Hypocrite in Chief

Hypocrite in Chief

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

March 22, 2010

During his self-congratulatory speech following passage of the government conquest of one-sixth of the American economy via a deplorable health-care bill, Barack Obama contradicted himself saying, “change came not from the top down, but from the bottom up.”

Obama then went on to note how many telephone calls he personally made to cajole members of his own Democratic Party to drag them aboard the USS Healthcare or Titanic II. Even Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera, certainly no conservative, said this bill passed due to “arm twisting by the President.”

Obama also admitted that this was “not an easy vote” to cast, and that such a yea vote “took courage.” If the legislation is so great why did its supporters need courage to support it? If the bill is so strong why were bribes necessary to enlist support of members who initially were against it? If this brand of health-care reform has been touted so highly, why were the American people kept in the dark regarding its contents and why did Obama fail to keep his promise that the process would be transparently shown on C-SPAN for all to see and hear?

The next day, during a “victory lap” at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA Obama said “this is the patient’s bill of rights on steroids.” Hmm. Now steroids are not typically a good thing; so is this an admission in reality? Later, adding insult to injury upon hearing the opponents announced their determination to repeal this deplorable legislation, Obama arrogantly said “go for it.”

Mr. Obama, that is exactly what we the people intend to do come January 2011, upon a GOP electoral takeover of the House and possible the Senate.

As a related aside, those protesters over the weekend who may have shouted racial and anti-gay epithets as certain members left the Capitol Building did nothing to help their cause. They should be ashamed of themselves. I’m not happy with the outcome either, but I will express my animus here and on Election Day, November 2^nd.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

[This column appeared in the Alexandria Times.]