Back in 2001, after spending nearly 30 days on vacation in Crawford, Texas, President Bush returned to Washington on the Friday before Labor Day, rather than on Labor Day itself. Why? Because he got hammered in the polls by Americans who thought he had taken too much time off: 55 percent of Americans said his vacation was too damn long. After having been inaugurated only several months earlier, Bush decided to spend an entire month at his Texas estate, on his way to a record-shattered total of 977 days at either Crawford or Camp David.
When it was announced that Bush would be returning a couple of days early, conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg wrote, “By going back to Washington early, Bush is surrendering to the psychological demands of the permanent government, particularly the press corps.” Goldberg continued by denouncing the myth “that America is ‘driven’ by the president, and when he’s not at the wheel the whole country might smash into a light pole or a slow-moving cow.”
Generally speaking, this is true. It’s actually a rare bit of honesty and consistency from the writer who coined the ridiculously contradictory phrase “liberal fascism.” Indeed, if you’re interested in less government and if you’re actively suing the president because he’s abusing his executive power, wouldn’t you want the president to stay as far away from governing as possible? In other words, the Republicans should’ve been cheering for President Obama to remain at Martha’s Vineyard, thwacking away at golf balls where he wouldn’t be as inclined to take away their guns and religion.
So, sure, if the Republicans really want Obama back at the White House ruining everything in the world ever, then by all means continue to badger him about it. But at the end of the day… CONTINUE READING