From the Other Side of the Edge….
Is Anyone Wearing Big Boy Pants?
By Joe Facinoli 

“….a government OF the Grownups,….BY the Grownups,….and FOR the Grownups…..”

I’m pretty sure that’s what Mr. Lincoln actually meant, at Gettysburg, in 1863. 

But how long has it been since we’ve had that, going on?     Ever??    Maybe Abe was the last one.   Or Truman.   Maybe Reagan. 

Responsibility, accountability, mature decision making, understanding the rubrics and mechanics of the process, providing clear direction, knowing the consequences of and for one’s actions.     Leaders of an organization, to be in top form, simply to do their jobs, must have these things. 

So,….whether it’s the constant espousing of a strict Socialist agenda, at all costs, ….or, picking and choosing which parts of democracy (or the Constitution) they like and are willing to use, ….or, just attempting to steer and manage the massive and cumbersome conglomerate of far too loyal bureaucrats that is the federal government (to their best advantage, regardless of the cost to anyone or anything), ….generally, ….Adults are needed for these endeavors. 

But so far, the anointed BHO gang has been doing it in quite a “different” way.  

“The dog ate my homework!”

“I didn’t do that,….HE did !!”

“Nuh uh,….I didn’t say it, ….YOU did !”

“I’m tellin’ !”

“I didn’t kick you, my foot did, and I didn’t tell it to do that!” 

“Yeah, my room’s a mess, Mom, but I didn’t do it, I was out playin’, so somebody else musta snuck in there, and thrown all my stuff around all over!”

“I didn’t know….”  (137 times in two hours, if you are the Attorney General)

“Who said I did?   Nuh uh,…..not me!!!”

How long has it been since people in government stood up and took their medicine, for their mistakes and the problems they cause?  

Never, some might say.  

But however long it’s been, this current administration has taken this non-practice to such a higher (lower?) level, to such an immature, terribly discouraging, even disgusting extent, that it could only have been achieved in the clandestine, ever distractive, “three card monty”, back of the hand to the Constitution, sleight of legal hand way, that would make Richard Nixon smile from beyond the grave.  

It’s either that, or with steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.    What else, pray tell, could have gotten us to this point? 

The State Department, the Department of Justice, the IRS (especially those sewer rats), the Defense Department, the EPA, the CIA, Homeland Security, and even the Post Office, have all had their hands in the wrong places lately, and been caught sleeping in the wrong house once too often (with, or without, their Big Boy pants on or off!).

And what do we hear about all of this, from our vaunted leaders, from those who run their various fiefdoms, or from the man at the helm of this foundering vessel??

Two of my favorite movie quotes can help us better see how Mr. Obama, and his henchmen (and hench-women) representatives, feel about stepping up to the plate for these governmental and societal affronts and fiascos, whether they were created by him/them, or “just happened”, due to the fact that he somehow didn’t seem to notice those fifty foot waves breaking over the bow, of his very own Titanic. 

These were originally used in a non-political way, but are just too good, too juicy, not to be applied to the cocksure, foolish arrogance of this bunch, now in DC. 

One is from the “Wizard of Oz”, the other from Groucho Marx (actually, aren’t they the same person??).  

The Wiz, once finally cornered in the Emerald Palace by Dorothy and her vicious band underachieving malcontents (probably wannabe Fox News anchors, or future right wing radio hosts), realized (after some brazen soul dared pull back his protective curtain) that his cover had been blown, but good, and that his magical powers were exposed forever, as bogus.   Desperately, he booms out at them, through his mighty 4G, quadrophonic surround-sound mega-system (and presumably, with no teleprompters):

“Pay no attention to that little man behind the curtain!!!”   

And then blurts futilely, using his best, all commanding “Wizard” voice, in one last gasp attempt to silence all, and to derail his inevitable demise:

“The Great, and Powerful Oz….. has spoken!!!!”   

Followed quickly by the usual clouds of dense smoke, and the many glittering lights and reflections from his perfectly placed mirrors, and finally all manner of obnoxious sounds and noises, meant to intimidate, but falling well short of that now, once his true, and utterly disappointing nature had been clearly revealed.   

Does have a familiar ring to it, ….yes?

The second one is simpler, and is classic Groucho:

In “Duck Soup”, when confronted by a situation from which he cannot possibly extricate himself, having been caught “red-handed”, with the goods, his character fires back to a protagonist:

“Who ya gonna believe,….me, ….or your own lyin’ eyes??”

Perfect.  

How many times has this President rambled on, for paragraphs and pages, only to have all of his perfectly prepared, and glibly delivered phrasings, boil down to this exact, single line?  

My oh my.   They can’t get anything right.   Can’t get out of their own way, even while trying as hard as their little minds will let them, and running as hard as their little legs will take them.  

You can’t have it both ways, but they can’t make anything work, no matter which side of the fence they choose to play on.  

As bank robbers or common crooks, they would be doing long stretches for their ridiculously incompetent efforts to knock over even the easiest of targets.   They’d make a 7-11 look like a well-fortified bunker, on the French/German Maginot Line.  

As slick politicians, they have no idea where the line is (nor do they care), nor how to adequately cover themselves when they get too near it.   Even with all the “keys to the kingdom”, and full governance over every cookie jar in DC, they still screw it up.

Just blah, blah, blah,….and yada, yada, yada.   And exactly NONE of it believable. 

Actions, and inactions, say everything.    Words, used either for excuse or explanation, only support them.  

Those too young, or too inexperienced to know the difference, are doomed to succumb to that weakness.   One cannot explain their way out of a failure of trust.   Once that bond is broken, there is no going back.  

Telling us that he is “outraged” over the goings on at the IRS, and how they routinely performed financial colonoscopies on anyone or any organization to the right of Julian Bond, is reminiscent of police Capt. Renault, in “Casablanca”, telling café owner (and underground casino operator) Rick Blaine that:

“I am shocked—shocked—to find that there is gambling going on in here!”

….even as a pit boss is handing the good Captain his winnings for the night.  

Whether you’ve got the best interests of the future of our country at heart, and how best to keep it on the correct path, ….or, you’re looking for all the personal glory and self-aggrandizement that you can grab, while shamelessly pushing and pursuing your own narrow agenda, ……ya just gotta have a clue.  

This President is naked, vulnerable, and clueless.   And dangerous.   To himself, those around him, and to the country he swore to lead, “….to the best of his ability”. 

And, ….he needs a new tailor.   One who sells pants for grownups.     At least then, he can pretend.   

Joe Facinoli

 (Joe can be reached at:  joefacinoli@gmail.com )

Intelligent Response Encouraged !!

© Copyright 2013, Joe Facinoli