Misplaced populism

It was not that long ago that a newly inaugurated President Obama, projecting an image of sure-footed confidence, stood on the steps of the capitol, chiding his critics about the shifting sand beneath them. Now with his poll numbers in free fall and reeling from election defeats where establishment democrats supporting his agenda were rejected despite the political clout he expended on their behalf, the president seems desperate to find solid ground.

Being a community organizer and Senator, Obama has had the luxury of being able to call both sides of the coin. As a community organizer Obama’s job was to marshal the mob against an economic or government institution in an effort to strong-arm an executive or politician into finding a solution to some perceived injustice. In essence create a problem and force someone else to solve it. As a Senator, much like other senators he could support a certain course action with his vote then act as a bystander if the results of that action are unpopular or unsuccessful. For example railing against “fat-cat bankers” and bailouts, but voting for the TARP legislation. Now he is President and the buck stops with him, there is no one left to organize against. Being President has exposed some serious flaws in the Obama image, for one he is visibly angered by the public’s opposition to various elements of his agenda. It is not just Health care. Cap & trade, his approach to national security, foreign policy or immigration, Obama’s Ideas are not inline with the electorate. In a recent interview with George Stephanopoulos the President more or less said that the people just don’t get it.

In an effort to regain his footing and rally the pitchforks to his cause, Obama has renewed his attacks on Wall Street and the financial sector. The president has rolled out a new theme in his recent speeches saying repeatedly “that the people want their money back.” This is curious considering that the majority of the American people were against the TARP legislation and the uncertainty caused by his attacks over the past week has been a major factor in driving the markets into negative territory, that’s real money being lost, not just by “fat cat bankers” but fixed income retires and just about any worker with a 401k. Once again, as on his inauguration day Obama has fatally misread the political landscape with his misplaced populism. The rest of his agenda will offer no salvation from his political free fall and the incessant blaming of his predecessor will only endear him to a minuscule potion of the electorate, lashing out at the Voter will endear him to no one. Obama either fails or refuses to see that the forces behind his recent setbacks are pushing in the opposite direction. The people who determined the outcomes of the VA, NJ and Massachusetts elections, organized the massive march on D.C. and overflowed from tea-parties into townhall meetings are not interested in centralized government solutions, they seek a rollback of the overbearing bureaucracy that has stagnated our economy and set its aim on the individual liberty of the citizen.

Anthony D Dolpies

Word on The Street

Growing up in the neighborhoods of South Philadelphia, I learned very quickly that there are three common sources in which you could get information. There is of course broadcast media, TV network news and such, you could also scan one of the various newspapers. However neither of these is as effective as the third, word on the street. Word on the street is a powerful & swift moving vehicle, it can expose a secret, stop a crime, or sink a new business venture.

Word on the street is sinking President Obama, In the past few months I have noticed an interesting & refreshing surge in the political dialogue of the casual observer. I originally noticed what seemed like a sense of unease in the people regarding the direction of government, but over the course of the last month this bubbling overall discontent has crystalized into unfavorable and sometimes hostile criticism of President Obama. One of the more glaring examples of this came while doing some grocery shopping at the local supermarket, while perusing the fresh vegetable Isle. (You know the one Michelle Obama says is not available in inner-city neighborhoods like mine.) I couldn’t help but overhear a group of three supermarket workers rabidly criticizing the administrations spending and climate change policy, I say overheard but understand, The tone and volume of their discussion is significant, these men were visibly agitated. The gist of the conversation was to the effect that the administration’s actions in these matters where only going to lead to higher taxes for them and high inflation overall. This is quite telling, these were not rich men but inventory clerks in a grocery store and their age ranged from early twenties to mid sixties. I was tempted to chime in, instead I just picked up some strawberries and went about my business, with a little extra jump in my step.

Another example was outside a local bank just yesterday, Where a group of five fifty-something women was vociferously expressing their outrage at Obama’s “condescending attitude” and “disrespect” toward “the police,” I thought it was interesting that they said the police and not the Massachusetts police officer who arrested professor Gates, but this is understandable being that police in Philadelphia have an extremely dangerous job as it is, without the President inciting racial tension.

This might seem like a few random encounters but it is important to understand that for every one citizen with a particular point of view there are thousands who share it, that’s why congressmen put a lot of weight behind phone calls from constituents and other citizens. Consequently traffic to my own personal blog has increased exponentially, now that might not mean a whole lot, but if The President’s chief economic advisor Larry Summers can say that the economy is getting better because google searches for the phrase “economic depressions” are back to normal levels, well then it might not be such a stretch to draw a correlation between that and the rising disaffection for our President.

The President’s problem is three fold. First, his policies have been unpopular from day one, polls have shown over and over again that the American people do not like this massive expansion of government into what seems like every area of life, regardless of the issue. Up until recently however he has been shielded by his celebrity status and a hapless press which refuse to connect Obama to his policy. Unfortunately for the President he is learning that the campaign is over and voters are now looking for details and not focus grouped talking points or general platitudes.

Secondly, The Deficit is now the top priority among voters along with the economy, far above health care and completely eclipsing climate change. Yet Obama seems arrogantly unaware of these concerns and continues to push energy rationing taxation at the same time horribly underestimating the American people by trying to sell them his mythological health care plan, which according to him will not add to the deficit, regardless of its trillion-dollar price tag.

Third, the president is completely handcuffed by his ideology, and he is noticeably indifferent to the adversarial relationship he is fostering between the American people and himself, who do not view themselves as global citizens. This is why his sliding poll numbers are significant, Obama’s ideas for governing are just more of the same socialist policies that are detrimental to the economic growth that would be his salvation, this leaves him little hope for redemption with a citizenry that is quickly growing weary.

Anthony D Dolpies

Redress of Grievance

Redress of Grievance

Redress of Grievance

To the Congress of The United States


Two-hundred and thirty-three years ago the founding fathers of this nation established a framework for civil society unprecedented in human history, a government based on self evident truth, the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, A representative republic which derives its authority not by coercion but consent, a government justified in one role, it's only function, protecting the individual natural rights of man.

It is upon this foundation, that this petition has been laid and garners it's legitimacy. Our representative system has been overtaken by the unelected overgrowth of an administrative state. The government as it operates today has become destructive to the liberty of the citizen.

You have Ceded your constitutionally assigned legislative authority, allowing a bloated administrative bureaucracy to dictate policy and levy taxes under the guise of administrative fees outside of normal public input or consent.

You have, through convoluted interpretations of various clauses, ignored and perverted the intent of our constitution, radically expanding the power of the federal government.

You have infringed on our natural right of free speech and assembly by establishing "free speech zones" as a way of containing dissent.

You have infringed on our right of self defense, using the commerce clause to levy federal taxes and regulations on ammunition and arms

You have trampled the Tenth amendment, undercutting the sovereignty of the individual states, co-opting their budgets with burdensome federally mandated entitlements and passing legislation that allows local lawmakers to disregard the authority of their governors.

You have threatened the civil society by assembling congress like some third world politburo with show trials of private citizens, and by employing unions and community organizations that strong arm certain businesses and institutions into endorsing a political agenda.

You have contributed to the balkenization of this society with a reckless immigration policy that promotes chaos over assimilation.

You have allowed the executive and the Treasury, to confer on themselves the power to seize private property and dictate the affairs of private enterprise.

You have allowed the executive to usurp the power of the citizen and the citizens representative, by appointing commissioners outside of the constitutional process.

You have sought to weaken our system of checks, by confirming justices who incorporate foreign law into their constitutional interpretations.

You have sought to fatigue and discourage the concerned citizen, by hiding insidious law and cronyism among a thousand or more pages of legislation.

You have stifled debate on damaging legislation, limiting debate not on constitutional grounds but the parliamentary games of whoever controls congress.

You have embraced a government eager to limit economic freedom and prosperity, through progressive taxation and draconian mandate. ignoring the fact that individual freedom and economic freedom are inseparable.

You have sought under the guise of security, to concentrate prosperity into the hands of a few chosen bidders, meanwhile sowing the seeds of fascism.

You have been a reckless steward of our currency, outsourcing your authority to coin and regulate the currency to a private institution, without the constitutional authority to do so, saddling future generations with massive debt, jeopardizing their opportunity for prosperity.

You have cast a shadow of illegitimacy on the work and bravery of our military by engaging in prolonged extensive combat operations, without a formal declaration of war.

These abuses are irrefutable. It is also irrefutable that the expansion of government beyond its constitutional function is only conducive to the recession of liberty. A government in a state of constant expansion, must eventually resort to oppression to sustain itself. In the hopes of avoiding this inevitable tyranny, in an effort to reform our republic to its constitutional boundaries, we the people of the United States hereby enter this redress of grievances.

Anthony D Dolpies
Philadelphia, PA

You can sign this petition @ http://www.petition.fm/petitions/redress/