President’s First Year Culminates with the Christmas 2009 Terror Attack on Northwest Airlines

It has been almost three weeks since the Terrorist attack of Northwest Flight 253. Yes I said attack; although unsuccessful it was an attack none the less.

Not too long ago I asked if political correctness had gone too far? Regardless how you may have answered that question, when political correctness determines how this country deals with terror threats (this bomber, or the Fort Hood shooter) then it has gone TOO FAR!

I have been involved in various political campaigns, as the candidate, advisor, manager, etc.; I was even a member of a county political party Executive Committee. I mention my political background just to give a perspective for the following thoughts.

I am sick and tired of people using any “screw ups” with the “system” in detecting and deterring the Christmas Day attack to achieve and advance their political agenda. One side criticizes the Administration about the failures, then the other feels they have to respond by criticizing The Bush Administration (or claim that Bush handled similar situations the same way). Those that have, and are still doing this have convinced me that the President is wrong to order Guantanamo Detention facility closed. We should house these people at Guantanamo; they are posing almost as dangerous a threat to the United States as the current detainees.

One proverbial line that should never be crossed is when it comes to the lives of American, and other citizens traveling to (or within) the United States. Whoever crosses that line should be thrown out of office, regardless of political affiliation and allegiances. Allegiance should always be to the Republic before politics.

I was also upset at members of the Administration when they went on the talk and commentary programs and tried to down play and minimize what had occurred. You have to give it to President Obama’s advisors, they ran a fantastic campaign. Unfortunately the past year, and the response to this incident in particular, have demonstrated that they haven’t been able to transition from running a campaign to governing. They also need to realize, and soon, that they aren’t running a community organization in Cook County Illinois, nor are they running a state senator’s office, THEY ARE ASSISTING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN MAINTAINING THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THIS GREAT REPUBLIC.

It doesn’t bother me that President Obama didn’t address the nation until Tuesday, what irritates me is what was occurring during that time. Was it the result of being naïve as to the awesome responsibilities of the Executive Branch and of the citizenry’s expectations, or was it arrogance (the result of positive poll numbers for so long)?

Common sense should have told DHS Secretary Napolitano that the system didn’t work and to try and ease fears by saying otherwise would only anger people and cause them to doubt her fitness to serve as DHS Secretary. Americans were concerned, worried, and even scared for their safety and releasing pictures and video of President Obama playing golf gave the impression that he either didn’t care or was out of touch with the severity of the situation. If the goal was to reassure the public that they need not be afraid the White House Communications Office should have been putting out photos each day of President Obama receiving his daily intelligence briefing(s), or photos of him on the phone. Even if the briefings or phone calls were not about the attempted attack it would have reassured people that he had their safety as his primary concern. It would not have given critics the opportunity to use the golf pictures as a way of demonstrating the President is an elitist that is out of touch with, or just doesn’t care about “the average American” or “Joe the Plumber.”

In a week it will be a year since the inauguration, a year for the President’s advisors to adjust to government at a national level, a year to adjust their way of thinking and consider the welfare of the “whole” instead of the candidate. A few years (in some cases months) no one will remember who the advisors are; President Obama will be a part of history forever. If these advisors care about the President as much as they claim then they better realize that their action or inactions will be the “benchmark” by which the Obama Administration and ultimately President Obama will be judged and critiqued. They also need to remember that their true boss does not reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave; their true boss resides on “Main Street”.

Although I was impressed with Candidate Obama, I didn’t agree with a lot of the philosophies and goals he was talking about during the campaign. Once he was elected I decided to support my president, because he is my president, and because if the president fails the country will suffer.

Stop campaigning, stop polling, stop blaming everything on the previous administration, start governing, start doing what is right (as in correct not political leaning)!!!!!!!!!

That’s My Opinion, What’s Yours