund Mr. Obama’s programs, while either the Senate or Mr. Obama’s veto will defeat all attempts to roll back programs or enact conservative legislation. What happens in 2012 will depend on who gets the most blame for this gridlock. The Republican leadership must develop a strategy to continuously inform America about what it is doing and why. It cannot wait to do this just before the 2012 election; the campaign for 2012 begins in December 2010.
ROBERT A. WOLPERT
Fairfax, Va.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.