Back in November, I predicted that the American people had made the wrong choice in electing an unremarkable Chicago lawyer and senator to the highest office in the land.
Much has transpired since then to reinforce that opinion, between serious missteps that go far beyond rookie mistakes and the implementation of ideologically driven policies that will have serious, long-term and negative repercussions for the American people.
On the economic front, the billions of taxpayer dollars poured into GM and Chrysler are already having an impact, as buyers turn away from these brands in unprecedented numbers, unwilling to embrace the idea of car companies run by Washington and the UAW.
More worrisome than that is a pattern of behaviour within the White House and the Democratic Party that outside observers are finding exceptionally troubling.
While some of this behaviour is starting to create a stir among the American press, its unprecedented infatuation with Obama is clearly blinding it to some hard realities.
For example, while the marital scandal of South Carolina’s Republican governor has been given prominent nationwide news coverage, criminal investigations related to bribery of at least five Democratic senators and Congressmen have merited zero national coverage.
High-profile marital scandals amongst Democratic politicians also, tellingly, rate far less coverage than do Republican foibles.
Yet, the question has to be asked, which behaviour is more detrimental to the health of democracy corruption, or the breakdown of a marriage?
The Ottawa press gallery has been known to grumble about the controlling nature of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
These same people have had precious little to say about the fact that under Obama, unlike the previous administration, questions and questioners are assigned in advance, and answers are read from the omni-present teleprompter.
It is only now, after having worked diligently to elect him, that America’s journalists are raising concerns about this style that was present long before his ascendancy to 1600 Pennsylvania.
The thuggish nature of Chicago’s politics has also migrated to Washington.
During the weeks leading up to the auto sector bailouts, Chrysler and GM bondholders complained of being “strong armed” by Obama administration officials into accepting a bankruptcy re-structuring process which is clearly unconstitutional.
Further to that, when GM and Chrysler were forced to close out some 2,000 privately owned dealerships, there was clear favouritism given to dealers who were supporters of the Democratic Party.
On the world stage, Obama’s speech to “the Muslim world” in early June was an open betrayal of Israel, and the millions of Muslims who are actually trying to bridge the chasm between the 21st century and the feudal tyranny that is posed by Islamofascist states and organizations.
By delivering a presidential mea culpa to those who wish to destroy the West and purge the Middle East of the pestilent Jews, in the false hope that he might somehow defuse their hatred, Obama has simply thrown Israel and those Muslims working to create modern secular societies to the wolves.
Just as we won the Cold War by standing up to the Russians, and helping spread the gospel of democracy throughout the sphere of Soviet influence, we will only defeat the spread of radical Islam in the same fashion, and by helping foment citizen-led, accountable democracy in the Muslim world.
In the same fashion, Obama has betrayed the citizens of Honduras, (and, witlessly, Ottawa has followed his lead) by failing to recognize that President Zelaya was forced from office not in a military coup, but by a lawful order of the Honduran Congress and its’ Supreme Court.
In light of this, it should be unsurprising that Obama has also violated American law by firing an auditor with the Inspector General Corps, when it appeared that auditor Gerald Walpin unearthed major financial irregularities in a federally funded foundation run by an Obama insider and fundraiser.
Despite having committed an impeachable offense by breaching a federal statute designed solely to protect the integrity of public institutions, neither the Democratic Congress nor the Obama-smitten press has offered much in the way of protest.
There is however, growing public concern over the manner in which the rookie president has been trying to implement his much touted health care reforms.
Just as the massive energy bill seemed to run roughshod over the republican process, the health care bill threatens the same. Only this time, the American public is beginning to show genuine alarm and real, grass roots push back.
My prediction? Barack Obama will go down in history as one of the worst presidents of all time. Only 40 or so months to go.
Bill Greenwood is a local freelance columnist.