Recently, I read that Barack Obama is being compared to Ronald Reagan. Within only the first 6 weeks of his presidency Obama has been the most polarizing amercian president. Obama proved he is not interested in working with the Republicans by shoving his Bankrupting America Package (AKA “Stimulus Package) through the US Senate. This package will cost more than the entire Iraq War. The bill also expands COBRA, the law that allows a company’s former employees to continue receiving group coverage. It would fund 65% of individuals’ premiums for up to 12 months. And it allows workers older than 55, or those who have worked at a company for 10 years, to keep their COBRA coverage until they qualify for Medicare or find a new job. Among the plan’s biggest departures is allowing those who are unemployed to enroll in Medicaid, the health program for the poor. It would temporarily expand Medicaid to allow millions of unemployed workers to qualify for benefits. Just who is going to pay for all of his new programs? President Obama continues to sell the make believe that only those whose income is over $250,000.00 will find face a tax increase. Freedom is not free, but neither is Socialism. Obama claims that this package calls for us all to work for the good of the country. Sound familiar? It should, if you look at what socialism is. Do you think that if you do not make more than 250,000.00/year you will be excluded? If you are working or retired, young or old, rich or poor, black, white, Native American, Hispanic, Asian, every race from every state or territory will be included. It will not matter whether one is poorly or highly educated, all will be told to work. What will be the pay? Nothing of course, because it will un-patriotic to have anything of your own. Everything will be given and belong to the state, not the citizens.
Is this what Reagan believed?
Lets really compare Obama to Ronald Reagan. Reagan set stakes in the ground, boundaries for his foes, but he didn’t try to re-make the world in 100 days. No doubt he did re-make the world for the better over his two terms. Reagan knew it was better to fade away than burn out. President Obama will take Neil Young’s advice and do the opposite if he keeps it up.
The origins of this liberal revival are not new. In 1967, Susan Sontag wrote in the Partisan Review:
“The white race is the cancer of human history. It is the white race and it alone- it’s ideologies and inventions- which eradicates autonomous civilizations wherever it spreads, which has upset the ecological balance of the planet, which now threatens the very existence of life itself.”
In an essay within “Our Times – The Washington Times 1982-2002″ Arnold Beichman gives us a reminder of what’s going on:
“The power of the Left academy was to be seen in what has happened in the field of history. Professor Kenneth S. Lynn of Johns Hopkins University wrote that “self-criticism is now so rampant in the American culture, that many historians simply cannot deal with the principle achievements of the American past unless they can think of ways to discredit them.””
This is the rewriting of history President Obama pursues. Tierany is his chosen path.
You will not hear the kind of rhetoric backed by strength you heard from Reagan when he said to the Soviet Union at the Berlin Wall:
“General Secretary Gorbachev,if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”
No, President Obama is an stuffed suit. A hollow horse. Below are some samples of his recent rhetoric:
“I cannot swallow whole the view of Lincoln as the Great Emancipator.” Time Magazine, June 26, 2005
“I know my country has not perfected itself. At times, we’ve struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people. We’ve made our share of mistakes, and there are times when our actions around the world have not lived up to our best intentions.” Obama’s Speech in Berlin, July 2005
“I think when you spread the wealth around it’s good for everybody.” Obama’s reponse to “Joe the Plumber” during his campaign.
“The thing about hip-hop today is it’s smart, it’s insightful. The way they can communicate a complex message in a very short space is remarkable.”
“We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don’t like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States.” Interview with Barack Obama by Carl M. Cannon published in readersdigest.co.nz
“We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” July, 2, 2008
Well, change the rhetoric, without a TelePrompTer, and you pretty much have nothing.
One more from President Reagan to contrast with President Obama:
“The difference between the path toward greater freedom or bigger government is the difference between success and failure; between opportunity and coercion; between faith in a glorious future and fear of mediocrity and despair; between respecting people as adults, each with a spark of greatness, and treating them as helpless children to be forever dependent; between a drab, materialistic world where Big Brother rules by promises to special interest groups, and a world of adventure where everyday people set their sights on impossible dreams, distant stars, and the Kingdom of God. We have the true message of hope for America.”
In PresBOs world, Big Brother rules. He knows better than you. You’re just too stupid to figure it out. At least, that’s what he’s counting on.
Whether its changing the rhetoric or re-writing American history, President Obama is more dangerous than Jimmy Carter. That’s a malaise I would rather forget and not repeat, but it looks like I am right in the middle of it with you right now.
President Obama’s world is small and flat where everyone is the same, no one is significantly better or worse than the next. Reagan world was big, round, and full of good and lines in the sand drawn to keep evil in its place. America was the biggest and best without question. President Obama’s goal is to put that into question.
