Obama Supporter Has Perfectly Improbable Explanation Absolving President From Blame For Scandals...The Onion Politics
- Today, after Lois Lerner, who runs the IRS's section on tax exemption, took the 5th Amendment rather than testify; I immediately recalled the film Blazing Saddles and the stinking badges quote. In short, she was not going to show the House Oversight Committee any smoking gun. Her testimony would have been important because there is one important and critical question that needs to be answered in this scandal. Namely, who directed the targeting of conservative groups and why? In addition, what role did top executives like Lerner have in this scandal? (In fact, the same question--who?---needs answering in the AP, Fox and Benghazi scandals too).
- This scandal also appears to have longer legs than the other scandals. As I wrote when the IRS scandal initially broke, the IRS touches every American. The IRS can be scary. Most people get nervous when the letter arrives in the mail with the IRS in the return address? In fact, the most recent Gallup Poll shows that 85% said the IRS story was important. On the other hand, over half of the respondents believe the IRS acted alone with only 37% believing the White House was directly involved.
- So the search for the smoking gun---if it exists---is important (If there is a smoking gun, it might be found in the minutes of the meeting Pres. Obama had with the head of the IRS union the day before the targeting of conservatives began---if we ever get our hands on the minutes of that meeting).
- Regardless of what happens, all these scandals should concern every American. If for anything--for the utter incompetence shown by all of these government agencies and representatives. Acting IRS Commission said he didn't know anything. Hillary said she didn't know anything about the attack on Benghazi. Eric Holder said he didn't know anything about the Fast + Furious scandal, although it was his Department and under his watch. And, of course, the president finds everything out from the media. Perhaps they should bring back The Know Nothing Party of the 1950's.
- As Michael Goodwin of the NY Post pointed out so well: "Leaks that make the president look strong and decisive don't lead to real investigations, even when they involve the release of classified information" He added, "The pattern is obvious: there are good leaks and bad leak---depending on whether they flatter or damage Obama."
- A word about the reporting on the Oklahoma tornadoes. No, I'm not referring to the erroneous initial reports of number of those who died. That can be understandable with the chaos and the downed communication systems. I'm referring to those who made erroneous statements about the severity of the tornado itself. We heard reports that it was the "worst tornado in history." That was repeated often. Yes, it was a severe tornado but did you know there have been almost 60 F-5 tornadoes in our recorded history? In fact, in March of 1925, there was the Tri-State tornado that lasted three and a half hours. A tornado in Hallam, Neb, in 2004 was measured at two-and-a-half miles wide. And then there was the Super Outbreak from April 4 to April 5 in 1974 for a duration of 18 hours (I remember it well) where 148 confirmed tornadoes that crossed 13 states covering 2600 miles. Seven F-5 tornadoes were confirmed that day.
- Even more disturbing than the hysterical reporting by the media was the reaction of some in the political class like Sen. Boxer and Sen. Whitehouse, both trying to blame the Oklahoma tornado on global warming. There's only one reason progressive democrats react this way after every tragedy: They exploit the tragedy to try to legislate more control over us.
