Posted by
John Caile on Sunday, January 31, 2010 12:22:39 PM
Like a badly skipping CD, Barak Obama seems stuck in campaign mode, endlessly repeating the same hackneyed slogans from his run for the presidency. Obama has made more public appearances in the first year in office than just about any president in history, with most of his speeches being little more than infomercials for his massive spending initiatives and health care "reform" proposal.
Even Obama's first State of the Union address sounded like a continuation of his 2008 campaign, consisting primarily of empty catch-phrases, promises of yet more government giveaways, and of course, continuing to blame the previous administration for the economy he "inherited" - conveniently ignoring the enormous damage done by his own disastrous "Stimulus" program, and the fact that Congress has been controlled by the Democrats since 2006.
But perhaps the most disappointing moment was Obama's unprecedented attack on the Supreme Court - something that should disturb all Americans for several reasons. Because besides the fact that Obama's comment was completely inappropriate in a State of the Union address, the President was completely wrong - not just morally, but factually.
For those unfamiliar with the case, Obama disparaged the court for its recent decision in Citizens United v. FEC, a ruling which restored the right of American organizations, whether corporations, unions, or even groups like Planned Parenthood or the NRA, to make their voices heard right up to election day - essentially, a victory for free speech, and one that in fact benefits the "little guy" as much as anyone else.
But Obama blasted the Court, claiming that the decision would "open the floodgates for special interests - including foreign corporations - to spend without limits in our elections. Well, I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities."
One minor problem for Obama - his statement was clearly, and provably, false.
As legal experts, including Capital University Law Professor Bradley A. Smith, have documented, "Foreign nationals, specifically defined to include foreign corporations, are prohibiting from making 'a contribution or donation of money or any other thing of value, or to make an express or implied
promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a
Federal, State or local election' under 2 U.S.C. Section 441e, which
was not even at issue in the case."
Professor Smith further points out that "Foreign corporations are also prohibited, under 2 U.S.C. 441e, from
making any contribution or donation to any committee of any political
party, and are [also] prohibited from making any 'expenditure, independent
expenditure, or disbursement for an electioneering communication."
The Citizens United Supreme Court ruling that Obama attacked had nothing to do with the laws regarding political donations by foreign interests, who are clearly prohibited from any direct or even indirect involvement in American elections. Thus President Obama - who is supposed to be a Constitutional "scholar" - is either embarrassingly ignorant of the law, or he is simply guilty of arrogant political deception of the worst kind.
In other words, Obama is either an idiot, or a liar - take your pick.