I just watched the April 28, 2010 interview of Ken Blackwell (former Republican Ohio Secretary of State) by Jon Stewart. It was for Mr. Blackwell's book; THE BLUEPRINT: Obama's Plan to Subvert the Constitution and Build an Imperial Presidency. Does this sound much like propaganda to anyone?
From the content of that interview, I find the responses of Ken Blackwell evasive, not to-the-point, lacking in reasonable (factual) support of his assertions and ultimately holding a double standard between the Obama and Bush administration.
Here are what I understand his arguments are. Firstly Obama is trying to organize a power grab where there is more centralized power by the Obama administration. This is carried out by legislation such as 'Obamacare'. This is not good because such universal healthcare would 'level out' healthcare. The same principles would also be applied to the economy. And as such the economy would turn into an economy driven by government through legislation and not the will of the free market. This in addition to all other legislation of the same vein would concentrate power in a centralized government. This would be achieved by Obama when all the legislation are in place, he has the power of appointing judges of the supreme court and as such would appoint people who agree with him, and so he would in this case would create a branch of government which ultimately would be authoritarian and dictatorial, it would be ran unchecked by the branches of government that are currently in place.
And Jon Stewart speaks of the following. Firstly, most of the claims put forward by Mr Blackwell, is not supported by fact, to the point of the extremity he is saying things are headed. Secondly, Obama has been elected to lead the country and so drafting legislation and what Obama believes serves best the interest of the country should be done, and that is what he is elected for. And during the last bit of the interview, Mr Blackwell says what Obama is doing is much more severe than what Bush did when in office. Which as Jon Stewart pointed out, this claim is not supported by fact.
These previous points raised by Jon Stewart are valid and cover the claims made by Mr. Blackwell. But here is the point. Mr Blackwell is claiming the Obama administration is moving into a leadership that is ultimately going to be unconstitutional and an imperialistic presidency.
I totally disagree with this point (and support Jon Stewart on his following points). Everything Obama has done is well within the democratic process and can be overturned when the people has spoken and the next election comes around. To say something is unconstitutional, would mean to say, the moves Obama are making are NOT open to negotiation and canNOT be repealed. This is absolutely not the case. There is no concentration of power, as much as Bush did when he was in office. And the main point is, when you are losing do not mistake that with tyranny, when you do not agree with the policies and decision of the current administration, that does not mean it is unconstitutional. What you do not agree with does not make it unAmerican.
Side note: I believe American politics right now, it is moving not in a bad direction, but in an absolutely ridiculous direction. This discussion between Blackwell and Stewart could have been more meaningful if Blackwell would just speak of facts. I found it extremely frustrating listening to him speak, as he sidesteps all the questions pointed at him and just goes on speaking of things to make his point. And when Stewart takes up on points that Blackwell made that are not reasonable, he then pushes on with his point and possibly move in a totally different direction. Where is the credibility when there is no fact to back up what is said. I understand from what I hear the values of both Republicans and Democrats. And I believe these parties exist for a reason,. I feel there is an increase demonization of 1 party if you support the other. And I think that is ridiculous. The debate at the level they are being done now is not honest and too much like show business. This is not show business. At the end of the day what appeals to people is honesty and transparency, and initiative to deliver what you said you would do. I do not care if it is Republican or Democrat. For the Democratic process to work better, serious, credible and focused discussions have to happen, not political angling for votes.
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