Indexes
The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.
- Will terrorists be given Miranda warnings? (75)
- Lodi Unified School District president issues warning to speakers over cuts (64)
- President Obama's first year (45)
- Many reject the politics of 'no' (45)
- Islamic symbol in mosaic — what is all the fuss? (44)
- Writer comments on Neely column (42)
- The Home Depot hopes to join Costco at Reynolds Ranch (41)
- Time to shed the convenient sham of 'Don't ask, don't tell' policy (34)
- We need to conduct respectful conversations (30)
- Tasered suspect claims he is Yosemite Sam (25)
Who takes responsibility in the White House?
The resignation of Van Jones, President Obama's Green Energy "Czar," while a welcome end to yet another controversial matter, needs to be examined closer.
Aside from the vetting system, its conclusion raises the more germane issue as to who is really taking responsibility in the White House.
Harry S. Truman was known to have a placard on his desk that declared "The Buck Stops Here," referring to his accepting full responsibility for the Executive branch of the government. While few presidents since then have exhibited such a high level of integrity, Mr. Obama appears not to want to be viewed as a man who would assume such a mantle of accountability.
For starters, whatever happened to simply firing someone because they're either incompetent or otherwise running counter to what the president would have in mind for his administration? Why are such people said to have resigned rather than simply shown the door with a hearty shove on their way out? It may be intimated that Jones was asked to leave, but at least with Harry there was never a question as to who he was and what he expected from those surrounding him.
Furthermore, why are people quick to accept so-called apologies that too often begin with, "If I offended anyone by my (fill in the blanks) ... " rather than expose them for simply behaving dishonestly?
I suppose it's not too unreasonable to understand that one offering such a pathetic response to bad behavior would want to hang on to as many opportunities as possible on the way out so as to leave other doors open once the furor dies down.
Such a tactic might allow them to save face by not declaring that they were wrong, hence believing that their honor was never really in question when in fact it certainly was.
These are fundamental problems engrained within our political system that unless addressed and eradicated will always result in good people staying away from public office and only those with questionable morals feeding from the public service trough with impunity for as long as we permit them.
Jerome R. Kinderman
Lodi

Reader Feedback
Lodian wrote on Oct 24, 2009 2:30 PM:
Brian wrote on Oct 24, 2009 11:56 AM:
Brian wrote on Oct 24, 2009 11:53 AM:
is nothing more than a personal problem she has with him. And had any of her groupies written the same things she would be the first to give them kudos. "
Brian wrote on Oct 24, 2009 11:46 AM:
" I think Jerome's letters are bringing in less and less interest these days. "
-Those contrary to Lodian's thinking grow tired of her demanding we check
our philosophies at the door of every blogg she chooses to park herself at. "
Lodian wrote on Oct 23, 2009 8:36 AM:
Lodian wrote on Oct 21, 2009 2:27 PM:
rantraves wrote on Oct 21, 2009 6:44 AM:
Lodian wrote on Oct 20, 2009 5:38 PM:
Lodian wrote on Oct 19, 2009 4:36 PM:
Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Oct 19, 2009 10:44 AM:
Lodian wrote on Oct 18, 2009 11:57 PM:
"The Jerome tatto is doing fine..."
That's just nasty. "
Lodian wrote on Oct 18, 2009 11:56 PM:
So, veritas, how about you tell us what writings you have had published, since you feel that published writers are the only ones that matter here. Or are you exactly what you fear the most... a "brainless, piddly, whiney, know-nothing, do nothing" blogger? "
Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Oct 18, 2009 8:37 PM:
Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Oct 18, 2009 8:36 PM:
veritas wrote on Oct 18, 2009 8:31 PM:
Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Oct 18, 2009 8:15 PM:
veritas wrote on Oct 18, 2009 7:41 PM:
rantraves wrote on Oct 18, 2009 6:13 PM:
Lodian wrote on Oct 18, 2009 2:34 PM:
" I would gladly iron. He is an excellent and thorough writer. "
LOL! "
voter wrote on Oct 18, 2009 2:07 PM:
Billy Rubin wrote on Oct 18, 2009 1:47 PM:
No, Veritas dons it. "
veritas wrote on Oct 18, 2009 10:41 AM:
danielh wrote on Oct 18, 2009 9:10 AM:
Sometimes, a supervisor privately offers an opportunity to resign, as a matter of respect, warning that if they don't resign, they will be fired.
This allows for the unemployed individual to show on their resume that they resigned and were not fired. "
Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Oct 17, 2009 9:11 PM:
Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Oct 17, 2009 9:10 PM:
BS. Not sure what fora you're reading. Go be blog Nazi somewhere else. "
veritas wrote on Oct 17, 2009 8:06 PM:
Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Oct 17, 2009 5:35 PM:
LOL. max, that is funny and probably true.
A reading from the book of Kimono to the Lodians... "
max stanfield wrote on Oct 17, 2009 12:54 PM:
max stanfield wrote on Oct 17, 2009 12:17 PM:
rantraves wrote on Oct 17, 2009 11:44 AM:
Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Oct 17, 2009 11:20 AM:
sparky595 wrote on Oct 17, 2009 6:41 AM:
sparky595 wrote on Oct 17, 2009 6:37 AM:
"Obama still waiting to take over as president; still blaming Bush for being in control of all problems. However, I'll take credit for everything that went right the last four years.' "
sparky595 wrote on Oct 17, 2009 6:30 AM:
He was proud to stand up and fight for ACORN when he was an attorney and organizer for them, yet now when they are being investigated, he acts as if he doesn't know much about them.
He acted as if he didn't know of Van Jones' checkered past, yet Valerie Jarrett said 'we have been watching him since he started in Oakland'. You know, when he was signing 'truther' petitions.
He won't come out and tell the American people that he wants to institute a homosexual agenda in our schools, yet he hires Kevin Jennings to do his dirty work.
He won't tell us that he wants to control how the media and internet, yet he puts Mark Lloyd in charge as the 'Diversity Czar' of the FCC.
He wants obamacare, yet does nothing to help write the bill. He hands it off to the crooks in congress to do his dirty work. "
Comments on this story are now closed.