President Obama has pretty much adhered to the tradition that past presidents do not engage in a lot of debate with their successors – even when they may fervently disagree with them and even when the new occupant of the Oval Office criticizes them. That is often frustrating to their political base, but not a bad tradition. It also may explain why Obama is not endorsing his Vice President.
We only need be reminded how often Obama blamed President Bush for the problems he inherited. He did it so often that when an unnamed fault produced a minor earthquake that shook Washington, it was jokingly said that Obama wanted to name it Bush’s Fault. We should also remember how so many Republicans were frustrated that Bush would not defend himself and the party more.
So, it is significant that Obama did have a comment on current political affairs. In a number of speeches, Obama did call for greater civility in our political discourse – but they were nonpartisan – or bipartisan? – references. More recently he got a bit more specific in his admonishment – and it was not directed at Republicans.
He warned his Democrat colleagues to be careful and not propose a lot of “crazy stuff” that will turn away voters. Obama was concerned that moving too far to the left will be counterproductive. Imagine that. Obama worrying that his Democratic Party will go too far left – proposing a lot of “crazy stuff.” If a lot of “stuff” being proposed by many of the leading Democrat presidential candidates is too far left for Obama, it is most certainly too far left for the American citizens.
Obama was not specific in what he viewed as “crazy stuff” – or who was promoting it – but it does not take a genius to figure it out. He was speaking primarily to Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders. They have offered up the most extreme platform and plans – although a few others have echoed the same, but they are so far behind that what they think does not matter.
We can safely assume that among the “crazy stuff” are the proposals that many other Democrats have criticized as being toxic in terms of the 2020 election.
Perhaps in the lead for the worst idea presented in a presidential campaign – at least since Democrats proposed the creation of the Confederacy — is Warren’s inexplicably idiotic idea to take away everyone’s private healthcare in favor of one government-run behemoth. Sanders signed on to that one, too – but after all, he IS a dyed-in-the-wool socialist.
We can recall that when asked whether they would agree with such a crazy idea, virtually all the other Democrat contenders raised their hands. Later most explained that it wasn’t what it appeared to be. They were just confused.
Forgiving all student debt and providing taxpayer-funded (not free) education for everyone is another idea that might come under the heading “crazy. We the people are smart enough to understand that that idea is a major budget buster on top of the nationalized healthcare MEGA budget buster.
Warren wants to decriminalize what we call “illegal border crossing.” To ensure that more folks can just come across the border with all the rights of citizenship – without citizenship – Warren even proposes tearing down some of the border walls … fences … barricades … or whatever you call them. Some want to eliminate or neuter Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Warren would expand the sanctuary cities nonsense to make America a sanctuary nation – abolishing the concept of “legal immigration” and the vetting necessary to block the criminals.
To use your home as an analogy, Warren would allow anyone to enter your home and raid the refrigerator – and to facilitate such interloping, she would remove your doors and not allow the police to take action.
While Warren and Sanders claim to be attacking big social platform companies, they are censoring our freedom of speech – nullifying the First Amendment. More crazy stuff
Obama believes that such crazy ideas will make the electorate turn away from the Democratic Party. We can only hope.
So, there ‘tis.