Nanny gov't. springs to action!

So 100 days ... isn't it kind of condescending how the bar on performance has been lowered to get those "A" grades?* The way the Democrats are cheering Specter's defection, you'd think we actually have this economic mess behind us. Today's economic news is not good. There's still no self-sustaining long-term plan put on the table, much less to cut into.

We're giving the president credit for spending a lot of money with no results in yet, and putting off plenty of happy talk. This earns an "A" grade?

And today, the President of the United States displays compassionate leadership by reminding parents to have backup daycare plans if/when schools close.

"If the situation becomes more serious and we have to take more extensive steps, then parents should also think about contingencies if schools in their areas do temporarily shut down, figuring out and planning what their child care situation would be," Obama advised.

Just moving children from schools to day care centers in infected areas "is not a good solution," he said.

Obama said the federal government is ''prepared to do whatever is necessary to control the impact of this virus.'' He noted his request for $1.5 billion in emergency funding to ensure adequate supplies of vaccines.

And he advised individuals to take their own precautions -- washing hands, staying home if they are sick, and keeping sick kids home.
...
Said (White House press secretary Robert) Gibbs, "The test results coming back on the infant are a very, very painful reminder of what we have to do to remain safe."

Please please, can we have a strong leader again someday -- maybe a president who's even raised sons -- and not a Mommy-in-Chief (wash your hands; turn off that tv!!).

This concentrating on the little style points over actually taking the hard steps necessary to ensure honest competion and equal opportunities for the little guys and not just the corporate players* ... it's not healthy.

-------------------

* Just say no to paying to clean up the mess, made by those who remain standing around; they'll only end up messing again and again until they have to clean it up themselves...

Sure the stink might gag the rest of us around it, for awhile. But a strong leader explains why it's necessary for the messer to do the cleaning himself. Even if it might seem easier at the time for the innocent folks nearby gagging on the stench to get to work and do the clean up themselves.

A good leader encourages people while the difficult clean up by the messers progresses -- he doesn't pretend the stink isn't there, or think that paying someone to clean up after that crowd is the solution, while they go on messing. (I've actually seen that done in the dorms of higher universities. It seems to encourage the mess actually -- "we're paying people to clean up after us; party on!" ) Not wise counsel for that permanent "house on the rock" responsibility-theme thing...


Spending money to buy new carpet to replace the old (think of the carpet layers employed!), all the while keeping on the job those who initially made the mess -- in fact, even celebrating their party victories these days! -- and accepting toasts to your brilliant performance to date ... won't it all seem rather silly, childishly embarrassing even, the next time the mess is on the carpet?

Or will you have moved out and on, into a new house by then?