Obama's Speech to Schoolchildren

Republicans are on our uproar these days over the President's recent speech to schoolchildren at the beginning of the school year. They claim he is pushing a socialist agenda on them and trying to indoctrinate them into socialism. His message: work hard and do your studies and try to improve the country thereby. Hardly seems a dangerous idea to me but the Republicans see a grand conspiracy in it. If that's the worst thing Obama ever does, this country is in good shape.
From my perspective, is unfortunate that Republicans are spending so much time trying to defeat the President. It's too bad they can't put their energies into something more productive for the improvement of our fair Republic.

Ultimate Result of Hate Speech

Seldom in the history of the United States has public discourse been filled with so much hate speech. What is worrisome to me is that much of the hateful rhetoric is aimed at President Barack Obama. He has been referred to as evil, an illegal alien, a Nazi and even worse. Then we hear that at one public town hall meeting the President conducted, armed people were allowed to be near the event. One was even carrying an assault rifle.

From my perspective, such a confluence of events - hyped up hate and firearms - is a recipe for disaster. How soon will it be before some neurotic wing nut decides to rid America of the “Great Satan.” Here is my prediction: before the 2010 election there will be a major attempt on the President’s life. It is no doubt already in the planning stages.

Murder is the ultimate result of hate speech. Let those who spread hate consider the power of their words.

Short Memory

According to a recent poll, a majority of Americans do not support the war in Afghanistan. They say it is not worth the effort even though they believe we could achieve our objectives there. I find such a thing quite surprising. From my perspeective, those who oppose the war in that far off land must have a short memory. It was from Afghanistan that the attack of September 11, 2001 originated. Certainley our nation has not only the right to strike back at those who inflicted so much harm on us in an unprovoked act of war, but also the responsibility to do so. Let us not falter in this noble cause.

Frightened Republicans

I have been puzzled by the strange antics of leading Republicans recently. They display an almost visceral hatred for President Obama by making ludicrous charges against him. The "death panel" accusation regarding health care reform is a good example. I think I have found the reason for Republican angst.

What frightens Republicans most is that Obama's policies might be successful. He might get some form of health care reform legislation enacted by Congress. They hoped that would be his Waterloo. The downturn in the economy seems to have hit bottom. They fear it might actually improve before the elections in 2010. Cash for Clunkers appears to be a success. Good reason for Republicans do be frightened!

Acting Stupidly

A conservative friend of mine recently told me that President Obama’s statement that police acted stupidly in the arrest of the Harvard professor in his own home indicated the President’s lack of judgement. Here is my response:

You think the police did not act stupidly when they arrested a guy for being in his own home? What right does a cop have to intrude on the guy's home when he has been shown identification and knows the guy lives there? and then he calls for backup! It must be a low crime area if they can spare that many cops for an aging guy in his own home who is not breaking any law. To me that is acting stupidly.

He’s Got Your Wallet

Political conservatives are screaming in rage these days over the spendthrift ways of the federal government. Led by spender in chief Barack Obama, the feds seem determined to throw money at every problem, real or imaginary, that comes to their attention. The response to such a situation is best illustrated by a cartoon which appeared in the media recently. It shows a caricature of President Obama with a huge smile skipping along taking money from a wallet and throwing it all over the place. A guy in the cartoon is thrilled saying, “ Look, he is giving us money just like he promised.” The guy’s companion has a concerned look on her face as she responds, “He’s got your wallet!”

From my perspective, the cartoonist has it right. All the money Obama is proposing to spend comes from your wallet. When Congress votes an appropriation, it comes from your wallet. When the air force requests a 350 million fighter plane, it has your wallet. When our congressman announces with pride that he is bringing federal money home to pay for a favorite project, he’s got your wallet. When George Bush gave each of us a $600 tax rebate, he got it from your wallet. All the wonderful things the government does for us comes from your wallet.

Now You Know

I live in a very conservative part of the country which has elected a Republican to Congress all but once in the last 100 years. Some of my Republican friends have expressed a good bit of rage towards President Obama recently. He is leading our beloved country down the path toward socialism which will be the ruin of the nation. He is spending us into bankruptcy. Destroying our wonderful system of healthcare. He is the Great Satan, and probably a Muslim as well. And that is some of the nicer things they say.

There is no sense in arguing with such an irrational rant. Rational discussion is out of the question. My only response is: Now you know how I felt for the last eight years with George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and their merry band of thugs running the country. (I will leave it at that because when I start thinking about it, I soon descend into a serious rant.)