If it were our task to vote for the guy least full of crap this election cycle, John McCain would win by many lengths, not that McCain isn’t completely full of it too, it’s just that Barack Obama is so proficient in the art.

Following this European/Middle East tour where Obama has proven popular and electable in a supremely socialist environment, I am not convinced the majority of Americans are going to be sold by a candidate who encourages a population that endeavors to see American superiority and excellence falter; no matter those polls run by the drive by media.

The network anchors are knocking themselves over competing to give the biggest accolades to Obama.   They are comparing his Germany speech to those inspiring and lasting ones by Kennedy and by Reagan, but Obama’s speech had no substance except when he veered off course just long enough to bash the United States and current policies.

His speech was chock full of substance when it declared how bad the United States was as a torturer and as an immoral country driven by greed.   It was chock full of substance when Obama promised much more American tax dollars to be spent overseas to aid poor ailing countries.   Substance only waned by Obama neglecting to suggest these countries embrace the sort of capitalist government which rewards achievement and excellence that has availed the United States with the great wealth we can ostensibly just past around the world.

Sans substance, Barack’s Germany speech highlighted emotion and rhetoric promising change.  

Rhetoric can inspire but when it is connected to bad ideas and corrosive policy it cannot move.   Even while socialist optimism can raise spirits when packaged in the utopian sort of expression Mr. Obama seems to excel at, it will rise only temporarily, until the weight of that socialist policy fully pressures those people expected to carry it solely on their shoulders and who are guaranteed no benefit from it.

Democrat ideology brags we are all in this together and then it proposes only some of us should be burdened with the heavy lifting required to accomplish lofty change.

Obama capped off his overseas campaign on Meet the Press in London with Tom Brokaw.   If you listened to what Obama was saying closely you could decipher what it is he really believes government can accomplish.   Instead of empowering people and protecting the people’s liberties enabling them to excel with the knowledge and expertise of their experience, Obama believes, like Soviet bureaucrats of that failed state, all power and economic decision should be managed by bureaucracy and not the market.

When asked about the many Americans who did not take irresponsible home loans and felt that government should not be involved in a housing bailout , Obama stressed he agreed with that sentiment, but then went on to suggest government’s involvement is required to help people who are hurting but not speculators (how will he manage that?) and to insure housing values do not go down.  

Bad loans promoted by government are what caused housing prices to be artificially high and what caused the mortgage crisis to begin with.   Obama’s ignorance fuels his arrogance that somehow government can fix this problem.

On lost jobs in Detroit, Obama made the moronic proclamation that if government had mandated fuel efficiency standards on the big 3, automakers would not have lost so many jobs.   Obama thinks he knows better than America’s top CEO’s how to run 200 billion dollar corporations.   Again his arrogance shines.   Quality standards, bad labor practices, and high costs had American automakers reeling long before gas prices skyrocketed.

When queried about polls where only blacks were asked about race relations in America (poll results that many white Americans would consider offensive), Obama went on to insinuate black plight has resulted from slavery and that legacy of the past , failing to understand black plight has resulted from the very types of liberal programs promoted by his predecessors which he endorses.  

For an American citizen consumed by the idea that hard work, dedication, and good decisions will reward those who make such endeavors, its thoroughly disheartening to hear the harmonious cacophony which wants to affix all blame for America’s problems on those very guys who’ve started small businesses and who have actually created a few jobs.

There has been plenty of talk that Barack Obama may lose this election because no one knows who he really is.   Jerimiah Wright God Damn America is who Barack Obama really is.   Domestic terrorist Wish we did more William Ayers is who Barack Obama really is.   Central government bureaucrats attempting to control housing markets and jobs formation is who Barack Obama really is.   Assigning white racism to black plight and legacy of the past is who Barack Obama really is.

Acquainting himself with the American people is not Obama’s challenge this election cycle, making sure no one finds out who he really is, is.
 

Copyright 2008 Jim Pontillo