The Legitimacy of the Obama Presidency...

It is funny in that perverse kind of a way to watch Republicans dodge, but not really, questions of Obama's citizenship and subsequent legitimacy with respect to being president. The latest Republican to play the double talk game is none other than House Speaker John Boehner. It is equally funny in that perverse kind of a way that Republicans still imagine that this is an issue that is going to be a major vote getter for them in the 2012 presidential elections.

Nah, Boehner hedged his bets as he is often seen doing on tobacco. Boehner's argument is in essence that he believes Obama is a citizen and a Christian. Now, according to Boehner, if the good ol' state of Hawaii says that Obama was born there then that is good enough for him. On the is Obama a Christian or a Muslim front Boehner is much more non-committal and merely says that he takes the president on his word. After all, in Boehner's mind President Obama has stated he is Christian so that will have to do for now.

The real funny here is that rather than being unequivocal in stating that the question of Obama's citizenship and religion is a non-issue, a dead issue, Boehner goes on to say that the American public is entitled to believe whatever they want. This is indeed true, Mr. Speaker. If Americans want to believe that no US man ever landed on the moon and that it was all a big hoax constructed in a studio in Hollywood somewhere as an elaborate ruse to fool the Russians that they had lost the space race, then they are entitled to believe that too. Similarly, if Americans want to believe that there are a couple of aliens on ice at Roswell or in Area 51, then they can do that too.

The fact that democrats lost so much ground at the mid-terms was not because they did, or continue to do, a woeful job in government. Rather it is a reflection of the inability of democrats to remobilise the 2008 base that swept Democrats into power and Obama into the White House. There is no guarantee that the Democrats will make the same mistake twice. The balancing factor here is that the current state of the economy and Obama's difficulties in following through on some of his election campaign rhetoric means that it must be easier for Republicans to mobilise their base, including the fringe represented by the Tea Party.

But, as the Speaker of the House, the responsible move would have been to be unequivocal that Obama is a citizen, this is no longer an issue and Republicans will not be using it to question the legitimacy of the President. One would have thought that Republicans would have believed that Obama's domestic and international track record since 2008 provides more than enough problems for the Democrats that there is no need to resort to fear-mongering about citizenship and Obama's supposed Muslim faith.

All that said, I remain an interested observer.

Is Obama Eligible to be President of the United States of America?

Yes, he is!

Nevertheless, it would seem that a group of "Birthers" will not be satisfied until such time as the president provides an original birth certificate. Yet, considering the manner in which birthers have gone about their task to date, an original birth certificate is unlikely to close off their beliefs. The cold, hard reality for birthers is that the State of Hawaii, the State where Barack Hussein Obama II was born, has already released enough data in its public records to put this to bed.

To be honest a certificate of live birth and the corresponding birth notices, both of which are contemporary to the event, should be more than enough. It is a truly bizarre claim that Obama is in essence a "Manchurian Candidate" that has been groomed since birth for this task of destroying the US from within as her president.

Interestingly, the Governor of Hawaii, Neil Abercrombie, wanted to assist in putting this matter to bed. However, the State's Attorney General, David Louie, has instructed the Governor that the Governor is barred by law from releasing the private birth certificates of individuals without their consent. Simply, the only person who can consent to the release of the Obama birth certificate is Barack Obama  himself. So, if Obama remains true to past form, it would seem unlikely that a birth certificate will be forthcoming. And, to be honest it is not necessary.

Hawaii has confirmed that the original documents have been cited and confirmed and that information is contained in the State's vital records. So, to all intents and purposes, Hawaii is satisfied that Barack Hussein Obama II was born at Kapiolani Maternity and Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu on 4 August 1961.

Then again, Hawaii's failure to release the originals is obviously, as the birthers will contend, all part of the grand conspiracy. After all, Obama was born in Kenya, is an Indonesian citizen and a practicing Muslim, right?

Ho hum...

Does Obama Dye His Hair?

And, for today's most important news story:

There are probably more important things to talk about with regards to President Obama's performance as Commander-in-Chief, such as rejuvenating a depressed jobs sector. On the dying front, I guess a man has gotta do what a man has gotta do. And, if that means dying your hair to hide some of the stresses of office then so be it.

Ho hum...

Arnold Schwarzenegger Drops a Cool USD 200 Million...

Ah, the lives of the rich and famous!

I like Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is in many ways the embodiment of success and to all intents and purposes representative of "living the American Dream". I am almost certain that there are many who disagree with me, but after all it is my blog and I can hold whatever opinion I like :)

I have always admired those who choose to go into public service. There is no higher calling than public service, and this is true irrespective of your political stripes; it simply does not matter whether you are labor or liberal, democrat or republican, green, socialist, democratic socialist or whatever. This is also irrespective of the few bad apples who see public service as a means of feathering their own nests, they are a minority in the big scheme of things.

So, it was with interest that I read about an interview that Arnold Schwarzenegger gave to an Austrian newspaper where he said that he estimated that being Governor of California cost him USD 200 million. But, what was most enlightening was that he felt it was more than worth it.

Schwarzenegger is a renowned family man, so it was not a surprise to read that the biggest challenge for him was managing his family time. A loss of family time is often an excuse that is used not to enter public service or to leave it once one has been in it for some time. In many ways that is why public service is such a high calling. It is not only the individual elected, or appointed, to office that make sacrifices in order to serve the greater public good, the family of that individual also must sacrifice.

It will be interesting to see what moves Schwarzenegger makes now. Does he go back to movies? Does he hit the lecture circuit? Does he just kick back and relax? Or does he start lobbying for a change to the Constitution in order that he, and other non-US born citizens can run for President?

Although, the "Birthers" might argue that it does not really matter anymore as that Kenyan born, Indonesian passport holding interloper from Chicago (aka Barack Hussein Obama) has already usurped the Office of the President of the United States of America. But, seriously though, non-US born citizens cannot become President of the US without there being a constitutional amendment to permit it.

Whenever, I think about Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming president of the US I have to have a little chuckle. I always remember that Sylvester Stallone movie, Demolition Man, where he has been cryogenically frozen and upon being refrozen he learns that Arnold Schwarzenegger had been president. How prophetic would that be?

Super Gayus...

It is a little hard to know whether to laugh or cry when reading about the exploits of one Gayus Tambunan.

Gayus Tambunan is a mid-ranking tax official who was arrested for corruption relating to the extortion of trillions of Rupiah from a whole raft of Indonesian conglomerates where the Bakrie family figured prominently. The plan was that this young man would roll over and rat out all those that he had worked with in this elaborate scheme.

The outcome was to be the shining light of the President's, SBY, fight against corruption. Instead, it has been a complete farce that has seen Gayus, dubbed as Super Gayus by The Economist, take Indonesian law enforcement on a world-wide ride taking in sites such as Singapore, Thailand, Macau, and even some more local sites in Bali (including a trip to the Commonwealth Bank Cup Tennis Tournament).

The ever-reliable and most knowledgeable Treespotter has an interesting analysis, and an enjoyable read, over at his place. I would encourage people to read the Treespotter's take on this matter and a whole stack of others that he has blogged about, insightful.

The laughing and crying angles on this case relate purely to watching law enforcement and elected officials try and explain these shenanigans away by passing the buck. If there was ever a case of "pass the hot potato" this has to be it. What has become painfully clear to more and more Indonesians is that the battle that they are waging against corruption is far more difficult than they ever imagined that it might be. To say corruption is endemic is, in light of the Tambunan case, an understatement.

Yet, the case is exposing the people who most Indonesians are relying on to fight this battle as complete incompetents that perhaps should be facing charges themselves rather than holding down positions of authority  and influence. At best some of these individuals need to be handing in their resignations en masse.

For example, the Minister for Law and Human Rights, Patrialis Akbar, in an attempt to make himself look good and to deflect any unwarranted attention from his Ministry decides that he must categorically deny that the possibility that Tambunan traveled overseas on a fake passport was possible.

After all it is the immigration department that would have had to have had a hand in issuing a fake passport and that is an area under his jurisdiction. Sadly, as the picture above shows, the man was able to get a second passport in a false name and was seemingly able to travel with ease to the places that the media is now claiming that he did.

I guess what is becoming most surprising to me now is why this story did not break some time ago. Let's face it, the biggest ace in SBY's "war on corruption" managed to spend less than a week in his cell over a four month period. How is that no-one noticed this until now? Perhaps this says something more important about the battle ahead. Perhaps it says something more important about the President and his minions that have been tasked with fighting this battle.

It seems that the President, his minions, and other law enforcement officials can only say so many times that "we don't have to worry Indonesians are too stupid to see through this" before the good citizens of Indonesia rise up en masse and say "hold on a second, we are not stupid, we will not tolerate incompetence any longer, we want change - change that we can not only believe in, but change that gives us real and tangible benefits". Indonesians are not stupid, but this will require Indonesians as a whole to take a long hard look at themselves and say "enough is enough!"

Indonesia really does deserve better than SBY!

Obama's Mom Arrested for Drug Possession in Indonesia?

Having just lost the House of Representatives, and having had his majority severely dented in the Senate, things only seem to be getting worse for President Obama. In news out of Jakarta, the actress, Cara Lachelle, who played Obama's mother, Ann Durham, in the film "Obama Anak Menteng" (Obama: The Menteng Kid or "Little Obama") has been arrested for drug possession.

Lachelle, a South African model and presenter and sometime actress, was arrested at the Rasuna Said Apartments in possession of 1.19 grams of methamphetamine. The police found out about her drug taking habits from her Indonesian dealer who they had arrested some time earlier.

For details on the film and profiles of all those involved head to www.obamaanakmenteng.com.

According to police they will only be pursuing a case against her that claims she her possession was for personal use. Generally, these cases play out in a "time served" sort of a way. In essence, she confesses, claims to be an addict, agrees to get some counselling, and promises not to do it again. By this time she would have been in detention for 5 or so months and she will then be sentenced to a sentence that allows for her immediate release.

My guess is that she will not be getting a visa to appear in any prequel or sequel to the film if one is ever made.

The Birthers...Are Back!

The Birthers are those individuals who believe that Barack Obama is not qualified to be president of the United States of America because he is not a natural born citizen. Unfortunately for the Birthers, their most recent trip to the Supreme Court of the United States found that there claims were unfounded and were not sustainable, and SCOTUS dismissed the case. You can read about these latest developments at the Birthers website.

Here are some other interpretations of the ineligibility of Barack Hussein Obama II to be President of the United States (POTUS).

Change you better believe in!

Squatter-in-Chief

Usurper.

Welcome to Kenya...Birthplace of Barack Hussein Obama.

Obama the little Indonesian boy.

Barry Soetoro: The Indonesian Citizen.

A Typical Indonesian Family?

It seems that the Birthers are not sure where exactly the President was born or what citizenship he was born with. However, what is clear, they are certain that it was not the United States of America. It could have been Kenya, it could be the United Kingdom, and it may well be Indonesia. In any event, the confusion places the burden of proving his eligibility to become president fairly and squarely on the shoulders of Barack Hussein Obama II.

I am wondering how it was possible to pull off such a large-scale fraud of the people of the USA. Surely, Obama would have been vetted to the "nth" degree prior to him nominating for the presidency, and being nominated by the Democratic Party, right? Are the birthers for real? And do they have legitimate concerns.

Someone wake me up when it is December. Hopefully, there will be an answer to these most pressing questions and concerns.

Ho hum...

Obama's 75,000-Word Email to the Nation...

You have to give credit where credit is due. The people over at The Onion are a humorous bunch of news providers.

It seems that the latest news from The Onion relates to a rambling 75,000-word email that the Commander-in-Chief sent to all Americans. The email was titled, somewhat ironically, "a couple of things". President Obama is clearly a frustrated man struggling to come to grips with the nature of the Washington political game. To see just how frustrated he is, read.

I wonder if Fox News Channel will pick up this story and run with it? Maybe Glenn Back will have a crack at this story. It sort of fits in with the 'birther' type stories. Or the raging lefty, pinko, communist (or is that socialist?) anti-Christ that the president allegedly represents. Ho hum...

Enjoy!

A Barack Obama Lookalike...

Indonesia the land where copyright equates to the right to copy. There is nothing that is too sacred and nothing that cannot be copied. Everything is fair game including Barack Hussein Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America.

Ilham Anas bears an uncanny resemblance to President Obama. I am not convinced it is the separated at birth kind of resemblance. Yet, after a few beers and a couple of shots, he could conceivably pass as the president's double.

I cannot remember whether I had written a post about this. I am pretty sure that I have commented elsewhere around the place about Anas and the potential that he has to make a career out of his good fortune to resemble the most powerful man on earth.

Not that it matters, Gawker has recently written about the "wet dream" nature that the resemblance will have for the Tea Party.

Let's face it, a smoking Muslim Obama lookalike, does it get any better than that for those anti-Obama types.

Here is Anas in action.



It would seem that Anas has no interest in doing anything that harms Obama or the US. So, it would also seem that Anas and the Tea Party crowd have very little in common.

George "Dubya' Bush and "That" Hurricane Katrina Photo...

Is this photo going to define the George W. Bush presidency? More to the point, should it?

With the Bush memoirs, Decision Points, soon to hit book stands, it is likely that there will be some serious discussion about what the Bush "The Younger" legacy is going to be. This is particularly so in light of the debacle that unfolded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that devastated the Louisiana coast and New Orleans.

The reality is that Air Force One probably is not the best place to allow yourself to be photographed in doing a flyover of an area that had just been devastated in the manner that New Orleans had.

For some reason, I am thinking that history might be kinder and gentler in hindsight, particularly as the US moves on and away from those years between 2000 ad 2008. It would seem unlikely that the Bush II presidency will ever be considered a great presidency or that Bush "The Younger" will find himself in a list of great US presidents. But, time will smooth over some of the harshest criticisms in much the same way the passage of time has done for President Truman and a few other less than awe-inspiring men who have held the post of "the most powerful man in the world".

Not that any of this really matters on a personal level to me...I am a historian, so it matters to me on a professional level :)

Corruption and SBY...

"My President is not capable of stopping corruption! Save the KPK! Save Indonesia!"

It has an almost "Hereos" ring to it, "Save the Cheerleader, Save the World!".

But, the reality is that nothing is likely to save the presidential legacy of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. There is little likelihood that the dysfunction that is the SBY presidency will generate any debate like the Soeharto presidency. There will simply be no debate as to whether SBY should be declared a national hero. It is sort of like not cleaning up spilled wine straight away; the longer you leave it the more ingrained the stain!

The funny here, in that really perverse kind of a way, is that SBY came to the Indonesian presidency on a promise that he has not been able to keep; rooting out and eradicating corruption. The problem, corruption, is big. Yet, when Indonesia most needed leadership, SBY has been missing in action. Some might want to argue that SBY is the Teflon president. I would suggest that nothing ever sticks because he is not there to start with as all the hard yards are done by others and then spun by those closest to the president to intimate that he was at the forefront of any response.

To the contrary, why is it that corruption still exists on such a grand scale six years into the SBY presidency? Although, I am waiting for the presidential spokespeople to start spinning the apparent decision of the office of the attorney general to allow prosecutors to drop the fabricated case against Bibit and Chandra. It would be just too funny now for the spin to come that the president worked hard behind the scenes to see that the case was dropped, particularly after the claims that he had to keep arm's length and let the judicial process take its natural course.

Unfortunately, Mr. President, there was never anything natural about this case from the start. It was a "stitch-up" and an attempt to forever smear the reputations of two good, decent, and honest men who put all those personal traits on the line to fight your war against corruption! These men are the epitome of the testicular fortitude that you yourself lack. I am sure in the future that you will not see Bibit or Chandra lobbying to become national heroes. Two good men who are more concerned about the direction of their nation and the futures of their children and grandchildren! Now, if you ever need some pointers on how to maintain dignity and lead in times where the forces of evil line up against you, then you should give them a call; you might learn a thing or two.

Mr. President, it's time for a little 20 / 15 vision!

The Petulant President -- SBY and the No Show in Holland...

It is amusing to watch from a distance, although simultaneously sad as both my wife and son are Indonesian, the president of Indonesia behaving like a petulant child. Indonesians must surely expect more from the man they elected president.If nothing else they must expect leadership.

The last couple of days has seen the president abruptly cancel a planned visit to The Netherlands. The cancellation was so abrupt in fact that it did not occur until the president was at the airport and about to board the place for Holland.

It seems that just before the president was to board the plane, he received word that the RMS, which is the South Maluku Republic Independence group had commenced legal action in The Netherlands to have the president arrested for the alleged torture of Malukuan activists earlier this year and a case from 2007.

Now, there are a couple of immediate problems with this decision to cancel. First, the president was officially invited. It is unlikely that the government of The Netherlands would allow SBY to be arrested. Then there is the small issue of head of state immunity to contend with. Secondly, it would appear that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia dropped the ball on this one. The RMS action is in the earliest of early stages and there is very little likelihood that they could sustain a command responsibility action to the president of Indonesia anyway.

The possibility of SBY being arrested on arrival in Holland is so remote that it just is not worth considering.

However, the abrupt cancellation provides SBY and his handlers with a real perception problem. Why was the president so frightened of arrest that he did not even board the plane? Is he in the know on what really happened? Is there substance to the allegations that these activists were tortured while in custody in Maluku?

The president in his own defence suggested that he was upset that anyone would do such a thing against him. He was insulted personally and insulted on behalf of Indonesia. Personally, the president needs to grow a set and have the testicular fortitude that the people expect him to show. He needs to be a leader. This most recent display reminds me of the schoolyard bully who does not get his way in the playground and instead of playing he packs up his things and takes the ball and goes home. It is petulant and it is childish.

Indonesia and Indonesians deserve better. The president has not been insulted or disrespected, rather he has insulted and disrespected the Indonesian people. Simply, he has brought shame on himself and his nation.

Ho hum...

SBY and a Third Term as President?

Oh dear!

Ruhut Sitompul seems to want to return to his comedic acting roots by suggesting that the Constitution should be amended so that the current two-term limit on presidents can be extended to three terms or more.

The problem I have with this is not amending the Constitution. In a democracy the amending of the Constitution is possibly. There are strict rules in place for how this is done. If they are followed, and this is truly the will of the Indonesian people then so be it.

However, how quickly we forget. Indonesia is only a little more than ten years removed from what was a period of guided democracy under Soekarno, Indonesia's first president, and the ruthless, iron-fisted dictatorship of Soeharto. Both of these periods saw the slaughter of untold numbers of Indonesians. The very power to do this came from the fact that power was quickly consolidated and no term limits forced political change to occur no matter how minimal.

Look, the term limit system is not perfect, one only has to look at Russia and how Vladimir Putin has manipulated the political term limits system to ensure that he remains a powerful force, but that does not make it right.

So, how should we view Ruhut's latest jaunt into controversy? The cynic, or conspiracy theorist, in me says that this is a far more elaborate, and cunning, plan than people and media are giving it credit for. At the moment, most people seem to think that this is just "crazy old Ruhut trying to make a name for himself and get into the papers and on TV."

To the contrary, this could just as easily be the Democrat Party testing the waters for a move to introduce a constitutional amendment to parliament in a move to change term limit laws. By getting Ruhut to put the suggestion out there in the public sphere allows Yudhoyono and the Democrat Party to put at arm's length the statements of Ruhut.

This might seem surprising to some, but it is easier enough to do as Ruhut has always been viewed as the one that might let his mouth get into gear before his brain does. This in, and of itself, is surprising because Ruhut is obviously not a stupid man, this idea aside, so it seems strange to write this off as the ramblings of a crazy old politician with nothing better to do.

Hence, the idea that this may in fact be the Democrat Party, on Yudhoyono's instructions, testing the waters. After all, power tends to corrupt, if you search the annals of Indonesian political media coverage you will uncover plenty of statements to the effect that Yudhoyono only wanted to serve the people of Indonesia and he only wanted to do that for one term. He is now on his second term.

There is no legal harm in SBY doing a constitutionally permitted second term. There is plenty of social harm though, in popularly electing to a second term, a president who talks the talk but cannot walk the walk on corruption, among other problems.

Hopefully, the Indonesian people will react negatively to the idea of SBY doing a third term as president and this little sideshow can be put to bed forever.

The Power of Journalism, Citizen Journalists, and Bloggers...

Poor old SBY has got his talking heads out trying to spin the rebuff he gave to Susi Haryani and her badly burnt son, Ridho Januar.

The president's men, in this case the talking head is Julian Aldrin Pasha, are now telling us that they are responsible for the treatment that young Ridho is getting because they coordinated the response with Pertamina and the Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital.

This may be true, but it only became true after the poor treatment was exposed in the press, initially by the Jakarta Globe, and then picked up on by new media types like bloggers, twitterers, Facebookers, and the like.

This is damage control, this is reactive and not pro-active. SBY and his merry men and women had a choice. They made a bad choice and are now trying to save a little face. Sad!

The outpouring of support for Susi and Ridho was immediate and large. There were quite a number of donors ready to stump up much-needed cash to see Ridho get the treatment he needs to recover from his very serious burns. However, to her credit, Susi has been unequivocal in stating that she does not want the money and she does not want to manage it. Her choice is to send it to the hospital and they can sort out how much the cost is and how much of it the donors have covered.

Perhaps, a trust fund of some description managed by an independent party would be a better choice, but at least it would seem that through the generous giving of donors the treatment costs are covered. Unfortunately, this means that PT Pertamina will look to shirk its responsibility and pass of the expenses to donors.

It has not been surprising that both the president and Pertamina have been trying to pass the buck to each other on this one. Pertamina claiming that the exploding gas cylinders are the result of poor and rushed policy making on the run. And, the government claiming that Pertamina are cutting corners and putting out inferior product into the market. Well, maybe it is not quite that simple, but a cursory reading gets one to that point.

Well, Mr. President, if you really do care and you really are responsible for all this coordination, why is it that these gas cylinders are still exploding and maiming innocents like young Ridho? Sometimes a president has to make the hard calls and do what has to be done, perhaps now is one of those times. Time to harden up and face down the special interests and start being presidential.

Ho hum...

SBY Is Saddened By Sex Tape...

Oh dear, Mr. President!

Of all the things that you could be saddened by, this is the least important of the whole lot. There are just so many important issues that you have failed to address and continue to fail to address. You are, after all, the President. You do actually have some powers that you can call on to get things done. And, even if you and your advisers question your authority to act, then please do not forget that you were in fact elected with a considerably large political and democratic mandate by the people, to act!

Mr. President, as a simple request, can you be saddened by the plights of poor Indonesia families struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis who are forced to convert from kerosene to 3kg gas cylinders for those gas cylinders to blow up in their faces and scar them for life?

Mr. President, can you be saddened by the rampant, systematic, and endemic corruption that plagues the nation making the lives of all Indonesians much more difficult than they ever need to be? While you are on this corruption thing, can you be saddened about the continual harassing of the KPK? After all, they are only doing the work that you claim is so important and such an integral part of the legacy you want to leave as a corruption fighter.

Mr. President, can you be saddened by the fact that after all this time the good people of Sidoarjo and the surrounding villages have not been properly compensated for the human errors of the Bakrie families exploration companies? Can you be saddened by the fact that despite being ordered to pay compensation these companies are still dragging their feet and taking every possible measure to delay and avoid making restitution?

Mr. President, the list goes on, but I think you get the point, right? You do get the point, don't you Mr. President?

Mr. President, I find it hard to reconcile the idea that a man of your stature and belief is content to let his legacy be the laughing stock of his predecessors and all subsequent successors. Is that what you want?

Actions speak so much louder than words, and inaction speaks volumes.

The future is now Mr. President!

Obama, Hitler, and Lenin...

There must be something in the water up there in Iowa that the North Iowa Tea Party people are drinking in great amounts. Either that or they were sitting around having a few wines and thought this looks like a good idea, let's do it!

Do it they did. The North Iowa Tea Party created a billboard. Not just any old billboard, but the one here on the left.

Yes, folks, that is Barack Obama in the company of none other than Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin. If it were me, I might of gone with Josef Stalin, only because he was probably even scarier than Hitler and Lenin combined. Some historians suggest that Stalin was responsible for the purging of some 10 million of his fellow Russians, his nearest and dearest colleagues. Enough on the tangent and back to the rant.

When are these people going to get it?

I am all for political debate, I am all for vocal opposition, I am all for freedom of speech. Despite the irresponsibility of comparing the current US president to Hitler and Lenin, I want to focus on how the exaggeration undermines the message. The undermining of the message is obvious. Other Tea Party members have been quick to distance themselves from the North Iowa crowd.

Obama is so clearly neither Hitler or Lenin. The last time I thought it through, I really could not see Obama taking the US down the path where he was looking at a final solution of eliminating all the Christian Right or some kind of concerted policy program of racial purification. Maybe I am missing something, but I think not! The comparison is not only offensive, it is stupid. It is stupid because it undermines legitimate grievances some US citizens have with the job that the president is doing, particularly his lack of success. Well, maybe they should have voted for the woman after all!

The point of the billboard is what? Socialism is bad? Well, if the message was that socialism is not in the best interests of all Americans then whacking Obama in the midst of these two is not going to make your point. The first reaction from most people is going to be offense at the exaggeration, and then the reaction is going to be that these Tea Party people must be a group of right-wing nutters who will next be arguing that the UN is running the show and there are black helicopters landing in the middle of the night on the White House lawn.

The message is lost in this billboard. The money would have been better spent on getting people out to vote in the November elections. Let people express their anger and disgust at the ballot box. Let them let Obama know what is important to them by voting out a whole swag of democrats at the next opportunity. The billboard is likely to create even greater apathy and inspire people to stay at home rather than head to the local polling booth.

As I said, I am all for freedom of speech. If these Tea Party people want to place a billboard like this, then so be it. I would probably argue that this is protected speech and they are free to make it. I would argue, and I am arguing, that the billboard is going to have the opposite effect to what was intended. So, in the public relations war, this was a big flop.

Once again, when are these people going to get it? Obama is not Hitler, he is not Lenin, he is not Stalin, he is not the Anti-Christ, he is just a man doing a job!

Is SBY A Thief or A Buffalo?

In a case of Indonesian democracy in action, the President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), has decided that he needs to put together a working group to, in part, examine the conduct of demonstrators. The working group is ostensibly tasked with looking at matters related to law enforcement, security, bureaucratic reform, and democracy. Seemingly this includes whether or not there is a code of ethics and conduct that demonstrators must subscribe to if they want to protest. The president is concerned that some recent protests have breached the 'code' and even the law.

The protests that the president is particularly referring to are those related to the ongoing Bank Century shenanigans, particularly those ones where protesters / demonstrators using loud speakers yell at the top of their lungs that the president is a thief. Or even more recently where the second term president has been likened to a buffalo (he doesn't look like a buffalo to me). In the mind of SBY buffaloes are fat and lazy. Now, that is a bad rap for the buffaloes because they work pretty hard in the fields and do their work without too many complaints. In fact, they work for food. In contrast, the president has put on a few pounds since becoming president and his 100-day agenda for his second, legacy building, term has been a bust. So, a bad rap for the buffaloes.

The problem is that the demonstrators scarper after the event and the authorities cannot track them down, presumably to prosecute them for being so rude as to liken the president to a buffalo or call him 'Mr. Light Fingers'. I am not sure why the authorities could not simply arrest the protesters before they scarper at the end of the protest if the president is really concerned that the protesters are going to far in their criticisms of him.

It appears that the president does not consider either accusation within the parameters of freedom of speech or freedom of expression. It, further, appears that the president wants to put a stop to this unwelcome behaviour before it gets truly out of hand.

The reality here is that this is a non-issue. The president has serious problems confronting his nation that are obviously beyond the scope and ability of the current cabinet he has assembled and his coalition of the willing to resolve, or in the first instance, and even address. Nevertheless, the president has characterized this issue as one that is so important that it goes to the heart of saving Indonesian culture, democracy, and civilization! Are you serious, Mr. President?

Rather than worry about whether people think he is a thief or a buffalo, it is perhaps a good time to actually do some work and solve some problems. Then, perhaps, the people will start to see SBY as the saviour that they once thought him to be. But, no, the president is just another politician looking to pass the buck and cast the blame onto some other poor unfortunate soul with neither the money nor the time to defend themselves.

It is time that the fella started doing what he was elected to do, be the president. It is time for some presidential leadership to come to the fore and fulfill the promise of making Indonesia better than it has ever been before. The people are ready and willing, are you Mr. President?

Viva Indonesia!

Gus Dur - RIP

Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur as he was affectionately known has passed away. Gus Dur dies Wednesday at 18.45 at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta.

He was 69.

Gus Dur led the Nahdlatul Ulama. He was also President of the Republic of Indonesia from October 1999 through October 2001.

He is survived by a wife and four daughters.

Is SBY Paranoid?

Wednesday, 9 December 2009, is International Anti-Corruption Day. The day is marked for protest. This is not all that surprising in light of the recent, and ongoing, Cicak vs. Buaya fiasco and the ever-present Bank Century scandal. There is still enough corruption in Indonesia to warrant a demonstration on most days, let alone only on international anti-corruption day.

Poor old Mr. President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or SBY to his friends, has suggested in a fit of paranoia that the protest or demonstration is not really in support of anti-corruption efforts but rather has been hijacked by his political opponents as a means of scoring some cheap political points. Awwww schucks Mr. President, it is nothing personal, it is called democracy and freedom of speech and freedom of expression. People in democracies feel comfortable and free to express their views in the form of demonstrations.

Maybe the photo above is an indication of how paranoid the President feels at the moment on the finger scale.

The fact that they feel free and safe enough to do it in Indonesia must be exploited by you! You need to get your PR people on this thing straight away and get them spinning it for all it is worth. "Look, under my watch democracy in Indonesia has thrived, and people believe that they are safe, so safe in fact that the feel comfortable in protesting about the one thing that is going to be my legacy, anti-corruption".

But instead, and as he is prone to do, the President has missed the moment. This is another one of those post-Marriott / Ritz-Carlton hotel bombings where the president has decided that the emphasis needs to be on him rather than the issues at hand. Pretty sad really that the President is seeking to silence his critics in this way.

The cold hard reality for the President, his family, his party, and any other associates is this; if they are clean and corruption free then there is absolutely nothing to worry about when a group gets together and wants to demonstrate about the failures they perceive to be occurring on the eradication of corruption front.

It is interesting that the President is all for freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of association when it does not disturb national stability or law and order, yet, he was more than happy to stand by and let the "investigation" run its course in the attack on the KPK and two of its commissioners. Sounds like wanting to have one's cake and eat it too!

Perhaps it is time that the President worried more about governing than a few demonstrators getting together to celebrate International Anti-Corruption Day.

There is more to leadership than winning an election!

(Photo can be found here)

Chandra M Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto -- Deponeering...

The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono or SBY, is not scheduled to respond to the Team of Eight report and their investigation and recommendations regarding the police and prosecutors case against Chandra M Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto until tonight. However, unwittingly or not, he has probably provided some insight into what his remarks are likely to be when he addressed the chief editors of 75 media organizations last night.

It is clear that the president feels that some of the issues that have arisen during the cause of these shenanigans have been nothing short of a personal affront to him and his family. Therefore, it is of little or no surprise that he wants this issue to go away, and go away fast. The longer it drags on the more damage it does to him and his legacy.

So, what did the president say exactly. Well, in a nutshell, he wants the issue resolved, and he wants it resolved out of court. His suggestion is that the police and the Office of the Attorney General use their deponeering (sometimes spelt deponering) to discontinue the investigation. Deponeering is a legacy of the Dutch colonial legal system and in its most simple terms means to discontinue any investigation in the public interest. In essence, the president is telling the police and the AGO to end this thing by just pulling up stumps and letting the issue die a fast but peaceful death.

Yet, it is worth noting that in his comments he seems to suggest that ultimately this is a call for the police and the AGO. If this is true, and he has not issued a direct order to the police and the AGO to deponeer this case, then it is a little bit disingenuous to suggest that he is becoming actively involved in the case. In fact, it is pretty clear that he is setting up the public for disappointment by saying that he will not be forced into overstepping his boundaries as president.

And, as far as he is concerned, if he was to order the police or the AGO to stop the investigation then he would be overstepping his authority and interfering in the proper domain of law enforcement. However, he had no qualms about involving himself by pushing through an interim law (perpu) to get three new commissioners appointed to the KPK. It would seem that the president is prepared to pick and choose how he exercises his authority in this case while hiding behind constitutional amendments that supposedly limit the president's authority in dealing with matters relevant and important to the development of democracy within the Republic of Indonesia.

The Team of Eight report also recommends that heads should role. So, it will be interesting to see whether in letting the police and the AGO decide whether he lets the Chief of Police and the Attorney General to continue to make a mockery of their respective institutions.

The idea that deponeering this case as an out-of-court settlement is fair is also a backhanded slap to the face of the KPK and to Chandra and Bibit specifically. This is particularly so if the deponeering does not result in a complete withdrawal of the charges and some degree of compensation for the damage the investigation has done to the reputations of Chandra and Bibit to date.

There would need to not only be a deponeering happening here, but a full and unequivocal apology to both the KPK commissioners for the harm done to them. Anything less would be a slap in the face. This would be particularly so considering that the Team of Eight report states that the police and the AGO do not have enough to sustain a charge of abuse of power or extortion.

So, it remains to be seen. What will the president do? Mr. President what will you do?