Obama's Catastrophic Error

President Obama's endorsement yesterday of the construction of the Ground Zero Jihad Mosque in New York, coupled with his attempts at a quick backtrack now less than twenty four hours later, represents a critical turning point in how Americans will view the Obama presidency.  Most Americans are too busy living their lives and working to earn money to pay their enormous tax burden to pay too much attention to what goes on in Washington, but the President's remarks at the White House Ramadan ceremony Friday night will be viewed by many Americans as just a little too friendly toward the faith of those who hate America.  Even more Americans will recognize the plain poor judgment and lack of perspective the President's remarks reveal.  Finally, Obama's attempts to backtrack today guarantee that the story will be magnified exponentially in the American consciousness, and also highlight the President's political cowardice in not standing up for his true beliefs.

It is absolutely true that Muslim citizens share the same freedoms of religion and association as Americans of other faiths.  However, as most of us learned in civics class, or at least through the living of life, just because one has the freedom to do certain things, not all things should be done.  Jihad apologists bandy the argument of American exceptionalism only now, claiming that because we are Americans we should allow the sacrilege of the building of the mosque, while on any other issue those same liberal elites reject any whiff of that very same exceptionalism.  Well I call foul!  It is not un-American to oppose the Ground Zero Mosque, no more so than it is to oppose the building of a Nazi Heritage Center at Auschwitz, or a Japanese Imperial Center at Pearl Harbor.  Civilized people act civilly.

To be sure, I'm not in favor of the "torts gone wild" mindset of today in which people claim harm for every perceived slight, but the circumstances here are clearly unique.  The attacks of 9/11 were one of the seminal events of my life and yours, properly awakening Americans to the Islamic jihad being waged against them.  Moreover, I do not accept the premise that the Ground Zero Mosque is being promoted by moderate Islamic interests, and this becomes clear with just a little research into the background of the project's front man, Feisal Abdul Rauf.  And this is no mere storefront meeting place, but a planned sixteen story tower.  For what possible purpose can such a megalith serve in this location?  I'm afraid we know all too well.  All of us except President "the Cambridge police acted stupidly" Obama and his ilk.  Why am I reminded of the oh so earnest nuclear freeze movements of the 1980s, which we learned in the 1990s were funded and directed by the Communists?

America, bless her quasi-isolationist heart, tends to, not forget, but to move on about her business of living life and creating prosperity, such that we sometimes lose our collective focus on some important things.  We don't want to be at war.  We don't want to argue about religion.  We don't want to conquer any territory.  We just want people to be left alone to live in freedom.  In our war weariness and our desire to move on America elected Barack Obama to the Presidency.  The consequences of that choice are becoming clearer to many Americans, and they don't like what they see.

Economic Heresy and Foreign Policy Ostrich-ism

Everywhere the headlines seem to paint the same picture---a bleak jobs outlook, tepid economic growth, a declining stock market.  Dare I say it, it's almost as if America is suffering from an economic "malaise."  The ruling liberal elites and the chattering class of the press seem perplexed and bewildered that President Obama's vaunted stimulus package, not to mention his very presence in office, hasn't led to universal prosperity.  Of course, there is one subset of the economy that's doing well, the public employee sector, beneficiaries of the Democrats' statist leanings.  We'll accept the exception, noting our skepticism that public sector employment drives economic expansion.

Across our great nation one can sense the almost palpable anxiety of the people.  Where are the jobs?  How can I continue to provide for my family?  As a physician I see a cross section of people in my practice, and anecdotally I can confirm the hurting is real and widespread.  Our national sense of confidence has fallen so far that no one now even asks the quintessential American question, "Will my children be better off than I've been?''  Sadly, I think the expectation is that that's just not possible.

Contrary to the Democrats' expectations, the passage of Obamacare hasn't lessened economic anxieties.  Instead, most people rightly understand that it transfers control from individuals to a bureaucracy, at an untold cost saddled onto our children and grandchildren.

Is there then no solution?  Are our leaders correct?  Obviously not.  It's time to proclaim that the emperor has no clothes.  President Obama and his socialist allies have no clue how to create jobs or grow the economy, themselves having never respected market economics and the creation of wealth.  If the stakes weren't so high, it would be almost pitiful to see their bumbling incompetence revealed for all to see.  Unfortunately, their worldview is so fatally flawed and intransigent that I fear there's no chance they will change their economic policy.

Here's a truth worth shouting from the rooftops.  The single biggest hindrance holding back economic growth is the upcoming expiration of the Bush tax cuts, less than six months from now.  Not only are employers staring down the oncoming freight train of the largest tax increase in history, incredibly that's just the devil they know.  The devil they don't know is the degree of extra taxes that will be required to fund Obamacare and the various bailouts and other statist policies pursued by this Administration.

Employers generally aren't amenable to committing economic suicide, and I think the prevailing sentiment among entrepreneurs is one of hunkering down and simply trying to survive the times in hopes of a more friendly policy environment in the future.  Incredibly, I hear no one in any position of authority even recognizing that there might be merit in maybe lessening the impact of the coming tax hikes.

It's discouraging.  So many of our nation's policies are misguided, and we fear that we're continuing to head in the wrong direction.  I've not even touched on foreign policy, or the fact that our leaders refuse to even recognize that our enemy is Islamic radicalism.  Or that President Obama, who bows to kings and emperors, is probably viewed by real and potential foreign adversaries as a boob and an incompetent at best.

Over thirty years ago President Carter in one term managed to preside over a profusion of foreign policy disasters, among them the loss of Iran to Islamic radicalism,  a high-profile and demoralizing hostage crisis in Iran punctuated by a disastrous attempted rescue debacle, the loss of Rhodesia to a thuggish dictator, and the encouragement of an aggressive expansionist Soviet foreign policy that required a man like Ronald Reagan to overcome.  It's my fear that the fruit of a single Obama term will make the Carter foreign policy seem successful.  With regard to Obama's economic policy, comparing the current situation to Carter's seems unfair to Jimmy Carter.

November can't come soon enough.

Rich (-adj, ridiculous or absurd)

Today's Jackson Sun contains an intriguing article quoting retiring Congressman John Tanner's criticism of 8th District GOP candidate Stephen Fincher's recent tour of the Milan Army Ammunition Arsenal. Why intriguing? Not only has the outgoing congressman been virtually invisible to the media since he announced his intention not to seek re-election, but it's unusual for a retiring incumbent to insert himself into the opposing party's primary. As so often is the case in politics there's more here than meets the eye.

You see, Fincher's opponent in the GOP primary is an avowed friend of and political contributor to John Tanner. Tanner's criticism of Fincher is clearly calculated to help his friend Ron Kirkland in the primary election. The GOP nominee will face Democrat Roy Herron in November's general election. It's hard for me to believe Tanner's criticism isn't coordinated with an assist from the Kirkland camp.

My own sense is that Republican primary voters will see Tanner's comments as a badge of honor for Fincher. It often seems that we live in an Orwellian political world where truth is subjugate to "spin." Kirkland's effort to portray Fincher as somehow a tool of Washington insiders is a perfect example of such nonsense.

I know both Fincher and Kirkland. I've served on the board of directors of The Jackson Clinic with Kirkland, and he's the insider. Kirkland is the friend of congressmen and the Washington elitists. He's the supporter of and believer in the get-along back-scratching culture of power where there's not a dime's difference in Republicans and Democrats. Surely the GOP won't let Kirkland get away with smearing a farmer who's spent his life raising his family, spreading the gospel, and feeding America and the rest of the world.

It's always wise to remember the adage, when hearing criticism, consider the source. Considering who's criticizing Fincher, I'll stand with him.

Huck's Main Street Steamroller

I'm posting tonight as the final tallies are being made of Iowa's caucus votes. With Mike Huckabee's strong victory, the mainstream conservatives who make up the backbone of the Republican party have spoken loudly and clearly. The elitist "thought-leaders" of the GOP have been humbled by a man whose very campaign is anathema to establishment Republicans. The margin of Huckabee's victory over Romney tonight surprised even me, and I've been hoping for a Huckabee win for months. I will say that Huck's margin would have been even greater but for his recent unwarranted attack on the Bush foreign policy, but that error will likely be forgotten in the avalanche of favorable press from tonight's big victory. Even now, the television talking heads do not appreciate the strength of the Main Street Steamroller, but I believe Huckabee can win the GOP nomination and the Presidency.

How can Mitt Romney overcome the hard truth that three out of four Iowa GOP caucus voters, after intense media exposure to Romney, chose someone else? I don't think Romney can overcome tonight's result. McCain will clean Romney's clock in New Hampshire five days from now, but I do not believe Republicans will nominate McCain for President. McCain has alienated too many GOP faithful with his apostasies on immigration, tax cuts, and First Amendment free speech restrictions. I also do not believe Thompson's 3rd place tie with McCain tonight is enough to keep his candidacy alive. Huckabee will blow him and everyone else away in South Carolina, forcing Thompson's withdrawal and leaving Giuliani as the sole alternative to Huckabee.

I am surprised by the results on the Democratic side. I would not have thought, prior to today, that Hillary could possibly finish worse than second in Iowa, but it looks like she may finish behind Edwards. I do not believe Edwards did well enough tonight to survive. He needed a victory or at least a close second to make a legitimate case for viability. I'm happy with this result, because I feared Edwards as the strongest general election threat for the Democrats. Obama's strength amazes me, and I wonder how Hillary will frame the debate in New Hampshire over the next five days. I suspect lots of muck and mud will be thrown at Obama in New Hampshire, and if Hillary loses that primary, look out! At that point, Democrats would be in full self-destruct mode.

I look forward to the next five days. We live in interesting times.

Huck's Mistake Involves Integrity

"George W. Bush has resolutely led our nation on a new course, a course not sought by America on September 11, 2001, but a course that rightly affirmed the value of honor and liberty and life. I thank God for his wise leadership and his calming and steadfast policies, policies that in some ways with hindsight could have admittedly been improved, but policies all too quickly attacked, and now being vilified despite the best news from Iraq in over a year." These are the sentences that should headline any foreign policy apologetic by any mainstream conservative seeking the Presidency.

Unfortunately, Governor Huckabee has sunk disappointingly to the level of others who've forgotten the GOPs Eleventh Commandment. Not only has the lightly regarded pseudo-Commandment been breached, far more Huckadamage has been done with his patently fact-challenged attack on the Bush Administration's "arrogant bunker mentality." I say patently false because of those pesky things, facts, that get in the way of a good poll-tested focus group opinion. Never mind the support of England, Poland, Australia, and numerous other countries. Military personnel of these countries are fighting and dying, not because they're stupid, but because their nations' leaders see the same Islamofascist threat that Bush sees.

I don't think a man of integrity ought to be so driven for personal gain that he impugns his own President in time of war and energizes those opponents of our nation's success, both foreign and domestic. I especially believe this when the President has plainly stated his case for his actions, and when after hard times his plans seem to be beginning to work.

Huckabee's poll numbers took a noticeable dip a couple of days ago, a timing coincident with his "arrogant bunker mentality" quote. That Huckabee would write such a screed gives one pause to reconsider other claims of ethical lapse against him. My point is not that the other accusations have merit, nor would they have any traction absent "arrogant bunker mentality," but it is that this whole blunder was completely and totally avoidable, and is even now fixable with a simple apology. I pray that an infection of good sense will gently waft throughout Huckabee headquarters, and that said apology will be forthcoming.

Huckabee's Mistake

Here's a quick post on a wonderful snuggly rainy Saturday. Family games in front of the fire and Miracle On 34th Street are on tap for later. I wanted to post today because I'm concerned about the first real mistake I've seen the Huckabee campaign make.

Mike Huckabee's decision to write an article for a respected (ie mainstream elites) foreign policy magazine was probably necessary, but he's made a pretty severe tactical error by his forceful criticism of the Bush Administration's so-called arrogant "bunker mentality." What, pray tell, would Huckabee have had George Bush do in a post-9/11 environment when the consensus of the intelligence community pointed toward Irag's possession of weapons of mass destruction? Remember that the leadership of France and Germany based their foreign policy on opposition to America's interests. Remember the noxious corruption of the UN, evidenced in the Oil For Food scandal. Remember that, conversely, many nations, including England, Australia, Poland, and others have been staunch allies of Bush Administration policies. Remember also that, pre-9/11, candidate George Bush campaigned on a platform of "humility" in American foreign policy. The recognition of the civilized world's mortal danger from Islamic terrorists forced the change in Bush's foreign policy approach, and thank God for George Bush's willingness to face the threat. I certainly don't agree with everything the President has done, but it's helpful to no one at this point for Republican Presidential candidates to use such incendiary rhetoric.

Not only am I disappointed in Huckabee for making these statements, but it raises legitimate questions about his willingness to stand up to the liberal elites' conventional wisdom on any number of other issues. I've been a huge Huckabee supporter, in part because of his willingness to stand up for social and cultural truths unpopular on the East and West Coasts. Huckabee allayed my initial concerns about his commitment to limited government and personal liberty with his Second Amendment support and his advocacy of the FAIR Tax. If his purpose in writing this article was for short-term media approbation, his character is not as strong as I'd thought. If he actually believes such silly claptrap, his judgment and philosophy are suspect. I admit I haven't read Huckabee's article, but only seen excerpts from it, but even if the reporting on the article is incorrect, Huckabee should have had the good sense to see how the article would be portrayed.

None of the exogenous attacks on Huckabee that I've seen could harm him significantly, in my opinion. Unfortunately, this unnecessary and self-inflicted blunder has the potential to stall the enthusiasm of his supporters and his appeal to those voters for whom national security is the paramount issue. Even if Huckabee survives the Romney and Thompson attacks in Iowa and New Hampshire, this article supplies Rudy Giuliani with plenty of ammunition to use against Huckabee later in the nominating process. What a big mistake! I hope Mike Huckabee has the good sense to back away from these comments, and the quicker the better.

Quick Political Round-Up

I'm writing tonight after a several week period of being too busy for my own good, and too busy to post. Tonight's subject is political prognostication. I'm gratified to see, in the GOP race for the Presidential nomination, that my favored candidate, Mike Huckabee, is surging. Huckabee has succeeded in courting the mainstream media, who do not understand that a big-time pastor has the same skill set as a major corporate CEO. I now believe Huckabee will win Iowa, and he is approaching an even money shot at winning the nomination. I do not believe any of the attacks on Huckabee I've seen so far will stick, and the attacks may actually serve to legitimize him.

I still think Giuliani is the national front-runner. Romney will probably be crippled after New Hampshire, and finished after South Carolina. Here's why Romney will fade: John McCain will exceed expectations in New Hampshire, probably finishing a close second to Romney. A narrow and fading victory by Romney in New Hampshire will further shred an image that will be in tatters after Iowa. I don't think McCain has enough mainstream Republican support to capitalize on what I expect to be his New Hampshire success. Huckabee will dominate South Carolina, forcing Thompson's withdrawal. This will set up the February 5 battle which will probably decide the nomination, with the advantage to Giuliani over Huckabee on the basis of money and organization. This scenario should not be surprising, as I've for months predicted the GOP fight would wind up being between EITHER Huckabee or Thompson and Giuliani or Romney. Thompson's fizzle is the direct result of Huckabee's fire, though I had expected a better campaign performance than Thompson has thus far shown. It's all thrilling to watch for a political junkie like me. We'll see how my predictions turn out, but right now Huckabee is riding his wave, and I'm right there with him.

On the Democratic side, it's fun to watch Hillary squirm. Can you imagine the staff meetings with Hillary over the past two weeks as her internal polling has tanked? I have written before of Hillary's political tin ear, which I've hoped would doom her general election prospects. Until recently, I've never thought, though, that she could lose the Democratic nomination. Her organization looked too strong and her competition too weak. I've had to rethink this over the past two weeks, but I still cannot credibly imagine the Democrats handing their nomination to a candidate as weak as Obama or Edwards. If Hillary does indeed lose Iowa, and five days later does not win strong in New Hampshire, look for crisis-management mode among the Democrat muckety-mucks. It will likely manifest itself in the form of a major Draft Al Gore movement. All bets would be off at that point, with a major dogfight between Gore and the Clintons. In any case, I believe that scenario unlikely, and I still think Hillary is likely to win the Democratic nomination. Never underestimate the Clintons. They are capable of anything.