*** By Guest Blogger Kingsjester ***

Petulant

1 : insolent or rude in speech or behavior
2 : characterized by temporary or capricious ill humor

Raising a child is an adventure. Children can be stubborn and selfish creatures. But God’s grace, good parents, and the maturation process usually correct those issues over time. Usually.

In 2009, rookie President Barack Hussein Obama (mm… mmm… mmmm), decided that in order to effectively pursue radical change, he needed to silence dissenting opinion. Throughout the first few months of his reign administration, he stupidly started a flame war with both Rush Limbaugh and The Fox News Channel; the blowback burned him sufficiently to oblige him to back down - or, to use the current political terminology of choice - to pivot to other issues.

The second year of his  reign administration has begun in a similar fashion. After meeting with House Republicans at their retreat for a contentious question and evade-any-meaningful-answers session, the new “Great Communicator” then met with Democratic Senators, instructing them to quit paying attention to cable news and the blogosphere and, instead get out and meet the people. Trouble is, they tried that before in a venue known as “town halls.” The results were less than pretty.

Last Thursday morning, like every president since Eisenhower has done, he addressed the National Prayer Breakfast . However, this speech was not about religion or prayer but rather a diatribe about - of all things - civility:

Now, for those of us here in Washington, let’s acknowledge that democracy has always been messy. Let’s not be overly nostalgic. Divisions are hardly new in this country. Arguments about the proper role of government, the relationship between liberty and equality, our obligations to our fellow citizens — these things have been with us since our founding. And I’m profoundly mindful that a loyal opposition, a vigorous back and forth, a skepticism of power, all of that is what makes our democracy work.

And we’ve seen actually some improvement in some circumstances. We haven’t seen any canings on the floor of the Senate any time recently. So we shouldn’t over-romanticize the past. But there is a sense that something is different now; that something is broken; that those of us in Washington are not serving the people as well as we should. At times, it seems like we’re unable to listen to one another; to have at once a serious and civil debate. And this erosion of civility in the public square sows division and distrust among our citizens. It poisons the well of public opinion. It leaves each side little room to negotiate with the other. It makes politics an all-or-nothing sport, where one side is either always right or always wrong when, in reality, neither side has a monopoly on truth. And then we lose sight of the children without food and the men without shelter and the families without health care.

Empowered by faith, consistently, prayerfully, we need to find our way back to civility.

Civility in this context may be translated as “If you meanies don’t shut up and let me have my way, I’m going to hold my breath until I turn blue”.

This President has not yet learned how to be a leader. He displays an arrogance that is evident in every public appearance. Jutting out his chin like Mussolini and somehow making every speech about himself, even at an event where the focus should be on God, prayer, and country.It’s disturbing, to say the least.

Unfortunately, Mr. President, this behavior has not exactly endeared you with the American public, as evidenced by your failing policy proposals and rapidly falling poll numbers. America needs a savvy, courageous leader - not a petulant Man-Child. The ball is in your court, basketball player. Are you going to grow-up or are we going to see the First Presidential Temper Tantrum ™?