Heil Obama

Senator Obama's recent overseas tour is being viewed by Democrats as a huge success and by Republicans as completely irrelevant. In my opinion, it was way over the line. As a candidate for President it is appropriate for him to visit the theaters of military operations in order to obtain a first hand impression of the situation. However, for Obama, or any candidate, to arrange meetings with foreign leaders and to make political speeches on foreign soil is both arrogant and presumptuous. Obama is not in a position as, as yet, to make U. S. policy or to represent America's interests abroad. He is a U. S. Senator and his powers of representation ends at the border.

I am particularly offended by Obama's visit to Germany. The privilege of speaking at the Brandenburg Gate is one that is earned, not granted. Obama has done nothing to warrant being given that opportunity. In addition, he chose to speak to thousands of German citizens, but chose not to visit wounded U. S. troops in the hospital at Landstuhl. This speaks volumes about where his loyalties lie. To date, the Obama campaign has offered seven separate and distinct excuses as to why he did not go to Landstuhl. The DOD has said that he was both expected and welcome as long as his visit was in his capacity as a U. S. Senator. In other words, he could not bring his campaign staff and hangers-on along with him. It seems clear that this is the reason that Obama chose not to go.

That Barack Obama was able to draw thousands to hear him speak in Germany has certainly reinforced his 'rock star' persona. The thought of Obama standing before and ocean of people chanting his name is filling the hearts of liberals with such joy that they can hardly contain their glee. There have been many leaders, some quite evil, who have had the charisma to draw thousands to hear them speak. Hitler is a good example. Undoubtedly, the most charismatic chancellor that Germany has ever known, but when he finally ended his political career (by putting a bullet in his head), Germany was a heap of smoldering rubble.

What has Obama done to deserve all of this nearly messianic adoration? His campaign slogans are rather generic. On his campaign posters we read things like, "Yes we can", "Change", and "Progress". 'Yes we can' do what? Nationalize one seventh of the U. S. economy with universal health care. How is that a good idea? What has the government ever been able to do better and cheaper than the private sector? Most government social programs swallow up seventy percent of every tax dollar coming into them just to run the bureaucracy. Think about it. Seventy percent of one seventh of the U.S. economy disappearing into a huge bureaucratic black hole. I am not going to try to do the math, the figure would be in the trillions of dollars. The Europeans know this. They have had government run health care for some time. Perhaps that is why they came out in such huge numbers to hear Obama speak. Misery loves company.

When Obama speaks about change, in large part he is talking about changing the way things are done in Washington. This is certainly appealing to most people, myself included. The most corrupting practice in

Washington today is legislative earmarks. Many in Congress, on both sides of the aisle, have used earmarks to enrich themselves and their family members. It is a practice with needs to end if we are going to really change the way Washington does things. But, Barack Obama has not come out strongly in favor of ending the earmarks, only the public disclosure of them. Obama has not given full disclosure himself as to his earmarks. However, those which have been disclosed reveals that one of his earmarks benefited the hospital which employed his wife. How can we believe that he will clean up Washington when he has clearly been part of the problem.

Obama speaks of 'progress'. Conservatives know exactly what he means by progress. One would have to be more than a hundred years old to be able to recall a time when a political progressive was something other than a socialist. When Obama was being criticized recently by McCain on his flip flopping, Obama said this; "I am someone who is no doubt progressive." Since he has said it himself, all of America should have no doubt as well.

The ability of a leader, or potential leader, to draw thousands of people to hear him speak is no indication that said leader will lead well. The popularity of a message is no guarantee that the message is sound and will bring the expected results. Barack Obama's notions of governance are not new, they are the same old socialist ideas, dusted off and polished up to look new. They have all been tried with disastrous results.

America's answer to Barack Obama on election day should be a simple one.