Once upon a time, we lived in a nation where laws and freedoms did not vary with the currents of race, religion, gender, or political party. Just a few generations ago the likes of Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks (among many others) fought to ensure that this was entirely so. In just a few short years (while the process as a whole has been slowly percolating since the age of the Progressive Era) this nation has become something our Founders would struggle to recognize. Today we live in a country where the president can, with an utterance (usually directed at fawning press members) demand that Catholic institutions provide birth control despite the fact that this runs directly contrary to their religious beliefs. Practically in the same breath and with the simple stroke of a pen he granted a permit to a tribe of Native Americans in Wyoming. . . which allows them to kill our treasured national bird, the bald eagle, to be used specifically in a religious ceremony. (Never mind that the government already bends over backwards for this particular tribe, by keeping a stash of “bald eagle parts” on hand, available upon request.)

You’ll note the difference here. One group, the Catholics, constitute a so-called “majority.” The second, the Native Americans, comprise a “minority.” In both cases the law is abused or even circumvented completely to show marked deference to one and marked disdain for the other. Let’s add a piece to this mix. One of the loudest voices on the liberal left is that of environmentalists and radical animal activists groups (think Greenpeace and PETA) whose members as a whole dedicate their time to pitching incessant hissy fits over everything from rare field mice to some odd strain of prairie grass. I’m not talking “Animal Humane Society here,” I’m talking “throw fake blood on people wearing fur.” Moving on. Out of respect for one of his largest voting blocs, the president killed the Keystone Pipeline project, scoring him major points with the green lobby. (While we’re on the topic, I suppose there wouldn’t be a desire to socialize the oil industry in there somewhere. . . would there? Just watch this video of Maxine Waters unequivocally stating no less. Wow, and this was way back when we were debating ANWR.) Meanwhile, the president allows the killing of a bird that was not only just recently (and just barely) taken off the endangered list, but as previously established, this breed of fowl merits just a smidge more respect than the average field crow. . . I mean, after all, the thing is our national SYMBOL. Where’s the pandering to the environmental/animal activist groups on this one? Cricket. Cricket. Oh that’s right, while the environmentalists/animal rights crowd is still a valuable voting bloc for the president, in this case minority trumps the enviro-crowd. By nixing the pipeline he scores double brownie points, because not only did he pander to the enviro-crowd, but in doing so he deprived the United States of a major source of much-needed oil; oil that will now likely go to China. (Another people “oppressed” by Western culture. . .)

What a perfectly orchestrated web he weaves. I suppose while discussing the president’s double standards when it comes to oil, I would be remiss if I neglected to mention Petrobras. Ah, Petrobras. Just rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it? As you all well know, while the President placed a moratorium on U.S. off-shore drilling after the BP disaster in 2010, he gushed that we’d (the U.S. A.) would be Petrobras’ “best customer” after the U.S. Export-Import Bank “ issued a “preliminary commitment” letter to Petrobras in the amount of $2 billion and has discussed with Brazil the possibility of increasing that amount.” By the way, I’ve gotta believe that the inhabitants of the White House were just giddy with joy when that ol’ BP rig busted, spewing that hated black gold all over the Gulf. FINALLY there would be a “good” reason to shut down a major portion of that nasty, racist, imperialist industry. After all, it’s so BAD for the environment. Of course, when the Brazilians are doing it, it’s A-Okay! Again, note the minority vs. majority; “oppressed” versus “oppressors” double standard. Frankly, I don’t care what Petrobras is doing, as long as we’re not giving them money we should be using on our OWN oil exploration.

Here’s the thing. This president has spent his entire life steeping himself in the belief that there are certain groups of people in the world who find themselves in their particular predicaments because of so-called “imperialist” powers; namely, the United States. One only need to read his book, Dreams From My Father, right after you read Dinesh D’Souza’s book The Roots of Obama’s Rage and you’ll see my point. Or, if extensive reading isn’t your thing, Google the term “Obama Apology Tour,” and you’ll find various accounts of this president’s international visits in which he has all but outright apologized for the United States’ very existence. Bowing to Saudi kings is always a nice touch as well, as was returning the bust of Winston Churchill to England and gifting their QUEEN with incorrectly formatted DVDs. DVDs? How thoughtful.

The moral of the story is this: whenever the President and his administration pull something that makes your jaw drop in amazement, look for the pattern. Rich vs. Poor; Minority vs. Majority. . .pitting American against American. What a presidency.