Political Feud in the Media

I’ve noticed lately that political coverage in the media has been reporting more like celebrity gossip. Maybe that is because a well known reality television star by the name of Donald Trump has entered the arena. What we’ve been seeing is Donald Trump and President Obama being pitted against each other in a political feud.

Sure, we know Trump is an outspoken individual and has publicized his political views in the past, but his recent actions are coming across as someone competing for the title of CEO of America. Although Trump has not confirmed any intentions of running in the 2012 presidential election, there is speculation that his name may be on the ballot.

I think Trump is either very politically involved or he’s setting the foundation for a long term goal by winning supporters. The first is a given, so I’m going to go with the latter. Every potential candidate in any major election usually tests the waters before jumping in and Trump is no exception. He’s been taking jabs at Obama and offering solutions to significant issues concerning the welfare of our country. Trump has called Obama out on several occasions by questioning his education at Harvard and pushing for the release of his long form birth certificate. Other issues Trump has addressed include the national deficit, taxes, and gas prices.

Obama isn’t taking all this sitting down. He’s put a label on the “birthers”, calling them “carnival barkers” and accepted the challenge by releasing his long form birth certificate in an attempt to make his opponents look foolish. His plan had an adverse affect as Trump claimed victory and took credit for accomplishing a task that has yet been achieved.

So why is Obama playing into all this hype surrounding Trump? It was a bit of a surprise to some and made headlines when Obama reciprocated in a press conference. Perhaps Obama perceives some sort of threat to his reelection and feels the need to clear the air regarding certain subjects. After all, there is an ample supply of critics and Republicans concocting formulas for his replacement. The current economic crisis and declining approval ratings for Obama is an invitation for low blows.

Trump is setting the stage by making promises of change, but Obama is quite familiar with that strategy. The only problem is, Americans have an inflated perception of presidential power and do not realize that the policies passed today will have little effect on tomorrow. Change takes time, but we need to follow through with our commitments and allow it to happen. History has it that when there is a change in political party, the incumbent usually wins the second term. The media should stop dramatizing the exchange of words and focus on the matters that are important.

Bad Example in Banking Industry

William, you are absolutely right about the government setting a bad example for future generations by bailing out the banks. They should be held responsible for their own actions. Many U.S. banks have taken advantage of people for long enough with their predatory lending practices, sub-prime loans, outrageous fees, and sky high interest rates. It’s just silly to think that the majority of people that are suffering from the actions of these irresponsible financial institutions are struggling working class Americans. The CEOs of these companies shouldn’t be given bonuses and seven figure checks. They should face consequences for ruining lives and bringing down the economy. Not to mention bankrupting entire corporations.

The money that the banks are getting are actually being created by the Federal Reserve, which is a large privately owned bank that loans out money to the government, who in turn lends it out to national and local banks. At the bottom of this hierarchy are individuals who borrow that money and are obligated to return the principal amount including interest. The interest that we pay on our debt is shared between the banks, the government, and the Federal Reserve.

In order for our society to function on an economic level, these loans need to be repaid. This is an endless cycle of debt that allows the wealthy few to profit leaving the rest of the population trying to make up for it.

Debt is a modern form of slavery where people are forced to work to pay off that debt. The people at the top of this food chain are the ones who created this game that we play. Therefore, they are the ones that decide when to change the rules or make some up as they go along. The whole objective is to keep people playing. 

Low Approval Ratings for Libyan Intervention

On March 19, 2011, Qaddafi’s regime attacked the Libyan city of Benghazi where thousands of civilians were in danger of being slaughtered. Libyan rebels defended the city in a bloody confrontation. In response to Qaddafi’s threat to his own people, U.S. military warplanes accompanied by allied nations were sent into Libya to take out Qaddafi’s defenses and disable his forces. This was achieved with no American casualties, no ground troops, and few civilian casualties. 

Although the mission seemed to be a success, a recent survey conducted by the Gallup Poll showed that the percentage of Americans who support U.S. military action in Libya ranks lowest compared to past U.S. military campaigns in four decades. The United States has a history of supporting countries that are undergoing uprisings. After all, Americans are the first to revolt against their own mother country. 

President Obama’s decision to intervene in Libya has resulted in much criticism from Congress and low approval ratings by Americans for U.S. military action has not helped the situation. The media is on top of all of this and there is no shortage of news coverage reflecting the disapproval by various organizations.

The Gallup Poll also showed that the approval rating for the war in Afghanistan ranked highest at 90%. This is because Americans felt a direct impact at home from the September 11^th attacks. Without the threat of imminent danger to our citizens, less people are willing to show support for war. Perhaps some people feel that we do not have a good enough reason to interfere overseas at this time.

The fact is, the United States has already stepped into the situation in Libya and we are not alone in our position on the matter. Diplomatic efforts by the President achieved no resolution and military force was the last resort. Instead of Congress bitterly complaining about how President Obama did not consult with them prior to the attacks, their time would be better spent focusing on where we go from here. Whenever a country is at war, it is critical to have the support of its people.