Behind The Democratic Curve

That describes President Barack Obama.  The death of Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri presented him with another opportunity to stand for individual liberty and democracy or embarrass himself again, just as he did last time Iranians took to the streets.  Montazeri had been critical of the ruling mullahs, becoming a spiritual leader of the opposition.  News of his death "brought out tens to hundreds of thousands to Iran's religious capital of Qom."

Which brings us to President Obama. Throughout this turbulent year in Iran, the White House has been behind the democratic curve. When the demonstrations started, Mr. Obama abdicated his moral authority by refusing to take sides, while pushing ahead with plans to negotiate a grand diplomatic bargain with Mr. Ahmadinejad that trades recognition for suspending the nuclear program.

Mr. Obama has since moved at least to embrace "universal values," and in his Nobel address this month he mentioned the democracy protestors by name. The White House yesterday sent condolences to Montazeri's friends and family, which is what passes for democratic daring in this Administration.

Obama is not a champion of democracy, but a champion of power.  Every last thing he has done since inauguration has had the aim of increasing the reach and power of government, from bailouts that transferred ownership of auto companies to the government, to EPA's "endangerment finding" which confers administration power to regulate CO2 (what we exhale) as a pollutant, to health care reform which seeks to take control of one sixth of the US economy.

In Obama's view, it's the American people who stand in the way of progressive goals.  We are the ones who must be overcome.

Comments

[Lance T. Pfeifer]

"In Obama's view, it's the American people who stand in the way of progressive goals. We are the ones who must be overcome."

Well said Tom!