From time immemorial, humans have blamed others to excuse their own misdeeds and the misdeeds of family and friends.

History repeats itself.  I am now hearing the clamour and reading the commentaries. President Obama is being turned into a scapegoat.  Yet, President Obama and his administration are not to blame for America’s current economic predicament.  Nor are the President and his administration to blame for the downgrading of the United States’s credit rating.

If you wish to assign blame, please target the real culprit.  Target the previous administration who acted as though there was no bottom to the national purse and gave tax cuts to the rich.  Target also those Congressional leaders who waited until the eleventh hour before raising the debt ceiling.

I very much dislike pointing a guilty finger at anyone, but, with all due respect, as soon as Barack Obama was elected President of the United States, he had to request  Congress to act responsibly and therefore borrow a huge amount of money so the United States could finance Bush’s wars and other financial commitments, such as his Prescription Drug Plan.  This huge amount of money was not borrowed so the Democrats could pay a debt they had incurred.  The debt that had to be paid was incurred by a former administration that mortgaged away future administrations.

Remember the months that preceded November 4th, 2008, the day Barack Obama was elected President of the United States.  Ordinary Americans were losing their homes, the elderly feared they would not be able to retire.   What little Social Security Americans had counted on since Franklyn Delano Roosevelt was in jeopardy and my pension fund was melting away more quickly than the confidence of investors.

And, it happened again during the last days of July.  Confidence dropped again.  It may be that the US will recover even if President Obama is not at the helm, but consider that if a dysfunctional America made him its scapegoat, it could trigger armageddon.  That might be too strong a word, but…

“Volatility” is very upsetting, but it is better than bankruptcy.  It could be matters are improving.  The fact remains, however, that when the world banks on the US, it banks on good and reasoned stewardship of the economy of the United States. The world does not bank on the Tea Party and hardline Republicans.

Consequently, it would be my view, and perhaps the rest of the world’s view, that America cannot afford to make the Democrats and, particularly, their leader, a scapegoat.  There are, of course, perfectly sensible Republicans, but where Republicans are concerned, facts point to a house divided.

Do not throw stones.  Rebuild.  It’s more constructive and stones will be needed.