Posted on 11/07/2008 10:40:35 AM PST by Traviswf
You sound like a nice and sincere guy. For that reason I’ll thank you for taking the time to share your ideas and observations, especially knowing you’d be inviting upon yourself the fury of a ton of angry FReepers. You know how it feels to be disappointed by the results of an election...thanks for not kicking us when we’re down.
That said, I wish I shared your excitement about the upcoming Obama administration. Unfortunately, I do not. I think we will all find out, sooner rather than later, that he has duped his followers. There are so many unanswered questions about who he is, what he believes and what he has/hasn’t done in his life. It seems that it is unacceptable to ask those questions, though.
I think the thing that bothers me the most is the outright worship of this man. Sure, conservatives LOVED President Reagan (still do), but he proved himself first. And even then, you didn’t see people crying or fainting in his presence. You didn’t see his face splashed across his campaign signs. People loved him, but understood that he was simply human. Thus far, Barack Obama has done nothing of note but deliver several well-written speeches full of airy-fairy promises and feel-good rhetoric. I have not been able to figure out the hypnotic effect he’s had on so many people, particularly given his thin resume of achievement. It’s pure idolatry, and more than a little disturbing.
Let’s face it, the expectations on Barack Obama’s presidency are astronomical. He has no realistic chance of keeping all the promises he made while campaigning, which is why his camp began attempting to lower those expectations shortly before Election Day. Those who have pinned their hopes (and perhaps their very lives) on this man are sure to be the most devastated when he falls (and he inevitably will, as would any president). Some heard only what they wanted to when listening to him speak. They are counting on him to solve their every problem. They seem to believe that they’ll never have to work again and all their bills will be paid by the government. The problem with the unprecedented hype around this man is that he has nowhere to go but down.
I fear the kind of “change” Obama will try to bring to America. I have family living in a socialist nation. You don’t want to get them started on the “foolish” Americans who blindly support these ideals...Americans who’ve never actually experienced socialism for themselves. It’s easy to read about, or even visit, a country that embraces socialism and to romanticize the concept. Living there is quite a different matter. Ask those who’ve shared a MASH-type hospital “room” with 9 other people. Ask those who’ve had to wait an entire year to get home telephone service (only to have their phone numbers changed from time to time and without any notice). No, I’m not too excited about the changes Obama may have lined up for us, but I have committed to praying for him daily. For his wisdom in the decisions he makes, for the counsel he keeps, even for his safety and that of his family and staff. I trust God above any man. I hope Obama does, as well.
I fear you are in for some real surprise and disillusionment, but I do appreciate your perspective and your offering it in such a gracious manner.
TXBlair
The MSM certainly didn’t do their job. We know very little about him.
I have had this theory about the birth certificate for quite a while now and have posted it before today. It just makes sense to me.
Illegitimacy is nothing to be ashamed of...NOW, but back when he was growing up it certainly was.
His father couldn’t have legally married his mother in the US, he was already married back in Kenya. His mother married Soetoro and he adopted Barry,therfore the school records for Barry Soetoro. Of course when he came back to HI, he was a young bi-racial teen living with white gransdparents. How confusing it must have been! We know teens are always trying to establish their own identity, even the so called normal ones. I think that is when he began spinning the stories of his father and early life. As he got older, he kept up the identity he had created as a teen. He can’t drop it now. He’s told it too long and to admit he made that up would open the rest of his story to scrutiny and maybe there are more lies or half truths hidden there. People might begin to question, what else is he hiding or lying about?
I know it doesn't match the dictionary definition of "socialism", but when the government tells me what to do with my money, that's it. Perhaps we should come up with a better name. How about "nanny-state-ism"?
Seriously, should the state coerce me into saving for my retirement?
... or buying health insurance?
... or providing a college education?
Any of these things should be my responsibility and my choice. Or, if I choose, it should be my choice to provide these things for another person or organization of my choosing.
But Mr Obama wishes to provide all these things for everyone in the nation, and he is going to take more from ME to provide these things for everyone else. He is going to "spread the wealth around". He is going to spread MY wealth around whether I approve of it or not.
It's more than spending money on social programs. It the whole "don't worry about making bad decisions ... we are going to take care of you with no regard for your culpability in the situation".
One of the guys at work has a sign that says "Stupidity should be painful". Those who are sometimes described as "leftist" (I would argue "up-ists") seem to be bent on making stupidity painless. While making wisdom and self-direction and personal responsibility and success painful.
I posted about this elsewhere - I don’t believe it IS involuntary servitude.
Check the link - nowhere does it say anyone HAS to do it.
http://change.gov/americaserves/
You don’t HAVE to join Americorps or the Peace Corps.
And this part: “Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by setting a goal that all middle school and high school students do 50 hours of community service a year...” can be construed to require children to serve - but he’s only “calling” on them to. The same way Kennedy did. The same way Bush “called” on Americans to go out and help the economy by spending money. Nobody was required to do so.
But, honestly, I don’t find it a completely terrible idea. I roomed with a couple of Israeli grad students one year, and they both had served in the military - as all Israelis do. And they just had more investment - more of a tangible sense of service to their country and a vested interest in the policies of their government.
Though I find it interesting, I don’t think I’d ultimately support such a thing. And it was never something Obama spoke about during the campaign - but this expansion of Americorps and calling to service as well as providing tax credits for education - was all there before.
Great post!
Poor choice of words on my part. Sorry, I hadn’t had dinner yet and my mind wasn’t working.
Those who EARN more, give more. Those who simply have more (can you say John Kerry?) give squat.
Thanks for the correction.
All right, I’m sick of this guy.
We can has ZOT now?
This sounds bad to you? 25,000 emergency personnel and doctors, planners and other specialists organized to provide assistance “in times of need at home and abroad.”
That’s not a police force or military or anything like it. It’s an answer to the disaster that was Katrina or 9/11. An effort to better organize the flood of volunteers and personnel who tried to get in to New Orleans or New York when disaster struck.
I am uncertain how, in a changing climate with increasingly extreme weather and terrorists plotting attacks - how such a thing could POSSIBLY be bad.
Didn't see that reply.
I don’t believe it IS involuntary servitude.
Let's go with the quickest def, Wikipedia:
Involuntary servitude is a United States legal and constitutional term for a person laboring against that person's will to benefit another, under some form of coercion.
Check the link - nowhere does it say anyone HAS to do it.
http://change.gov/americaserves/
As others have pointed out, Change.gov's content has mysteriously changed before and probably will continue to change as each new update p!sses off more and more people.
And this part: “Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by setting a goal that all middle school and high school students do 50 hours of community service a year...” can be construed to require children to serve - but he’s only “calling” on them to.
Re-read what you quoted.
The fact that you can support a man that would even hint at slavery is beyond disgusting.
But, honestly, I don’t find it a completely terrible idea.
You scare me.
Slavery, in any form, is evil.
And it was never something Obama spoke about during the campaign
Maybe you weren't paying attention?
Maybe you were so damn obsessed with defeating the Republican and winning that you didn't pay attention to negatives of your candidate?
Maybe you realize what a mistake you've made and, instead of manning up and admitting it, you're willing to support any damn thing your boy wants in order to avoid looking like a fool?
It doesn't matter. You've made your position clear.
I say the following as an atheist: God help America.
Take a look at Change.gov is changing.
This is a classic example of what I was talking about. Take something that is a laudable personal decision. Then FORCE someone to make that decision. Then FORCE someone else to foot the bill.
After all these kids are forced to “volunteer”, how are all these overseeing organizations going to be funded?
Isn't it funny that someone who claims to want to “spread the wealth” and who believes we “are our brother's keeper” never seems to get around to spreading HIS OWN wealth or keeping HIS OWN brother (or aunt). It seems to always be spread MY wealth whether I want to or not.
Thanks for this post. I truly appreciate it. And I understand what you’re saying. I live in California now, but I lived in New England growing up. I grew up in the sticks, and would get comments about being my sister’s son and so forth.
I’ve driven across the country a few times, and I’ve never gone to a state I outright didn’t like. Driving across Kansas felt like the Twilight Zone for a bit in that it was so flat and big I didn’t think we were moving. The “red states” are just like any other state and the caricatures of the midwest or the south are just flat out wrong and ignorant.
But now I live in California and I get the same comments about how fruity and “elitist” we are and how we’re not truly American. I’ve actually been scoffed at when people have seen my driver’s license. Just because I live in California. I could have been the hardest core Freeper in the country and this guy was judging me on geography. Now, GRANTED, he may have just had excellent liberal radar.
And I don’t think there’s anything outright wrong with conservative ideas, just as I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with liberal ideas. But both get perverted, twisted, manipulated. I think there’s a middle ground - a kind of stasis - where the country is best served by a clash of liberal and conservative ideals.
For instance, if Obama really turns out to be a crazy socialist Manchurian candidate Islamic terrorist android from Venus - I’d trust that the Republicans in congress would take action.
The problem with that is the news media would have to report it accurately in order for the Republicans to get the support necessary to take action. Do you really think that the MSM is going to accurately report anything that might make Mr. Obama look bad? They have refused to do so for the past year ... why should they ever change?
I hear you on that one. That is always the biggest battleground between the opposing ideological sides. And I would imagine that you’ll not like Obama’s nominees for the court any better than I liked Bush’s.
Wasn’t that what McCain and Bush wanted with tax cuts?
Absolutely not!!! Tax cuts allow capital to generate prosperity through the capitalistic free market. The market is the generator of the economy. Spreading money around directly, by taxing and redistributing it, takes money out of the market slowing it down. When government mandates it it is called socialism.
Our Constitution stands squarely in opposition to the philosophy of it.
Choose your side ... while you can.
The mainstream media was quite happy to report that there wasn’t any...Really? Where did the mainstream media report that Iraq's known stores of yellowcake Uranium did not exist?
Put down the crack pipe.When we went into Afghanistan, Iran offered to let us use their air bases to stage attacks from.
That's a fact.
Think Germany with their Hitler
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Think Blacks with their Abortions
No, more like having *you* deleted.
Your account is banned or suspended, depending on how long you've been here, how much you've been a respected poster, and how serious the offense.
Search for the "Viking Kitty" Ping list and watch a couple of the threads, you'll get the idea.
Kyrie Eleison!
I agree expectations are just too much to ever be met. But, Obama probably did enough in the “hope” department for most people by being an African American elected, and by being a democrat elected after Bush. We’re all just hoping he’s one better than “doesn’t suck.”
And I’ve never met anyone who campaigned for, donated to or voted for Obama who thought Obama was going to give them handouts, so that they won’t have to work or pay bills. Nobody - ever.
I mean...what about Oprah? She’s like a super capitalist. Does anyone think she’d accept socialism?
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