The American Spectator : The Michelle Garden Strategy

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The Michelle Garden Strategy

By R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. on 8.18.11 @ 6:08AM

Obama's team is all clowns and small gestures.

WASHINGTON -- There is squabbling in the White House. President Barack Obama's approval rating has dipped to unprecedented lows in the polls, and he has not a clue as to what to do about it. Within the President's team there are the pragmatists led by David Plouffe (pronounced plu'-fey) and William M. Daley who favor small gestures. I mean really small gestures. They would favor free trade agreements, possibly with Gabon, perhaps the Maldives. They also favor improved patent protections for investors, assuming they can find investors, and something about Michelle's garden. At least I thought it was about Michele's garden. At any rate, it was small. Maybe they were advocating growing cherry tomatoes.

On the other hand, there is the president's chief economic advisor, Gene Sperling, who is himself a small man, but he advocates big initiatives. Citing public anger with Republicans over the debt-ceiling debates, he is for big bold new initiatives, the New York Times tells us. He is not all that convincing about the public's anger with Republicans but he is for big initiatives, like tax incentives for business that hire the unemployed. Why they would hire the unemployed if they have little work for them I am not clear. Do they do it for tax incentives? Sometimes I get the idea President Obama gets the chief economic advisors a community activist deserves.

The best example of the big ideas that these clowns are thinking about is that the Administration will create a new department in the federal government called something like the Department of Jobs or the Department of Competitiveness. I kid thee not. It would include the Department of Commerce, the Office of the United States Trade Representative along with certain economic divisions of the State Department. And why not throw in the Department of Education and perhaps the Marine Band?

Obviously this Administration is making heavy weather of it, and things will be getting worse. I do not like to belabor a point that I have been making for a year now, but Barack Obama is the least experienced man ever to be president. He is also about the most ideological man ever to approach the presidency and the combination of inexperience and pigheaded ideology does not make for a very good president

In the meantime, over the weekend Governor Rick Perry declared his candidacy for the White House. Declaring it is "time to get America working again" he cited the figures of unemployment and low growth -- growth is lower than 2 percent. At this time in the recovery cycle of President Ronald Reagan it was 7.1 percent. Governor Perry is the longest serving Texas governor, and it is a plus that he governs Texas. Texas, according to the Dallas Federal Reserve, has created 37 percent of all the new jobs created since the recession ended. A little over a year ago Texas was being compared to California, favorably. Texas is the big state that works. California is the big state that is dysfunctional.

With unemployment being the main issue in next year's election Governor Perry has a very good message. He can link his state's record of low taxes, controlled spending and tort reform and challenge whatever ideas come out of the White House squabble over big ideas or small ideas or Michele's garden. Whatever ideas the White House trumpets it will still be burdened with high unemployment and low growth -- possibly no growth -- in 2012. Meanwhile, Governor Perry appeals to both the fiscal conservatives and the social conservatives, while his background in the Air Force will not hurt him on the national defense issue, a very big issue in light of our president's foreign policy disasters.

Moreover, another strong issue for Perry is energy. He comes from the state that has energy on its mind. He has spoken about natural gas, and seems to understand as no one running for the presidency does, that we have discovered enough natural gas in the country to change the rules of the game. If our natural gas can be used effectively it can make us independent of foreign oil, allowing us to set the price of oil, not OPEC. It is both a domestic energy issue and a national security issue. What the governor has to say about the issues will be of great importance in the months ahead, not the least of which is how to develop natural gas. Only he is equipped to talk about it as a source of energy and a national security matter. While the White House squabble I shall be listening to Governor Perry on the issues.

About the Author

R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. is the founder and editor in chief of The American Spectator. He is the author of the forthcoming The Death of Liberalism, published by Thomas Nelson Inc. His previous books include the New York Times bestseller Boy Clinton: the Political Biography; The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton; The Liberal Crack-Up; The Conservative Crack-Up; Public Nuisances; The Future that Doesn't Work: Social Democracy's Failure in Britain; Madame Hillary: The Dark Road to the White House; The Clinton Crack-Up; and After the Hangover: The Conservatives' Road to Recovery.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (33) | Leave a comment

Ken (Old Texican)| 8.18.11 @ 6:56AM

Emmett,
In another article here today, Perry was roasted pretty good for "preaching". Well, the best synonym for "preach".....is "proclaim".

I like the things Perry is proclaiming; love for one another, and love of countrry among them.

Oldefarte| 8.18.11 @ 5:27PM

Bob, me too! I'm going to be brief to satisfy Ken's criticism of my not breaking up my thought processes. I like Perry's being an oil/gas proponent, since IMO a movable or fixed rig should be dropped every 500 feet in all three oceans. Also, he's SAT BEHIND A DESK AS TEXAS GOVERNOR AND MADE EXECUTIVE DECISIONS is a big plus. Okay, I'm out of my allowable SPACE, so see ya!!!!

PCC| 8.19.11 @ 5:35AM

Three oceans?

Oldefarte| 8.19.11 @ 11:09AM

An ocean is defined as a BODY OF SALT WATER COVERING MUCH OF THE EARTH. Three[3]=Atlantic, Pacific,Gulf of Mexico. DUH????

Southern_Comment| 9.19.11 @ 10:08AM

The duh was unecessary and a bit rude. There are five oceans on the earth - you only expected him to know you were thinking of three pertinent to drilling.

Alan Brooks| 8.18.11 @ 8:14PM

Mr. Tyrrell,
we might be better off with small gestures than the grandiose Compassionte (big spending, anyone?) 'Conservatism'.

Negro X| 8.19.11 @ 6:02AM

Brooks, you might be better off directing your anger at your boyfriend rather looking for attention here.

Appleby| 8.18.11 @ 7:23AM

What is it that Obama is doing, if not Preaching?

My Daddy would have called it *pontificating*.

And I maintain that Obama is mired in 1968, and his pigheaded adherence to policies formed by ignorant adoration of TheKids is sinking him like a stone. It was rubbish in the Real Sixties and it is rubbish now.

Maddox| 8.18.11 @ 11:04AM

I call if "condescending" to those of lower intelligence. They seem to believe there are enough Americans without enough common sense or intelligence to see through their manure. Maybe they are right, he was elected last time. Hopefully, this time his economic disaster and our failed foreign policy will trump ignorance.

Darin| 8.18.11 @ 2:11PM

Never underestimate the power of ignorant people in large groups. The 2008 Obama campaign saw people voting for him because he was "cool," "would lower my mortgage," and other such drivel. Obama's approval rating is still around 40%. How 40% can find anything positive about him is mind-blowing until you realize it's most likely comprised of people living life on the dole. They don't want to lose their stolen money from daddy government, so they'll continue to vote in those who take from productive citizens and give to the underserving. It's like the grasshopper got the government to force the ant to share what the ant had worked hard to obtain. If the grasshopper doesn't see the wrongness of this, the ant is going to be quickly outnumbered.

Alan Brooks| 8.18.11 @ 8:57PM

Your guy (unless you voted libertarian) McCain is stuck in 1968:
at the Hanoi Hilton!

We are all living in the past.

olainfree| 8.18.11 @ 7:39AM

Thank you for focusing on the pertinent issues of this presidential contest, Mr Tyrrell. Texas is better off than we were since Obama entered the White House. Can we say the same for the nation?

The intertwining of energy and the economy IS the issue. The candidate who hammers that point home will unstall our nation's depression.

martin j smith| 8.18.11 @ 8:08AM

The theory that I like the best--but is very disturbing about Obama's "grand Strategy" goes like this: Obama predictably will offer the same old same old tax and spend including investments so called and class warfare. Lots of that. Now when as predicted the Repubs say NO
Obama will blame them for the economic problems. This is why it is imperative the Repubs have a PLAN that looks reasonable and can be explained in words with no more that 4 or five letters that basically says this: ONLY economic growth will change our economy to bring more JOBS. It has to be called the PRO JOBS AND PRO-GROWTH economic Plan. And, it must also explain why Obama's plan will fail,

One more point: If Obama gins up urban rage thru class warfare which I suspect is part of his plan--that is cause civil unrest--then he should be IMPEACHED FOR THAT. !!!!!!!!!!!!

Bess | 8.18.11 @ 8:12AM

Yes, I know I ALWAYS garden in my designer clothes and italian leather boots.

Anthony| 8.18.11 @ 10:27AM

Bess, Good observation, but as Obozo warned, "better watch that mouth".
Obozo and Moochelle are the results of the perfect storm of affirmative action, multi-culturalism, and moral relativism, that struck America all at the same moment in time.
The utter failure of the main tenents of leftism have been exposed for any rational person to see, emphasis on the word rational.
I only pray America survives this storm long enough, until we can blow the entire left out to sea, or an iceberg.

Petronius| 8.18.11 @ 9:04AM

The floor is now open for nominations to the new cabinet post for Secretary of Stasis. The Democrats have so many who are so good at doing nothing. The President will review the short list when he returns from vacation on Martha's Vinyard. When the announcement is made on this appointment Bob can write another column.

Cuffs| 8.18.11 @ 9:34AM

Obama and Moochelle are frauds.
Neither has ever done a days' work.
They despise the country but live
off it to the hilt.
Obama is the quintessential con man
and his wife is a spoiled,classless woman.

KennesawJack| 8.18.11 @ 9:23PM

There once a Prez named Barack.
A Chicago political hack.
He's a socialist fool.
George Soros' tool.
Elected because he is black.

Lazy Jack| 8.18.11 @ 9:35AM

On the topic of experience governor Perry is taking fire for inheriting a strong economy, mainly related to the high price of oil, and riding the wave. At least that is what the jumble coming out of the media propaganda machine sounds like. Oh, and he prays, so that must be bad.

Assume for the sake of argument that all he got was the gift of a good economy and failed to screw it up. What is the saying about doctors? First, do no harm? If that is all he did, he could teach the Obama/Chicago machine a graduate level course.

The small gestures by the Obama team are unsurprising because they hail from the old thief's trick of distraction. Focus on the right hand while the left hand is...

Apparently, the Obama team learned everything from Ocean's Eleven. Frankly, they assume we are not smart enough to catch on. Apparently, they have been right so far.

Lazy Jack

www.thanksforthelaughs.wordpress.com

russell| 8.18.11 @ 10:49AM

Hey - isn't Michelle violating the Commerce Clause by growing food for her family? Is she not affecting interstate commerce?

Regulations for thee but not for me...

Occam's Tool| 8.18.11 @ 3:06PM

Michelle's position was not filled by the U of C hospitals when she left. Her PRIMARY ACCOMPLISHMENT was in denying poor people medical care at U of C.

TrueBlue| 8.18.11 @ 12:44PM

Perry is a horrible choice for President, he is a go-along-to-get along governor with delusions of grandeur. When it is politically easy for him he will do it, but with pressure from all the liberals in Congress he will fold.

He should have been brought up on corruption charges after the Gardasil HPV bull he pulled, which conveniently benefitted one of his primary campaign contributors (Merck), and his former chief-of-staff Mike Toomey.

He also ignored the legislative process AND used an executive order to FORCE parents to vaccinate their daughters with a drug that had only been approved by the FDA 8 months before, so no wear-off time or long-term effects were known about it. His apology for the whole thing consists of him admitting he "didn’t do my research well enough."

On top of that he signed into law a property tax cut that he KNEW would create a $5 billion a year deficit for the state. While I am all for tax cuts, you do not cut when you know it will create a deficit, and Texas hardly has any public programs or services to cut in order to balance out the tax reduction (unlike the federal government).

We don't need someone like that in the White House, we have enough problems with Obama's executive orders and pushing what he wants through federal regulation agencies like the EPA to bypass Congress.

Nite| 8.18.11 @ 11:08PM

Comments show a considerable lack of understanding about TX or actions of the Governor. Sounds like a liberal trying to sound like a conservative and failing.

Foxfier| 8.20.11 @ 11:07AM

Comment sounds like a Perry supporter that can't argue against the the post on the facts.

Mike Hawk| 8.18.11 @ 1:02PM

Hasn't anyone considered that this is the new Garden of Eden, the Garden of Moochelle. All will be perfect and if we all listen to her, there will be no fat kids (butts excluded) and Barack will guide us all to the new paradise.

marshcope| 8.18.11 @ 9:46PM

With all the historical documents being found about the slaves who built the White House and the Capitol, Michelle might get better press coverage about her garden if she would say she was honoring slaves Aunt Omie and Uncle Ned, who tended the White House gardens and worked in the kitchens for all those Old South Presidents back in the 1800s. ( John Tyler had to show the Black head cook at the W House how to operate the first cast iron stove put in to replace the fire place in the kitchen.)

marshcope| 8.18.11 @ 9:53PM

Actually Tyler walked down to the patent office and brought a guy up to the House who knew how to operate a cook stove.

POST American| 8.18.11 @ 10:35PM

--------------------BOTTOM LINE----------------------

-----AWE ---STARE -----'IT' ---HE.

Remember kiddies, we're the ITs --and USURY
remains the core abomination ---and the
RED China sellout remains what it is ----TREE-SON.

SO, keep pumpin' that prozak

---------Keep ignoring the TSA while watchin'
T&A on Murdoch's Globalist front FOX 'News'

Keep NOT seeing EUGENICS is YOUTH-in Asia
-----right here!

--------------------JUST KEEP A GOIN'.

Jesse| 8.19.11 @ 12:46AM

Never underestimate the power of ignorant people in large groups.
http://www.summer-products.com
http://www.honey-gifts.com

Lucy| 8.19.11 @ 12:48AM

Actually Tyler walked down to the patent office and brought a guy up to the House who knew how to operate a cook stove.
http://www.ainibag.com
http://www.jerseys-hats-store.com

FlaJim| 8.19.11 @ 4:58AM

Perry seems to understand the principal that Calvin Coolidge voiced: The business of America is business. Government does not create jobs but it can certainly stifle creation of them through taxation and regulation.

Add to that his common sense understanding that an abundant and guaranteed fuel source is vital to growth in the economy. Actually, those in the current regime understand that, too, and that's why they're putting up all the roadblocks they can in order to destroy the US economy.

It would be nice to see our country return to the laissez-faire capitalism that originally created the wealth. Sell GM and Chrysler back to the public and if they crash, they crash. Other entities will step in to pick up the pieces and fill the void.

Only a government wise enough to mind its own business as enumerated in the Constitution can get out of the way and allow American Exceptionalism to show itself again.

Tex Expatriate| 8.19.11 @ 6:30PM

Personally, I am very sorry Rick Perry is running for President. I had held out the hope that Texas would once again leave the United States and I could return home, even if I had to leave my wife of 51 years. (Some things are stronger than marital bonds!)

I've never much liked the United States anyhow. Oklahoma and New Mexico are great states, and to some extent, so is Colorado. But Colorado is filled with New Yorkers and Californians! So I had put my best hope in Texas. If Perry leaves the state for Washington, there are no Texans of stature left to take it out of the Union, unless I move back there myself, and I wouldn't lower myself to run for office and lack stature.

marshcope| 8.20.11 @ 6:55PM

I thought of that great Texan- George Strait, but don't know what his politics are, and he is pushing 60 and seems to have a pot tummy and wears glasses now, from a tv clip I saw of him a while back. But Pappy O'Daniel was also a singer. If you saw that final episode of Dallas where JR did or did not kill himself he got to see what Life would have been if he had never been born, and found that a Ewing-less Cliff Barnes grew up to become a very good POTUS. If you are reading TAS Cliff get in the Race Now!