It seems a significant portion of the government is in revolt against the President.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

These last few months the trickle of scandal-ish news has turned into a deluge. Frankly, I'm scared to even read the news anymore.

The even bigger fear is that a fair number of these breaking events these might be genuine scandals. However, I don't know if it's deserved or not but the number of leakers and leaked documents is a torrent now and things I never would have dreamed of (State Dept cover-up of drugs and hookers? Really?!?) are breaking on to the scene. Some THING happened to make these people suddenly break from their career positions. I don't think the bugbear of partisanship can be summarily dismissed out-of-hand but one thing seems evident: the bureaucracy no longer desires to see Obama at the helm.

Too many in the bureaucracy are in near-open revolt. Whether or not there's a there, there is almost immaterial; I'm filled with dread at the thought that the machinery of government has become ungovernable. From this moment forward, anything the President attempts to accomplish will be cast through the lens of whether or not this is scandal-worthy and if the answer -- real or imagined -- is "Yes" then a scandal it shall become and the deluge will become a tsunami.

This is not a flame-baiting concern-thread.

I defy anyone to explain how control can be realistically re-exerted. How can President Obama show himself to be the Chief Executive of the United States in positive control of the agencies he heads while enjoying the confidence of the American people when each new day he has to look over his shoulder for the next leak?

[AnotherMcIntosh]

1. How could he instill more confidence? He could appear in public and show that he's not Bush.

If what we need is more confidence, he's the man for the job.

[Eddie Haskell]

2. Those that do not wish to serve this President ...

need to get their wish.

[thelordofhell]

3. You mean the one's that were appointed by bush

[Nuclear Unicorn]

6. And Bush had Clinton appointees.

But that doesn't answer my question -- what can realistically be done?

[Bandit]

18. What Clinton appointees did Bush* hold over or appoint to his cabinet?

I can not recall any off the top of my head However Obama has held over numerous Bush* appointees or Republicans in general...

[Nuclear Unicorn]

26. I dunno but Obama still has a presidency to recover. I wonder if that is possible.

[RC]

38. bu$h did a house cleaning and those he appointed did their own house cleaning.

Obama, not so much. Plus he keeps appointing more Republicans to his own cabinet.

[mike_c]

4. I think the shark is well and truly permanently jumped....

When we have a democratic party president with solid liberal organizing creds who, during a time of record economic inequality and concentration of power and wealth, growing fascism, and decline of living conditions for the 99% spends his administration's talent and effort entrenching a security and surveillance state, conducting unnecessary wars to keep the MIC happy and prosperous, and pursues medical cannabis dispensaries instead of Wall Street bankers, well, 2016 can't come soon enough.

[avaistheone1]

9. You are correct.

I wish you wrong, but you're not.

[quinnox]

5. I don't think it is all about Obama. It is much bigger than that

Snowden, the NSA leaker, said he did it because he was alarmed at all the spying of the general public going on. He didn't say anything about Obama.

It is Bush who started the Patriot Act nonsense, and unfortunately Obama continued it, so now he is responsible and taking the heat for what Bush did.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

7. Note how we lay the PA at the feet of Bush even though it passed with widespread bipartisan support.

President Obama will not escape blame for the actions of the agencies he heads. People can say that fact is unfair and/or misplaced but it is still a fact.

[quinnox]

8. yea, true, that is shameful it was passed by both parties

I still put the blame on Bush and the GOP more though because he was the president and pushing it taking advantage of 9/11 and the climate of fear to pass this stuff.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

11. OK, but what about Obama? How can he govern in the current climate?

[okaawhatever]

14. Snowden did say bad things about Obama, and they sounded very calculated. Interview w/Guardina nt

[Buzz Clik]

10. Three fabricated scandals plus two leaks about old news constitutes a "deluge"?

This strikes me as hyberbole at best.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

12. So, how's the President's agenda coming along?

Does anyone know if he even has an agenda?

[Buzz Clik]

13. Anyone paying attention knows he has an agenda. How's your agenda?

Mark anything off yet?

[okaawhatever]

15. Agreed. nt

[Nuclear Unicorn]

16. I'm not saying the President doesn't have a policy agenda.

I'm saying the oxygen is being sucked out of the room. I'm not saying that is fair, I'm saying it is a fact.

[Buzz Clik]

17. Now THAT is a fact.

And the oxygen content goes down every time people begin to panic. Fortunately, the Prez does not hang around DU, aka Hysteria Central.

[Shivering Jemmy]

27. Immigration reform

Up for first votes

[Nuclear Unicorn]

29. And its GOP co-sponsor says it is on the ropes.

How much political capital does the President have to spend to revive that initiative?

[Shivering Jemmy]

32. No more on the ropes than its ever been

That statement is a negotiating tactic is all.

[Recursion]

21. When it comes in the 2 weeks after a major speech about ending the War on Terror, maybe

Just sayin'

EDIT: 2 weeks

[Buzz Clik]

22. Ok. I'm not following you.

I'm interested; I just am not keeping up. Explain?

[Recursion]

23. His May 23rd speech about the need to not have an endless war on terror

It was kind of a gauntlet thrown down in the face of the intel-industrial complex, so to speak.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022986695

[Buzz Clik]

36. This makes SO much sense!

Benghazi and IRS were these clumsily contrived scandals that were dime-a-dozen during the Clinton years and the signature Rove kerfuffles of the Bush43 years. This one is different for many reasons. First, it's not red meat for the conservatives. They don't like the whistleblower concerning issues of national security, but they couldn't give a damn about endless data mining, eavesdropping, or whatever. No, this one is designed to put a dagger in the heart of the left, to undercut the President's base. This is far, far too sophisticated for Rove to concoct, and Issa is too stupid to even understand the beauty of it.

The question now is, what is to be done? Where does the President go from here? They've but a cannonball across his bow, warning him that the next volley will be dead on.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

24. I don't want to presume to speak for Recursion but

about 4 weeks ago President Obama gave a speech asking congress to reconsider the September 18, 2001 AUMF that blesses the so-called War on Terror.

If the President believed the WoT had subsided to such a degree that the AUMF could be lifted then why was the NSA "warrant" obtained (I think) April 25th.

[Shivering Jemmy]

28. They renew the warrant periodically

Timing a coincidence

[Nuclear Unicorn]

31. Why renew wartime powers if you declare the war is effectively over?

[Shivering Jemmy]

34. NSA reapplies for warrant from FISA

Every so often. Democrats changed patriot act 2 years ago to require this. This was to constrain searches a bit more.

[Recursion]

30. That was my basic point, but the warrant and the AUMF are different questions

And I assume the warrant was sought out because Obama was on the 23rd just floating a trial balloon. Perhaps we're seeing some of the responses to it now...

[elfin]

19. maybe only about half of the government out for him

After all, he is only half white.

I do think much of this has been stockpiled for a flurry of slurs by those fundamentally holding him in deep disrespect due to race.

Most are old news, yet not trumpeted in a deep and widespread way during the bully W's reign along with Cheney et al.

Including the latest NSA revelations - also old news due to passed "Patriot" Act, and open articles on the construction in Utah to help manage mega data, written about in Wired, at least a year ago.

I was not surprised at all. After 2001, the first imperative for any administration is to prevent another huge attack, and any overreach will be legalistically rationalized, no matter the party in power.

I hate the lack of privacy, but am not surprised at all, considering it a given after Bush. And then, of course, there is spooky facebook and google, which snarf up data with our "permission."

[Recursion]

20. Inshallah, in 20 years I'll enjoy reading the book about the past 6 months in intelligence

It sure looks like quite a ride from the cheap seats.

[2ndAmForComputers]

25. The shortest of the OP paragraphs made me LOL.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

33. Nothing is wrong. The President is undiminished. We need no defense because there is no offense.

Don't look around. Carry on. Everything is fine. The Obama presidency is more resolute today than ever before and he will emerge from this trifling patch unscathed and all the stronger for it.

Is that what you prefer to be told?

[Whisp]

35. Holder and the DoJ are under constant fire as well.

I'm hoping there are investigations going on some of the financial big players or some other busting big news like getting Bin Laden is working in the background and some insider fat cats know about it and are flailing their lying asses away for distraction.

Would be a nice, wouldn't it? When would the best time to reveal this sort of thing? I'd say close to last term, no?

[Buzz Clik]

37. ..

I defy anyone to explain how control can be realistically re-exerted. How can President Obama show himself to be the Chief Executive of the United States in positive control of the agencies he heads while enjoying the confidence of the American people when each new day he has to look over his shoulder for the next leak?

Indeed. This will be his greatest test.

[RobertEarl]

39. Invade someplace!!

That's what Reagan and Bush did.

Took the focus off them and gave the pundits red meat. Story-a-day stuff.

Lets see, who can we invade? Has to be easy, nearby and full of goodies...

Oh, Canada! Here we come!

Seri-izly... Obama will change the law and restrict spying, as it should be.

Anyway, this admin has been the most legal since, well, years.
They will get through it.

Hi NSA Folks, love ya!