The Obama "Chaff" Effect
Chaff, a WW II developed radar countermeasure in which aircraft spread a cluster of metallic fibers to mask or diffuse themselves from effective countermeasures.
By both design and circumstances, the Obama administration has initiated or become involved in so many significant, or potentially significant issues, that like a jet fighter wing with chaff defenses, it's almost impossible for an adversary, let alone the general public, to spot and track the main targets.
With the latest piece of "chaff" being Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, the Republicans are struggling in keeping up with effective responses to all the Democrat initiatives and issues.
At last count all the following significant issues seemed to be concurrently in play:
- TARP
- The Auto Bailouts
- Government ownership of the Auto Companies
- The Bank Bailouts
- Government ownership of the Banks
- The Stimulus Bill
- Mortgage Bailouts
- Health Care Legislation
- A Value Added Tax (VAT) to pay for it
- Funding $100 Billion in payments to the World Bank
- A tax on worker's medical benefits
- Energy Policies and Carbon Taxes
- Afghanistan escalation
- Iraq troop withdrawal
- China's Fiscal relationship
- China Military Buildup "threat"
- North Korea's Nuclear Bomb and Missie Tests
- Iran's Nuclear Weapon Development
- Russia's continued push to re-assert authority in Europe
- Russia's push to initiate trouble in South America
- Immigration
- Continued Job loses
- Decreased Tax Revenues
- Enhanced "Torture" Interrogation Techniques and criminalizing the people who approved them
- Closing "Gitmo"
- Allowing Gay's to serve openly in the Military
- CIA "lied" to Congress (and Madam Pellosi)
- The Census and statistical "adjustment"
- The "Fairness" Doctrine
- Bailing out the state budgets
- The new SCOTUS nominee Ms. Sotomayor
With all these issue in play, there aren't enough hours in the average citizen's day to effectively prioritize, let alone stay on top of them all. The Republicans, given that they're effectively leaderless, are like the Keystone Kops trying to put out a fire.
To be fair to the Republicans, and actually all the rest of us who are struggling to stay abreast of all the issues, the one element of our society that really isn't doing it's job and holding the government's feet to the fire....is the press.
There are enough issues here that need to be independantly, and thoroughly researched, evaluated and reported on, that the media could break the bank on if they'd only do their job. Unfortunately, they've really taken the term the "4th Estate" to heart, and they just think that they're another part of the Obama Administration. Whatever tune the White House plays, they hum along. And that's why they're dying (oh, that should be item # 32, Newspaper Bailout).
Every reporter should be working hard to make elected officials uncomfortable to be in their presence. Instead, our "journalists" get shiver's up their legs when they come into contact with our Public "Servants".
It's time to change that.....
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