I can hear the grumbling begin on the left. Why can’t their articulate messiah make progress on health care? Camille Paglia has a refreshingly honest article on Salon about the current president. Paglia isn’t about to turn on Obama. She spends the first paragraph reconfirming her love. Supposedly, “buffoonish Bush” damaged U.S. prestige and it will take years to repair. This is a common statement from the left. It’s built on this idea that in 2000 the United States was a prestigious and super-popular nation abroad. It’s a liberal fantasy, but I digress. Paglia’s frustration stems from Obama’s inability to lead on his domestic agenda.
Who would have thought that the sober, deliberative Barack Obama would have nothing to propose but vague and slippery promises — or that he would so easily cede the leadership clout of the executive branch to a chaotic, rapacious, solipsistic Congress?
I think a better question here is: Who can honestly be surprised that the president is struggling to lead? Obama may turn into a wonderful legislative leader, but he wasn’t one when he was elected and he clearly isn’t one now. From inauguration day the president has not laid out any specific plans on any issue. The president’s bipartisan approach is to smear the minority and give the Democrat leaders in Congress free rein to come up with the details.
There are something like five versions of the current health care reform bill in Congress and the president of the United States will endorse any of them. He doesn’t care; as long as it leads to the Utopia of the single-payer system, all will be well. The only thing Obama seems to endorse is the idea of health care “reform” that doesn’t really include any reform. Yesterday the White House held an orchestrated town hall event. What does that accomplish? Absolutely nothing.
Paglia even goes as far as to ask for Pelosi to step down. While I agree that Pelosi is a terrible Speaker and perhaps one of the worst of all time I don’t think that would be a game changer. The problem is Obama. He needs to take a stand on something. Not one of his speeches are memorable because he hasn’t said anything specific. This can only go on for so long.
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