The Marginalization of Barack Obama

US President Barack Obama just lost the initiative. Republicans seized control of the House, effectively sending a dire message to Obama that Americans are losing their patience with him. Obama won by using the rhetoric of change. Now, he is as traditional as those he once criticized. Fact is, Obama is even more traditional than Palin or Bush.


Obama's highly criticized economic policy has done nothing to improve the job environment in the United States. His plan to improve the health care system is nothing short of a failure while his fiscal policy remains largely criticized due to its ineffectiveness.


With the Republicans practically in power, Obama right now is as marginalized as an Inouki tribe. Obama can't seem to weave himself out of the rut he is in. The state of the economy is still bad. 


A think tank says that Aquino will likely suffer what Obama is now suffering--a marginalization of power. 


Well, to the credit of Obama, Aquino seems unlikely to tread the same path of Obama for one reason---from the very start of his administration, Aquino has been marginalized already. 


The on-going clash between the Balai and Samar blocks, all traditional political players, is proof positive of the marginalization of Aquino. The existence of these groups only show how marginalized Aquino is. 


For one, Aquino's promise of ridding the bureaucracy of graft and corruption continues to be that--a promise, fact is, an empty one. 

BIR Chief Kim Henares in an article (http://www.mb.com.ph/node/285500/not-our-lifetime) admitted that graft will remain in the BIR even beyond her lifetime, directly admitting her failure to rid her own agency of the scourge that afflicts our government. 


Aquino won largely on the platform of anti-graft and corruption. The people responded with positive approbation, only to realize later on, that Aquino is unable to fulfill such a campaign slogan. 


The only possible way out of the graft and corruption scourge is simply rid the entire bureaucracy of all its personnel and replace all of these scoundrels with new ones. It takes great political will to do this. Early on, however, Aquino has shown his unwillingness to tread the straight yet narrow path towards change. 


And the problem is simply not Aquino, really. The problem is the lack of an ideological platform for this administration. There is no rule nor concrete policy to follow. 


Actually, all regimes, with the exception of the Marcos administration, have no ideological platform to follow. That explains these regimes failure to effectively rid the country of poverty and graft and corruption. 


And it seems highly likely that the same thing will happen in this administration.

What ails Pinoy?

This is the last time I'll be writing about this topic. First, I don't agree with some people's idea always taking potshots at President Noynoy Aquino for his alleged lack of leadership qualities. It is too premature for us to say that. Yes, he exhibited this during the Manila hostage crisis, but that is just one incident. It is unfair that we ascribe all the blame to him, and him alone. There must be a practice of regularity before we even say that, indeed, he suffers from the very "disease" his mother was accused of during her term.

For all we know, we are just being taken a ride by Aquino's enemies---those who took billions from us during the last dispensation. Tomorrow, Monday, the Truth Commission will begin its work. Former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr. will take his oath before Aquino.

The Truth Commission aims to investigate the so-called irregularities during the previous dispensation and as always, Aquino vows to prosecute each and every one of these grafters and present them before the bar of justice.

Former high government officials and members of the Philippine elite groups are now scampering to safety. They are running here and there, trying to get someone near the Powers-that-Be for some "protection" and to shield them from the long arm of the law.

Now, that question really is---how long will this "arm of the law" be? Will it just include the known personalities, or even their factotums? Remember that most of Aquino's cabinet members were former Arroyo factotums themselves and most of these endangered personalities are probably their friends?

Regardless, the thing that most Filipinos expect from this administration is simply do what it promised to do, that is, the honest dispensation of justice.

Another question---is it possible for somebody or at least one group perhaps inside the new administration who will try to protect the asses of those being prosecuted and influence the decision of the Truth commission?

At the very least, the Filipino people expect to see those who committed grave infractions against them behind bars. Those who manipulated the system and benefited from that manipulation should be prosecuted, arrested and jailed.

The People expect Aquino to honor his commitment and be the catalyst for change. The People are sick and tired of empty promises, of unfulfilled ones and those given just to prop up one's popularity ratings.

What ails Pnoy is the common disease suffered by Filipino politicians---the transactionalis politinensis. There is another popular term for this---institutional utang na loob.

Pnoy would probably disclaim this but that is the truth. The reason why he has factions inside his government is simply because he does not have the gumption to tell his friends to hey, this is government, this is the administration of the People, and those who has no business or will of governance should leave immediately.

Politics still runs high inside Pnoy's government, as if they are still in campaign or acting capacity mode. (Curiously, why are people inside Pnoy's government still think that they are all in "acting" capacity? Is there truth to the rumour that the "real government" of Pnoy is preparing for their eventual entry into public service shortly after the ban for elective officials end by next year?)

Another disease which afflicts Pnoy right now is suspendensis animationis politinensis. And because he is in suspended animation, everyone is.

Let's end these diseases and fight these off!

Pnoy should stomp his foot and chop off some heads of his cabinet. He will immediately regain the public trust afterwards.

By the way, I was privy to one of the talks and one of those involved in the Hostage probe says that Malacanang is just willing to let go of General Magtibay and General Santiago.

Puno and Robredo and the Communications Group will all be exonerated. Wow. Talk about justice, this one is for Guinness.