In Search of a Dictionary

Now that Honduran President Zelaya has been ousted by the military and sent to Costa Rica for trying to illegally circumvent the constitution, the outraged cry from socialists every is "coup!"

The idea that this was a coup is ridiculous but when President Obama gives it some credence by saying how troubled he was at what was going on and that Honduras should remain committed to democracy gives a perfect occasion to examine it carefully.

For those who don't know a coup is when a leader of a country is removed from power through force and replaced by an illegitimate leader.

In Honduras, President Zelaya was barred constitutionally from seeking reelection but decided to hijack another term illegally, supported by Chavez.

Unfortunately, the Honduran constitution cannot be altered by Presidential momentum, it can only be alter at the instigation of the legislative body. In the United States, this would be the equivalent of President Obama adding an amendment to the Constitution by executive order instead of a constitutional convention, which is the legal way.

The Supreme Court of Honduras rightly declared Zelaya in violation of the constitution and ordered the military to have him removed, which they did, so that the authentic election could take place in peace.

This is the exact opposite of a coup, this is a constitutional democracy following the legal prescriptions for ousting a wanna-be tyrant for life.

While it's expected that the Chavez, Ortega, Castros and Ils of the world should try and confuse the issue by calling it a coup but President Obama should really be above this sort of thing.

Instead of showing his "grave concern" about the Hondurans, he should be applauding them as an example of how functioning democracies can solve these kinds of power transfer issues without the civil unrest that is characteristic of much of the world. Instead he seems content to allow the situation to get worse without any democratic support from him.

In his attempts to placate all sides and not voice any real opinion, all he does is make himself (and us)look weak. Jimmy Carter 2.0.

***AFTERNOON UPDATE*** - Now President Obama is saying the actions by the Honduran military and Supreme court were not legal (even though they were) and that Zelaya is still President (even though he was removed on constitutional authority). What a joke. I guess Obama only follows his "no meddling" pledge when dictators get to keep power. When it comes to ousting a thug, he's always ready to meddle to keep them in power.