Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Barack Obama, Dreamer in Chief
National Review ^ | 6/18/2010 | Charles Krauthammer

Posted on 06/18/2010 6:06:32 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross

Pres. Barack Obama doesn’t do the mundane. He was sent to us to do larger things. You could see that plainly in his Oval Office address on the Gulf oil spill. He could barely get himself through the pedestrian first half: a bit of BP-bashing, a bit of faux-Clintonian “I feel your pain,” a bit of recovery and economic-mitigation accounting. It wasn’t until the end of the speech — the let-no-crisis-go-to-waste part that tried to leverage the Gulf Coast devastation to advance his cap-and-trade climate-change agenda — that Obama warmed to his task.

Pedestrian is beneath Obama. Mr. Fix-It he is not. He is world-historical, the visionary, come to make the oceans recede and the planet heal.

How? By creating a glorious, new clean-green economy. And how exactly to do that? From Washington, by presidential command, and with tens of billions of dollars thrown around. With the liberal (and professorial) conceit that scientific breakthroughs can be legislated into existence, Obama proposes to give us a new industrial economy.

But is this not what we’ve been trying to do for decades with ethanol — which remains a monumental boondoggle, economically unviable and environmentally damaging to boot — as with yesterday’s panacea, synfuels, into which Jimmy Carter poured billions?

Notice that Obama no longer talks about Spain, which until recently he repeatedly cited for its visionary subsidies of a blossoming new clean-energy industry. That’s because Spain, now on the verge of bankruptcy, is pledged to reverse its disastrously bloated public spending, including radical cuts in subsidies to its uneconomical photovoltaic industry.

There’s a reason petroleum is such a durable fuel. It’s not, as Obama fatuously suggested, because of oil-company lobbying, but because it is very portable, energy-dense, and easy to use.

But this doesn’t stop Obama from thinking that he can mandate a superior substitute into being. His argument: Well, if we can put a man on the moon, why not this?

Aside from the irony that this most tiresome of clichés comes from a president who is canceling our program to return to the moon, it is utterly meaningless. The wars on cancer and on poverty have been similarly sold. They remain unwon. Why? Because we knew how to land on the moon. We had the physics to do it. Cancer cells, on the other hand, are far more complex than the Newtonian equations that govern a moon landing. Equally daunting are the laws of social interaction — even assuming there are any — that sustain a culture of poverty.

Similarly, we don’t know how to make renewables that match the efficiency of fossil fuels. In the interim, it is Obama and his Democratic allies who, as they dream of such scientific leaps, are unwilling to use existing technologies to reduce our dependence on foreign (i.e., imported) and risky (i.e., deepwater) sources of oil — twin dependencies that Obama decried in Tuesday’s speech.

“Part of the reason oil companies are drilling a mile beneath the surface of the ocean,” said Obama, is “because we’re running out of places to drill on land and in shallow water.”

Running out of places on land? What about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or the less-known National Petroleum Reserve — 23 million acres of Alaska’s North Slope, near the existing pipeline and designated nearly a century ago for petroleum development — that have been shut down by the federal government?

Running out of shallow-water sources? How about the Pacific Ocean, a not-inconsiderable body of water, and its vast U.S. coastline? That’s been off-limits to new drilling for three decades.

We haven’t run out of safer and more easily accessible sources of oil. We’ve been run off them by environmentalists. They prefer to dream green instead.

Obama is dreamer in chief: He wants to take us to this green future “even if we’re unsure exactly what that looks like. Even if we don’t yet precisely know how we’re going to get there.” Here’s the offer: Tax carbon, spend trillions, and put government in control of the energy economy — and he will take you he knows not where, by way of a road he knows not which.

That’s why Tuesday’s speech was received with such consternation. It was so untethered from reality. The Gulf is gushing, and the president is talking mystery roads to unknown destinations. That passes for vision, and vision is Obama’s thing. It sure beats cleaning up beaches.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dreamer; krauthammer; obama
Krauthammer undresses the boy king.


1 posted on 06/18/2010 6:06:32 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross; All
Photobucket
2 posted on 06/18/2010 6:12:09 AM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross

CK bump.


3 posted on 06/18/2010 6:13:46 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross

Great Job CK !

Obama is absolutely a dreamer in cheif.

As I’ve said before, his energy policy is tantamount to asking someone to give up their use of parachutes - after they’ve jumped out of a plane - in the firm belief that a eco-friendly substitute will be devised and delivered well before impact with the ground.


4 posted on 06/18/2010 6:16:21 AM PDT by crescen7 (game on)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross

Barak Obama, DESTROYER in chief.


5 posted on 06/18/2010 6:17:01 AM PDT by Carley (For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross
Here’s the offer: Tax carbon, spend trillions, and put government in control of the energy economy — and he will take you he knows not where, by way of a road he knows not which.

This is classic elitism. A fervent belief that Obama and his liberal co-horts will be able to lead all us podunks into a Brave, New World if they can just get their hands on our money because...well...they are just better than us. Liars...all of them.

6 posted on 06/18/2010 6:17:47 AM PDT by what's up
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross

Charles is WAY TO KIND to this Divider-in-Chief, this con-man, this POS and his handlers/sycophants. If he was only a dreamer, he would be benign.

Quit licking this punks boots, Charles. He’s malignant.


7 posted on 06/18/2010 6:18:08 AM PDT by PGalt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross

BrainWashington would like us to be like the meek person in this song:

In the morning we built the city
In the afternoon walked through its streets
Evening saw us leaving
We wandered through our days as if they would never end
All of us imagined we had endless time to spend
We hardly saw the crossroads and small attention gave
To the landmarks on the journey from the cradle to the grave
Cradle to the grave, cradle to the grave

Did you learn to dream in the morning?
Abandon dreams in the afternoon?
Wait without a HOPE in the evening?
Did you stand there in the traces and let them feed you LIES?
Did you trail along behind them wearing blinkers on your eyes?
Did you kiss the foot that kicked you? Did you thank them for their scorn?
Did you ask for their forgiveness for the act of being born?
Act of being born, act of being born

Did you alter the face of the city?
Make any change in the world you found?
Or did you observe all the warning

Did you read the trespass notice? Did you keep off the grass?
Did you shuffle off the pavement just to let your betters pass?
Did you learn to keep your mouth shut? Were you seen and never heard?
Did you learn to be obedient and jump to at a word?
Jump to at a word, jump to at a word

And did you ever demand any answer?
The who and the what and the reason why
And did you ever question the setup?
And did you stand aside and let them choose while you took second best?
Did you let them skin the cream off and then give to you the rest?
Did you settle for the shoddy? And did you think it right
To let them rob you right and left and never make a fight?
And never make a fight, never make a fight

What did you learn in the morning?
How much did you know in the afternoon?
Were you content in the evening?
And did they teach you how to question when you were at the school?
Did the factory help you grow? Were you the maker or the tool?
Did the place where you were living enrich your life and then?
Did you mix among the standing of all your fellow men?
All your fellow men, all your fellow men, all your fellow men

~EWAN MACCOLL


8 posted on 06/18/2010 6:18:45 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876 (Language, Borders, Culture, Full employment for those here legally)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross
Mentioning Spain will brilliant. Spain proved that you lose 2.2 jobs for every green job created. So, take one step “forward” slide more than 2 steps back.

Spain is also when Don Quixote is from. He was exactly like 0bama, chasing after windmills in a feckless effort.

Cervantes is spinning like a lathe!

9 posted on 06/18/2010 6:23:32 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876 (Language, Borders, Culture, Full employment for those here legally)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross; Armaggedon; null and void; sheik yerbouty; Yehuda; 444Flyer; Yosemitest
Pres. Barack Obama doesn’t do the mundane. He was sent to us to do larger things.

Yeah, like bring on the Apocalypse. No COLB to show because he cashed it in to Satan for a birthright promise to rule the world. Even though the wheels are coming off the bus and the earth and heavens are witnessing against him, Zero hasn't figured out yet that he got scammed. When he does all hell is going to break loose.

10 posted on 06/18/2010 6:24:49 AM PDT by Ezekiel (The Obama-nation began with the Inauguration of Desolation.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: crescen7

Ha!

“As I’ve said before, his energy policy is tantamount to asking someone to give up their use of parachutes - after they’ve jumped out of a plane - in the firm belief that a eco-friendly substitute will be devised and delivered well before impact with the ground.”

I’m gonna use this one! probably many others will too.


11 posted on 06/18/2010 6:25:07 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876 (Language, Borders, Culture, Full employment for those here legally)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross
He has a vague, extremely dim, bleak, misty, directionless, uncertain vision for the future and he's not afraid to encourage us March us into it at full speed!

“Richard Gere’s a real hero of mine. Sting. Sting would be another person who's a hero. The music he's created over the years, I don't really listen to it, but the fact that he's making it, I respect that. I care desperately about what I do. Do I know what product I'm selling? No. Do I know what I'm doing today? No. But I'm here, and I'm gonna give it my best shot.”

~Hansel

12 posted on 06/18/2010 6:30:13 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876 (Language, Borders, Culture, Full employment for those here legally)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel
Yeah, like bring on the Apocalypse.

I get a little nervous when Ezekiel starts prophesying about the "Apocalypse" ...

13 posted on 06/18/2010 6:34:22 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross (the Truth will set you free)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross

More like “Worst President EVER in Chief”. Sham-Wow presidency.


14 posted on 06/18/2010 6:38:28 AM PDT by hal ogen ($10 (I think) amounts through the internet from all over the world.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel

What is really interesting is that, though this administration is responsible for other malfeasance and irregularities since “O’s” inauguration, the spill is THE most public and dramatic failure... AND bears directly on the hysterical, Liberal eco-politics.

His failure with the spill is practically a violation of the Liberal ‘religion’.

Where are all the ‘earth first’ creeps? (The same ones who, here on this campus where I work, cannot seem to refrain from tossing empty Starbucks containers and other fast food debris all over the parking lots)

His failure with the spill containment is a double whammy! Will the MSM report on this????? Pinch me, I am dreaming.


15 posted on 06/18/2010 6:41:10 AM PDT by SMARTY ("What luck for rulers that men do not think." Adolph Hitler)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross

Words like “Chief” and “King” are wasted on him.

Words like “arrogant”,”incompetent”, “insincere”, “phony”,
“clueless”, and “dunce” better fit the biggest mistake this country ever made.


16 posted on 06/18/2010 6:42:14 AM PDT by Frenchtown Dan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross
"The Gulf is gushing, and the president is talking mystery roads to unknown destinations."

He's a real no where Man sitting in his no where land making all his no where plans for nobody.
Doesn't have a point of view, knows not where He's going too, ...

17 posted on 06/18/2010 6:55:21 AM PDT by Falcon4.0
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross
We haven’t run out of safer and more easily accessible sources of oil. We’ve been run off them by environmentalists. They prefer to dream green instead.

Obama is dreamer in chief: He wants to take us to this green future “even if we’re unsure exactly what that looks like. Even if we don’t yet precisely know how we’re going to get there.” Here’s the offer: Tax carbon, spend trillions, and put government in control of the energy economy — and he will take you he knows not where, by way of a road he knows not which.

Spot on. This manchild in the Oval Office needs to go run a community college somewhere.

18 posted on 06/18/2010 7:07:01 AM PDT by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Falcon4.0

“He’s a real no where Man sitting in his no where land making all his no where plans for nobody.
Doesn’t have a point of view, knows not where He’s going too, ... “

..DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO STOP THE GOO!
REFUSES HELP, NO FOLLOW THROUGH...


19 posted on 06/18/2010 7:08:42 AM PDT by PATRIOT1876 (Language, Borders, Culture, Full employment for those here legally)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross

Grab ToTo... RINOs, you are not in Kansas anymore...


20 posted on 06/18/2010 8:32:18 AM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PATRIOT1876

Maybe he isn’t as inept as most assume. Personally, I think he knows exactly what he is doing all the time. His goal is to literally destroy America and Israel. Everything he has done has been designed to collapse this country and he knows it. He is the tool of Islam. He is using the “progressives” to accomplish his goal. When he is finished, America will wake up and look around to find that we have become a Muslim nation for real. Then the fools will wonder how we got there.


21 posted on 06/18/2010 8:36:22 AM PDT by WVNan (The Murmurous, presided over by Nobodaddy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Carley

I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate this bastard


22 posted on 06/18/2010 8:37:15 AM PDT by geege
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross
Krauthammer assumes that Obama is NOT trying on purpose to take America apart seem by seem, stitch by stitch.. And that he is doing exactly what he wants to do.. its not an accident... it is not unforeseen errors.. not mere mistakes... UT a well thought out plan of de-constructing this country.. sedition on the crack pipe... even espionage..

Beck has it correctly.. Krauthammer is the dreamer.. the uber-optimist..
SLAP SLAP.... wake up Charlie... anybody in there?..

23 posted on 06/18/2010 8:43:24 AM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross

He’s a tree shaker not a jelly maker.


24 posted on 06/18/2010 9:10:32 AM PDT by MontaniSemperLiberi
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross
Pres. Barack Obama doesn’t do the mundane. He was sent to us to do larger things.

He's the Truth Fairie?

Bo and Prancer

25 posted on 06/18/2010 9:36:12 AM PDT by null and void (<-----nully, who is now somewhat caffeinated....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Servant of the Cross; Ezekiel
Ezekiel ~ Yeah, like bring on the Apocalypse.

Servant of the Cross ~ I get a little nervous when Ezekiel starts prophesying about the "Apocalypse" ...

Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.


26 posted on 06/18/2010 9:45:38 AM PDT by null and void (We are now in day 512 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson