Records on Obama? ... Go Fish!

"Alea iacta est!" Lieutenant Colonel Terry Lakin, a decorated Army Flight Surgeon, is being Court Martialed for failing to deploy to a war zone. This is a serious charge. LTC Lakin has refused to deploy, saying that the order is invalid. You see, Lakin believes that President Obama is not authorized to order him to do anything. He alleges that President Obama has not provided appropriate documentation to prove that he is eligible to be President of the United States, much less Commander in Chief, despite the 2008 election results.

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A Military Judge has ruled that a request by the Defense for Obama's birth and school records would provide "the potential for embarrassment " to the President. How is it that Mr. Obama is not required to provide the Court documents requested by Lieutenant Colonel Terry Lakin's Defense Counsel for his Court Martial? Whether or not these "Birther" assertions might be simple horse dung, Mr. Obama should submit the requested materials, i.e. real documents, if he wants to put these accusations to rest. This debate holds forth in many quarters on the internet and elsewhere. But, you won't see it on the nightly news, unless the news is bad for LTC Lakin. I have been on record since the beginning of this Court Martial action saying that LTC Lakin would not get a full and fair hearing in the Court Martial. Frankly, I don't think any subordinate can fall on their sword in such a fashion and win ... and you can only fall on your sword once. We have all seen what happens to Four Star Generals for far lesser comments about or challenges to Presidential Authority. As a Retired Officer and US Army Veteran, I can only object to LTC Terry Lakin's treatment in this Court Martial. If this request for discovery of records on Mr. Obama were denied, so as not to provide "the potential for embarrassment" to the President, then I suggest we all need a reminder. Watergate showed that even a President is not immune. Someone remind the Military Judge that Obama may be the President of the United States of America, but he is not some Divine Right King! The Defendant, though military, still has a Constitutional Right to a fair trial. Hmmm. What if this were a request for records from Nixon, Reagan or Bush Sr.? I can't speak for the military judge. But, I would be willing to bet that there would have been no such hesitancy by the MSM to side with such a request. They would have been all over this, especially if such records might have provided even a whiff of scandal. Come to think of it, the Press did seek to diminish Reagan for his non-combat role in the Armed Forces, and Nixon for his Navy Service as a mere Logistics Officer. George Bush Senior's valor was indisputable. I recall that Former vice-President Dan Quayle's Indiana National Guard service was presented, mocked and questioned in 1988 as "Dodging the Draft." Does the public know how many National Guard and Reserve units were called up to serve in Vietnam? Being National Guard or Reserve was no sure way to Dodge the Draft. Serving in the National Guard and the Reserve are honorable opportunities to serve as Citizen Soldiers. Bill Clinton was, in-deed, a Draft Dodger. There was ample record of his contrivances to avoid the Draft. But because he was the Liberal Poster Boy, the MSM left him alone. What convenient amnesia by the Media and by the American Public. There has been built, since the 70s, an opaque screen that hides memories of shameful behaviors in the 60s and 70s when a large number of American males avoided service to their country. [BTW: I still have my Draft Card from 1967 and I kept it in my wallet until recently when i retired it to a scrapbook. I will bet that a lot of Vets still have theirs.] George "W" Bush had to answer all questions about his service record. But John Kerry did not ... recall? Kerry blustered, hemmed, hawed, and blamed "Swift Boaters " for lying about him ... you know, those fifteen or so guys that served with him every day that he was in Vietnam ... however long it took for him to build his "war hero" myth. What Chutzpah! Kerry claimed that he was wrongfully "Swift Boated," but it was Bush who was scorned and smeared. And while we are at it, why did they go after Dick Cheney's deferment? Student & Family Deferment or not, Cheney, who has had a long history of serious cardiac deficiency, would probably not have passed muster for service then or now. Free speech: It was all so easy and free to call "W" a Nazi, or to make assassination films about him [did you miss that one?], or call him outrageous names, or falsely assault his Texas National Guard Service Record [claims proven false by investigators]. But not one MSM reporter trusted his word. It was bloggers who exposed Dan Rather's forged documents. Every utterance by the First Lady was scrutinized by the MSM to find cracks in the Bush's relationship. The Bush's beautiful Daughters were not even off limits with the MSM despite polite requests. Finally, how many times did the MSM seek to find evidence that "W" was drinking again ... even so far as to photo-shop a picture of him drinking beer in China at the Olympic Games? OK: One more case in point. I want to know why John McCain had to provide proof of his Father serving in the US Navy at the time he was born in Panama, to prove natural Born American citizenship and eligible to run for President? Both of his parents were American citizens and Panama Canal Zone was at that time American Territory. Why did some in Congress and much of the MSM challenge McCain's eligibility, but not Obama? Was it smokescreen to create a tempest in a teapot and to give Barack Obama cover? Like it or not Full Disclosure became precedent for Presidents in 2004 and earlier, when the Press chose to make it so. The Press has an important job to do, however they have shown themselves to be scandalously negligent in their reporting of this President's actions. Like this President, when it came to certain Liberal scions of the past, or Bill Clinton's scandals with female Staffers, Press disclosure was muted if not unreported. So is Obama to be immune to this precedent? Why is everyone so afraid of challenging Obama? Are folks afraid to be called a racist? This is already irrelevant, Obama himself has played this card too often. Are folks afraid of "the Chicago Way," the unleashing of threats and bullies? Are folks scared they will be hounded by Secret Service as a person of interest where there is no crime, or by the FBI as a "dangerous radical," or audited by the IRS as a tax cheat by Geithner's minions, or having property searched by Federal Marshalls for subversive materials on a trumped up warrant issued by AG Eric Holder? I don't know. Don't be afraid, my friends. If and when we ever got to that point, it would be "game over!" I still think the First Amendment and our strongly individualist society believes in fair play. This still should trump any possibility of "government vigilantism." We have had enough visceral and vigilant public reactions to past events like Ruby Ridge, Waco, and the Elian Gonzales missteps to put and keep this monster back under the bed. Call me an optimist! Mr. Obama, despite his puny protestations of victimization, should not be immune from the same standards you and I would have to meet to do public show and tell? My gosh People! This is the President of the United States, arguably the most powerful man on earth. But, maybe this is exactly why the FOIA and Discovery Requests go nowhere. Maybe certain people are afraid of what the reaction might be in the USA as well as to our friends and adversaries abroad to such disclosures. My friends, we dug this hole ourselves. The time to vet Mr. Obama came and went in 2008 and earlier. No one was listening to Sean Hannity's and other's warning alarms. We have what we have. This Court Martial of LTC Lakin is unfortunate. The Government could have offered him an opportunity to resign his commission, but now I wish they would comply with his disclosure request. I think it may be too late. Brother Lakin, I am sorry for your troubles and I wish you luck, but I believe the cards are stacked high against you. You may not get that opportunity to produce your evidence of Obama Records. Mr. Obama will not have to show and tell until election day 2012. On that day there will be a verdict on this entire shroud of denial and secrecy. Let us allow this man to pass quietly into history, a mistake, un-rehabilitated and un-reconstructed. In 2008, the majority of Americans were so excited and in a big hurry to elect the First Black American President. We forgot to ensure that Obama was qualified to be President by any and all standards that apply. He has however, pioneered new ways to use a teleprompter. Caveat emptor!