President Barack Obama is once again faced with a problem of his own creation. After all, when you sow disgust you reap mistrust.
For seven years the president has dismissed, demeaned and denounced those who have raised legitimate concerns about his policies. And when those concerns have turned out to be correct, he ignores the evidence, berates his critics and asserts that everything is going well.
So when 31 governors turned their thumbs down on Obama’s decision to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees and distribute them among the states, the governors were sending a message that said, “We do not trust you and your administration to tell the truth or do the due diligence necessary to vet refugees.”
Let’s be clear: Every governor knows this is a country of immigrants with a long and cherished tradition of helping refugees. And they know that the vast majority of the refugees would be honest and law-abiding, thrilled to get a chance at a new start. But even a vast majority isn’t 100 percent, and that presents a legitimate safety concern.
But Obama dismissed the concerns and ridiculed the critics. “Apparently they [the Republicans] are scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America,” the president sneered. He then claimed that the screening process would be the “most rigorous process conceivable.”
Is that so? Remember administration officials boasting how well the HealthCare.govwebsite would work right before its disastrous rollout? Now what about refugee-screening technology?
Under normal circumstances, elected officials and most of the public would take the president’s word. But this president has misled the public so often that he hasn’t earned the benefit of the doubt.
The governors resisting the resettlement don’t trust Obama’s claims of stringent security checks. And neither does the public. A Rasmussen poll showed some 60 percent of likely voters “oppose the settling of Syrian refugees in the state where they live.” Even many elected Democrats are skeptical.
Those who are frustrated with the refugee stalemate need to focus their ire on the president. Obama entered the White House determined to prove that big government can do big things well. Instead, he has increased Americans’ long-held skepticism of big government.
Remember the IRS scandal? The Environmental Protection Agency polluting a Colorado river? The VA health care scandal? And that “red line” in Syria?
I, for one, hope the administration, Congress and governors can find a solution that upholds the country’s long tradition as a haven for refugees. The mistrust in this case isn’t targeted so much at the Syrian refugees, but at the White House.
The above piece has appeared in the following publications:
DECEMBER 8 —PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER (325,291) // Op-Ed “Are governors right on refugees? Yes: Merrill Matthews // http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20151208_Are_governors_right_on_refugees_.html
DECEMBER 6 — ROME (GA) SUNDAY NEWS-TRIBUNE (22,119) // Op-Ed “Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // News Library // http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/it-s-called-representative-government-majority-s-stance-should-rule/article_f9ad8fb1-0c20-5407-98d6-6a1448107bac.html
DECEMBER 6 — LAWTON (OK) SUNDAY CONSTITUTION (24,755) // Op-Ed “Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // News Library
DECEMBER 6 — FAIRMONT (WV) SUNDAY TIMES WEST VIRGINIAN (10,690) // Op-Ed “Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // News Library
DECEMBER 6 — WILLIMANTIC (CT) SUNDAY CHRONICLE (6,452) // Op-Ed “Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // News Library
DECEMBER 6 — EDMOND (OK) SUN (3,237) // Op-Ed “Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // News Library
DECEMBER 6 — CHAMBERSBURG (PA) SUNDAY PUBLIC OPINION (16,007) // Op-Ed “Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // News Library
DECEMBER 6 — NAPLES (FL) SUNDAY NEWS (70,955) // Op-Ed “Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews / Naples Daily News (FL) - December 6, 2015 , Pro: It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule NEWS LIBRARY
DECEMBER 6 — OMAHA SUNDAY WORLD JOURNAL (157,375) // Op-Ed “Obama lacks credibility on refugees”” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.omaha.com/opinion/merrill-matthews-obama-s-lacks-credibility-on-refugees/article_1b13a16b-75a3-5d65-be41-50b06d138634.html
DECEMBER 6 — MISSOULA (MT) SUNDAY MISSOULIAN (34,546) // Op-Ed “It-s-called-representative-government-majority-s-stance-should-rule” by Merrrill Matthews // http://missoulian.com/news/opinion/it-s-called-representative-government-majority-s-stance-should-rule/article_da530a45-ec23-5bda-927c-3b501696db52.html
DECEMBER 6 — SPRINGFIELD (IL) SUNDAY STATE JOURNAL REGISTER (66,708) // Op-Ed “Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.sj-r.com/article/20151205/OPINION/151209772/2011/OPINION
DECEMBER 5 — DULUTH NEWS-TRIBUNE (30,606) // Op-Ed “Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/opinion/national-view/3897073-procon-are-31-states-right-deny-entry-syrian-refugees
DECEMBER 5 — BOSTON HERALD (108,548) // Op-Ed “Prez to blame for mistrust over Syrian refugees” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.bostonherald.com/opinion/op_ed/2015/12/matthews_prez_to_blame_for_mistrust_over_syrian_refugees
DECEMBER 5 — CALHOUN (GA) TIMES (8,000) // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // with photo // // http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/it-s-called-representative-government-majority-s-stance-should-rule/article_f9ad8fb1-0c20-5407-98d6-6a1448107bac.html
DECEMBER 4 — SHERMAN (TX) HERALD-DEMOCRAT (20,287) // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // with photo // http://heralddemocrat.com/opinion/national-commentary/pro-it-s-called-representative-government-majority-s-stance-should-rule
DECEMBER 4 — BURLINGTON (IA) HAWKEYE (15,943) // Op-Ed “Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.thehawkeye.com/ap/commentary/majority-s-stance-should-rule/article_51fee7aa-91b4-51ac-929e-8c6e40a5df43.html
DECEMBER 4 — NEW BEDFORD (MA) STANDARD-TIMES (21,582) // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews //
DECEMBER 4 — SAVANNAH (GA) MORNING NEWS (36,730) // Op-Ed “Obama reaps what he sows” by Merrill Matthews // http://savannahnow.com/column/2015-12-04/merrill-matthews-obama-reaps-what-he-sows
DECEMBER 4 — US NEWSWIRE.COM// Op-Ed “Obama reaps what he sows” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.topix.com/wire/us/p2
DECEMBER 4 — INTERCEDER.NET // Op-Ed “Obama reaps what he sow” by Merrill Matthews // http://interceder.net/latest_news/Matthews
DECEMBER 3 — REDDING (CA) RECORD SEARCHLIGHT (20,276) // Op-Ed “Majority should rule” by Merrill Matthews http://www.redding.com/opinion/columnists/merill-matthews-majoritys-stance-should-rule_44729603
DECEMBER 3 — CUBASIKASTRONO-4.BLOGS.COM // CUBA LIBRE GROUP // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // http://cubasikastrono-4.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-bad-global-climate-deal.html
DECEMBER 3 — CHARLOTTE OBSERVER (146,511) // OpEd “GOP mistrust targeted at White House, not refugees” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/op-ed/article47808220.html
DECEMBER 3 — MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL (185,710) // Op-Ed “Governors should be wary of Syrian refugees” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/governors-should-be-wary-of-syrian-refugees-b99627890z1-360499391.html
DECEMBER 3 — JANESVILLE (WI) GAZETTE (17,834) // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.gazettextra.com/20151203/pro_it8217s_called_representative_government_majority8217s_stance_should_rule
DECEMBER 3 — LAKE WALWORTH (WI) TODAY (40,000) // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.gazettextra.com/20151203/pro_it8217s_called_representative_government_majority8217s_stance_should_rule
DECEMBER 3 — WCLO AM/FM / BELOIT-JANESVILLE, WI // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // http://www.gazettextra.com/20151203/pro_it8217s_called_representative_government_majority8217s_stance_should_rule
DECEMBER 3 — AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN (125,305) // Op-Ed “Majority’s stance on refugees should rule” by Merrill Matthews //
http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/opinion/matthews-majoritys-stance-on-refugees-should-rule/npbd8/?icmp=statesman_internallink_referralbox_free-to-premium-referral
DECEMBER 3 — NEWSDAY / MELVILLE, NY (397,973) // Op-Ed “Real reasons governors are rejecting Syrian refugees” by Merrill Matthews //
http://www.newsday.com/opinion/oped/real-reason-governors-are-rejecting-syrian-refugees-1.11187949
DECEMBER 3 — CANADA FREE PRESS / TORONTO // CANADA’S MOST VIEWED POLITICAL WEB SITE // 944,000 // Op-Ed “Thirty-one governors don’t trust Obama’s ability to screen refugees: His record proves they’re right” by Merrill Matthews // http://canadafreepress.com/article/77234
DECEMBER 3 — SACRAMENTO BEE (196,667) // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews //
http://www.sacbee.com/news/news-services/article47702125.html
DECEMBER 3 — BELLINGHAM (WA) HERALD (16,780) // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews //
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/news-services/article47702125.html
DECEMBER 3 — ARCAMAX. COM / ARCAMAX PUBLISHING // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews // https://www.arcamax.com/politics/opeds/s-1764741?print
DECEMBER 3 — TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE.COM // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews //
DECEMBER 3 — McCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE.COM // Op-Ed “It’s called representative government: Majority’s stance should rule” by Merrill Matthews //