I feel as if I know the President. Like I have met him before.
Some years back I worked with a man who I will call Drew. Drew was the epitome of the Peter principle. Promoted to a level of gross incompetence, in this case a Vice President in a large international firm, Drew was in way over his head. Drew was tall and extroverted to the Nth degree giving him the illusion of command and competence. He spoke real fast and had command of litany of buzzwords that could make your head spin. I suppose this is part of what helped him make it to his position.
I remember when I first met him (he had recently been promoted) he wanted me to get something done for him quickly that had been ignored by him and his staff for some time. Drew was already in way over his head and he knew it and his tail was on the line and he needed me to help him save it. But rather that asking me to do help him out in a pinch and acknowledging the lateness of his request he decided to threaten me while dropping the fact that he was a vice president at least five times in a three minute conversation. When I told him I had my own problems he decided to go above my head. Unfortunately for Drew, the CFO of the company at that time was patient and listened to facts. He chastised Drew for his tardiness and threatening behavior and asked me to see what I could do to help.
That is the way it is with charismatic demagogues particularly when they are in way over their heads. They live in perpetual fear of being found out and they constantly feel the need to double down when they are already out of chips.
So it is with the President. I write this on the eve of the President’s speech to congress attempting to save his reputation and his troubled healthcare reform. The President, in over his head and too clever by half, tried to force this health care bill down our throats quickly and by using Congress as cover insulate himself from any criticism. That manifestly did not work. The public outcry against the liberal wishlist of ideas is like nothing that has been seen in this country in recent memory. But rather than reassess his approach and his plans, all indications are that the President intends to double down and force a vote – public option and all. If he does he may succeed in destroying his own party.
Back to Drew for a moment. His general incompetence at last made manifest, Drew was given notice that his contract would not be extended and they allowed him to work for a few months before showing him the door. But Drew, so fearful of admitting his own shortcomings spent those final months tirelessly trying to ruin the reputations of all with whom he was associated. Blaming anyone and everyone else for his own failures. Eventually, they asked Drew not to come to work anymore.
This is the way it works folks. Like the drowning man, the exposed charismatic demagogue will take all around him down with him rather than ever admit he cannot swim. The Democrats in Congress should be wary of trying to save this drowning man lest they be dragged to the bottom as well.
September 9, 2009 at 5:00 am
Glad it worked out for you. In Silicon Valley, anyone at the C-level is loath to admit they made a mistake in hiring, so they usually side with management, regardless of incompetence.
I did find it funny that while Obama is saying, "I won't have a government health option as a deal breaker", Pelosi the poodle comes running right out afterwards saying, "a government health option is essential for America!" They are acting as if they are at odds so Obama can appear to be making concessions and open to suggestions, allowing Pelosi the poodle to look like the steadfast one. Of course right when the cameras are off, the conversation goes a little like:
Pelosi – "How do you think that went? Did I look too rigid?"
Obama – "No, no, Nancy. I don't think your face lift registers on camera."
Pelosi – "No, I mean did I come across as too stern?"
Obama – "OH! *chuckle* No, you did fine. Just stick to the script and we'll pull this off."
Shenanigans!!!
September 9, 2009 at 5:09 am
Pass or no pass, it's going to be awkward if they force this bill because Obama has forced this card so much that it seems he's forgotten that even if it suddenly made health care SUPER perfect in every way possible (even the contradictory ways)… we'd still have a 10% unemployment rate.
September 9, 2009 at 10:11 am
Man, I can only hope you are right, Patrick. Ozymandias he is; but Ramses II reigned a looong time.
September 9, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Obama's already started the attacking of others and blaming. Heck, he's got his mouthpiece, Gibbs, doing the job for him right now. On Fox and Friends this morning they were asking some very legit questions but Gibbs just kept after them with the ad hominem attacks, insults about Fox and their viewers, etc. Never came out and answered the question. And still blamed the Republicans. I have no sympathy for people like this that are so narrow minded that they can't see the forest because of the trees. I try once to help them succeed (honest effort too)…after that, I will watch them fail.
September 9, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I had a co-worker like yours too! He somehow managed to become head of the purchasing department here with no qualifications and no knowledge of the steel and components he was purchasing. We made many bad contracts and sweetheart deals with suppliers because of this character. Turns out he knew he was on the way out (could it be that stories of all the football tickets, vacations, private school tuition reimbursements for his children, etc. were leaked??) and as his final act signed a sweetheart deal with the supplier he is now working for as a vice president.
It boggles my mind how slimeballs are allowed to get ahead.
September 9, 2009 at 1:33 pm
"It boggles my mind how slimeballs are allowed to get ahead." Maybe they must master the principle of the big lie. For example, once upon a time the presidency was occupied by one whose name was synonymous with "Slick."
September 9, 2009 at 2:37 pm
But did Drew have a birth certificate? hahaha!
I guess its credentials that get us into trouble, smartness (or lack thereof) can be hidden by degrees. Yikes! It's like "I'm from the government and I'm here to help" should be as scary to the American public as "Don't worry, I'm a certified babysitter" should be to parents!
I just love the ad hominem attacks, that this health care reform will be pushed through "without bi partisan support". How clueless is the government and the AP???? It is being pushed through without support from the American public! Idiots!
September 9, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Hey I'm so excited! I got a sneak preview of Obama's speech tonight!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI42LSbwc8E
September 9, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I've been a Federal employee for nearly thirty years. You've essentially described half of those years. Fortunately, not lately. Most of the riff-raff retired in the late 90s, when it was intimated by the political leadership (my one debt to the Clinton administration) that they had to get with the program, or get out.
September 9, 2009 at 8:22 pm
David – my one debt to the Clinton Administration was that he reversed the Federal 55MPH speed law imposed by Nixon. I am eternally grateful for that.
September 10, 2009 at 5:52 am
Sarah wrote:
:"…as his final act signed a sweetheart deal with the supplier he is now working for as a vice president. It boggles my mind how slimeballs are allowed to get ahead."
The answer is in Luke 16:8:
"And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light."
September 10, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Wiser in the ways of the world maybe, but not in the ways of the Lord…
Is that why we (the faithful) are not supposed to store our treasures here, but rather place our treasures in Heaven?
If all there is to life is what we have in this world, I think I'd be awfully disappointed. Thank goodness for the promises of Christ!
September 10, 2009 at 5:39 pm
How can Prime minister Obama force a plaN DOWN OUR THROATS WHEN HE AND HIS LEMMINGS CAN'T EVEN AGREE AS TO HOW MANY UNDERINSURED CITIZENS WE HAVE IN OUR COUNTRY???