The “Bad Barrel” for All U.S. Presidents – Some Try to Resist, Authoritarians Enhance It

What changed many of the promises of candidate Obama into either inaction or the adverse actions of President Obama? Here’s how I put it to the President recently.

RE: The Obamas by Jodi Kantor

Mr. President,

While listening to an interview of the author of The Obamas on Jon Stewart, I was reminded of another book by Phil Zimbardo.

In his book, The Lucifer Effect, Dr. Zimbardo details his research into what makes good people do evil things. He discusses how the environment contributes to the actions of the individual. How a “bad barrel” creates bad apples. How systemic causation works for, or against, one’s success.

Based on comments during this interview, I see The White House, as well as the broader U.S. Capital, as bad barrels, which have diverted you from your campaign promises and moral values.

That’s why I was also glad to also hear that Mrs. Obama has tried to keep you focused on why you ran for and became president.

Please Mr. President, during the final year in your term, please recognize that you are working in a “bad barrel” that is intent on changing you for the worse and adversely affecting the future of America for decades.

The “bad barrel” inside “the beltway” has been created by, for, and of the ONE%.

President GWB strengthened this bad barrel and President Obama has had difficulty resisting its enhanced capabilities.