Posted by
Patrick Henry on Friday, June 18, 2010 3:25:02 PM
When Representative Joe Wilson (D-SC) shouted, "You lie," at Barack Obama
from the floor of the House chamber, Democrats brought him before the member-
ship and admonished him for his seeming lack of decorum. Around the edges they
accused him of racism and right-wing fanaticism. Turns out, however, that Wilson's
accusation was right on the money. Can you guess who just confirmed it? That's
right! None other than Obama himself.
During a televised interview with George Stephanopoulos regarding the healthcare
reform bill he was jamming through congress Obama said that the individual health
insurance mandate was "not a tax," and that he would never have it argued before
a court that it was a tax in order to justify congress in passing it. Guess what happened
yesterday. The Justice Department filed a motion to quash the state of Florida's
lawsuit against Obamacare on the grounds that IT IS A TAX and that no authority
may prevent congress from imposing a tax. So, it is no longer arguable that Obama
did not lie to Stephanopoulos about (a) the individual mandate actually being a tax,
and (b) his intent to later defend it by telling a court that it was a tax.
What does this mean? Well, obviously it is proof positive that Barack Obama is a
big liar, something many have argued since his smoke-and-mirrors campaign. He has
now admitted at least two of his lies. Beyond that, however, now that this poisonous
legislation is fully out of the closet it is clear that by passing it Obama has imposed the
largest middle class tax increase in history. That's something else he solemnly
promised he wouldn't do. His doublespeak has caught up with him.
The ability to govern depends, in large measure upon integrity, and on keeping
faith with the voters. Nixon lost it through the Watergate cover-up. Clinton lost it
through the Lewinsky cover-up and grand jury perjury brouhaha. When a president
is caught red-handed publicly lying through his teeth, he has forfeited the ability to
lead. Each of these fallen presidents has nibbled away at the edges of the respect
that the office deserves. Some are saying that Barack Obama is the worst president
ever, and that he will be a one-termer like weakling Jimmy Carter. That may all be
true. But what is no longer speculation is that Joe Wilson was absolutely right. Obama
lies, intentionally, connivingly and repeatedly, and now he's been caught. He's a
nobody who duped Americans into electing him. History will remember him badly,
if at all. But the saddest requiem concerns the additional damage he has done to his
office, the cynicism his lies and broken promises have engendered among the
citizenry and the legacy of mistrust he has sown.
The nation's founding documents hold that government exists by "the consent of
the governed." The time when America can consent to be governed by a dishonest
charlatan like Obama may be coming to an end. The bright side of it all is that he
apparently only lies when his lips are moving. America is better than this, and it can
do a whole lot better for leadership.