Posted on 05/16/2014 10:11:35 PM PDT by chessplayer
Carney: Silly press corps, we have now entered the stop-asking-questions phase of the VA scandal posted at 7:21 pm on May 16, 2014 by Mary Katharine Ham
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In most cases, I have come to realize that the Obama administration is easier to understand if you dispense with the notion that there is some sort of plan other than getting through each day by minimizing immediate political damage to the highest degree possible without regard to long-term goals.
But while I’m not always confident there’s a plan for actual policy, there’s always a plan for avoiding questions and blame on scandals.
On the VA scandal, that plan has been enacted.
Step 1: “We’re just finding out about this ourselves and are as appalled as anyone over these allegations. We vow to get to the bottom of this and, if true, right this wrong swiftly and thoroughly. Nothing less than the honor of our nation and our people is at stake, and that will not come to harm on my watch.”
Step 2: “We are investigating ourselves right now to make sure we get to the bottom of this. It’s important that we get all the facts from ourselves, and in the meantime it would be inappropriate for ourselves to answer questions about the investigation we’re conducting on ourselves.”
Step 3: “Didn’t I just tell you we started an investigation of ourselves? Also, we noted our outrage. I cannot possibly make any statements about the very obvious wrongdoing that occurred on our watch until the investigation we’re conducting of ourselves is completed, printed on paper and in my hands. Anything else would jeopardize the integrity of our investigation of ourselves. Is that what you want?”
Step 3 is where ABC’s Jon Karl found himself today, on the receiving end of White House Press Secretary Jay Carney’s indignation at the mere asking of questions after the administration has expressed grave concern and started an investigation.
Up next, Step 4: “Only crazy wingers even ask questions about stuff like this. Are you a crazy winger? Do you think it’s a grand conspiracy in which the President of the United States conspired to personally hurt veterans? Do you think that’s an appropriate question to ask?”
Step 5: Wait six months, refer to formerly outrageous scandal as phony.
Step 6: Slow walk investigation and especially the release of requested and possibly incriminating documents for a year or more.
Step 7: “Oh, that ‘scandal’? Dude, that was a year ago. Who’s still talking about that?”
There really are a lot of veterans dying. What is up with that?
If the older ObamaVAcare is crumbling, then how long will it take for this new and improved Obamacare to crumble?
If these two failed Federal Medical Programs were to be combined, - - - say on Christmas Eve this year, would the surviving name be : “OBAMA VERY AWFUL CARE?”
What I’m going to say may not be popular and sound ‘heartless’. It isn’t meant to be.
People have to die like this before the rest of society wises up to the reality they they and theirs may be next.
Throughout history patterns repeat. Tyrants rise to power in direct relation to the apathy of populations. When people stop caring about principle, morality, right and wrong, the result is a set in stone certainty.
It does not happen overnight. It never does. It’s all incremental. People give up a right here, a freedom there in order that ‘their stuff’ (money, property, recreational activities/hobbies, whatever) remains untouched. To hell with the other guy. My stuff is all that matters.
And over time we run out of little things to abandon. Thus, bigger things must be sacrificed to keep ones stuff intact and in ones possession. At this point, people start questioning what is going on around them. They have given up all these things and yet more is asked. But they love their stuff, and so the drama continues.
Finally we get to the point where large sacrifices must be made willingly or otherwise. People realize now that Granny can’t get her medication anymore because no one makes it due to some recent law designed to benefit some stock of a competitor company owned by a politician. Vets don’t get the care they signed up for. People are forbidden from using their own land for their own purposes over endangered snarfblats.
And STILL most of society turns blind eyes because ‘their stuff’ isn’t in immediate danger. The other guys’ is. their Granny is doing OK and they live in an apartment.
Eventually granny and some veterans die. Still the majority doesn’t care. Then one day, it’s so widespread an issue they have to care. They have no choice. And that’s when the ‘no fury like a liberal scorned’ thing comes into play.
But it has to get SO bad...and lots of people have to die. Because that is the way the world works. And it sucks. But we can look back through the history books and see it played out repeatedly. We could stop it. We could not let it get to that point at any time we choose.
But we don’t. because of situational ethics, our stuff and the belief that it can’t happen to America.
It can. It is.
Just a matter of time, probably hours, before the media declares this another racist witch hunt.
The MSM is the Country’s greatest threat.
Death panels.
Yup. And we should all take a moment and thank all the PDSers that helped the libs with their constant discrediting of Palin.
The one woman with the guts to speak the truth and half the ‘right’ wing does all they can to make sure she’s minimized at all times.
That’s the problem with a media which has hoisted Obama on their shoulders for so long. If you try to pull out from below, he will come down on you with full weight.
And STILL most of society turns blind eyes because ‘their stuff’ isn’t in immediate danger. The other guys’ is.
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One of your good posts I can agree with, Norm.
Right on!!
The other day I was thinking about doing a column about starting “Teach a liberal the word ‘No” Day. But WE are the ones that could benefit from learning that word a little better I think.
All those little things we just give up? How about saying ‘No’? If only we would stop conditioning ourselves to accept bigger and bigger concessions.
It’s so simple a thing. But we really would rather just accept ‘whatever’ than to have to actually fight, even verbally. Can you imagine what will happen when it goes beyond having to fight verbally? We are going to have a repeat of the German trains for a lot of people.
Liberals conditioned us to give in. They have been teaching the avoid confrontation thing since the 70s at least, in schools. They have made us actually FEAR confrontation because it can cost you your job to argue and lately even disagree with a liberal.
So we abandoned the whole Chivalry/fight the good fight mentality to keep our stuff intact. And we will only turn this mess around when we get over the conditioning and realize the alligator will eventually bite us too. The founders understood the hang together or separately thing. We would do well to remember their wisdom.
You can tell a liberal “NO” all you want and they will still do what they damn well please. Look at odumbo, Holder and the rest of the administration ilk, they all do what they want, Constitution be damned.
It is time someone in Washington got enough backbone to insist on “NO”.
Chop shop, I worked there for years and my father was a patient until he died
History doesn’t repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme.
Mark twain
sacrifice...along with accountability, responsibility, honesty, modesty....the list goes on. Sadly, it’s just another word that means nothing to so many.
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