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| Home Front: Politix |
| Why Obama Will Lose |
| 2008-09-25 |
| David Deming EDMOND -- When Benjamin Franklin was dispatched to France as ambassador of the United States in 1776, he won the hearts of the French through his authenticity. Rather than take on an affected and phony continental style, Franklin eschewed the powdered wig of the European gentleman and donned the fur cap of an American frontiersman. Original genius and polymath, Franklin understood that the French would see through any false pretension but respect an authenticity that sprang from an unpretentious and naive love of country. What a contrast there is between Franklin and Barack Obama. Obama is a Harvard lawyer who is a mile wide and an inch deep. He is only the latest in a long line of shallow elites that consider it stylish and intellectual to despise their own culture and heritage. Nothing exemplifies Obama's antipathy for American culture better than his statement that Americans "cling to" religion and guns out of frustration or bitterness. We only can suppose that Obama regards religion or firearms as aberrations that need to be eradicated. Of course, both guns and religion are essential aspects of American culture. The United States was founded by people seeking religious freedom. Does the word "Pilgrim" ring a bell with anyone? Our freedom and the right to self-government were won by farmers with guns. The American Revolution started when the British marched to Concord with the intention of confiscating colonial arms. Both the right to "keep and bear arms," and the right to "free exercise" of religion are enshrined in the Bill of Rights. We have come a long way when the presidential nominee of a major political party regards the exercise of fundamental rights as a mental aberration. When Obama refers to "my Muslim faith," the verbal gaffe resonates as a Freudian slip because of Obama's thinly veiled hatred for this country's unique culture and institutions. Obama sat for 20 years in a church where the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr preached "goddamn America." He only resigned from the congregation when it became politically expedient to do so. When earlier this year, Michelle Obama said "for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country," can we conclude that her husband disagrees? Is it not remarkable that Michelle Obama can be so small-minded as to find nothing in the history of the United States that merits her admiration but the personal success of her husband? What is Barack Obama for? His campaign motto is "change." But even a 6-year-old child understands that "change" can be either good or bad. Lacking specifics, the invocation of "change" as policy is completely empty. As we witness Obama's minions mindlessly endorse the meaningless maxim of "change," it only can call to mind the barnyard animals in George Orwell's "Animal Farm" chanting "four legs good, two legs bad!" The choice of Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate has been devastating for the Obama campaign precisely because she is everything Obama is not. Palin is not ashamed of her culture or country. She is not embarrassed by being an American, but naively embraces her birthright. Unassisted by affirmative action, Palin has risen to national prominence on the basis of her character, intelligence and natural gifts. In a word, she has guts. This is a woman who is proud of her country, not because it has granted her personal success, but because she respects what America stands for: freedom, opportunity, and individualism. Obama is a vapid demagogue, a hollow man that despises American culture. He is ill-suited to be president of the United States. As the weeks pass, more Americans will come to this realization and elect McCain/Palin in a landslide. DAVID DEMING is an associate professor of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oklahoma, but his opinions do not necessarily represent those of the university. |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #14 Change from the product of the Chicago Machine. Wanna buy a bridge in Brooklyn? |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2008-09-25 22:37 |
| #13 For those who are so big on Obama's CHANGE mantra--could you please send me some? I've got some bills to pay, and it would really be in keeping with Obama's philosophy to help me out. In fact, if everyone in Obama's campaign and his voters would just send me one thin dime, I could retire a sizable amount of debt and be better able to cash in on my slice of the American pie. |
| Posted by: ex-lib 2008-09-25 20:50 |
| #12 A level of antipathy matched only by his wife Michelle's comment...."for the first time in my adult life I am proud of American." These people are the Snap On tools of donk socialism. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2008-09-25 19:58 |
| #11 Nothing exemplifies Obama's antipathy for American culture better than his statement that Americans "cling to" religion and guns out of frustration or bitterness I read that directly as Obama whining like a two year old "They Scare ME" |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-09-25 19:55 |
| #10 Amen Big Jim. We need to grow our way out of this problem. We need to reduce government regulation that stifles real business growth (not the business of the money changers, but the business of companies that actually make things), we need to reform our legal system to introduce a loser-pays result to several types of cases, we need to eliminate the tyranny-of-the-minority that exists now (via the legal system) that stops/inhibits and makes more expensive any needed project (see energy infrastructure). And most of all we need term limits at all levels of government and non-partisan or computerized districting. These are just a few of the things I would do if I were king for a couple of days. (Might invite Heidi Klum over for a friendly cup of tea too, but I digress) |
| Posted by: remoteman 2008-09-25 14:23 |
| #9 Rupert Sninert6826 , We need change, nobody would argue with that. The national debt has nearly doubled in the last 8 years, Real wages are less than in the 60's, the trade deficit sets record highs ever year. But socialist policies are not the change we need. That's not how this country's political model was set up and that's not how our financial model was crafted. We need to spend less, earn more, and give American businesses and industries a fair shake. If you want to go socialist, try Venezuela, or Bolivia. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-09-25 13:18 |
| #8 Is Rupert the DNC's latest Troll-of-the-Day offering? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2008-09-25 13:05 |
| #7 A new code word has entered the left's political lexicon. Change = Marxist stealth revolution. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-09-25 12:42 |
| #6 Change is what we will have if Obama passes his tax hikes. That's all we will have. |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2008-09-25 12:33 |
| #5 Change keeps democracy fresh. Because nothing sez change as a professional chicago machine politician waaaayyyyy to the radical left, with mob connections, whose early sponsor was the area slum landlord, and who's been prepped up by 60's radicals rejects (ayers & co) and a messianic billionaire (soros and his own machine) to become their manchurian candidate, and this only because his skin color makes him a viable bet. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2008-09-25 12:28 |
| #4 Is there only one culture and heritage in America? Yes, obviously, unless you buy into multiculturalism, and believe that a country and a NATION is a set of separate communities, each with its own culture and own heritage. Western Nations were built against that model, painful as it was. Melting pot, not salad bowl. |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2008-09-25 12:24 |
| #3 He is only the latest in a long line of shallow elites that consider it stylish and intellectual to despise their own culture and heritage...Obama is a vapid demagogue, a hollow man that despises American culture. Where does David come up with this fluff?! Nothing intelligent, just 1/2 truths and smears. Is there only one culture and heritage in America? The author seems to think so. He doesn't understand it and he fears it. Change keeps democracy fresh. |
| Posted by: Rupert Sninert6826 2008-09-25 11:43 |
| #2 Optimist. his opinions do not necessarily represent those of the university. Understatement or snark? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-09-25 10:55 |
| #1 We can only hope that Mr. Deming is correct. Who was it that said "Never underestimate the stupidity of people in large numbers"? |
| Posted by: DLR 2008-09-25 10:19 |