Camelot, Anyone?

I just read that President Obama was exhibiting a “rare diplomatic snub” of Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding a scheduled meeting in Moscow next month.  Of course, Obama will still attend the early September G-20 economic summit to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia — for sure, nobody passes up free caviar and cold vodka.  Yet, regarding Obama’s political cold-shoulder, I take great exception with the word “rare.”  It seems to me the last time the great and all-powerful O was mad at a leader of state, he pulled the same trick.  Remember the famous snub of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he went against O’s position on housing in the Heights — backdoor entrance, no photo op, and dinner alone.  And that was the treatment of an ally.  It’s not that O doesn’t have a valid reason to snub Putin — and I’m not referring to the Snowden affair since over half of Americans see him as a patriotic whistleblower.  Rather, I’m referring to Putin’s almost incredulous position of helping Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fund a Syrian civil war.  “How dare he,” asserts the all-knowing O.  Of course, when asked about John “don’t you just love Al-Qaeda” McCain being dispatched to pledge money, guns, and technology in order to help the Democratically loving rebels (not to be confused with Republican-ly loving rebels) win the civil war, O simply says, “Next question, please.” 

In almost every aspect of our economy, deterioration has set in, including declining wages, escalating food stamp usage, deteriorating labor participation rates, and increased student loan defaults. 

It seems as we continue to turn back the hands of time, it only makes sense that as the so-called war on terror — fighting the guys in the caves — winds down, it’s necessary to replace them with another enemy, preferably from the past.  Thus, O’s recent quote from the Tonight Show, “There have been times where they slipped back into the cold war, thinking in a cold war mentality.”  Indeed, human rights violations and missile defense shields have such a sweet nostalgic ring.  Now all we need to do is boycott next year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia and I’ll really have the sense that we just made one big giant circle.  

If only the White House would adopt a theme song for the last few years, I’d really feel as though I was transported to another era.  I humbly suggest Camelot.