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GTL™ Sunday Guest Columnist: Author And “Moderately-Right-Of-Center” Political Pundit, Christopher L. Doster Goes After President Obama For Attempting To Gain A 2016 Olympic Bid For Chicago When He Feels There Are Much More Pressing Items To Be Dealt With…
“The A.D.D. Presidency”
I’m not sure if I coined the term, “short attention span society”, but I do know I wrote about it some time ago, I think. Perhaps I too have this insidious condition that has been infecting and effecting Americans for years; A.D.D. – Attention Deficit Disorder (WikiPedia).
A.D.D. is certainly not limited to the young; just try to watch one of the President’s nightly teleprompter broadcasts (without falling asleep). Or read the latest healthcare bill, (which one I’m not sure), and try to follow his forever changing agenda. He jumps from one “crisis” to the next priority (the 2016 Olympics? — The Politico) faster than my almost 3 year old nephew switches from Sponge Bob to his obsession with tractors. This Presidency is like a moving target, and no one knows whom he’s aiming at next. Is it AIG, Wall Street, Bush (again), or the evil health care insurance companies? Take your pick, the only thing that seems to be consistent with this “hope and change” administration, is that the focus will certainly “change”, almost daily…
I have been observing for years, that our country’s collective attention spans seem to be diminishing, almost as fast as our freedoms. Look at the success of the USA Today; headlines and “sound bites” for each day of the week. As well, I’ll bet most of you get your news from that constantly scrolling line at the bottom of your TV screen, or either from the captions under your favorite talking head, as you “multi-task” you way through the day. From ESPN to CNN, and yes, even that hated liberal network, the “fair and balanced” Fox News, maintains a running monologue of instant information, covering everything from entertainment to the economy, or whatever else gets ratings.
So back to our A.D.D. President, and for those of you that may think you’re losing your mind (as well as your jobs, your 401k’s, and your future), here are the symptoms of attention deficit disorder…
· Indecision, difficulty recalling and organizing details required for a task
· Poor time management, losing track of time
· Avoiding tasks or jobs that require sustained attention
· Difficulty initiating tasks
· Difficulty completing and following through on tasks
· Difficulty multitasking
· Difficulty shifting attention from one task to another
Now, I’m no doctor, but I am an observer of human behavior. It appears the President’s priorities are much like the “climate change” crisis (The New York Times); first it’s getting too hot, then too cold. Is it the “economy stupid”, the healthcare crisis, the greedy CEO’s, or the Olympics? Can someone please help him make up his mind? President Obama’s recent decision to travel to Copenhagen in an attempt to “boost” Chicago’s chances of winning the 2016 Olympics has drawn criticism from some Republicans, who call it a boondoggle for Obama’s hometown allies and evidence the president has blurred his priorities (The Associated Press — “AP”).
Republican National Committee (“R.N.C.”> Chairman Michael Steele denounced the visit on a conference call with reporters Tuesday. Calling it “noble for the president to pitch his home city, Chi-town,” before the International Olympic Committee Friday, Steele said it nonetheless was a distraction from more pressing issues such as health care, job creation and other urgent demands on Obama’s time. Focus Mr. President, focus….
So what was the result of this “focus” on what Americans want and need today? Wasted time, wasted energy, and wasted air time on Air Force One (and Air Force Two for the First Lady), for his home town “pitch”, as Chicago got booted from the bid (Yahoo Sports) quicker than a liberal leaves a conservative “tea party”…
The President has also claimed that his healthcare plan will be “deficit neutral” (United Press International– “UPI“). My take is his (or should I say his advisers’) latest plan is more “attention deficit”, and he can’t even remember what he said (or read off his teleprompter), the day before…Focus Mr. President, focus…
In a professional trade journal article I wrote a while back (PlasticSurgeryPractice.Com), I referred to Marcus Buckingham, a leading authority on employee productivity and the practices of leading and management. I believe he says it best in his book, The One Thing You Need to Know . . . About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success:
“Focus on those activities that strengthen you and avoid those that weaken. Your ability to filter out tasks you dislike and focus on the specific things you do well, will dictate much of your sustained success. People who are already successful became so precisely because they were unwilling to tolerate aspects of their job they didn’t like. Their intolerance caused their success.”
I think it’s obvious to most of the rational American thinkers that are plugged into our short attention span, information based society, which activities seem to “strengthen” the President, or at least those he “does well”. Speeches, and “just words” aren’t getting it done (YouTube video), Mr. President, especially when the words are doing nothing to solve the problem(s), and you can’t seem to keep your attention on the “one thing WE need to know”: how can WE the people believe you today sir, when tomorrow its always something else, or someone else to blame? Should we now “blame it on Rio”…? — This Sunday Column was penned by the one and only CLD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Christopher L. Doster is a native of Glens Falls, NY. Graduating from the University of South Alabama, he began a career in the medical device industry in 1989. Since 1999, Chris has been promoting, marketing, and developing aesthetic products in the cosmetic/skin care sector. Creating and branding a nationally distributed topical scar product, he has authored several professional trade journal articles (Click on the “Posts” Tab), and the soon to be released book, “MD Skin Secrets – A natural discovery“. A political pundit enthusiast, Chris has also written two books yet to be released, “American Idleness – apathy in politics“, and “Pipe Dreams – The empire state goes up in smoke“. You can also view more of Mr. Doster’s exclusive GTL™ Sunday Columns by clicking HERE.
Agree? Disagree? Have Something To Add? Please Show Your Appreciation To Mr. Doster For Taking The Time To Author This Guest Column In The Comments Section Below
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While Nero Fiddled Rome burned.
Eight American soldiers and two Afghan policemen were killed, with many injured. It was the worst attack on Nato forces in 14 months,
Shit or get off the pot Mr. President. Do something. Even if its wrong.!!!
I don’t always catch SNL, but I did this weekend. In the weekend update they were listing all the things the President of the United States hadn’t accomplished, then they listed the two things he has: 1) Jack 2)Squat.
@Mike 300 Spartans, Let’s see, Mike, using the same logic right wingers used on Democrats for eight years …
Have we been attacked since November 4, 2009?
No?
Then get on your knees and thank God for our Commander in Chief.
@Bad Dog, I consider that a valid point B.D. You also remind me that the President of the United States handled the Somali pirate situation admirably. BTW, I received training on A.D.D. for my job as a high school teacher in a Special Education Behavior Disorder school. What was explained to me was that A.D.D. and/or A.D.H.D. was not an inability of an individual to pay attention to something, it was their tendency for everything to get their attention at once. The student with A.D.D. would have his or her attention on what I was teaching but my tie, a bird outside the window, and the page turning of another student also got their attention at the same time. CDL’s article also reminds me of one of the then candidates Obama/McCain debates when candidate Obama said the financial crisis might mean having to cut or wait on some of his agenda/plans but he rattled off a whole list of items that he said he wouldn’t cut regardless of shortages.
What you guys dont understand is that by design the Obama administration is doing this scatter gun approach to his job using the Alinsky mode of operations.
By doing many, many different things that illicit criticism it makes it very hard to focus on one thing that the GOP and his opponents can criticize.
Health care is the most telling example. Americans and Republicans need to keep focused on defeating health care reform as the DEMOCRATS are proposing it. Not spend time complaining about the Olympics, or Afghanistan or speechs on gun control or indoctrinating our children.
Keep focused Republicans. Keep hammering the health care programs proposed by the Democrats. All this other stuff is Alinsky to take our eyes off their true goal of passing bogus health care.
@GawdDayumAmerica, I’m not sure I agree that we don’t understand the concept. What was bill H.R. 45 but to distract attention and/or resources from the “real fight” somewhere else. If anyone reading needs refreshing, H.R. 45 was a bill proposing a renewable firearms “license” much like a driver’s license. If you owned a firearm of any kind you would have to constantly pay and update your license even if your weapon sat on a shelf for 20 years. It was virtually inconceivable it would pass an become law but it was out there as a threat. The point of CDL’s article, as I see it, is The President of the United States, Obama is a victim of his own strategy. Attacking on all fronts is a solid strategy as long as a good number are feigns to divert the opposition away from your main thrust. But it seems this administration is expending all its energy trying to win it all from Universal health care to the 2016 summer Olympics. The only thing that appears to have been moved to the back burner is the war in Afghanistan. What exactly is the President of the United States Obama’s objective there again? Is it to defeat the Taliban, kill or capture Bin Laden, make the tribes on the Pakistan border region our friends, all of the above? Something else?
Another bullseye. Good shootin’, Mr.Doster
Interesting CLD. I posted this question before, and I’m still wondering:
Will Obama’s unprecedented use of the media (kind of like an ongoing campaign commercial) help or hinder him from a tactical standpoint? I’d be interested in what left or right folks think.
Will all future Presidents follow this method as a successful trend? Or will it result in Obama being “overexposed” 3 years from now, resulting in a “ho-hum” attitude from the pubic when he goes on TV, AGAIN!
@SJ, I think Obama is already over exposed right now.
Lord we have had 3 years of this guy night and day on TV and the internet saying the same things over and over and over again.
Whats really sad is if you read Alinsky’s book and you read the founder of Acorn Radke you will find in his speech’s nothing but their verbage, phraseology and talking points.
These two people were radicals and when you see the presidents messages literally taking phrases from their speeches to include them in his then its pretty obvious where hes coming from.
I personally am sick of him doing nothing and giving speech after speech after speech. Lord please make it stop!!!!!
@SJ, In these days where everything is recorded in one form or another, I think massive exposer can only hurt. Hundreds of years ago Machavelli said: “Oh that my enemy would write a book!” Meaning, oh to have an opponent’s own words to use against him. Regardless of who it is, the more you broadcast the more it can and does, usually go against you. As formerPresident of the United States Bush (41) said: “Read my lips. No new taxes.” It comes back and bites you. How often does an attorney want his or her client to talk to the media? Any President is always on trial in the court of public opinion. I think it would be wiser to limit exposer.
@Mike 300 Spartans,
Thanks Mike and GDA. I’m thinking along those same lines, but perhaps, since I’m not an Obama supporter, my perception is colored.
I’m curious as to what the Obama supporters (or at least those who voted for him) think. Is he on TV/YouTube too much? Too little? Is this media blitz just part of the new bully pulpit?
Steve
@SJ, SJ, the answer is simple, but you must accept the premise that there is no monolithic “liberal media,” that most of the media is indeed quite conservative, and that many people are dopes susceptible to gullibly believing bizarre propaganda such as Obama is Kenyan and wants to kill your grandparents.
Are you still with me? Good! (By the way, that doubled as an intelligence test, and by staying with me so far, you automatically indicated that you have an IQ above 85.)
So: The Democrats are fighting over healthcare, and the debate is boring and confusing even though if it is vital to our country’s future. The Republicans have the best sound bites, trying to derail any progress but grabbing attention in the news by saying things like, “Obama wants sick veterans to commit suicide.”
So what would you do if you were Obama? Your poll numbers are sagging because all these wacky attacks are essentially going unchallenged, you’re doing ZILCH to energize your liberal base, and you still have charisma you can rely on.
You take your case directly to the American people. It’s really that simple.
The right wing “concern” trolling about whether Obama is becoming “overexposed” is just that—concern trolling. They don’t care to help Obama with some helpful advice. They simply want to plant the seed that Obama is overexposing himself.
And the very fact that you asked the question, and that we’re having this conversation at all, is proof that the technique is effective.
For example:
I’m deeply concerned that Republicans are closet gays. I think they should come out of the closet before they’re discovered in yet more sex scandals for which they won’t have to take any responsibility. I’m very, very concerned about the future of the GOP.
Riiiiight.
@Bad Dog,
BD,
I basically tried to ignore most of it, except the part in the middle where you actually responded to what I was asking – thanks, by the way. (This is the big difference between you and Mike300, who can answer a question without unloading the huge chip being carried on his shoulder every time – I doubt Mike has one btw). Believe me, I understand…the neocons treated you badly on forums during the Bush adminstration, so now you get revenge. Fine. I get it. It just makes me tired trying to read your posts – you make good points sometimes but it’s cluttered with useless crap.
(Steve exhales). I was honestly thinking about what the next Presidential campaign will look like and how the next President (either 2012 or 2016) will involve the (new) media – and wanted to get some various opinions, which is what make this site so good.
Steve
@SJ, Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no intention of changing.
@Bad Dog, The following response is an attempt at humorus parody and not an effort to condemn: Q. B.D , do you know if the Dodgers made the playoffs this year? A. According to right wing logic , anything from California is automatically socialist which makes it an enemy of capitalism. When Louis XVI was deposed many of the people were starving and had to eek out an existance anyway they could, they didn’t have the luxury of playing games. But no matter how much rice is grown in the Phillipines the Japanese won’t pay a fair price for it because some of their leaders are as greedy as any Republican on Wall Street. So yes, the Dodgers are in and they’ll probably beat the Cards in 5 games.
@Mike 300 Spartans, See above.
@SJ, SJ, you have a new fan. You have in one short, concise, to the point comment, surgically filleted the Bad Dog character…well done sir, and keep blogging!
@cld, And now let me do you: Chris Doster sucks!!!!!!!
@Bad Dog, How mature, and typcial of a wacko liberal….
@cld, I’m sorry, what were you saying? I don’t have ADD, I just find you boring.
@SJ, Yea, “useless crap”, like “You suck,and youre a idiot”…blah, blah, blah….too bad his master couldnt be more creative with his boring character and write some new material….It certainly does tire you out reading his ramblilng, angry rants…much like listening to Obama read off his teleprompter…zzzzz
@cld, We should all look to Chris Doster to see how to behave rationally. He’s a model of mature behavior.
“Country* First!”
* Brazil
@Bad Dog, I want to see the USA come first in every event possible at the Olymics. But at the same time I’d like to see other places share both the burden and the honor of hosting the Olymipcs. I’m happy the continent of South America will have its first opportunity to host. I want nothing but success for every athelete that represents our country. Wouldn’t you say that is putting country first B.D. ?
@Mike 300 Spartans, No, not according to the same rules of patriotism that right wingers inflicted on everybody else for the last eight years. No, in fact, what you just said, they would consider you a surrender monkey and promptly ask you why you hate America.
You know I’m right on this.
@Bad Dog, So, I asked you your opinion, you answered. You base your opinion on right wing rules, rules produced by an unidentified “they”. Do you admire and respect the people who set the rules you follow? What are the consequences to you if you don’t follow these rules?
@Mike 300 Spartans, When I say “they,” I mean the nearly uniform right wing propaganda voice that speaks through the media, in particular Fox News but also on other cable TV networks, newspapers, blogs, etc.
Silence implies consent, Mike. If you are silent when they do it but hate it when a liberal does it, then you should maybe not be silent when they do it. So the next time Chris Doster quotes Michael Wiener-Savage that “liberalism is a mental disorder,” maybe a gentle admonition will not do it. Maybe you need to fight him as hard as I am to present a cost to this type of behavior.
Or maybe we are back to our bully analogy, but this time you’re the bully’s mom …
@Bad Dog, In some situations I would agree that silence implies consent but not always. In fact, sometimes “the silent treatment” can be a form of rebuke. I know CLD would be devastated if you hit him with the silent treatment. (Ok, that was total B.S.) If however, the right wing radio’s claim that all but Fox news is highly liberal, certainly right wing T.V. is in the minority among T.V. that isn’t right wing. Agreed? My opion would be that could easily avoid/ignore right wing T.V. if one were inclined.
@Mike 300 Spartans, Mike, I can’t questions about something about something you think doesn’t exist. It’s like we were living in two entirely different Americas for the last eight years. Just like we’re living in two entire different worlds now.
We’ll keep searching for that common ground, though.
@Mike 300 Spartans, Mike hes throwing Alinsky at you. Its a standard trick by the far left now in America. They bait you with assumptions and then play out the assumptions as if they are true. When you challenge the assumption they switch to another assumption using questions.
If you respond to their questions then the bait and switch works and the new assumption replaces the old and voilla they have defined the debate and shaped the direction that it will go.
@GawdDayumAmerica, No, this is throwing an Alinsky at you:
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky
That should last you a whole month of crazy.
Now running on MSNBC
Republicans root against America.
There’s an easy remedy, GDA. Don’t root against America.
@Bad Dog, I just looked at the previous day’s post about Mike Savage. I never heard those specific quotes before, but I noticed on one link you gave the lead quote was him responding to someone talking about Weiner’s teeth. This falls in line with what I thought about his self absorbtion. At the same time, it looks like maybe someone labled as a hate monger actually is a hate monger. My strong dislike I had for him before reading those links has reached a higher level of intensity.
@Mike 300 Spartans, If you like Michael Savage Wiener, you’ll love Ann Coulter. Both hate, both lie, both demonize anybody who disagrees with them, both are symptoms of a disease that is hurting America, killing the GOP and preventing conservatives from having a voice in American politics except as moderates in the Democratic Party.
@Bad Dog, Actually Bad Dog. There is nothing wrong with the GOP when contrasted to the Democrats.
By the Christian Science Monitor’s Editorial Board) Were the 2010 elections to occur today, 43 percent of independents say they would vote Republican (in a generic congressional ballot), while 38 percent would vote Democratic, the Pew Research Center finds. That’s quite a shift from 2006, when independents favored Democrats over Republicans, 44 to 33 percent.
Ann Coulter, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity no more hurt the party then does Ed Schultz, Keith Olberman and Randy Rhoades hurt the democrats.
What hurts them both is policy. Thats why I remain focused on policies and not personalities because Obama is going to remain personally popular for a quite a while.
@GawdDayumAmerica, Don’t recite any stats unless you provide a link, or I will immediately discount them as a lie.
Or do you want me to recite the latest stats from Pew, which show 75% of Americans either “completely agree” or “to a large extent agree” that “Republicans are a bunch of dumbasses”?
As for personality, you belabor Obama’s personality (Saul Alinsky, anyone?), so don’t pretend that isn’t all you care about.
@Bad Dog, actually I dont need to give links Bad Dog. You can look it up rather easily since I pointed to Christian Science Monitor and Pew Research.
Saul Alinsky is a tactic. Sorry you think Saul Alinsky is a radical left wing socialist and by default that when Obama incorporates exerpts of his speeches into his own that by default you think hes a Radical left wing socialist.
But regardless of what you actually believe about Obama he will remain popular for sometime and its a loosing battle to try and paint him as a radical, left wing socialist who wants to secretly pass health care reform that in 10 years turns Americas health care into a single payer system that we cannot afford.
I just like to remain focused on his policies not what the fringe far left wingers think of him and his policies.
@GawdDayumAmerica, Saul Alinksy Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinksy Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinksy Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinksy Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinksy Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinksy Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinksy Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinksy Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky Saul Alinsky
@Bad Dog, I probably shouldn’t encourage such posts but it does remind me of a funny Army story. Way back when a chat box was new and a bit confusing to me, I was on a secure site and mentioned I had got a piece of info from the CIA World Fact Book. Someone in the chatroom admonished me for mentioning the CIA, as if just the letters were classified. So of course I wrote: C.I.A C.I.A CIA
for about four lines.
@Mike 300 Spartans,
DON’T SAUL ALINSKY ME, YOU SAUL ALINSKY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Bad Dog, “True revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism, Alinsky taught. They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within. Alinsky viewed revolution as a slow, patient process. The trick was to penetrate existing institutions such as churches, unions and political parties….
“A Marxist begins with his prime truth that all evils are caused by the exploitation of the proletariat by the capitalists. From this he logically proceeds to the revolution to end capitalism, then into the third stage of reorganization into a new social order of the dictatorship of the proletariat, and finally the last stage — the political paradise of communism.” p.10
“The tenth rule… is you do what you can with what you have and clothe it with moral garments…. It involves sifting the multiple factors which combine in creating the circumstances at any given time… Who, and how many will support the action?… If weapons are needed, then are appropriate d weapons available? Availability of means determines whether you will be underground or above ground; whether you will move quickly or slowly…” p.36
Here ya go bad dog you were chanting Alinsky I thought you wanted some more of his food for thought.
@GawdDayumAmerica, You forgot the Fifth Insight, which is all right wingers are idiots who want to talk about things nobody else cares about.
Country* First!
*Brazil