It's Hard Work!

I believe I have alluded to this in the past and it again occurs to me that due to the profoundly strenuous nature of Presidential Campaigns in this country, by the time the winning candidate is finally sworn in, he is likely so depleted that his capabilities for decision making are diminished to the degree that many important decisions are conferred upon other cabinet members and staff, who may or may not share the same agenda the president had set forth throughout his campaign. 

 

The office of the Presidency is one that makes it almost impossible for the Executive to truly focus on all the myriad occurrences that transpire throughout the country.  I was listening to old clips of myriad Republicans denouncing the administration for ‘Mirandizing’ the Christmas Day Bomber, as if Obama himself actually had a say in the matter at the exact time the would-be terrorist was taken into custody: 

 

“Mr. President, sorry to bother you on Christmas Day.  You’ve probably already heard about this underwear bomber we’ve apprehended…  Yeah, I know-can’t make this shit up.  In any event, we thought we should go straight to the top on this one and ask you if we should read Mr. Fruit of the Boom his Miranda Rights.  Yeah?  But won’t the GOP (and Lieberman) go absolutely apeshit?  Do it anyway?  Yes sir.  And Merry Christmas, sir!”

 

That is undoubtedly how it all went down.  All the same, Obama (as most presidents do) has quite a bit on his proverbial plate and I know from my own experience that if one is overwhelmed and has the option of handing off a task or responsibility to a subordinate here or there, chances are he will do just that.  This is especially so regarding matters the President perhaps feels are outside his comfort zone, say matters of finance and the economy.   This obviously brings us to the circumstances surrounding Elizabeth Warren, her proposed and now codified Financial Protection Agency and the fact that she will likely not end up being the head of it because Geithner, Sommers, etc. know she’ll actually enforce regulations.

 

A somewhat disparate point that still draws upon the aforementioned principle is Obama’s lauded LBJ-esque legislative record.  One pundit made the point that the proficiency of congress to churn out bills for the President sign demonstrates efficiency more than effectiveness.  That is, just because a bill has been signed into law does not necessarily mean that it will achieve what it is designed to accomplish.  It’s illustrative of the national mentality of kudos for mere participation that George Carlin and yes, even Glenn Beck have excoriated.  Despite what Woody Allen has famously (and slightly tongue-in-cheek) pronounced, oftentimes it is not enough in life to just show up, especially not when you are POTUS.  Thus when the President, or anyone else for that matter, is continually told by his staff what can and can’t be done, he will likely just show up and not actually fight for truly effective legislation.