Saturday, April 6, 2013

Mr. Obama is a Capitalist...really!

Mr Obama is a (C)apitalist.  Oh, I acknowledge that he often speaks of that practice with derision and loathing, pointing to what he considers to be the evils that such a practice visits upon the "middle class", the "common folk".

But take a few moments to listen to, and analyze, his criticisms.  Listen to the activities he defines as the excesses of Capitalism that warrants government supervision that (he argues) would lessen the worst of Capitalism's excesses.

He has two major criticisms: excessive accumulation of wealth and excessive accumulation of power.  In his eyes, unfettered Capitalism will concentrate both wealth and power in those who practice free-trade Capitalism.  And, regardless of who those "successful" people or companies are, by gaining such a concentration, they become intrinsically "bad."

Well, we could spend weeks discussing the definitions of "bad"...and "good".  Such definitions depend on the point of view of the definer...and whether such a person is looking short or long term.  That is for a different time and different discussion.

For the sake of this discussion I will argue on the presumption that Mr. Obama's definitions and claims are currently the predominant point of view.

On that basis I claim that by his own words and actions, Mr. Obama proves that he...himself...is a dedicated Capitalist.

Most of his followers respond in horror, claiming that he is a politician with the peoples' interests at heart.  Well, I agree that that is what he claims.  But what is he actually doing and what are the results...

What Capitalists do...and what they want to do...is win.  That is the goal.  And that is defined by accumulation of wealth and power, with little regard to the wants and wishes of those who oppose them.  And when they have achieved something, they do not sit back in satisfaction and enjoy the fruits of their labors; no, they move immediately on to continue to destroy any opposition and to attend to any potential threats to their continuation in power and in riches.

Those politicians that are most revered in America have been those who, once an election was won and they had a certain amount of power, turned to governing; they realized that upon taking office, they represented not just their followers, but the entire country.  The realized that they had to protect citizens who did not agree with their vision.  And so they became more statesmanlike in their efforts, words and actions.  The time for pillaging was over and a time for governing at hand.

Campaigning has always taken on the practices and attitudes of unfettered Capitalism: win at all costs, truth be damned, and take no prisoners.

Governing is, essentially, reconstruction.

Candidate Obama was and remains the ultimate campaigner, tossing great sounding but undefined phrases around like candy and lying about his opponents with conviction and talent.  He is not alone; most politicians do this to some degree.  But he is in a class by himself in the degree and effectiveness of his efforts.

Great.  He won.

After sworn into office, he now had the chance to govern.  He had the chance to turn into a statesman.

Whether on purpose or lack of perception, he never made that turn.

He is like a Capitalist who is not yet sated; he has not yet gathered enough power to his administration nor taken enough of the wealth of the nation under the control of his administration.  Oh, he has tried.  He has spent money that he could only spend by borrowing.  He has made appointments that have been ruled unconstitutional in order to run government the way that best suits his view of an all-powerful government that provides a nanny-state for the citizens.  That is his definition of "good."

But he does this by concentrating on destroying his opposition, not convincing them through slow evolution of his governing concepts; it is his way or the highway, and any appearance of"working with others not of like mind" is a sham.

He is every bit as totalitarian as the robber barons of yore, or of the now-so-criticized Captains of Industry of the last century.  He is the epitome of the very persons and activities of which he so complains in his raids into the countryside to trumpet his rule.

President Obama....Capitalist.  Sneaky, able, ...and remarkably successful.