Obama and the Destruction of the Constitution
"Gabriel over the White House" is described as science fiction or political fiction, and there is little doubt when the film was made in 1933 the concepts must have seemed far out. A political hack is elected as President, then suspends Congress and the Constitution in order to do whatever he damn well pleases. There's a grand speech about "shovel ready" jobs, then there's the suspension of one law after the other for political expediency until the point when the US is governed by a dictator who some call benevolent. William Randolph Hurst put the money up to make this film as a tribute to newly-elected FDR. In fact, history tells us that FDR contributed ideas to the film, and his wife the First Lady declared how much the film inspired her to wish FDR could be made into this dictator. The rise of Hitler and Stalin led to the film being withdrawn by MGM, and it has sat in the TCM vaults for many years. Now, as political hack Barry Obama runs for a second term, it is appropriate to remind Americans that dictatorships are truly a bad thing. Obama has done much of what Hammond does in the movie, by suspending the rule of law for his own political expediency. What was it that Obama once said, "It's too bad the Constitution has to get in my way of doing what I want to do." Well, he has proven in the last couple of months that the Constitution means nothing to him...as he has ripped it to shreds to do what he wants to do. Just as Hammond does in the film. I suppose the only real difference is that, in the film, Hammond seems divinely inspired...whereas BO thinks he is divine, the anointed one. We don't need dictators like Hammond or Barry Obama. If nothing else, the film reminds us that no matter how bad things get...they are not bad enough to surrender our Constitution to mad men who think they are doing something truly divine for us.
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