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"Once You Go Barack, You Can't Go Back!" Obama Scares Me, Too

Over a year ago, I read Barack Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope. I was nearly taken in by his rhetoric. As I've come to know more about the man, I've determined that he associates with some pretty shady characters, that he has no experience, that his policies would be devastating, and that America could have done much better in their nomination of the first black American to run for President.

A good friend of mine is a cancer survivor, although he is still on a regimen against its recurrence, and he regularly visits

Once you go Barack, you can't go back!

with his doctor to ensure his good health. Painted on the tailgate of his pickup truck is this statement:
"I am a cancer survivor. Obama scares me."
You know what? My friend is right to be scared. I've never had cancer, but the more I come to know about Barack Obama, the more scared I am that there are so many people who think Obama is the solution to America's malaise.

You should know, before you read much further, that I don't in any way support Republican John McCain for president either, despite the fact that he chose small-town Idaho-girl-turned-governor Sarah Palin for is vice presidential running mate. I will vote for Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin for president. It still surprises

Unfortunately, this election cycle we have not become "an aroused citizenry". We have become merely a titillated one.

me that we arrived at the point where the three worst possible candidates for president (McCain, Clinton, and Obama) were carefully marshalled through the election cycle, and that two of those worst candidates are now receiving 90% of pledged election-day support.

I've written about my McCain fears in these pages before, so now I will now express my concerns about Barack Obama.

The Hypnotism of a "Perpetual Beatles Concert". Just like the young ladies swooned in the 60's to the Beatles, millions of Americans think that in Barack Obama they have found political nirvana. Unwittingly a few days ago, the Utah Amicus illustrated what the Obama Campaign is largely about--a cult of personality. "Once you go Barack, you can't go back!" the poster said regarding a convention party to be sponsored by the Young Democrats of Utah. I hope they didn't mean it, but the Utah Amicus apparently thought it was a pretty cool slogan and didn't notice its dangerous double entendre.

It is apparently true that millions of Americans have gotten so caught up in hatred of our current government that they haven't noticed that Obama is little more than words, while other candidates like Dennis Kucinich, Ron Paul, and Ralph Nader actually have substance. Charles Krauthammer put it this way:
Barack Obama is an immensely talented man whose talents have been largely devoted to crafting, and chronicling, his own life. Not things. Not ideas. Not institutions. But himself.
He went on to point out the strikingly obvious to those who haven't been hypnotized by the Obama spell:
Eerily missing at the Democratic convention this year were people of stature who were seriously involved at some point in Obama's life standing up to say: I know Barack Obama. I've been with Barack Obama. We've toiled/endured together. You can trust him. I do.

Instead, nothing.
It will probably come back in future years to embarrass both Democrats and blacks to have nominated this nothingness as their 2008 presidential candidate.

Government Spending.
Even if we reduce the size of the U.S. military--which has grown far too large--it will not save enough money to

It will probably come back in future years to embarrass both Democrats and blacks to have nominated this nothingness as their 2008 presidential candidate.

offset the colossal amount of social spending that Obama will advocate as president. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and a national health care plan will hammer the nails in the 50-trillion-dollar coffin of American economic bankruptcy. These problems do need to be solved, but not in the Obama way. If we listen to the pied piper, we will eventually have to pay the real one.

Is There Anyone Left for Obama to Distance Himself From? Try this exercise: type the phrase "Obama distances himself" into your favorite search engine in your web browser. Here are some of the more well-known distancings.

(1) Obama involved Tony Rezko in the purchase of his Chicago home, yet Obama saw no sense of impropriety in Rezko's business dealings?

(2) In April 2008, Obama determined to sever a decades-long relationship with Jeremiah Wright, his pastor and good friend

If we listen to the pied piper, we will eventually have to pay the real one.

for 20 years, because of inflammatory words spoken by the reverend. "The person I saw yesterday was not the person I met 20 years ago," Obama stated. I wonder when he noticed that "the person" began to change? Was it before he began his presidential campaign?

(3) After a critical mass of potential voters discovered the racism of Louis Farrakhan and his associations with Jeremiah Wright, Obama distanced himself from the leader of the nation of Islam.

Who has Obama not distanced himself from? Try typing in the following Google search
"obama distances himself" ayres
Obama, besides beginning his political career in the home of this anti-American terrorist, has never distanced himself from friend and associate William Ayres.

In your search, make sure you select all dates. How many hits did you get? You can even take the quotes out if you want--that gives you about 5 hits. The American issues project asks "why"?



I kind of wondered that myself.

Have Democrats painted themselves into another corner? They really thought that John Kerry was a bit of a dope 4 years ago, but they put him in anyway.

Howard Zinn may or may not support Obama for President, but nonetheless in his book A Power Governments Cannot Suppress, Zinn makes an important point
It is easy to be overwhelmed or intimidated by the realization that the [Establishment has] enourmous power. But some historical perspective can be useful, because it tells us that at certain points in histsory governments find that all their powere is futile against the power of an aroused citizenry.
Unfortunately, this election cycle we have not become "an aroused citizenry". We have become merely a titillated one. And we shall get what most of us deserve.

Update 9/1/2008: I'm happy to see that the Young Democrats changed the name of their convention. I can respect that!



Comments

  1. Frank, you scare too easily. The politics of fear and smear are over. The right just doesn't know it yet, they're clinging!

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  2. Great post, Frank. Both Obama and McCain would be horrible for America, yet it's amazing to see how their bases have been captivated throughout the campaign. McCain uses fearmonger and threat of terrorism to promote his "experience, judgment, and foreign policy expertise", while Obama uses fluff and words to dazzle and "tittilate" (as you said) millions across the country.

    Sorry, but as soon as people treat a politician like a celebrity, I think it's high time they be sat down and taught to analyze that person's voting record - their "fruits". Modern politics becomes even more disgusting when people treat candidates like rock stars and Santa Claus.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm with Richard. You scare too easily. Like an infantryman, firing into the dark against non-existent enemies. Is Obama perfect? Heck no. I have issues with him as well. I hang with my share of shady figures. I've had my picture taken with Orrin Hatch, Michael O. Leavitt and many other public figures whom I don't exactly think highly of. Please don't hold that against me.

    There are those who don't view America's past through the same rosey glasses that Mormon prophets seem to have. Slavery and America's own version of apartheid has been the norm for the majority of our Republic's history. As a result, many people of african descent don't share your rosey view of American awesomeness. Obama's relationship with those kinds of people doesn't speak against him, but for him IMNSHO.

    Cut Obama some slack.

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  4. Richard,

    You didn't specifically address how I scare to easily. Give me specifics--otherwise I have no idea what you mean.

    Connor,

    Thanks for getting my main point.

    Obi Wan,

    Mormon prophets do not view America's history through rosy glasses, but they do praise America's ideals despite the fact that in practice we have often not lived up to those ideals. Where do you get an idea that I have a view of American awesomeness. You need to hang around SUMP more (and read some of my recent blog posts) to see that I call a spade a spade when I think it's a spade regardless of which side it's on. Besides, the part of Obama (his relationship with blacks) is hardly something I discussed in the article. I did (only) mention that blacks could have done much better. Obama is, besides his flowery rhetoric, only an empty suit.

    One could do much better in voting for Barr, Nader, or Baldwin for president.

    On the subject of blacks: I wrote in Alan Keyes for president in the 2000 general election, by the way.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Young Democrats changed the name of the event. Although the title was intended to be edgy and attract youth, it certainly wasn't intended to be threatening or insulting. We believed since numerous advertisers, such as Mac Computers, used the slogan for various purposes, it would be fine, but it may have walked the line too close. You're welcome to use your new image here if you like:

    http://youngdemsofutah.org/assets/images/my%20images/700_8.28.08_convention.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  6. Here we go again, scary conservatives scaring conservatives. I usually never respond to such simple blogs, but I just laughed when reading this one especially from a Mormon! So let's look into the FACTS about these supposed "shady characters" that Frank has tried scare us with. With Rezko he was a friend of Obama's but that is about as far as it went, as the Associated Press even reported today "Chicago businessman Antonin "Tony" Rezko, an Obama friend and contributor who was convicted in June on more than a dozen felonies in a corruption scandal. The case had no connection to Obama, and Obama has said it was a mistake to work with Rezko on buying the house."

    As far as Rev. Wright the guy said some pretty radical things I will admit, but again not sure how that relates to Obama that much, he occasionally went to church there not for political grooming and once Wright said everything Obama quickly cut ties because he did not want to be associated with that.
    Frank let me ask you this, along with the other Mormons reading, when your bishop says something that you don't believe, does that automatically tie what he says to you? Nope! Also with everything that has WRONGLY been said about Romney and the Mormon Church. I am shocked Frank that you would use the same pathetic tactics that essentially shot down his presidential run.

    I am not sure where you are getting your info on Bill Ayers, but they are not friends they were on the woods fund of Chicago board together with 7 other people. The Woods fund of Chicago is a anti-poverty organization, there relationship was strictly businesslike... nothing more. I know Bill Ayers has a radical past but its not like Obama went underground with Ayers for the 11 years. It’s hardly a connection to be worried about.

    Let me be frank, pardon the pun.. But how many people have we all come across in our past who we wish we would never had associated with. There are also friends we have that we don't necessarily agree with, my best friend is as far right conservative as they get, I am about as liberal as you can get. But we are friends for different reasons, just because you have friends with different opinions on politics and the world does not mean that we listen or believe the same that they do. Guess what Frank? People can think for themselves, AND they can also have friends who believe different that they do! I know this may be a hard concept for some conservatives to grasp, but I want you to try something that might be hard for to accept but try making a friend who thinks differently than you. I think you may find there are many different reasons to be friends with someone other than politics.

    I should have looked at your favorite books and realized this was posted from a guy who put "How to Talk to a Liberal, if you must." as one of his favorite books.

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  7. Also I wanted to make one last comment that makes me question your judgment her Frank. "I don't in any way support Republican John McCain for president either, despite the fact that he chose small-town Idaho-girl-turned-governor Sarah Palin for is vice presidential running mate."

    You would want this woman as VP? A heartbeat away from the president and with McCain's old age he could go at any minute (mostly kidding). Then good ol "hockey mom" Palin, with a 4 month old baby, and no experience with foreign leaders as ruler of the free world. Honestly did you think that one through?
    It's already hard enough raising a young family like hers, with a 4 month old down syndrome.

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  8. Young Dems,

    Thank you for the update and the correction. I've included an update and the new graphic in the article.

    ReplyDelete
  9. E-Money,

    Ah c-mon. It's not hard to do a little research and find out what's really going on. If these things are true (and they certainly appear to be), do you still think Obama is worth voting for?

    By the way, I did not say I was voting for McCain/Palin. Far from it. I went back and read what I wrote in the article, and it wasn't as clear as I meant it to be. What I meant is that a lot of people will turn to McCain now that the pretty girl is his "right-hand man". And that will bode well for the Establishment and ill for 3rd parties.

    ReplyDelete
  10. As someone who tries to look at data or evidence I see no evidence for name calling with respect to Obama as "empty suit." That just sounds like right wing retroric. Palin is a polictical opportuniest. She favors earmarks and federal money when it was to her benifit and opposes it when it becomes politically untenable. She has no solid core of principles that guide her polictical decision makeing that I can see. She is cute and fisty and would be worst than Chaney.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I suppose I should apologize for calling Obama an empty suit. I was actually surprised I did, but I went back and found it, so I do apologize. It's not constructive.

    Ironically, however, it's a much more mature characterization of a political candidate than the senseless characterizations that have recently been coming out of the Obama campaign itself.

    ReplyDelete
  12. E-Money,

    You would want this woman as VP? A heartbeat away from the president and with McCain's old age he could go at any minute (mostly kidding). Then good ol "hockey mom" Palin, with a 4 month old baby, and no experience with foreign leaders as ruler of the free world. Honestly did you think that one through?
    It's already hard enough raising a young family like hers, with a 4 month old down syndrome.


    Are you kidding me?

    A woman has young children and that disqualifies her for the Vice Presidency?

    Obama has two young daughters, why has this question never been asked of him?

    Biden's children lost their mother just as he began his Senate career. Why is that celebrated, instead of questioned?

    Oh, and that whole, "no experience with foreign leaders" thing, probably not a winning argument here either.

    Mike,

    "cute and feisty"?

    Sheesh.

    ReplyDelete

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