Why the Deception?

The AP recognizes a disconnect between Obama's rhetoric and his actions here.

I'm cool with Liberals making an honest effort to socialize medicine. It seems like the current approach is a bit deceptive and reckless. The common rebuttal is, "That's what the Republicans did with tax cuts and prescription drug benefit. " My response is, "Didn't people boot out the Republicans for being deceptive and reckless?"

Is the "change" we voted for just deception and recklessness in a different direction?

Apologizer-in-Chief

From the Christian Science Monitor:

That determination to bury old antagonisms was also present when Obama responded disarmingly to an hour-long opening speech by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, in which the former leftist revolutionary reviewed US action against Cuba including the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. “I’m grateful President Ortega did not blame me for things that happened when I was three months old,” he told chuckling leaders.

Many criticized the President for his ambivalent response to criticism of America noting that one of the President's chief roles is defending America. "How is he supposed to defend us militarily if he can't even spare a kind word for the country he represents?" pointed out one critic. Obama's press secretary, Jingle Alldaway, clarified that Obama "might not have run for office if he'd known that defending our country was part of the job description."

Obama is no anti-capitalist

Future Press Release:
A.P. Jan 2011

After being assailed for his socialist tendencies, President Obama clarified that he is, "Quite an advocate of capitalism and that many of his interventions are intended to save the capitalist system and make it more efficient."

Mitt Romney, with a tongue-in-cheek response, pretended to clarify Obama's remarks by saying, "President Obama is certainly a progressing student of capitalism. A free market is characterized by a constant process of creative destruction. New industries are born and old and obsolete industries fade into the past. Obama certainly has the destruction part down."

Hold Outs

Asked to clarify what he meant when he said, "I don't stand with those who held out when everyone else is making sacrifices," White House Spokeswoman Jingle Alldaway said, "We don't understand why hedge fund managers oppose the transfer of wealth from their clients to the UAW and Gov't?"

Cliff Asness with more.

Two Wooers

There are two approaches to wooing capital to the U.S. The first is to lay out a fine rug, stoke the fires of a warm hearth, put out a cup of cocoa and leave an inviting spot on the plush leather couch. The other approach is to rail "you dirty, unfaithful cheat", slap a pair of handcuffs on her, and confine her to the basement.

How is capital to respond? Is it shocking to think that once having wriggled out of the handcuffs and escaped the basement, that capital will not be caught dead near the U.S. that treated her so spitefully?

Which approach does Obama prefer? Let's ask him:

From ABC News

"If financial institutions won't cooperate with us, we will assume that they are sheltering money in tax havens and act accordingly," Obama said in announcing the plan today in Washington, adding that the government will also hire 800 new IRS agents to enforce it.

In other words, "Get in the basement! And no back talk!"

President Obama's Foreign Policy

Mr. Obama's Message to Our Allies (Mexico, Colombia etc.): "You'll get a lot further when negotiating with the U.S. if you first become an enemy."

Obama shakes hands with Hugo Chavez

Capitalistic Inequality

This Wall Street Journal graph comparing world economies puts our prosperity into perspective.