President Obama is blaming his political woes, and those of his Party, on the inability of Americans to “think clearly.” But Obama declined to come down too hard on Americans for being so obtuse. It’s not that we’re always stupid; rather the bad economy has clouded our reason:
Part of the reason that our politics seems so tough right now and facts and science and argument does [sic] not seem to be winning the day all the time is because we’re hardwired not to always think clearly when we’re scared. And the country is scared.
Obama did not point out that the height of the national panic probably occurred in the fall of 2008, when the banking system seemed to be on the verge of collapse and the stock market was plummeting. It was then that the nation elected an inexperienced, smooth-talking leftist to its highest office.
What Obama fails to grasp here is that arrogance does not sit well with the public under any economic circumstances. Thus, Obama’s self-serving attempt to reduce the national displeasure with left-liberal goverance to an unwillingness, caused by fear, to permit “facts and science and argument” (i.e., Obama’s position) to win the day is self-defeating.
Perhaps the single biggest complaint against Obama and his Party by the portion of the electorate that has turned against them is that the Dems haven’t listened to them, most notably when they pushed Obamacare through despite its obvious unpopularity. When Obama condescendingly accuses voters of disregarding facts, science, and good arguments, and tops off his disdain by offering a pyscho-physiological explanation for their defective thinking, he reinforces the very perception that is driving down his standing.
“The people have spoken, the bastards,” probably captures the sentiment of nearly all elected officials when public opinion turns against them. But mature, stable leaders keep this sentiment to themselves, at least while they are still in office. Only officials who are unfit to lead openly attribute their political problems to a “national malaise” or to the hard-wired irrationality of the American people.
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