There was once a long and fabulous tradition in American politics.  A president, once no longer President, kept his trap shut about his successors.  This is a very (small “r”) republican thing to do.  Americans peaceably elected the next person – and Americans and the world need only hear from one president at a time.

(That we for the rest of their lives refer to ex-officials by their official titles is inordinately non-small-r-republican – but that is a discussion for another time.)

Cracks in the dam of Presidents not speaking ill of their successors began with Democrat Jimmy Carter.  And the new tradition that has developed – is Democrat ex-presidents speaking ill of Republicans who follow.

Once out of office, Republican Ronald Reagan night totally held his tongue.  So too, for the most part, have both George Bushes.  Democrats – not so much.  Democrat Bill Clinton had a built-in excuse to denigrate – his wife continued in government work after he left it.  And now there is Democrat Barack Obama.

Obama’s successor – Republican Donald Trump – was sworn in on January 20th.  Candidate Trump became President Trump – in large part because the American people had tired of Obama’s way-too-much-government approach to things.

Obama managed to hold his tongue about Trump – for all of nine days.  And it’s not what he’s saying – it’s what he’s doing – that is a whole new level of anti-republicanism.

Obama has built an apparatus and an army – to attack the Trump Administration: “If you think you’re going crazy from nonstop news coverage of unruly behavior and disruptive protests across the country since Donald Trump was elected president, rest assured there are veiled reasons for the current madness. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Goodwin asserts the ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome,’ is no temporarily insane reaction, but rather ‘a calculated plan to wreck the presidency, whatever the cost to the country.’…The primary vehicle of this campaign is Organizing for Action (OFA), legally founded in January 2013 by First Lady Michelle Obama and her husband’s 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina, with input from David Axelrod.”

These are sore losers – light years beyond the scope of any sore losers who’ve lost before them.  These are people willing if not eager to burn America to the ground – in order to “save” it from a restoration of its Constitutional, small “r” republican originalism.

A restoration – on which Trump incessantly campaigned.  Against which Obama and his anointed, putative successor Hillary Clinton – incessantly campaigned.  And We the People picked A – and not B.  And B steadfastly refuses to take our “No” for an answer.

The OFA hordes aside, is Obama the only un-elected administration official engaged in undoing the election?  Of course not – don’t be ridiculous.

Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler Blasts His Replacement, Supports Net Neutrality: “It’s only been a month since Tom Wheeler stepped down from his post as chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)….Wheeler was instrumental in advancing the cause of net neutrality….In 2015, (Wheeler’s) FCC reclassified broadband providers as ‘Title II’ common carriers…’We put out a report…on a violation of [net neutrality] rules,’ Wheeler said. ‘Then [current FCC Chairman Ajit] Pai came in, and immediately repudiated that [and] took it down.’”

For your additional edification: Title II regulations – date back to 1887 railroad monopoly regulations.  To apply them to the ultra-dynamic 21st Century Internet – is profoundly stupid, way-too-much-government policy.  (And to do so without Congress – is nigh certainly illegal.)  The Obama-Wheeler FCC imposed railroad regs on the Internet – to “grant” themselves “permission” to then impose Net Neutrality – which is also profoundly stupid, way-too-much-government policy.  (And, really, to do so without Congress – is also nigh certainly illegal.)

So when you see “protests” against a rollback of Obama way-too-much-government policy – remember that it is almost certainly members of the OFA Sore Loser Clown Show.  Who are purporting to represent We the People – but are in actuality standing in steadfast opposition to us.

Trump ran for the office – repudiating way-too-much-government policy all along the way.  And he won – We the People chose him over the Clinton way-too-much-government status quo.

And Trump has begun implementing the less government vision.  So too is Pai – Trump’s choice to Chair the FCC.  As is their right – in fact, their electoral imperative – as We the People’s duly elected presidential administration.

Obama and Wheeler don’t have to like it.  They used to have to lump it.  No more.  That small-r-republican tradition has been sadly, sorely diminished.

And Obama is now proactively working to obliterate it.  Which is truly terrible for the nation he oh-so-recently led.