The First Law of Cartoon Physics

In case you weren't paying attention in class:

A body suspended in space will remain in space until made aware of its situation.

When Wile-E Coyote walks off a cliff, he doesn't fall until he chances to look down. I think this has something to do with quantum mechanics. At any rate, a lot of us thought that the Democratic Party was walking toward the edge when it nominated Barack Obama, and that it ran off the edge when it passed a health care bill opposed by a solid majority of the voters. It might be just now that the Democrats are noticing that there is nothing under their feet but air.

The President's biggest problem right now is the oil spill, something that he can do nothing at all about. He realizes that he needs to appear presidential and to demonstrate leadership, but all he can think to do is scold British Petroleum and talk about the need for an energy bill that wouldn't help and isn't going to pass. None of this would be critical if it weren't for the fact that a lot of Americans, and more than a few Democrats, are beginning to suspect that the President is an empty suit. He isn't stupid, he is just vacuous. That is what all the recent concern about his lack of passion is about.

In an interview with CNN's Larry King, the president said he is "furious at this entire situation" but added that anger alone will not solve the problems. "I would love to just spend a lot of my time venting and yelling at people," he said, "But that's not the job I was hired to do. My job is to solve this problem, and ultimately this isn't about me and how angry I am."

When the President has to tell you that he is furious it means that otherwise you wouldn't know. But it isn't passion we need or want in a President, it is some kind of inner substance that he can rely on when the going gets tough and the partly line runs short. For all his shortcomings, George W. had it. If Obama does, he has kept it a secret.

And then there is the economy. In the latest monthly report, the economy added 431,000 jobs. In fact it added only about 41,000. Almost all the job growth was temporary census positions.

And then there is the national debt. The CBO informs me that "The federal budget deficit was $941 billion during the first eight months of fiscal year 2010, CBO estimates, $51 billion less than the shortfall recorded over the same period last year." Well, I suppose it is progress that we are a hair under rather than a hair over a trillion dollars in the hole over eight months. Gallup finds that Americans are more concerned with the deficit than any other issue except terrorism. That's a tie.

And then there is the healthcare legislation. It is clear now that it is going to be much more expensive than advertized. Better yet, the New York Times now reports that the Administration's claim that billions in wasteful healthcare spending could be cut was based on a single, bogus study. Now they tell us! This means at least one of two things: either that the legislation will prove much more expensive than it looks even now, or that it will result in diminished healthcare for a lot of Americans. I am putting my money on all of the above.

The Administration and the Congressional Democrats spent Obama's first year running full speed, with the press carefully avoiding any mention of the precipice or gravity. But what goes off, must come down.

Gallup has the President's job approval at 48% favorable, 45% unfavorable. But that is half the story. Rasmussen shows that 25% of likely voters strongly approve of the President's performance, and 41% strongly disapprove. That matters more than the balance.

Better yet, Gallup reports that, on the generic question (do you intend to vote Republican or Democrat), Republicans lead Democrats 49% to 43%. That's the largest Republican advantage ever recorded. That means larger than 1994, when the GOP captured both houses of Congress.

The Democrats, and maybe the whole country, are suspended in air. It is getting harder and harder not to look down.

Comments

[William]

The drilling moratorium imposed by the administration will have extremely negative economic consequences that haven't even been factored in with most forecasts, yet.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/06/interior_lists_oil_drilling_op.html

Add the additional losses in fishing, refineries & tourism along the Gulf Coast and it's obvious that the economic costs of the oil spill will be staggering.

Fair or not, the political costs to the Obama administration and the Democratic Party will be, as well. Even those who support the administrations policies are now questioning Obama's competence.

[Stan Gibilisco]

Yesterday's messiah, tomorrow's pariah.