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Walking the TalkPosted Friday, February 6, 2009, at 7:00 PM
By Charlie Crow
February 6, 2009 Talk the talk...and you got to walk the walk, baby Talk the talk...and you got to walk the walk, yeah From "Walk the Walk," by Tom Kimmel In less tumultuous times, new Presidents were allowed the luxury of getting their feet on the ground before things got crazy. Not this time around. Even with unprecedented collaboration between the outgoing and incoming administrations and months of anticipation, Barack Obama had to hit the ground at a sprinter's pace. With barely time to catch his breath between being President-Elect and becoming President No. 44, Obama was obliged to launch in a ready-to-rumble mode. And rumble he has. In spite of some unexpected turbulence stemming from shortcomings in vetting Cabinet appointees, the initial takeoff of the new administration was buoyed by the world's collectively exhaled breath (held until Bush&Co slithered away) and the positive thrust of almost universal public good will (save that of Osama bin Laden and Rush Limbaugh). The agenda was mainly dictated by inherited crises of gargantuan scope--a wasteful war in Iraq with slowly improving prospects and another war in Afghanistan rapidly turning sour; an economy in free fall and a dawning public awareness of widespread failures of regulation and governmental stewardship indicating that the prior administration must have been reading comic books instead of minding the store. With nearly four million lost jobs, major companies announcing layoffs in six figures and defaults of mortgages in the millions, the departing administration's hastily contrived and secretive program to bail out failing banks made hardly a ripple. And those were just openers. Mr. Obama's inbox was piled to overflowing before he even sat down at his new desk. Now, barely two weeks into the job, he seems to be taking to this new role surprisingly well. For a guy whose resume indicated almost no prior executive experience, he has certainly shown signs that he understands the benefit of symbolic leadership. It is refreshing, to say the least, that after three of his high-profile nominees were revealed to have failed to fully pay their taxes, this President admitted that he had "screwed up" and took full personal responsibility for the failure to adequately check out their records. In contrast, George W. Bush seemed to believe it was a sign of personal weakness to admit failure of any kind--a shoot-the-messenger mentality that revealed he could not face the truth. Obama promised "change we can believe in." If he is to succeed, it will be paramount that the public sees evidence that change of the kind that restores confidence in their government is being made. Thus every step made by his administration must set an example in the spirit of full transparency, ethical conduct above reproach and conformance with the law. Former Senator Tom Daschle could probably have been confirmed as health czar and Cabinet officer in spite of the disclosure that he had somehow inadvertently (?) failed to pay over $100,000 in income taxes, but his name was withdrawn from consideration instead. Secretary of Treasury Tim Geithner's own tax transgression was not that large, but we note the irony that the Internal Revenue Service is in his department. Maybe he should have been disqualified also, even though the President himself insists he is the best person for the job. It's tough to find the best the country has to offer, and some slipups are inevitable. At least Obama owned up. Does the country suffer when the most qualified persons are reluctant to enter public service at a high level, or are de-selected because of some past indiscretion or personal lapse is revealed? Undoubtedly. But now, more than ever before, confidence in our leaders will depend on the public's level of trust. Those who serve the President must, just like Caesar's wife, be above suspicion to avoid further reinforcement of the perception that people who work for the government are only there to further their own personal interests. It may be harder to recruit the kind of public servants who are both competent and above reproach, but that is a cost of doing business in today's cynical world, and we cannot afford not to. Corruption comes in all stripes and flavors. Influence can be brought to bear in a thousand subtle ways--not just when money changes hands or favors are given--sometimes long-held personal relationships can be drawn on more effectively than financial rewards. The seductive appeal of high living on someone else's tab can compromise a decision maker's objectivity. The Bush legacy includes an unprecedented number of political toadies now embedded deep in the ranks after forcing out professional managers who were supposed to be protected by civil service rules. Mr. Obama will be well advised to set the tone with appointees who live up to the highest ethical standards and to deal accordingly with any federal employee who strays. Attention is now focused on moving the proposed federal stimulus package through Congress. The bill has acquired the characteristics of a Christmas tree, with many nice-to-have-but-not-in-this-bill ornaments. Congress has not yet gotten the message that doing business as usual is passe. Mr. Obama should pare away all but the most essential parts and push for passage. To do so, he needs bipartisan support, and has been chided for paying too much attention to the Republicans. That worries me not a whit. I recall Arkansas Governor Dale Bumpers' response when he was criticized by his supporters for granting favors to members of the Arkansas legislature who were his political enemies. His response was: "I expect YOU to know what's right--it's those other guys I have to convince." Public opinion polls show that the public likes what they see and are solidly with Mr. Obama. If the nascent Obama administration will follow former Arkansas football coach Lou Holtz's "do right rule," the public will stay with him and will serve as the ace he can hold in reserve to play when Congress is recalcitrant. Charlie Crow © February 6, 2009 Comments Showing comments in chronological order [Show most recent comments first] |
Charlie Crow has had long-standing ties to Rector since 1954, when his family moved here to publish the Clay County Democrat. He graduated from Rector High School in 1958. After earning degrees at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and the University of Texas at Austin, and service as a US Army Intelligence officer, he pursued an eclectic career in management. He served in the cabinet of Governor Dale Bumpers. His career experience encompasses state and regional governmental planning, investment banking, executive leadership of recycling technology companies in Alabama and Tennessee, and nonprofit management. He is semi-retired and lives in Little Rock with his wife, Anne.
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I never get tired of reading your blogs, Like a breath of fresh air to read the truth from a man who is not scared to put it in print.. Keep up the good words my friend.
Charlie,
Some people just can't get over being angry. Its sort of odd to keep campaigning when the election is signed sealed and delivered. We're still mired in your ole' tired and irritated rhetoric of the past like, "In spite of some unexpected turbulence stemming from shortcomings in vetting Cabinet appointees, the initial takeoff of the new administration was buoyed by the world's collectively exhaled breath (held until Bush & Co slithered away) and the positive thrust of almost universal public good will (save that of Osama bin Laden and Rush Limbaugh)."
One thing we have found out is that the reasons Democrats want to raise taxes is because they don't have to pay them unless they're caught, at least those who work for the new administration of openness and integrity. And concerning his apology, it would not have passed muster if a Republican had engaged in such folly. And you know good and well that those cabinet members would not have made it through the process to actually gain the position in such a case. It's like a football team winning a national title and apologizing for recruiting violations concerning the top three players after the trophy is safely tucked away in the showcase.
Rush Limbaugh (and plenty of other dissenters) -- SHUT UP! At least that is the mantra of Democrats who can't stand scrutiny. Where is all this freedom of speech the Democrats so laud as being the essence of America's freedom? I guess it's free as long as their party line is in tow. This is a most dangerous trend and extremely reminiscent of past regimes in other lands.
The "last administration," Blah, Blah, Blah! Keep using it for the next 2 years and Pelosi who tells us that this country is losing 500,000,000 jobs per month will be toast. Which, by the way, would be a boon for the Democratic Party. Of course, Harry Reid would lead us onward and upward. Maybe you need to take a look at Congresses present approval ratings you were always so quick to throw at the former President.
Well, don't look now Charlie, but George Bush isn't the president anymore, Obama is, and somebody needs to remind him that he promised to move us forwards not backwards. Perhaps you didn't get the memo. Perhaps anger management could help you get over Bush and your constant haranguing of the "past" president.
For the rest of your blog -- BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! I want waste my breath trying to decipher its strange notions -- If I were in your shoes I would seek to shore up the rough start to an overly anticipated President who seems to be wavering right out of the shoot. If you keep pointing fingers at everybody else, well, you know the drill!
By the way, I thought Lou Holtz got himself in trouble for supporting, while coaching at Arkansas, Jesse Helms of all people. It's good to know that you apparently supported Jesse as well, or so it seems.
One last word, "recalcitrant" which you inserted in your serial mantra as it relates to apparently, the Republican members of Congress, is what my dear grandmother called the pot calling the kettle black.
Maybe you missed this at some point in your educational pursuits, but it's called BALANCE OF POWER, and our framers put it in there to preserve the union and discourage tyranny.
Concerning the bailout -- Lets see:
* $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.
* $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).
* $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.
* $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.
* $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.
* $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.
* $75 million for "smoking cessation activities.
* $6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.
* $850 million for Amtrak
* And, of course, A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film. (That usually misrepresents the conservative view of American life)
* Family Planning Projects (passing out condoms to young people, and promoting other left-wing agendas that many Americans strongly oppose)
* And that's just the start! Do you see anything that actually stimulates the economy?
And some say we need to keep our mouths shut about this? What is this country coming to?
Obama , like all presidents must be scrutinized by Americans and the media or there will be you know what to pay. And who's going to pay it? Well, I suppose our Great Grand Children and their posterity. Everyone in favor raise your right hand and repeat after me, Blah! Blah! Blah! Blah! Blah!
Roy Hargrave
my mind is boggled at this stimulate bailout. i'm wondering where mr. gore is when the gov is asking for $88 million for an ice breaker ship?? i thought that ice cap was melting!!
if there wasn't a scare for global warming, al wouldn't have a job!!
if all race problems were put to bed, the j jackson's of the world would be out of work.
i could go on about the social services and dem's being in power, but that even bores me.
the one main thing i see about pres o'bama is this package will be on his resume' for ever. that could be a good thing, or a bad....depending on the finial print.
it's almost like i see o'bama wanting to do the right thing, then the 'ole hens get him in the back room and give him a good going over. after that he come's back out like a little scared chicken.
i hope and pray he don't let the democrat leadership head him in the wrong/socilist direction. maybe that is because he was voted the most liberal senator.......the MOST, out of 100. WOW!!
last but not least, it still bothers me news people couldn't use his full name during the last two years, but as soon as he is elected, it's ok.
Arebyrd,
I'm also boggled by the boondoggle that the swoon- wobbled (for Obama) media has ignored concerning the soon hobbled economy by which the rest of us will be gobbled up while the Democratic led congress coddles its pork.
Maybe they'll throw in a new diving board for $2,000,000 for the Big slew ditch bridge at Hargrave corner. It could become a tourist attraction and provide revenue for the gar-fishermen.It doesn't hurt to ask!
RAH
HA! not enough votes out there for that.... haven't you noticed how quick fema showed up in nearkansas? i'm sure that was "W"'s fault!! ;-)
all joking aside, i honestly think if bush or any rep was in power, clay county would be on an uproar about fema. i have heard very little about it. it seems to me every body helping each other worked out really fine, and that's the way i think it should be. D LESS GOV THE BETTER!!
Arebyrd,
Thou hast hit thy nail upon thee head when it comes to FEMA - which actually stands for Feeble Efforts Mostly Asinine due to the fact that people should help themselves, especially if they're building their houses near the Gulf of Mexico in a swamp that takes 49 pumping stations to keep the water from coming through their floorboards while the Sun is still shining.
We never got relief from FEMA when the flooded Big Slough swept away a wooden bridge or every power pole in the county split in two due to an ice storm. What an irony for a county that votes for the Democrats perhaps more than any county in America.
That's it, I'm calling the White House cause my Out House got turned over last Halloween. Please send me a hammer and a sharpened saw as well as 3 or 4 Sears & Roebuck Catalogs. That will at least keep me in business for the next 2 to 3 weeks. THANKS!
RAH
As to Charlie's admonition of "walking the talk," the following headline is a sad illustration of such failure.
HEADLINE: SURPRISE! Dems Break Promise: Stimulus Bill to Floor Friday
In a press conference Thursday, the House Republican leadership spoke candidly about being kept out of the House-Senate conference on the Obama-Pelosi-Reid so-called "economic stimulus" bill. They confirmed they had not yet seen the text of the bill as of 4 p.m.
Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said he was unsure how many Democrats would vote with Republicans again on this bill but that he thought Republicans "may get a few" Democrats to side with them. The fact that the Demos have now broken their promise to have the public able to see the bill for 48 hours may drive more Dems into the Republican camp.
"I don't know, 'cause they haven't seen the bill either," Boehner said.
American people have a right to know what's in this bill," Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind) told HUMAN EVENTS after the press conference. "Every member of Congress -- Republicans and Democrats -- voted to post this bill on the internet for 48 hours, 48 hours ago. We'll see if the Democrats keep their word."
Actually -- as of 5:15 pm, the Democrats had broken their word. The stimulus bill -- which we still haven't seen -- will be released late tonight and will be brought up on the House floor at 9 am tomorrow.
RAH
this is starting to get very scary to me. if this isn't scary to anyone, they must not be watching very carefully. as i say that, that's exactly what congress is hoping for. another reason why they are hoping it will go thru on a weekend where everyone is going out to dinner with their wives, boyfriends "hello barney", and others and not paying attention.
i was giving our new pres some slack at first hoping he would not be the pres i was affraid of. now there is no doubt he is on a socialist mission. i feel he thought it would take him four or maybe even eight years to get his agenda across. he or i never thought it would be possible to get most of it thru in one month.
if this don't scare you and you don't care to see your kids and grandkids live in a gov ran country, all i can say is "rejoice" this weekend.
and they haven't even started on faith based issues yet. trust me, that is coming.
GOD help us!!
Arebyrd:
"God help us!" What a novel idea. With all the hoopla about what man or "a man" can do for us I thought that concept was obsolete. God help us would be a good alternative to the overwhelming problems we now face. Of course, for most elitist who govern our nation, God is irrelevant and man is the measure of all things. "In God we Trust," should be removed if we continue to act like we can get along without His Divine Providence. Our battle cry today is, "Man help us!! What FOLLY!
RAH