The Constitution Did Not Anticipate an Alienated Citizen Becoming President

I have always derived comfort from the belief that the Constitution and the body of laws in the United States would protect this country from damage by a bad president. I am no longer sure.

The whole balance of power mechanism derives its effectiveness in part from the assumption that at the most fundamental level, the players are all looking out for the good of the country (after their own endless reelection survival, of course). Even those in politics who are motivated by power and money are nonetheless patriots in their hearts. I do not believe our current president comes from that place.

This puts his opponents at a distinct disadvantage, because they are combating him and negotiating with him as if his motivations are in sync with theirs. They therefore misjudge the lengths to which he will go to achieve his unspoken goals. They are caught too defenseless and naive too late in the game to put up an effective defense. Again, a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Everyone keeps scratching his head about Obama's feckless attitude in regards to the deficit and government spending. I believe he has no interest whatever in dealing with it and only mouths talking points to mask his detachment. His focus appears to be on punishing success, raising taxes wherever he can, increasing individual dependence on government, and damaging or destroying what he perceives as his enemies (conservatives, Republican party, successful businessmen, the United States in general). He seems to be a bitter, vindictive man who wishes to "take revenge" for whatever slights and hurts he perceives himself to have suffered, or his wards (the "communities" he organized, the downtrodden victims of oppression by the United States, or by rich bankers, or by uncaring conservatives) to have suffered. "Take revenge. Go vote," he exhorted during the election. Revenge? For what? He has been handed everything in life. I guess he feels guilty for getting free passes without accomplishing anything. I wish he would not target the rest of us to vent his unhappiness and anger.

Those Who Don't Learn from History are Doomed to Repeat It

Ref.: The entitlement society:

"As Tacitus shrewdly observed, 'Little by little there was a slide towards the allurements of degeneracy; assembly rooms, bathing establishments and smart dinner parties. In their inexperience the Britons called it civilization when it was really all part of their servitude.'" - pg. 252, Saxons, Vikings and Celts by Bryan Sykes

Ref.: Gun control

"The final withdrawal of the Roman army, some fifty years later, left England completely undefended and the population unprotected. Four centuries of occupation, during which citizens and slaves alike were forbidden even to carry arms and all weapons and military equipment were in the hands of the army, had left a population unaccustomed to warfare. That is not to say that the population was necessarily completely defenceless (sic). Everyone must have seen this coming..." - pg. 255, ibid

Here, however, people evidently prepared to some extent to protect themselves.