The Stench of Sleaze

By Alan Caruba

I’m betting that we will all look back at the confirmation hearings, the controversy over Barack Obama’s birthplace, and the “Blago” scandal, and say “Why weren’t we paying more attention?”

The Obama administration, before it even takes office, is giving off a stench of sleaze that some in the media might want to ignore, but should be cause for genuine concern.

Overriding all other issues is the question of whether Obama qualifies under the U.S. Constitution to hold the office of President. Is he a native-born American or is his true birthplace Kenya as is being asserted in a number of court cases? Did his youth, spent partly in Indonesia as the adopted son, disqualify him if he held citizenship there? We are looking at a Constitutional crisis if the answer is yes.

Questions arising about the character of Timothy Geithner, his choice to be the next Secretary of Treasury, are another red flag that should not be ignored. If this man deliberately sought to cheat on his taxes then he is clearly the wrong man for the job. To suggest there is no one else to do the job is a slap in the face to everyone.

The controversies circling Erik Holder, the man chosen to be the next Attorney General, deliberately ignored the facts regarding the granting of a Clinton presidential pardon to a fugitive who did business with Saddam Hussein, then one must ask what other facts he might choose to ignore if confirmed? Holder also presided over the dubious and disgraceful seizure of Elian Gonzalez for return to Cuba after his mother died trying to bring him to America. Additionally he has a long record of opposition to the Second Amendment, i.e., gun ownership. No Attorney General can pick and choose which elements of the Constitution he intends to enforce.

By far the most egregious choice is Carol Browner as the new environment czar. She was recently found to have been a commissioner in Socialist International, an organization that regards capitalism as the problem and favors the nationalization of industry. In her previous Clinton administration position as head of the EPA she presided over the banning of pesticides that had long, safe, and distinguished records in the protection of health and property. We could be looking at “green” laws that increase the cost of energy for everyone and the attacks on private property everywhere.

Lisa Jackson, a Barack appointee to be the next director of the Environmental Protection Agency, has served in my home State of New Jersey under Governor Jon Corzine who has been an unceasing advocate of global warming and the many taxes and restrictions that disproved theory would impose. If Ms. Jackson is a global warming true believer, it bodes ill for the administration of draconian EPA mandates such as the Clean Air Act.

The fact that Hillary Clinton will be the next Secretary of State should give us pause as well, knowing as we do that her husband’s charity has received millions from, in many cases, unknown donors and those that are known who might be considered unfriendly to America’s best interests.

Back in Chicago, where Obama learned his politics, the Governor of Illinois is set to face a battle to impeach and remove him from office.

None of this suggests that there will be any “change” from the aroma of the former Clinton administration from whom he has selected so many of those to serve again in positions of power.

We could be looking at an administration that will be plagued by questionable actions domestically and under attack from foreign enemies sensing weakness in every area except defense, thanks to a Bush administration holdover, Robert Gates.

We will witness an orgy of excess in the millions raised for and by the inaugural balls and galas, the cost of which is twice as much as the last celebrations.

All this is occurring as the mainstream press is itself weakened by economic distress. Given the Fourth Estate’s essential role as watchdog of government, it could not come at a worse time.

The “misery index” introduced during the Carter Administration, is about to shoot through the ceiling.