Big Brother Fiddling While Rome Burns

Everybody knows the saying. The story goes that the Roman Emperor, Nero stood on his balcony playing an instrument and singing of the destruction of Troy as his city burned.

While this may or may not have actually happened, "fiddling while Rome burns" has become an apt phrase to turn about anyone who acts foolishly in times of stress or crisis.

That said, with our economy in shambles and the American people growing restless, I think it would be fairly easy to simply look at President Obama's week or so of actions and scheduled events that we're currently experiencing and come to a similar conclusion about him.

03-18-2009 - Obama makes highly televised NCAA tournament picks

03-19-2009 - Obama interviews on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno

03-22-2009 - Obama interviews on 60 Minutes

03-24-2009 - Obama schedules prime time press conference.

03-25-2009 - Obama scheduled to appear at the DNC fundraising event

The first event was fairly understandable and routine presidential camera muggery. Not much of a big deal about it other than the fact that our supposedly ballin' president didn't have a clue about any of his picks, as evidenced by the fact that he's even getting demolished by John McCain in that regard.

While that wasn't so bad, it was particularly irksome to know that the President of the United States, with the country in dire straits, would fly across the country to yuk it up on what used to be a comedy show. While I certainly understand that the president is probably fully equipped to work on the fly, anyone who does work on the go also understands that you are never so productive as when you are at your desk, focused singularly on the tasks at hand. There is no doubt in my mind that, while he may have been working during what had to be some eight to ten hours of flying back and forth across the country, our president was nevertheless distracted from his primary task of leading the United States.

This is similarly the case for his interview on 60 Minutes. There is no way that Barack Obama could have devoted the attention necessary to prepare for the questions asked of him and been focused on actually doing his job at the same time.

Tomorrow night we will be treated to yet another hour what I am sure will be another fake news conference, where Obama will only field questions from people that won't put him on the spot or throw him off his teleprompted answers.

The day after, the perpetual campaign continues, as he'll yet again shirk his presidential responsibilities to try to get people to give him more money for a presidential race that is still only a twinkle in the eye of the political spectrum.

Our president certainly seems much more concerned lately about being as visible as possible, about remaining in the limelight, than about actually being the president of this country. But perhaps that is the point, as he is becoming the physical manifestation of George Orwell's Big Brother right before our eyes.

In any event, be he Barack Obama, or be he Big Brother, Rome is burning, and I don't see anyone making an effort to take the fiddle from his hands.