{"id":8701,"date":"2015-10-05T09:37:59","date_gmt":"2015-10-05T16:37:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/?p=8701"},"modified":"2015-10-05T09:37:59","modified_gmt":"2015-10-05T16:37:59","slug":"obama-nihilist-or-just-incompetent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/obama-nihilist-or-just-incompetent\/","title":{"rendered":"Obama: Nihilist or Just Incompetent?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Who knows; the only mystery left is how much damage will the last gasp of 2016 bring?\u00a0<\/em><\/h3>\n

by Victor David Hanson \/\/ PJ Media<\/a><\/p>\n

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Photo via PJ Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three things so far have saved Obama\u2019s otherwise unfortunate tenure; all came over his own objections.<\/p>\n

One, after the 2010 midterm tsunami, the newly elected House Republicans put a lid on spending \u2014 ratified by the wins of 2014. Sequestration is a crude blunderbuss and slashed defense, but it at least slowed down Obama\u2019s disastrous serial $1 trillion-plus budget deficits. In spending terms, it certainly has vastly reduced the government\u2019s share of GDP. We know that because Obama occasionally brags of falling deficits, as if to say, \u201cThank you for not letting me be entirely myself.\u201d When he leaves office, we will have $20 trillion in debt and nearly 100 million permanently out of the work force, as well as uncontrolled and unaddressed entitlement spending on life support through zero-interest rates. But we will still be alive for now, thanks to sequestration. Shutting down the government may have been politically unwise (or not \u2014 given the 2014 midterm elections<\/a> [1]<\/sup>), but it kept the debt financeable.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Then there is energy. Obama once bragged of sky-high electricity costs to come \u2014 echoed by Steven Chu\u2019s dream<\/a> [2]<\/sup> of European-level gas prices. Obama mocked \u201cdrill, baby, drill\u201d and claimed it was no solution to the energy crisis, as he tabled Keystone and put millions of acres of federal lands de facto off the market for energy exploration. He tried to \u201cbankrupt\u201d the coal industry<\/a> [3]<\/sup>. The EPAbecame a rogue agency<\/a> [4]<\/sup>. Almost all his crony-capitalist Solyndra-like projects failed.<\/p>\n

And? Gasoline and natural gas prices have plunged, thanks to fracking and horizontal drilling.<\/p>\n

Private-sector entrepreneurs were apparently energized by new technologies and the specter of profits in an uncertain oil market \u2014 and a combative new sense of self-reliance that they were on their own without much government approval. Grimy, forgotten men on rigs have saved Americans trillions in lower energy prices and import costs \u2014 and all despite, not because of, Obama.<\/p>\n

Third, Obamism is proving finite. Yes, this is the Obama era of intolerant imposition of gay marriage by court fiat, the selling of fetal limbs by Planned Parenthood, Climate Change McCarthyism, Black Lives Matter \/ Hands Up, Don\u2019t Shoot mythologies, \u201cPunish Our Enemies\u201d ethnic smearing, state-ministry journalism, and Sanctuary City neo-Confederate nullification<\/a> [5]<\/sup>. But in the process, Obama has nearly destroyed the Democratic Party \u2014 and all but turned it over either to a veritable crook and has-been or a 73-year-old self-described socialist. He lost both houses of Congress. The legislatures and governorships are overwhelmingly Republican. He turned off millions of working-class old-time Reagan Democrats. His new paradigm \u2014 demagogue minorities to vote en bloc in record numbers by any means necessary and screw those turned off by his separatist rhetoric \u2014 is probably not transferrable to other Democratic candidates.<\/p>\n

The present field \u2014 Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Martin O\u2019Malley, Jim Webb, and possibly John Kerry, Al Gore, and Jerry Brown \u2014 are the sort of old white folks that Obama has insisted were ancient history. Apparently, after Obama the idea of a mellifluous but inexperienced and untried identity-politics candidate turned off the sclerotic Democratic Party bosses or its apparent race-obsessed king-makers, given there are no Obama 2.0 candidates in the field. The subtext of the Democratic field \u2014 at least until Joe Biden enters \u2014 appears to be that Obama will be as much praised as he is forgotten. Liberals are strangely quiet about the race\/class\/gender make-up of their field, but apparently not eager to see the old racialist warhorses Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson return to the campaign trail, or a new face like Cory Booker or maybe Michelle Obama in Hillary Clinton-fashion.<\/p>\n

Otherwise, the Obama record is mostly disasters. He promised over 20 times not to act unconstitutionally and issue blanket amnesties. Then he destroyed the idea of a border, both physically and ideologically \u2014 and taught the Democratic Party that the salvation for its otherwise unpopular agenda was demographic, as in welcoming in millions of illegal aliens who would form a new constituency for statism<\/a> [6]<\/sup>. To restore a shred of border security will incur institutionalized charges of racist, nativist, and xenophobe. The only brake on immigration will be bewildered Latino activists who fear that vast increases in illegal Asian immigration will trump their own paradigm, and thus they will call for some sort of immigration enforcement. Obama has left us with an existential question: if there are no borders and no immigration laws, at what point does illegal immigration cease? 100 million foreign-born residents? 150 million? 20 million illegal aliens? 40? 60? When the southern U.S. becomes Mexico or Guatemala, will Guatemalans or Mexicans still wish to come? When Sidwell Friends become bilingual or the Menlo School has translators on campus? Once the law is null and void, the question becomes again philosophical: who is to say that anyone cannot come, once you have said that almost everyone can come?\u00a0 Apparently, the only person we don\u2019t want in this country is someone applying legally for citizenship from a Germany or Denmark, with an MBA, $250,000 in the bank, and perfect English.<\/p>\n

Foreign policy will take a decade of recovery. We are seeing a historic Russian, Iranian, Syrian, radical Shiite\/Hezbollah, and Hamas arc sweeping across the Middle East.<\/p>\n

It has little to do with destroying ISIS, which will be allowed by Putin and Iran to continue a bit to provide blood-sport in its killing of Westerners and their supporters. The new Axis instead will be anchored by a nuclear Iran, and an expeditionary army of Iranian-backed shock troops and terrorists, energized by Russian weapons and air and naval support. Add up the daily oil-export potential of Russia, Iran, and Iraq, and then factor in the clout that the new coalition will wield against the Sunni Gulf states. Consider also China\u2019s interests. \u00a0The result is that we are witnessing the birth of a new paradigm in the oil-rich Middle East that will make OPEC\u2019s cartel appear amateurish.<\/p>\n

Afghanistan is going the way of Iraq. To appreciate those twin disasters, imagine getting out of Korea for a 1956 reelection talking point and allowing the North to reabsorb what thousands of American lives had saved. Or perhaps imagine Truman as Obama leaving Japan about 1950 to allow the postwar Japanese to work things out with the Communist Chinese next door.<\/p>\n

The only mystery about the disasters in Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Yemen, and our new hostility to Israel and the Gulf states, was whether Obama was incompetent and timid, or a conniving nihilist eager to reduce the Middle East to an anti-American wasteland.<\/p>\n

Again, Obama leaves us with a philosophical question: what will the world look like without any U.S. leadership? Bellum omnium contra omnes<\/a> [7]<\/sup><\/i>? Putin\u2019s new Russian Union? A Chinese Pacific? A Mediterranean of dinghies and rowboats? At what point does the present chaos become apocalyptic? When flights are cancelled to Dubai? When Iranian rockets and terrorists battle Israeli F-16s? When Munich looks like Mogadishu? When Putin takes Tallinn?<\/p>\n

Take Obamacare. Only the incompetence and impracticality of the Affordable Care Act will render it irrelevant.\u00a0 After visiting a number of doctors\u2019 waiting rooms in the impoverished San Joaquin Valley, I can attest that most of Obamacare patients have little idea of what a deductible, copayment or premium is, have less desire to find out, and prefer going back to the ER or free federal and state health clinics whenever possible. Does signing up once for Obamacare ensure that the user continues to pay premiums on time and has cash for deductibles? And if not, then what?<\/p>\n

Otherwise, most who had their own insurance just shrug that it is now far more expensive for less care, and move on. They are apparently relieved that higher costs for their plans are worth them not devolving entirely into Obamacare coverage.<\/p>\n

Government has now adopted a Third-World ethos. Review the Secret Service. It has gone rogue, leaking old files on congressional watchdogs<\/a> [8]<\/sup>. The IRS is an extension of the White House; in brilliant fashion Lois Lerner left a legacy of deterrence: something like, \u201cI am still not in jail<\/a> [9]<\/sup>, and you all are still worried that there are thousands like me burrowed in the IRS watching you.\u201d<\/p>\n

What exactly were cabinet heads Lisa Jackson and Hilda Solis doing when they so hastily left? Is NASA still doing Islamic outreach<\/a> [10]<\/sup> or finally trying to get us our own rocket<\/a> [11]<\/sup>?<\/p>\n

Where did all the rogues and incompetents at the GSA, ICE, NSA, TSA, and VA come from? Did they simply come out of the woodwork once Obama set the tone that bureaucrats are to be ACORN and SEIU-like community organizers? When did the goal of a 24-year-old college graduate become a sinecure as a government bureaucrat, replete with de facto lifelong tenure, guaranteed pay raises, and a retirement system that pays out annually more than does a private $4-million 401K without the worry?<\/p>\n

Was all this due to incompetence or nihilism?<\/p>\n

Who knows or cares? The only mystery left is how much damage the last gasp of 2016 will bring? Abroad, our enemies will rightly conclude that 2016 is about the time to cash in the last of their winnings and leave the table. And at home, we will have a year to go of petulance, spite, and snark because we have finally rejected the messiah sent into the world to save us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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URLs in this post:<\/p>\n

[1] given the 2014 midterm elections: http:\/\/pjmedia.com\/instapundit\/215063\/<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[2] Steven Chu\u2019s dream: http:\/\/pjmedia.com\/eddriscoll\/2011\/04\/27\/are-high-gas-prices-a-good-thing\/<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[3] \u201cbankrupt\u201d the coal industry: http:\/\/newsbusters.org\/blogs\/p-j-gladnick\/2008\/11\/02\/hidden-audio-obama-tells-sf-chronicle-he-will-bankrupt-coal-industry<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[4] became a rogue agency: http:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/opinion\/2015\/09\/21\/impeach-epa-administrator-gina-mccarthy-column\/72518326\/<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[5] Sanctuary City neo-Confederate nullification: http:\/\/www.rushlimbaugh.com\/daily\/2015\/09\/02\/victor_davis_hanson_on_the_illegal_immigration_tipping_point<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[6] a new constituency for statism: http:\/\/hotair.com\/archives\/2015\/10\/04\/thought-experiment-how-illegal-immigrants-could-elect-hillary\/<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[7] Bellum omnium contra omnes: https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bellum_omnium_contra_omnes<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[8] leaking old files on congressional watchdogs: http:\/\/www.kmov.com\/story\/30157345\/watchdog-report-secret-service-sought-to-embarrass-utah-congressman<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[9] \u201cI am still not in jail: http:\/\/pjmedia.com\/instapundit\/215764\/<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[10] still doing Islamic outreach: http:\/\/pjmedia.com\/eddriscoll\/2011\/06\/15\/space-the-multicultural-frontier\/<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

[11] trying to get us our own rocket: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5yYc8-Me0GQ<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Copyright \u00a9 2015\u00a0Works and Days. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Who knows; the only mystery left is how much damage will the last gasp of 2016 bring?\u00a0 by Victor David Hanson \/\/ PJ Media Three things so far have saved Obama\u2019s otherwise unfortunate tenure; all came over his own objections. One, after the 2010 midterm tsunami, the newly elected House Republicans put a lid on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[46,619,196],"tags":[997],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p466Sb-2gl","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2129,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/where-has-the-thrill-gone\/","url_meta":{"origin":8701,"position":0},"title":"Where Has the Thrill Gone?","author":"victorhanson","date":"November 24, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Victor Davis Hanson PJ Media The Harder They Fall? Who appointed over 40 ambassadors on the sole basis of campaign contributions, or has as many lobbyists in government as did any President in memory? And who releases touchy news \u2014 whether increased unemployment or trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "November 2009"","block_context":{"text":"November 2009","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/archives\/2009\/november-2009\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":720,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/obamas-hypocritic-oath\/","url_meta":{"origin":8701,"position":1},"title":"Obama’s Hypocritic Oath","author":"victorhanson","date":"February 17, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by Victor Davis Hanson National Review Online Barack Obama has a habit of identifying a supposed crisis in collective morality, damning straw men \u201cthem\u201d who engage in such ethical lapses, soaring with rhetorical bromides \u2014 and then, to national quiet, doing more or less the exact things he once swore\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Second Term Policies"","block_context":{"text":"Second Term Policies","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/obama-administration\/second-term-policies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9290,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/obamas-gift-of-immunity-to-trump\/","url_meta":{"origin":8701,"position":2},"title":"Obama\u2019s Gift of Immunity to Trump","author":"victorhanson","date":"May 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"By Victor Davis Hanson \/\/ Works and Days by PJ Media It is now old wisdom that Barack Obama created Trump\u2014as in the idea of a national pushback to Obama\u2019s out-of-the-mainstream agendas and the unconstitutional way in which he pursued them. 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His hard-left politics have insidiously eroded the Democratic Party, which has lost both houses of Congress and the vast majority of the state legislatures, state\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Political Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Political Culture","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/american-culture\/political-culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Obama Lame Duck","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Obama-Lame-Duck-500x269.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6821,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/learning-through-pain\/","url_meta":{"origin":8701,"position":4},"title":"Learning through Pain","author":"victorhanson","date":"December 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by Victor Davis Hanson \/\/\u00a0PJ Media\u00a0 What will history make so far of our five-year voyage with Barack Obama? What will it make of hope and change \u2014 other than a sort of hysteria of 2008 that was a political version of the Pet Rock or the Cabbage Patch Doll\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Identity Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Identity Politics","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/american-culture\/identity-politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":418,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/the-clear-alternatives-in-the-presidential-debate\/","url_meta":{"origin":8701,"position":5},"title":"The Clear Alternatives in the Presidential Debate","author":"victorhanson","date":"October 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"by Bruce Thornton FrontPage Magazine Forget all the pre-debate handicapping and advice about what Mitt Romney needed to do or what Barack Obama had to avoid. Last night\u2019s debate clarified the stark choice facing American voters on November 6. 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