Latest country insulted by Obama? Australia!

obamasocialismAustralians aren’t happy about Obama putting off his visit to their country, TWICE. After his Marxist takeover of health care this coming weekend, Obama plans to work harder on destroying America until he pops off to Australia and Indonesia in June. Obama’s decision to put off his visit to Indonesia and Australia a second time provides a valuable insight into how this dysfunctional White House operates. If any proof were needed that US foreign policy, especially in the Pacific, is far down the list of priorities for Obama and his team then here it is.

George W. Bush ignored the region, say his detractors. What about Obama?

The President’s spokesman, Robert Gibbs, stumbled through a prepared script yesterday. But he put the situation aptly: “The passage of health reform is of paramount importance and the President is determined to see this battle through.”

In other words, Obama’s domestic push to pass a watered-down version of health reform in the US congress so he can chalk up a legislative victory after a year of bumbling comes first. The message to Indonesia and Australia could not be clearer.

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Gibbs even omitted Australia as he read from his script that Obama expected to visit Indonesia in June.

He later issued a “clarification” that added Australia.

In an election year, Kevin Rudd would obviously be disappointed about a no-show from Obama. The presence of a charismatic president could help lift his flagging position in opinion polls.

But Rudd will get over it. He will see Obama later in the year. He also knows what the White House knows: Australia’s support for the US is a given, and often taken for granted.

Indonesia’s disappointment may be more acute, which only reinforces the clumsy approach taken by Washington.

Obama not only delayed his Australian visit last week but compressed the leg into an overnight stay.

Now it is off the table until June. Surely the White House could have foreseen a week ago that a better option then would have been to delay until June.

Gibbs said yesterday a congress vote on health could not take place before tomorrow, the day of the President’s proposed departure, because congress rules provided that legislation must sit on the table for a 72-hour review period before a vote takes place. This is not a sudden revelation – the White House knew it all along.

It all smacks of an indecisive President who is trying to please everybody but ends up pleasing no one.

All the claims of dithering levelled against Obama by his opponents appear more and more accurate. He may sound good, but what does he do?

The heavy politicking by Obama now to nudge reluctant fellow Democratic Party members to pass health legislation could have been done last year. The prospects for passing the health legislation still do not look good at this stage.

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March 19, 2010 · Filed Under General Politics


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