Two events were reported in the Wall Street Journal this week.
First, the White House wants a list of all executives giving $5,000 or more in political contributions if that corporation is bidding on a government contract. Do I need to elaborate on that. The same White House that is forcing Boeing to stop producing planes in a state with a right to work law. The National Labor Relations Board says it’s illegal. Even as state after state votes to become a right to work state to try to save jobs. Even as the Administration reminds those bidding on government contracts that they must pay the same wage rate as a union bidder.
Here’s the game. In last year’s campaign, Target donated $150,000 to an independent group running ads in the Minnesota governor’s race. Obama’s pet dog, MoveOn. org branded Target anti gay, threatened a boycott, and wanted to make an example of Target. Target backed off.
You thought Richard Nixon and John Dean were sleazy with their enemies list and their plan to, in the words of Dean, “how we can best screw them.” Or, in Washington terms, deny government contracts, add regulations, or plan litigation.”
Can it get worse? It can and it has. The Department of Health and Human Services has announced plans to blacklist a drug company from participating in Medicare unless they oust their CEO. A CEO who has not been convicted of any illegal act. He’s just one CEO the government doesn’t like. Obama got a taste of firing a CEO with GM and seems to like the idea. This is almost unimaginable, but true.
The polls show Obama losing it in approval ratings, in votes, if he runs again, but holding it with likability ratings.
Perhaps we need to rethink that. How can you like a leader who uses the Nixon/Dean play book to threaten corporations who follow a campaign law the Supreme Court upheld, remember, “you lie’ at the State of the Union address? So, if you don’t like the law, and you fear the law may keep you from being reelected, just use the same tactics criminals use to circumvent the law. Dirty tricks.
How can you like a leader who thinks it’s not un-American to force a CEO out, by dirty tricks, if you don’t like him? This is from the Lenin playbook.
You thought things would get better when Rahm Emanuel left? You are getting the Daley program now.
