Friday, January 22, 2010
You miss the point, sirrah(Updated)
ObamaNation piece by
Ari Kaufman
Replying to a non-partisan story(1) about how Scott Brown’s win is a “blessing in disguise” for Democrats to wake up, readjust and reclaim their party from the radicals, a friend emailed me Wednesday afternoon. He ignored the article and instead focused on my addendum whereupon I noted that “As an American, I am cheering for the president to do the right thing.” He wrote back, “You do not cheer for Obama and NOBODY that knows you believes that comment. If Obama got hit by lightening (sic), then you’d cheer and cheer and cheer. That’s the funniest comment and biggest lie you’ve ever come out with.”
So after a long day of work on Jan.20, I came home and spent two hours typing 3000 words to explain:
Every morning when I wake up I thank G-d that I live in America, and that I live in 2010 and not 1910 or any of world’s 6000 years prior. I need not elaborate why. Even though, despite working a full time job and three part-writing jobs, I probably make less money than 90% of salaried Americans (and about half what I’d be making if still teaching), live far from my family, am in the midst of a miserably cold winter and much more, I could not ask for a better, more blessed life: living in the Heartland, newly-married, employed, personally healthy, etc. Therefore, I support people and policies that benefit America.
Every president in my lifetime, to varying degrees, regardless of party, has done what he believes is best for America. Though I obviously had to choose at the election booth, I supported all of them once in office. As an American, I also support President Obama and have praised three of his recent speeches: Ft Hood Memorial, Nobel Peace Prize and two or so weeks ago after the near terror attack on Christmas. I have emails to prove it. I shared those videos with friends, and watched them numerous times because those were the first and only speeches where the current president sounded like he supported America, understood good and evil, and the priorities of this nation. Though it took nearly a year, I was pleased.
But that was it. Those were the only speeches out of hundreds that made sense for America. And there has been little action behind the words. Akin to during the campaign, when, in order to attract decisive votes from moderates, Mr. Obama incessantly lied about governing from the center and being pragmatic, then veered far left because that is his mindset (as proven over 48 years of his writing, speaking and life choices), lofty rhetoric means little when you’re in the big boys’ chair. And these naive decisions over the past 365 days have been more than prevarications: they’ve been backwards-thinking, dangerous and arrogant, especially in terms of our War on Terror. The ONLY area where Obama kept his pledge was to support the Afghanistan portion of America’s GWOT. And even this was done begrudgingly, after eight months of dawdling, avoiding meetings, and only chosen since “Bush’s War” (the successful one he opposed and said was “lost"), in his view, is Iraq, not Afghanistan.
And in the end, the president’s plans barely adumbrated the situation. It’s effrontery to the highest degree for a man in his 40s with no military background to not defer to his National Security Adviser, Secretary of Defense (both, for now, thankfully Republicans), Generals and Field Marshals on every strategic issue. George W. Bush may speak with a Texas twang and occasionally mispronounce a word, but he also related to Americans, especially our military men and women. Watching Obama speak to (and bore) the unwavering Camp Lejeune Marines or the incomparable West Point Cadets is infuriating and painful. They know he is not one of them and, with no military experience, appreciation, nor fundamental knowledge, their “Commander in Chief” in name only.
{Notice the Democrats are 100% against Obama, our military, and the oppressed people of these nations here, while the GOP stands with him and our military on the side of freedom. Telling.}
Mr. Obama and his cheerleaders in the media and academia often muse, in stentorian fashion, that Bush “angered our allies.” That is, pardon the term, bullshit. Study history, and you’ll soon realize most nations like or dislike America to a certain point, at certain times no matter the president. They always want their daddy’s protection eventually though. Polls show this. History, again and again, shows this: More than half the French had negative views of America by 1947, two years after we saved their nation from Hitler.
And really, outside of urban centers in Western Europe where the media brainwashes the citizenry, the world loves us and billions would be here tomorrow if they could. Obama, however, has offended some of our greatest allies and erstwhile fans of Bush/America: namely two very important countries to me and my wife—Israel, Colombia. Add Honduras, Poland, Czech Republic, South Korea, and of all places, Africa (where Bush did yeoman’s work on AIDS). So, right now, late January 2010, the world “hates us” more than they did from 2000-2008.
Just as they were in the 80s with Reagan and the Cold War, the conservatives were right on these foreign policy matters the whole time. John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden and the hard Left lost those battles and endangered America all the way. Schools will assure that few remember. That’s what they do. They lose the real battles, so they “win” the battle over the textbooks.
Now, social and environmental policies are second tier issues, so I’d like to re-focus on why I support America (and the president), but explain also why criticism and occasional harsh words do not mean I don’t support him.
I want to live a long life and thrive. I don’t want Iran or any other rogue nations getting nukes and killing us all. This is not hyperbole or alarmist, but simple facts. For one full year now, this president, unlike his erstwhile promises, has coddled our enemies and allowed the possibility of catastrophe to occur—in the ignorant name of “diplomacy.” Real history shows diplomacy fails as much as mindless theories like “peace” and “justice.” Real peace is achieved through strength, military build-up, and victory. A nation’s people surrender peace, temporarily, for the prospects of freedom. They do not do the opposite. This is how American power, wealth and safety we’ve enjoyed were obtained. Every president, sans Jimmy Carter, knew that. Peace and freedom are not achieved through surrender, reconciliation, Yoga, serial apologies, or even prayer.
Meanwhile, having never been taught these rudimentary lessons at Harvard, Columbia or the Chicago “Community Organizers” Academies, our president refused the simple “peaceful” action of supporting the democracy movement in, of all places, Iran this past summer. Then there are his gaffes, inaction, or insane logic in Honduras, Venezuela, North Korea, the Caucasus, and the list goes on ad infinitum. No, I don’t inherently think Obama wants America, Israel or our primary allies against terror to be wiped out, but he also does not listen, nor, sadly, does he understand.
Why is that?
Barack Hussein Obama’s entire life (parents, friends, mentors, and colleagues, all the way to his current Cabinet) has been in the company of ignorant and misguided people who like he, were schooled in the “race and diversity studies” industry of post 1960s America. They were taught nothing of America’s greatness, particularly in times of war. They were indoctrinated in the most radically left ways, where America, a country that’s freed billions from tyranny, is always to blame. This naturally rubs off on his world view.
With two exceptions (Sec. Gates, Gen. Jones), his cabinet—the most important entity in policy-making— is as far removed from reality as he. It is, I am sad to report, riddled with anti-Israel people, socialists, communists and terror-appeasers that live in the proverbial liberal bubble. And this does not include his past mentors like the terrorist Bill Gates, “historian” Rashid Khalidi and the unapologetic racist, anti-Semite/America-hater Rev. Wright, who he and Michelle sought out and adored for two decades. These policy makers and advisers are the protégés of Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky, Ramsey Clark, Edward Said and Jimmy Carter. They affect his every decision, and, most sadly, he’s not willing to remove them.
Obama’s Attorney General is particularly deplorable. He is openly supporting the mastermind of 9-11 by ignoring the pleas from grieving relatives of those killed, and trying this monster as an ordinary American civilian in southern Manhattan, steps from Ground Zero where 3200 innocent Americans died eight years ago. This will also cost US taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Who on earth, in their worst hour, would encourage/allow this? And does the nation’s chief lawyer care? No. He calls us and the relatives “cowards” for not wanting this trial. He (Eric Holder) used to head the ACLU. This is scary, yet expected. Obama stands with him, ignores America’s wishes. These decisions are as bilious as it gets.
Fiscally, Obama, like his allies, strongly believes in socialism. Like him and his hypocrite wife, they are mostly extremely wealthy people, so this punitive form of governing has little effect upon them.
Like with national security, he’s proven over and over that we should never listen to what he says but focus on the actions. His actions show he admires socialism. This is not name calling, but truth. I will leave it at that since you understand this, as do most Americans. But believe me, he does not care what we think because he believes he and the Ivy League ignoramuses in his inner circle know what’s best for you and me, even though, due to their professions, place of residences, friends and education, they know far less than they guy driving a truck or picking up garbage in small town America, much less you or me.
Pres. Obama has an incredible paucity of people in his pseudo-technocrat cabal with any real-world experience (small business, private sector), just lawyers and professors basically. And he will not fire a single one of these incompetents, as any real executive would do after such a horrific first year. They may be educated, but they are very un-wise. They cannot even deliver with filibuster-proof majorities. That’s how unpopular their views really are. From their insular world, they ignore the people’s will, historic election results, our nation’s proud history, and the disastrous history of other parts of the world, choosing not to adjust policies accordingly, but rather to emulate “the rest of the world,” dismissing American Exceptionalism with classic moral relativity. Leaders of the Free World do not do that.
Instead of “leading” and listening, the Obama Administration calls Tea Party patriots derogatory sexual terms, castigates hard-working Americans, religious Christians, Fox News, talk radio, polls, blogs, and anyone disagreeing with their social engineering plans. If not partaking in such, they blame any and all problems on President Bush. Trashing a predecessor, especially for an entire year, is a new low in US politics that only someone like Obama would apply. Name calling is endemic in Statists and petulant media members, but from the president and his staff?
So even though I make a small salary, I don’t want socialism. I’m not selfish. I am thinking long-term for America and myself. I want to work hard, be ambitious and have economic freedom the rest of my life, so as to hopefully prosper, unlike in most other nations where it’s impossible. Why would any fair-minded individual really seek a babysitter to tell him or her how to live, in lieu of him or herself? That is pretty self-deprecating. Then again, leftist leaders like Obama and his cult do not believe in individualism, and they surely do not believe every American yearns to be a productive member of society, so they belittle them with “social programs” which perpetuate the cycles of failure.
The caveat is it attracts votes. It is that disingenuous. Next time you hear a Democrat muttering clichés about a “vanishing middle class” or the “rich getting richer,” just laugh. Socialism eradicates the middle class, leaving a large lower class and a very diminutive and very wealthy upper class. See the USSR, 1922-1991. Today’s Democrat leaders are mostly of that very upper class—a modern Grand Tour or Social Register, if you will—while their “supporters” are left at the bottom. The middle class is the Republican Party. This is not 1955 anymore, and we’re not in Kansas. (Kansas has not voted for a Democrat in a presidential election since 1964, anyway)
Bottom line: Socialism does not work; it never has; it ruins nations and empires crumble because of it; it prolongs economic downturns; it supports Unions who ruin our schoolchildren; it makes people worse humans; it makes them bitter, obdurate and angry. I know this from my two professions – both working for the State, which as America goes, is as socialistic as it (hopefully) gets. And Obama wants to replicate the worst portions of our nation into such areas as health care?
A point: Every time Obama speaks, I pray for him to say the right things. I fear for my nation and especially our prime ally against terror in Israel. I just received in postal mail a seven-page letter from non-partisan Defense of Israel Fund explaining how Obama is “at war with Israel.” Not pleasant sir, but true. Of all nations, he’s ignored and criticized Israel, revising Jewish history, siding with evil, and apologizing to our enemies with every major speech, press conference and executive order. As a Zionist and conservative Jew knowing that our “special relationship” of the past 60 years with this liberal democracy and beacon of freedom, benevolence and intellectual progress (c.f. Israelis in Haiti performing miracles right now) in a sea of 12th century Islamic-fascism is no longer existent, it’s pretty sad, to put mildly. I fear for the safety of my current and future family. And I am glad I care. I am proud that I don’t watch TV, and read a lot, so that I know I am firm (and correct) in my views before I make them known.
I am darn proud that from the moment he took the stage in Boston in 2004, muttering genetic platitudes, I knew Barry Soetoro was a phony person with little common sense. I’d now deduce the “best” part of Obama’s election is that, aside from avoiding the race riots that would’ve sadly occurred otherwise, tens of millions of dunderheads who were duped into voting for this Empty Suit now realize how simplistic they were. The Right, yet again, was right.
Lastly, I’ll comment on your offensive claim that I’d “only cheer when Obama’s hit by lightning.” While the left did wish death and failure to Bush, this is why I get along with conservatives. Yes, I know many decent “liberals” and many not-so-decent conservatives; but by virtue of being a conservative, you tend to be more spiritual, pious, honest, mature, family-oriented and moralistic, refraining from the pandering and juvenile outbursts leftists of all stripes are notorious for. Nearly all conservatives I know do pray and cheer for the president. They do not wish him failure or death. That’s for G-d to decide.
The left, mostly secular or atheistic/agnostic, generally stopped maturing in their teenage years. They hate “deep” and serious matters, so instead they focus on lesser “evils” like global warming, watch condescending TV sitcoms, dreadful music and “satirical” films about dead Bush, dead military heroes, rally against our troops and America, and do in fact cheer when Republicans die or are seriously ill. (It’s happened many times the past few years. See Olbermann, Keith; Moore, Michael; Maher, Bill; Kos, Daily). They definitely do not allow free speech, especially on college campuses, where it’s often the most important.
And if forced to “debate,” they, like their heroes at PBS, CNN. Comedy Central, the BBC, MSNBC, NPR, the big three news networks and major American newspapers, call names. Just like little children. The only reaction to a majority of my so-called “anti Obama” emails is that I am called a “racist.” OK, occasionally I am also called a bigot, Islamo-phobe, fearmonger or even anti-Semite. That’s the entire ammunition for Fascists. Hitler also did this. Like his left-wing totalitarian allies, Der Fuehrer got a kick out of poking fun of the speaking ability of his opponents.
Ironically, all these names of bigotry are hurled at me and my conservative friends despite the fact that nearly all Obama supporters I know solely voted for him because he’s (half) black. So who is really racist? Never mind that Obama is at best half black, raised in educated by white people in the whitest parts of America until he was nearly 30. You & I are “blacker” than he is! And by the way, if Obama died by lightning or other means, think I want Biden, Pelosi or the rest of the Democrat leaders or Obama Cabinet loons running America?
Concluding, and perhaps most important, there are thousands of World War Two vets dying every day, hundreds of thousands each year. Nearly all will be gone in a decade. They kept America safe and saved most of the world from Nazism/Fascism. Due to the nature of my profession, I talk to them daily. To a man, 95% despise Obama. I believe they are ones to trust.
These great men cannot believe, in their final years, they are witnessing what’s happening to America, solely because the country had a tragic case of white guilt. One man and his cohorts can tear this nation down, and that is what they intend to do—because that’s what they think is best apparently.
I strongly prefer President Obama succeeds. I’m just scared and, like many others, including those who voted for him, finding it harder to have “hope.”
I wanted this email to be from the heart, and it is, but I think a short excerpt from RNC Chairman Michael Steele’s editorial in January 21st’s Washington Times encapsulates my thesis nicely:
“On Tuesday night, a lifelong Democrat resident of Massachusetts, who voted for President Obama in 2008, explained on television in very clear terms why he voted for Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts’ special election to the United States Senate: “I wanted to send a message ... I think they’ve been trying to shove this health care bill right down our throats.”
This voter, like many Americans, feels betrayed by President Obama. Why? One year ago, the American people gave the president an enormous amount of trust to enact “change we can believe in."”
But with a weak economy and rising unemployment, this administration decided to take a “big bang” approach to policy, taking advantage of the economic crisis to push their ultra-liberal agenda, including a government takeover of health care that will increase taxes and raise premiums.
So what were the results of Obama’s “big bang” this past year? Republicans took back the governorships of Virginia and New Jersey, both states that Mr. Obama won in 2008. Five House Democrats have announced their retirements, along with two Senate Democrats who were once perceived as “unbeatable” in their states. One House Democrat got so fed up with Mr. Obama’s liberal agenda he decided to become a Republican. Polls show fewer Americans identifying themselves as Democrats and more identifying themselves as Republicans. Republicans are winning against Democrats in generic congressional ballots. And independent voters, who were key to Democrats’ victories in 2006 and 2008, are running away from the Democratic Party faster than you can say “Yes we can."”
Thank you for reading…
Ari Kaufman
1) http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/01/20/blessing_in_disguise/
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