In the end, modern politics is not about “public service” but power. How can one argue that he or she is a “public servant” when the salaries they earn are, on average, higher than the private sector? To the point…
Nero fiddled while Rome burned. More accurately he played the stage as an actor, the lyre a precursor to the fiddle, and fancied himself a singer. A populist emperor, the contests of his day were not unlike ours today; popularity politics over substance.
Nero’s whims dictated law to the Senate. And though fires were not uncommon in ancient Rome, some suspect that the famous fire and burning of Rome was set by Nero himself, so that he could come to the rescue after.
Nero — narcissist ad nauseum — ruled with tyranny and excess. His populist image was crafted by appealing to the “bread and circus” vices of the masses. If he fed them enough, entitled them enough, created a dependency on him enough, he reasoned they would continue to insulate him from loss of power.
Evidence today points to a “ruling” executive who circumvents the Constitution, and thus Congress, through regulators. It is clear the chief executive insulates himself with extreme left-wing ideologue appointees (czars) not answerable to the Senate (thus the people) and who, when he chooses legislation as a process to force ideology, dictates to the 535 members of the Senate and House of Representatives to the point of endangering their careers.
What does this imperious president care about? More national debt has been created in 19 months of Mr. Obama’s rule than in all the years from George Washington to Ronald Reagan. Like children with insatiable appetites who have inherited a bottomless checking account, it would appear the one-party rulers in DC are driven to purchase support in a game as ancient as Rome itself; populist “power-politics.”
Senseless to fiscal responsibility, not even offering a 2010 budget — just blame and spend, greed and graft, favors and power; these implosive tactics will bring the national house down around all of us; compromising our wealth, prestige, power and ability to remain free.
With such evidence mounting each day, with grassroots America in political outrage beyond anything witnessed in modern history, why would Mr. Obama and his inner circle of the far left risk a course so clearly headed toward disaster for his party at the polls and for America in general?
Many now believe that the hired monarch’s only plan for prosperity is exactly the opposite — to continue to borrow trillions in order to break America to a point of complete inability to repay, and thus to a point of no return. Then, once America is broken, the socialist one-world equalizing of capital, currency, and laws — the former domain of finger-pointing conspiracy theorists and anti-UN’ers — offers the American emperor an opportunity to ride to the rescue; the modern day equivalent to Nero.
Is America burning? China owns our debt. States like California are completely broke while Washington levies additional mandates they are unable to meet. Taxpayer stimulus money continues to pour out of Washington coffers to support one party rule — propping up welfare entitlements, unions, bankers and brokers, non-producing entities such as government agencies, propaganda and PR firms, foreign government hygiene programs and the list goes on.
The leader of the “free” world buys his way around problems, creates many more of them, as he parties-on with extravagance, enjoying more golf vacations than the average retiree could possibly afford in a single year, while America’s financial house burns.
Nero was no public servant to Rome. Witnessing a leader who seems so disconnected from the reality on Main Street, almost bored by his high call to service, the people of America are beginning to suspect that Obama’s golf may be to America what Nero’s fiddle was to Rome.
James Michael Pratt is a New York Times bestselling novelist and non-fiction author, CEO of PowerThink Publishing, public speaker, Op Ed writer for The Daily Caller, and Founder of Reagan Revolution 2. Email: james@powerthink.com.