Warning: Bit of a Rant

December 16, 2016

Starting on this thirty-eighth day, to provide a richer more varied experience, the Trumps Times will feature Rant Fridays. While on most days I’ll try to offer thoughtfully considered observations and commentary, on Fridays I’m not even going to try. We all deserve the occasional rant; we’ve been listening to the alt-right-neo-human-doo-doo-heads rant for years. So, what the hell libtards, let’s rant.

This rant is counterintuitive in that it’s pointed inward. You may find it offensive – that’s why it’s called a rant…

Obama Vows Retaliatory – blah, blah, blah

Reading today’s headline, “Obama vows retaliatory action against Russia for election hacking” made me nearly as sick as reading the Trump cabinet list. Really? Our lame duck president, now at the bitter end of his tenure, announced his intent to retaliate? I’m no military genius, but I don’t think that’s how payback works. You don’t announce intentions to retaliate – you retaliate.

No, the public statement was purely political, just trying to play fair with the Russians – using words when actions are more appropriate.

But then what did I expect? Obama knew about the Russian hacking back before the election. He had confirmation from all the intelligence agencies. His, typically Obama, response was to quietly ask the Republicans permission to publicly address the issue. The Republicans, of course, said no. So, the Obama administration complied their wishes.

Hell, he didn’t even use the time-honored “leak it to the press” option. Instead, Obama allowed the Republicans to hold an advantage and was complicit in withholding relevant information from the public. But, least he didn’t appear partisan.

The desire to play fairly with opponents has been an overriding principle in the Obama administration. A principle that’s backfired again and again. Fair-play is great on the athletic field, but it’s just weakness in the political arena. The Republicans know it.

Frankly, I suspect electing Obama rather than Clinton in 2008 may have been a mistake on par with electing Trump in 2016. True, Barack did accomplish some important things, but his soft approach with the crazy conservatives allowed them to rebuild. His tolerance of their playground-insult tactics encouraged the fringe to flourish.

I suspect alt-bullying would have been less effective on a Clinton administration. Because she would have fought back – as dirty as necessary. After all, wasn’t dirty politics one of the objections to Hillary. From here dirty-fighting sounds like a skill we could have used over the last eight years.

But we elected the nice guy. He played fair. So, we lost.

The republic stands on the shoulders of those willing to do what’s necessary, regardless of how it looks.

That’s all I got today. Take care of yourselves and each other,
osv