The Oswegonian

The Independent Student Newspaper of Oswego State

DATE

Dec. 26, 2024

Archives Opinion

Arrogance and overspending: Does Pres. Obama have it out for the U.S.?

The mainstream media will be praising Obama on his first 100 days in office and will surely give him a spectacular rating and render him the greatest president in history. Is he really? Not a chance. I have been listening to those who think he is the messiah and those who believe he is the AntiChrist. I’ve done my research and when I have weighed all sides, I form my own opinion.

I have an uneasy feeling about the policies and direction Obama and his administration are heading. Many are unable to see it, others are in denial and others are starstruck by his presence. He is not your traditional president.

Obama seems to lack the respect for the highest elected position and the responsibility it demands. I find that Obama has a narcissistic personality disorder and it’s evident in the arrogance he displays in public and the contempt he shows to those who do not agree with him, or worse, oppose him. He has blatantly passed legislation through executive orders. Obama has slipped policies into bills that were not read and pushed through under the cloak of darkness or as a do or die emergency/crisis. After all, it was his chief of staff and good buddy Rahm Emanual that stated, "Never let a crisis go to waste." He hasn’t. In the nationalization of banks, the invasion into the private sector businesses and getting nominees with questionable backgrounds appointed.

Obama took over the auto industry; he now owns 50 percent of GM and fired the CEO. He made AIG give back their contracted bonuses by way of coercion tactics with his hired henchmen at ACORN, who just happened to have received bail-out money from the stimulus package. Obama, also without any publicity, moved the census bureau into the White House and gave the responsibility to run it to ACORN. That’s not a big deal, considering it only sets up the districts controlling the distribution of federal funds, as well as the Electoral College, which determines the outcome of elections. Banks are being told what they can and cannot do. CitiBank has asked the President for permission to give bonuses to the employees who earned them. However, this is not the role of the United States president.

It seems as if Obama has an axe to grind with this nation. He is an angry man looking for revenge and reverence. As the economy continues to decline, with the unemployment rates soaring upward, Obama is spending money like he has a printing press in his basement; wait, he really does. Since his inauguration he has traveled far more than any president before him. Each time he flies to a photo-op, town hall meeting, fundraiser etc., Air Force One, the 747 Boeing jetliner and its alternate, used as a decoy, a cargo plane to transport his limo and helicopter and, naturally, the F-16s that escort the fleet of planes. It has been estimated that it costs $50,000 – $67,000 per hour for just one of the 747’s and an additional $7500 an hour for each F-16. This is charged to the taxpayer. Do you think Obama pays for it out of his pocket? Hell no. On the day he signed the stimulus bill, he flew to Colorado to sign it. On his 100th day he flew to Missouri to give a town hall speech highlighting his 100 days. For eight years we had to listen to the left complain and criticize Bush for his fiscal spending mainly on the "war on terror." Obama, on the other hand, has out-spent every president from Carter to Bush and those in between, combined. He has empowered our enemies and weakened our allies. He has allowed classified CIA memos released and opens the possibility of persecution of the Bush administration while giving terrorists constitutional rights. A federally funded program to give those terrorists at Club Gitmo, release and integration assistance into our country with welfare, food stamps, free college tuitions, housing, etc., and the taxpayer gets to pay for it. Obama appeases those who wish to annihilate us and asks to not be blamed for the horrible atrocities that the U.S. bestowed on other countries when he was only three months old.

The narcissistic behavior is seen in Obama’s need to be the center of attention. He is the only sitting president to go on a late night talk show and appear shirtless on the cover of a magazine. He scheduled more press conferences and televised speeches during prime time television than any other president prior. The town hall meeting that was scheduled on his 100th day for the prime time 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. will cost networks an estimated $21 million in ad revenue. Fox is not carrying the Obama speech on its regular station but will air it on Fox News. Obama is not happy about it. He has regularly insulted and made fun of those who do not meet his approval or challenge his views as seen in the condescending lecture he gave to the tea party protesters. He shows a lack of polish and proper manners and the maturity that should accompany his position. He needs a teleprompter to give a speech, because without it, his inability to speak eloquently is apparent. Perhaps the teleprompter should be president. The one thing that has convinced me of this man’s hatred for our country and/or its citizens is his recent stunt.

On April 27, Air Force One accompanied by two Fighter jets F-16s flew over lower Manhattan at approximately 10:30 a.m., the start of the business day. The planes flew at an altitude of approximately 1,000 – 15,000 feet as they followed the exact same flight plan the terrorists took on 9/11 flying directly over the site where the towers once stood. People were evacuating buildings in a rush of terror and running into the streets in sheer panic as they relived the memory of that day. Why did the president’s plane do a buzz by over ground zero? A photo shoot. Yes, they wanted a picture of the 747 with Lady Liberty in the background to put on the White House Official Web site. According to CBS News, federal officials knew that this could cause panic; however, the NYPD office that took the information was told that it was classified and that the public and media were not to be told. The memo carried a threat that if leaked, federal funds would be withheld. When Obama was asked to comment on the incident, the video showed him laughing, and as he said, "It was a mistake and it won’t happen again," he was grinning. He acted as if it were a joke or a harmless prank. And if that wasn’t adding insult to injury the taxpayers paid for it. I wonder how such a hip president never thought to use Photo Shop instead.

Dear Shortie,

On "Venture Bros.," Hank and Dean got their testicles twisted. Is this possible?

-Go Team Venture

Dear Team Venture,

Unfortunately, this is possible and is called a testicular torsion. It is a very serious injury that occurs when one or more of the balls twist, causing the blood flow to stop due to a closing of the spermatic cord. It is most prevalent in adolescent males, but can affect any age. Most cases are a result of an abnormality called the bell clapper deformity, in which the testicle is not properly anchored to the scrotum wall, allowing for free rotation. They don’t actually twist around one another, rather they twist in place. If your balls hurt for longer than ten minutes, it is a good idea to seek medical attention immediately. If left untreated for six hours, there is a high chance of losing your testicle.

Dear Shortie,

How can I get my roommate to stop having sex in our room?

-Sleepless in Oswego

Dear Sleepless,

The residence halls distribute roommate agreements where both roommates decide the rules of the room. Try adding a section to the agreement, or making your own agreement with your roommate regarding sexual activity in the room. Maybe they can have sex during the time that you are not there or maybe your roommate can relocate to their significant other’s room. I think suggesting to work something out, and communicating with your roommate would really help them to understand how uncomfortable you are with their actions.

Dear Shortie,

What is the purpose of flavored condoms?

-Banana Ramma

Dear Banana Ramma,

Flavored condoms are basically made for the same reason as regular condoms. They promote safe and flavorful oral sex, as opposed to the rubbery taste of non-flavored condoms. I wouldn’t suggest just chewing or sucking on these tasty contraceptives, but if you want to sweeten up your oral sex life, give them a try.

All responses and information provided are reviewed and approved by the healthcare professionals at the Walker Health Center.