(Opinion) Why President Obama Should Vacate His Glass House

by Cyrus Webb


The adage about those living in glass houses not throwing stones is one that all of us should pay attention to, but especially those working in public office. This week, the President gave the American people and in turn the world a fresh look at why we should practice what we preach, especially if we are going to be attempting to make an example of and embarrass others.

On Monday, July 19th he was front and center in front of the cameras once again telling the world why Democrats were for the people and the Republican Party were nothing more than people who cared more about an election than the unemployed. His speech was about the unemployment benefits and how millions of Americans were in need of the money that Congress seemed unwilling to give them. His reason why they were opposing him? Simply put, politics.

It was as if he had forgotten that just last Fall when the country found itself in need of additional unemployment benefits that they were extended after the money was found to pay for it. What the President forgot to mention on Monday while he stood with three individuals he said were in need of the extension was that the Republicans were for extending the benefits once they were paid for, just as they were last time. He forgot to tell the American people that the bad Republicans suggested they use unspent money from the President's stimulus to cover the cost, something that others were in favor of.

Why is this so important? You might remember that it was this President that made a large proclamation to the American People that he would make sure all programs were paid for. Remember this? So why did he not accept the Republican's suggestion to use the stimulus funds to pay for the extension of unemployment benefits? Ironically, it seems for the same reason he has blamed them for blocking it: Politics.

What does it say when a man who ran on a message of change and getting rid of politics as usual governs on the same platform he campaigned against? What does it say about a man when everything good that happens during his administration is his doing, but any problems and setbacks are the blame of the previous administration? And most importantly, what does it say about how naiive he believes the American people are when the Democrats have had control of Congress for almost 4 years and the President---also a Democrat--- has been in office almost two years, yet it is always the Republicans who are stopping all the good that could be done?

Those living in glass houses should not throw stones, but they should also remember that if they do, they need to watch out for the pieces that fall down around them: whether in Nov. 2010 or 2012.