President Obama has been an inspirational figure for any generation. He has conducted his job without major gaffes for the public to see. He has not struck out harshly against his critics who have spewed vitriol against his ethnicity, nationality, and religion. His economic plan has not taken the idea of prosecuting bankers for their role in the financial meltdown to action. Fortunately, the bailouts of the auto industry and extensions of unemployment have kept income in many hands that would have been denied under a Republican led government. He remains a man that is favorable to many in our society.
Nevertheless, he is as blood thirsty as any other politicians we have had. The consistent drone attacks span from Somalia to Pakistan. He or anyone else cannot fully prove all the people we are killing are enemy combatants. Many of these killed were not identified and close to 200 victims have been children. Violating human rights to protect human rights does not sound very intelligent. He has pulled American soldiers from Iraq but the contractors are still there siphoning money from taxpayers. Afghanistan is just as arduous, if not more than; it was before he took office. The costs do not outweigh the benefits.
The biggest cost Obama has given us is the lack of civil liberties and whistleblower laws being respected. Private Bradley Manning and Thomas Drake are among the few who have stepped up to show the wrongs of our government. Drake told about the incessant waste of the NSA and the Obama administration response was to have an armed raid of his house and force his resignation. Manning is languishing in a jail cell with a President stating he is guilty in public before a trial has even taken place. No matter what ANY of us believe, you are innocent until proven guilty.
The Gitmo travesty is another failing of Obama’s perception of justice. Those men have families and most still have not heard a solid explanation of why they are there. He has had three years now to close the place and it is still opened. Those men should be let go and receive some compensation after all this time. Obama supporters gloss over these injustices but they say a good deal about who he is. The National Defense Authorization Act takes away habeas corpus for any Americans deemed linked to terrorism. He says he will use it discriminately, but what about a hypothetical President Christie in 2016. Maybe Obama supporters will speak up when some MSNBC anchors have the police showing up at their houses for something they have said.