Revoked?

There is a phenomenon in government, large businesses and non-profit organizations which some people call the affirmative action pass. It is the tacit understanding that one must not demand performance or professionalism from an affirmative action hire matching that required of those hired by ordinary means, but rather must apply lower standards to and refrain from public criticism of a person hired under affirmative action.  (This of course does not mean that everyone hired under affirmative action  is less competent or professional than the norm. Clearly many are not and would have been perfectly qualified for their positions in the absence of affirmative action and may be unfairly suspected of being less qualified than their peers because of affirmative action.  It just means that those who need the pass often get it.) 

There are various reasons for this. One is fear of getting into trouble. Part of the game in affirmative action is pretending lower standards do not lead to lower performance.  Many organizations have enforcers in human resources or diversity departments who try to make sure this orthodoxy does not get questioned without consequences. There is also often  a deeper fear, one which is often mingled with guilt, at work  – the fear of being seen as prejudiced and being labeled a racist.  Then there is the simple general tendency of people to go along with the prevailing winds and do and think what they are told.

Throughout his candidacy and presidency, Barack Obama  has been a beneficiary of something similar to an affirmative action pass. His supporters have claimed that any criticism of his performance is secretly based on racial prejudice, and too many of his opponents have cringed and eased up in ways they would not have done otherwise. Many Americans have been reluctant to give up on Obama or to hold him to ordinary standards of performance out of fear of being seen as prejudiced or guilt over not supporting the first black president. People in the traditional media have been incessant in extolling and excusing Obama and fanning up prevailing breezes in his favor.

The interesting thing in the last couple of months, is that with the scandal at the VA and the release of dangerous  terrorists in exchange for a deserter, Obama’s pass seems to have been revoked.  More people, including even people in the  traditional media, are now treating him and evaluating him on his performance more nearly as  they would any other president. That is bad news for him and his followers.