Drinking from the Fire Hose – Part 1

For many of us, we are too busy, have too much going on to remember everything, or have just been overwhelmed by all the news – like drinking water out of a fire hose – to connect the dots.

After recent events, I thought it would be good to go back and look at what has been said and done by President Obama.

It started with his Inaugural Speech in 2012 when he said, “My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment and we will seize it” and “We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect.” Analysts later called his speech a “politically astute and an important expression of new forcefulness by the President as he enters his second term.”

But since then, Obama has gotten bolder with his remarks saying, “I have the power and I will use it;” “We’re going to do everything we can, wherever we can, with or without Congress;” and “I have a pen and a phone.”

Sometimes, he will couch his remarks as an attempt at humor to make his true feelings more palatable. For instance, Monday, he said, “That’s the good thing about being President, I can do whatever I want” and last night at the State Dinner for the French President, Obama lamented about not having the power of a king, saying, “The power of the King of France would be nil if it were modeled after the power of the President and the King didn’t have to deal with the filibuster.” While he might have been joking it also sounds as if he is envious of the power of a king.

Furthermore, several times last year at different events Obama has referred to the US Military as “his military.”

In August 2013, during a speech regarding Syria, Obama said, “I have had my military and our team look at a wide range of options.”

In early September 2013 when asked if he would unilaterally strike Syria if Congress did not grant him authority to attack, he said, “My military assured me we could act today, tomorrow, a month from now.”

During a Medal of Honor ceremony in October 2013, he said, “”With that, I’d like my military to read the citation please.”

While some will say he was just joking or it was a slip of the tongue, when you look at these remarks along with his remarks about the military, you have to start wondering if Obama does not see himself as the First American King.

Tomorrow, I’ll continue with  how he has put action behind his words and jokes.