Obama’s new rules have loopholes

President Obama’s first moves earned him triumphant headlines: “Obama Freezes Pay, Toughens Ethics and Lobbying Rules,” and “Obama sets new course.”

But some of his biggest accomplishments are twinned with the word “but”: Lobbyists are banned, but exceptions can and will be made; orders on ending torture and secret prisons contain loopholes and provisos.

Call it the fine print, an exception, a waiver, but there have been caveats to many of Mr. Obama’s first actions.

Well, that’s what you get by believing someone who believes in…what? (Still to be determined, apparently.)

“Change we can believe in, as long as we pay attention to the disappointing asterisk on the word ‘change,’ ” complained Rachel Maddow, a liberal talk-show host for MSNBC.

Hmmmm. There’s a word that comes to mind…oh yeah: S-C-H-A-D-E-N-F-R-E-U-D-E.