Republicans and conservatives throughout America have been chastised for their vocal opposition to the president's failing initiatives, and some of the critique coming from the left has been littered with charges of racism. Hogwash. Naturally, there are going to be some slightly misguided Americans who would never give this leader a break simply because he is black. However, as I've pointed out in this blog many times, this guy is just about as white as a man with black blood in him can get, and folks, that's a lot. I tell my racist customers this, and many of them actually begin to realize I'm right.
But this isn't a question of black and white--unless you are a Democrat. Let's be honest, who was the party and leader who first made an issue of the differences in race? Right, Kennedy and his "enlightened" followers, who first identified the class and economic gap between the two, and then labled blacks and other minorities (including women) as "minorities." So far, not a horrible thing. After all, there's a history of differing treatment here. However, once identified and labeled, Kennedy went further; "There oughta be a law!" he cried. Actually, a bevy of law.
Once the black community (and women and othe "minorities") were given the "opportunity" to enter into the workplace and the educational environment with no more credentials than that they were "minorities," accomodations had to be made. These accomodations led to a relaxing of requirements and altering of time-tested methodologies that historically produced the best results. Sadly, it also led to people within minority classes who truly were gifted and deserving being left out. No effort to "level the playing field" could possibly work. Incentives for meritorious service and the recognition of individual achievement--as a further incentive to those who had not been so singled out--went the way of the do-do. Like the atmosphere inside organized labor, your continued employment no longer hinged on performance; everybody was treated the same. And you can see where that's gotten us.
How's that worked out in productivity? Well, take a look at Chuck Colson and Jack Eckerd's book, "Why America Doesn't Work," and you will see how the decline in American productivity over the past forty years has jeopardized the future of the United States.
Moreover, take a look around you. We live in a society that is addicted to leisure, entertainment and recreation. We work--those of us who still have jobs--approximately 23 hours during a forty-hour week, yearning for the weekend when we can spend our earnings on dining out, tickets, etc. to the game, movies, shows and concerts, and basically sit in front of the television for two days and vegetate. Now, wait, I know there are those of us for whom this is not so, those who actually give a damn. But those numbers of us who do are clearly in the minority.
So, while racism is certainly more prevalent today than it has been in some decades, to say that the opposition to President Obama's skewed and inexperienced take on our significant challenges is based in race is wrong.
It's a question of leadership.
Our president has routinely taken the world podium and chastised the United States for being "arrogant," and apologized to the world, including our enemies, for being so. Then he went to Copenhagen, not to tout how great America is, but how awesome he and his wife are, and how great the City of Chicago is. The IOC wasn't buying; the president is so out of touch that he didn't realize that the Danes and their colleagues can read, and already know how poor a leader he is.
Now the media have taken the bait from Iran, which has said publicly it was willing to talk about its nuclear capabilities. Personally, I see visions of Charlie Brown and Lucy and a football whenever I hear any of our enemies talking compromise. We'll see how this plays out. We'll see how Israel (our only true ally in the middle-east, now slapped in the face by our president) takes the news.
Additionally, we are at a crisis point in Afghanistan. We need to either take the dump or get off the pot, but President Obama doesn't see a need to hasten any decision on that right now.
Unemployment continues to rise, the stock market is once again in decline, foreclosures are up, and, after a month or two of increases, the car business is flat on its back, "The worst I've ever seen," so says a customer of mine, his 27 years of experience in the auto biz talking for him.
So what do we do? How can we get some relief, some movement in the right direction, some America back? Well, first of all, this president needs to check his ego for a while and bite the bullet. Fire all Czars. Launch a full-scale investigation into ACORN. Withdraw any attempt to savagely overhaul the health care system. Flip a coin on Afghanistan and either pull 'em all out or escalate. Tell Iran there is no compromise; disarm or the world community will destroy you and split up all the oil. Stop all funding to any portions of the "stimulus" program that are not working. Demand that repayments from the banks and GM begin immediately. Stop trying to usurp the Constitution; you are going to lose on the Second Amendment this session.
America has spoken; we are not robots or blind followers of Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh or any other of the right-wing entertainers on the radio and television. We are caring Americans who can read, and better yet, can look around our communities and see that our nation is headed for disaster under this poor excuse of a President and his loyal followers in Congress.
Mr. President, we beg you: Get some real, educated, clear-thinking, reliable and reasonable help. Fred Thompson, Mike Huckabee, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and the like are willing to help you get our nation back on track. Seek their guidance now, before it's too late and people forget all about Jimmy Carter.