NOVATOWNHALL

Another quick-hit potential conversation starter:

If President Obama overreaches, we should pummel him for it and march on Washington if necessary. But he is our QB now, so as Americans we must allow him to begin his presidency with assurance that we have his back.

Prior to the 2008 elections, progressives projected onto Barack Obama their hopes and we conservatives projected our fears. From his initial steps as President-elect, it appears we have all had our expectations dashed.

Having your fears dashed, it turns out, is a pretty cool thing (with hopes, however … it’s not so great.) I said a couple times I would love to be proven wrong about my assumptions that Obama’s past statements and affiliations portended dark days for America’s future. It is looking like I was wrong.

AND I, FOR ONE, AM GLAD ABOUT IT.

I think there is a real danger and missed opportunity for conservatives if we go into the 2009 federal government period poised to reflexively trash the Barack Obama presidency. He seems to have a strong pragmatic streak. Not saying he doesn’t have some important issues to work out, but I plan to give him the benefit of the doubt for a long while.

With each new appointment Barack Obama makes, I see less and less reason to think he is going to be the radical leader his past and recent statements had led me to fear.

Like I told Kevin and the Chief the other night, and commented here some months ago, I would LOVE to be proven wrong on my suggestions Obama would try to squelch free speech, transform our capitalist economy into a subsection of the Department of the Treasury, open a system of gulags, confiscate our retirement accounts and unleash an army of brownshirts to ferret out thought crimes.

In fact, if instead of all the crazy progressive talk during the campaign Obama had simply proclaimed that his administration would be basically a third term of the Clinton presidency but with Hillary in a subservient position to himself, as looks to be taking shape, I’d have been down with that. There is some upside to letting the Democrats take the reins of power for a spell.

Instead of political invective we’d have seen a lot more shamanic wisdom on this blog - that I can assure you.

UPDATE: And if you want a little more feel-good, warm and fuzzy, things are really not so bad, savor this.

UPDATE II: The second George Herbert Walker Bush term.

UPDATE III: Obama to delay repeal of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’. A little outside the topic of this post because this was not an issue keeping me awake at nights, frankly. But it goes to show 1) Obama appears to be tending toward the “center” if not center-right, and 2) The enhanced-gay-rights movement seems on a success trajectory roughly mirroring that of the Republican Party. Maybe we should all compare notes while regrouping?

UPDATE IV: And holy smokes, if somehow Barack Obama actually manages to make smoking ok again, it would be one of the greatest PR coups of all time. I remember a National Review article in the 1980s eulogizing the smoking culture, with the example of a European official on a TV panel discussion who, when asked a question, pulled one from his cigarette case, tapped it several times on the case, lit it up, took a long drag and exhaled slowly before answering. How much better style for gathering one’s thoughts, the NR writer observed, than the typical American politician who will blather nonsense for 30 seconds while the brain works to summon a cogent response. If President Obama can reawaken that sense of suave in the nation’s highest office, think about what it will do for public confidence.

UPDATE V: Here’s the best analysis I have seen:

I think that Obama is similar to Bill Clinton in one important respect. Clinton famously wanted to be President not because there was anything in particular he wanted to do, but because he craved the status of being President. In Clinton’s case, this seems to have been due to an insatiable need for approval and affection. Obama, likewise, wants to be President not in order to do anything, but because he believes that for Barack Obama to be President is an end in itself. In Obama’s case, this view is due not to a psychological craving, but rather to the historical importance of being the first African-American President.

If I’m right about that, it makes sense for Obama to be reasonably moderate. He makes history simply by being a President with dark skin; what he desperately wants to avoid is for his Presidency to be seen as a disaster or a fiasco.

Read it all.

This has become slightly uncomfortable, I must say.

It appears my rapturous sense of brotherhood with my fellow Obama voters last night may have been misplaced.

Zogby today published more details from the survey represented in the video and, cumulatively, I fear many of my liberal brothers and sisters are as dumb as doorknobs and probably should not have been allowed to vote.

The media bears responsibility for apparently being, in general, crooks, but c’mon, it should be each person’s responsibility to have a remote familiarity with what is actually happening in the world. Maybe you don’t have access to NewsBusters, but that doesn’t mean it’s ok to limit your information sources to cereal boxes and gum wrappers.

Click here for complete survey results.

I do not think the unprecedented ignorance of such a massive proportion of those who voted for it taints the Obama presidency or should cause more and more people to view its goals with extreme skepticism, but I do think I will have to exercise better vigilance regarding my fellow progressives because of the rampant mental torpidity in our ranks.

From the Onion.

International Con Man Barack Obama Leaves U.S. With $85 Million In Campaign Fundraising

November 11, 2008 | Issue 44•46

Barack Obama as he appeared to millions of Americans, along with four of the president-elect’s former disguises.

CHICAGO—In a devastating blow to millions of unsuspecting Americans, newly elected president and international con man Barack Obama fled the country Wednesday with nearly $85 million in campaign funds.

According to FBI investigators, Obama’s sudden disappearance was discovered at 6:15 p.m. when the former Illinois senator failed to arrive at a gala event in Lincoln Square, prompting several aides to rush back to his campaign headquarters. At 6:23 p.m., flight logs at O’Hare International Airport confirmed that two passengers, a male carrying two silver briefcases and dressed in a perfectly tailored Brioni tuxedo, and an African-American female wearing a fur coat and speaking in a thick Russian accent, were seen boarding a private plane.

Enlarge Image Click to read the note left behind by Obama, in which he claims the American public “never stood a chance.”

Obama’s campaign office, sources said, was completely vacant aside from a discarded Abraham Lincoln portrait, behind which was an emptied safe that his aides claimed never to have seen before.

In addition, three unconscious Secret Service agents were discovered at the scene, along with two lit cigarettes still burning in an ashtray, and Obama’s daughters, who authorities now believe were taken from an Alabama foster home six years ago.

The only item found inside the metal safe was a letter, handwritten with a fountain pen and titled “An Explanation, My Dears.”

“To my tender little pawns, the all-too-trusting people of America,” said FBI lead investigator Ray Hilland, quoting the letter at a press conference Wednesday. “If you are reading this, then I have already left your silly country in my private jet, and am right now sipping fine champagne with my lovely associate, a woman you have come to know as ‘Michelle…’”

“Uncertain times call for uncertain leadership.”

– Capitol Steps’ Bush Impersonator (via George Will)

Well, Obama is our president now. He is our first African-American president, he is our second hyphenated American President. Congratulations President Elect Obama. Unlike the sorry bastards on the left who after Bush was elected claimed, ‘he is not my president’ I recognize Obama our duly elected Commander in Chief, and wish him well. I wonder if all the left wing idiots who moved to Canada will now come back? I hope not. This is not a nation of quitters; those who ran away quit, we are now better of without them.

As for those who claimed ‘GWB is not my president’ and stayed the term loyal opposition is obviously lost them. In 2004 62M Americans voted for GWB and therefore the reality was otherwise; such is the tyranny of the many. Obama has many challenges ahead of him. I categorically disagree with his solutions to many of the problems. In the end though, I hope whatever he does do does not fail because my loyalty is to my country before it is to my party. It is a shame the likes of Pelosi, Carter, Reid and Murtha will never learn this lesson. As for the Dixie Chicks, they are still young, I will therefore have a hope for them. God willing, our politics will once again end at the waters’ edge.

Congratulations America. Hopefully we have exorcised some demons by voting for someone from an officially oppressed group. Can we now all get over it? We voted for someone with NO accomplishment outside the campaigning arena. We voted for someone who, given the scanty information on his current job application, could not get a professional position with any large firm I am aware of. We voted for someone who, while a multimillionaire, ignores the financial needs of his relatives. We voted for someone who has a relationship with a terrorist, and went to a racist church for 20 years. All this to excise the festering guilt? I hope it is worth it.

According to the left, if we voted against Obama, we are racists. This was stated both blatantly and surreptitiously. Therefore, since we voted for Obama, which we did collectively as a nation, Americans as a group are can no longer be called racists. Can this hoary old canard be finally be put to rest? King wanted us to be judged by the content of our character. Instead, we voted Obama in by not voting against him because he is Black. Can we all ‘move on’ for real?

Obama is the President Elect of the United States. For the good of the nation I wish him success. I am sure the press will accentuate the positive. I am sure every benefit of the doubt will be extended. We, as a nation, will all feel good about ourselves, at least according to the MSM. I pray though that enough dignity and honesty is left in the fourth estate to bring itself to put a hot light on the Obama administration. We as a nation need this scrutiny for all administrations, not just the Republican ones. Obama is the poster child of the media, now that he is safely ensconced in the White House, are they ready to finally investigate the man, and scrutinize his actions in the future?

We have Elected Barack Hussien Obama President of the United States. We have done this seven years after 9/11. We have done this after a huge bubble in the housing market has burst. We have done this after the Fed has devalued our currency for the past 6 years. We have done this while in a state of energy dependency on people who hate us. We have done this in a time when both China and India are emergent economic super powers. We have done this at a time when Russia is returning to its socialist-dictatorial-imperialist roots. Obama will have his hands full; for our sakes, I wish him success.

Kind of speaks for itself. I am sure that SPaMM will justify this, or say that Obama personally had nothing to do with it. Like that matters.

What employer would hire someone without being able to check out the job-seekers college records?

One of the things that people do is generally think of voting for their own interests. In some senses, it would make sense for me to vote for Obama … I’m already among the lowest 40% of the country on a pay/deduction scale (I pay no federal income tax at this point, and I report every nickel I earn and am totally scrupulous about my deductions.) As a teacher, my pay is a matter of public record. I have had four dependent children (soon to be three as daughter number two leaves the nest). I also have a house in Loudoun with the associated taxes and mortgage interest. I don’t make enough to pay according to the federal government. Obama wants to “share the wealth” which would probably get me more than what I already have. That is just plain wrong.

I understand why my Dad has said from before he retired (and still to this day says) that he would gladly give up social security if they would not tax his sons. The principle is that he doesn’t want to take money from others in order to pay himself, especially the next generation. When we raise taxes and entitlements, we steal from our children. They are the ones that will be saddled with higher taxes forever if we don’t cut government spending.

Obama, you have said you want all these programs … they would cost a ton of money for those that generate wealth. Taking a “wealth” pie of fixed size and cutting it into smaller pieces doesn’t make sense. Making the pie larger does make sense … and what you are planning will leave no wealth to create a larger pie. I will not vote for you if for no other reason than that.

This is for the benefit of the “undecideds” and any sensible folks who are planning to vote for Barack Obama.

If you have not yet gotten the full measure of the Democrat candidate for president, recall (in the left sidebar) that he believes religion and gun ownership are signals of despair. If that is not enough to convince you not to vote for him, consider the mindset that would cause him to say this:

“We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times … and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK”

And if THAT is not enough to send a shudder up your spine about Obama’s vision for America, then have a listen to this interview from January: Obama promising to bankrupt the coal industry.

Via Drudge (and I don’t understand why it is not a headline - maybe saving it for tomorrow am?)

A staple of the Obama economic plan has been increased taxes on the “rich”, or those earning $250K or more, and providing tax cuts to 95% of Americans workers.

Joe Biden then told us “rich” was those making more than $150K a year :

Former Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson recently gave us yet another perspective on Obama’s “spread the wealth” plan :

The bar is getting awfully low on the definition of “rich” under Obama’s economic plan. As each day goes by, more and more hardworking middle class Americans are being told by Obama and his party that they too have silver spoons in their mouths. That they too are among America’s rich, and will pay more taxes.

I don’t believe this is the change that they need.

Obama reached across the political divide today, and slapped those who have the temerity to oppose him in the mouth. The reporters from three papers, The Dallas Morning News, NY Post and the Washington Times were thrown off the plane. Granted, this was not done at cruising altitude, but it is still disturbing. Will newspapermen from publication that don’t kow-tow to the Obama party line be dismissed from the White house newsroom?

This is just the latest in what is a becoming trend in the Obama campaign, stepping on the first amendment. It appears Obama does not think much of our constitution. It is fundementally flawed. We need a new bill of rights. Ones that do not limit the power of governent, but instead will guarantee jobs, homes and health care. The only trouble with this is one cannot simply legislate prosperity. Its been tried before. It has failed before.

In order for this much sought after Utopia to be brought about Obama is going to more than likely have to silence the opposition. It appears he is all too comfortable with such tactics.

UPDATE

For once I am in agreement with zimzo.  To wit:

It appears that McCain also tossed someone off his plane.  Joe Klein is persona non grata on the McCain plane according to The Politico.  While this is not a wholesale purge of left wing journalists I am still against it because for the 1st amendment to mean something journalists need access to politicians.  As I pointed out in a comment below unless the journalist is disruptive denying except to those who are friendly to you is a corruption of the intent of the first amendment.

“Double standards?” Oh, brothers, that does not even scratch the surface as to what we are in for.

As noted the other day: this whole free speech concept is going to get some serious whittling down when the subject in question is Dear Leader.

And here we have the upshot. You hang Sarah Palin in effigy and it’s fair game. Try the same thing on Barack Obama and you get in trouble with the Man. Be prepared to lie low for a couple years, friends.

Cal Thomas makes the case much better than I can:

Barack Obama thinks the Constitution and the country it helped create should be remade in his image. He wants to be a founding father of a different America, one that would bear little resemblance to the country we have known.

Read it all and share it with everyone you know. It is expressed with a level of urgency that is compelling; it might be effective at getting the attention of folks who don’t yet realize what Obama’s deal is.

At HillBuzz an Obama worker reveals the tactics the campaign is using to depress the Republican vote and announces she is voting for McCain:

We pay people and organize people to go to all the online sites and “play the part of a clinton or mccain supporter who just switched our support for obama”

We do this to stifle your motivation and to destroy your confidence…

Next, we infiltrate all the blogs and all the youtube videos and overwhelm the voting, the comments, etc. All to continue this appearance of overwhelming world support…

We have also had quite a hand in skewing many many polls, some we couldn’t control as much as we would have liked. But many we have spoiled over. Just enough to make real clear politics look scarey to a mccain supporter.

Fascinating information.