The messiah has come - and his name is Obama

Well, congratulations to Obama. He is America’s first black president, and his place in history is cemented. Of course, he couldn’t have done it without the help of the media and the failures of the Republican Party; but as liberals like to tell us, blacks can’t succeed without affirmative action.

I like to console myself by saying that this nation survived the Carter years and the Clinton years, but the comparison isn’t there. Many of the Democrats in Congress were more conservative back when Carter was elected, and Clinton was not a left-wing radical. In fact, Clinton led a movement to shift his party slightly back towards the center. Obama, on the other hand, is a true leftist.

How will out country change with the triumvirate of Reid-Pelosi-Obama? Here are a few things that are likely to change:

• Voting privileges for felons
• Concessions (driver licenses, voting privileges, no border fence, etc) and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants
• Appointees to the Supreme Court that reinterpret the Constitution as they see fit
• Higher taxes, leading to a further decline in the economy
• A return of the Fairness Doctrine, which will essentially end talk radio as a viable commercial format
• More government spending, more government regulation and intrusion into our lives, particularly in Education
• Harsh environmental penalties and restrictions that will drive up the price of electricity, gas and oil
• An effort to enact universal/government healthcare (see higher taxes)
• A decline in military spending, and a general weakening of our efforts against Islamic radicalism

Those are just the things I can think of off the top of my head. If Obama is smart he’ll do none of those things and he’ll rule from a center/center-right point of view. If he keeps the country safe, keeps taxes low, and doesn’t try to advance the left’s culture war (abortion, gay marriage, etc.) then he could get two terms and go down in history as a success. If not, he’ll probably end up a one term loser like Carter.

I want to be excited about this. I really do. It finally proves to the world and the elites in this country that we’re not a racist nation. The country should be proud as a culture and society that we’ve gotten over our racial prejudices. Obama should be proud to be the nation’s first black president. The unfortunate aspect of this is that we’ll never hear the end of it. And it will assuredly have the opposite effect of eliminating racial preferences and affirmative action. We’ll hear talk of how bad it still is for the “black man on the street”. Sheesh.

It may seem like hyperbole, but this may be the first nail in the coffin of a free, capitalist America. Think of it this way – right now about 43% of all voting eligable people do not pay federal income taxes. How hard would it be for Reid/Pelosi/Obama to raise that to 51%. And once over 50% of the voters no longer pay income taxes, how can you ever convince them to go back? All the Democrats ever have to say is “right now you don’t pay taxes…vote for the Republicans and then you’ll have to”. After that, it’s socialism all the way, baby. Once the majority realize they can vote to give themselves other people's money then democracy is over.

Here’s an interesting example. Hawaii instituted socialized healthcare about a year ago.
They just scrapped the whole program because the costs ballooned out of control. Why? Because once healthcare became “free” (i.e. the government provided healthcare) even people that already could afford their own healthcare dropped it to get the “free” government healthcare. The system was overwhelmed, and that was that.

That’s the problem when the government provides for people instead of simply assisting people. When a man falls down, what should you do…give him a hand-out or a hand-up? Give him a hand-out – he’ll stay right there. Give him a hand-up – he’ll take it and rise. Democrats, including Obama, are all about the hand-out. What will this country be like in four years?

Obama has confused black people.

I read an interesting article here: http://www.theroot.com/id/47225 at a website called The Root. It's for black-people/african-americans/etc (for my purposes and based on my generation I will heretofore use the term "blacks"). Recently, Jesse Jackson made some very vulgar comments about Obama. This caused some blacks to think about the fact that Obama has actually...succeeded, in spite of or because of the fact he is black. Author Jack White (no, I'm not kidding) states:

"But in a deeper sense, his stunningly inappropriate comments symbolize the social, political and psychological vertigo that all of us, and especially black Americans, are experiencing because of Obama's success. We are all, including Obama, in a place we never really thought we would be, and it has knocked us off our feet. We don't know how to act. We don't have a plan. We're searching for our equilibrium. And until we regain our footing, we can expect all sorts of bizarre behavior from people who ought to know better. Hold on to your hat."

The implication here is that Obama's success, particularly his political success, is a complete surprise to Jack White and other blacks. This is particularly sad because there have been plenty of successful blacks in and out of the political arena. The Bush administration currently has many blacks in positions of political power. Both the Congress and the Supreme Court (which is arguably more powerful than Congress now) have black members. Where has Jack White been for the past thirty years?

Oh, that's right. He's been believing what black leadership and the media would have him believe - racism and bigotry are as bad today as they were fifty years ago, and blacks still can't succeed (especially without government sponsored reverse discrimination). As a black man he has been fed and digested this crap his whole life. Now, Obama is proving it to be untrue. I'd be a little confused, too, if I had been naive enough all these years to eat whatever is put in front of me without checking it first.

As a liberal, though, you can tell he is scared this myth that he and others have clung to (either innocently or for personal gain) is about to collapse:

"If that happens, how can we seriously argue that we're being held back by anything but the limits we place on ourselves?"

A good question, Jack. The truth is that very little has been holding back motivated blacks in this country for a long time, even though you've been provided every artificial advantage you could ask for. In fact, simply hold out your hand and the government or a guilty white liberal is likely to walk over and put something in it for you.

There are few things worse than having your world view get shattered. This is especially true when you start to realize not only could there be a better one out there, but yours was actually false. You have my sympathies, Mr. White. It's often easier to deal with the truth when it simply walks up and hits you on the head. But when it creeps up behind you and starts whispering in your ear it can almost be frightening. The good news is that you'll get over it, eventually.

The Gun is Mine

Well, it looks like the Supreme Court got one right yesterday. By a razor thin margin of 5 - 4 the court affirmed the Second Amendment conveys an individual right to the people, and that total gun bans are unconstitutional. Thank God.

Please ignore all the news stories you've read about how this finally settles the "ambiguity" inherent in the second amendment. There's nothing ambiguous about it. It states:

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Some people believe that this means that guns are only allowed for the purposes of the State governments forming militias. This ignores the fact that 200 years ago the people and militias were interchangeable. "You have a gun? Good, get your ass down here. We're forming a militia. Yeah, just like last week".

Regardless, the text couldn't be clearer. The authors simply put their reason for the right before the right. It could have just as easily read "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, because we know we need militias". The only people that think that is ambiguous are people that don't like guns. They wish that it didn't guarantee a right of the people, and delude themselves into believing that while the other nine amendments in the Bill of Rights all convey rights to individuals, the second applies to the state governments. Ok.

What should scare you and all your friends is that four justices on the court thought that they could change the constitution based on their political beliefs. Four unelected individuals were about to change one of your fundamental rights as an American because a) they could, and b) they didn't like that right. Make no mistake, this was a victory for freedom loving Americans. And I thought I'd sleep easier knowing that they ruled the correct way. But I'm scared about how close we came to losing our right to self-defense. And for those of you that hate guns, what if this had been about freedom of speech, or the right to a speedy trial? How would you feel if you had been one vote away from losing something like that?

I'm thankful for the way it turned out, but it illustrates how important the upcoming presidential election will be. If Gore had been president then Justices Alito and Roberts wouldn't be there, and I would no longer have the right to keep and bear arms. Today Obama said he supported the court's decision, but that makes little sense considering he opposed two of the judges that ruled for the second amendment, i.e. Alito and Roberts. Even if I had had no other reasons, I would have been happy to vote Bush over Gore or Kerry simply because of judicial appointments.

Our founding fathers never intended for the supreme court to have this kind of power. Few people realize that the court granted itself the authority to rule on the constitutionality of a law. Think carefully this fall when you cast your vote. When it comes to judicial appointments it's not about conservative versus liberal. It's about who will do the job of a judge, and who will legislate from the bench.

MLK - man, do we miss you

There are quite a few articles and television programs honoring the assassination anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend. Many speculative articles are coming out asking "what would have happened if he had lived?" The more appropriate question is "what happened because he died?"

First, let me say that I truly believe MLK was a great man. Free of flaws? No, he was human like us all, but I am an admirer. The negative impact of his death on blacks and America in general almost can't be measured. His death opened the door to race-baiting jerks like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. It opened the door to preachers like Jeremiah Wright that profess anger, lies, divisiveness, hate and a focus on the past; rather than peace, equality, unity and a focus on the future.

I have to believe that the lack of King's influence these past decades contributed to the decay of black culture and society. Unwed teenage mothers are practically an epidemic in the black community. Black leaders encourage an entitlement system that made blacks slaves again - slaves to government handouts and reverse discrimination, destroying ambition and pride.

Whether King's assassination was the work of one man or a conspiracy, it has had far reaching effects. Blacks lost their spiritual, moral and political captain, and they've been adrift every since, to their detriment and America's.

President Obama - get used to it.

I rarely make predictions, even though I'm more than competent to do so. There's a fairly safe one I can make right now: assuming Obama gets the Democrat nomination he'll be the next president of the USA.

"But H.K.," you ask, "how can someone who has so little experience, few accomplishments, and who clearly doesn't know the first thing about our Constitution become president?" Well, it all starts with McCain, and hinges around him. He is obviously going to be the Republican nominee. Now, if you put Hillary up against him she would make him look statesmanlike and seasoned, and he would make her look like a bitter, socialist shrew.

But, if you put Obama up against him, McCain will look like a withered, angry white guy, and he'll make Obama look like a vibrant, young everyman.

The other factor is the mainstream (i.e. liberal) media. Even though many on the left like McCain for pissing off fellow Republicans, they won't support him. They'll be behind Obama 100%, and they'll do everything in their power to cover up his deficiencies and make his empty populist rhetoric seem substantive.

Is the country ready to elect a black man to the nation's highest post? I think so. Plenty of white people feel we continue to owe the black community...something. I can't imagine what anyone owes them at this point, but plenty of people will feel like they've put the check in the mail by voting for Obama. Done and done.

Plus after eight years of Bush people want "change". What, exactly, do they want to change? They don't fucking know. They hear the media tell them that millions of people don't have healthcare, or that we're torturing people, or that the economy is in the tank. Great, let's elect someone who will give us Canada's healthcare system, which is so great Canadians come down here to get treated. Let's just ask captured terrorists nicely to tell us their plans. Maybe a little ice cream will loosen those tongues? And let's take more money out of the pockets of people that actually earn it, and give it to bums that don't. That will surely help the economy.

Wait, I get it. You're pissed about Iraq? You want to "bring the troops" home. You do realize Obama refuses to pledge he'll immediately start a troop withdrawal if elected?

Anyway, McCain won't stand a snowball's chance in Hell against Obama. The media will make sure you think he is JFK with a tan, and that McCain is old and crazy. I hope to God my prediction is wrong, but I doubt it will be. We'll have at least four years of liberal judge appointees, empty talk about universal health care, a relaxing of our fight against muslim extremists, pillaging evil corporations, etc.

There's a small chance that McCain and Company will do an effective enough job of making Obama look like the ultra-liberal neophyte that he is. They might do an effective enough job of making McCain look like a comfortable grandfather we can trust in. But I doubt it.

President Obama. I don't like the sound of that, but at this point I might as well get used to it.