As with Reid, this latest plot failed because the attacker was incompetent and the other passengers were wary -- not because of any actions the government took.
However, because of President Obama’s policies, AbdulMutallab is being held in a civilian jail, and will receive a trial in a civil court, although he’s arguably an enemy combatant. Obama’s Justice Department also intends to try Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, in a New York civil courtroom. The State of the Union speech didn’t explain why those decisions have made Americans safer.
This should give us a good sense of perspective.
Throughout his speech, Obama insisted his big-government agenda is helping. “Because of the steps we took, there are about two million Americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed,” he insisted, ignoring the fact that even his administration can’t identify how many jobs its stimulus package has “saved or created.”
He mentioned police officers and teachers who’ve supposedly kept their jobs because of the federal largesse. But he failed to note that, unless the money keeps flowing -- year after year, forever -- those local government employees will just end up being let go eventually. Does anyone believe that their state and local governments ever intend to come up with the cash to pay their salaries?
Obama also pushed for a federal “jobs bill,” stumped for his stalled health “reform” bill, promised a modest spending freeze (although he’ll wait until next year to begin it). But with the federal debt at a record level and unemployment at 10 percent and holding, it’s time to realize the approach pushed by Obama, and -- too often -- President Bush and the pre-2006 Republican Congress, has failed.
The government can never spend its way out of recession. It can only get out of the way, through lower tax rates and less costly regulation, and allow private business to grow again. Likewise, the government can’t completely protect us from our enemies, no matter how many tens of billions it spends.
Americans need our president to get serious about our debt and our security -- before our luck runs out.