Brain Lemon

I don't know if I should be depressed or self-satisfied, but President Obama so far has behaved exactly like we feared.  I honestly had some hope for him after his first few appointments, but thus far those hopes have been dashed by his numerous predictable, but nonetheless very troubling, actions.

For one, he has wasted no time in going after his critics, especially in talk radio.  Democrats have eagerly attempted to isolate, ostracize, and shut up Rush and his conservative brethren.  Obama's own goals on the White House website include imposing new rules that would serve to vastly weaken the talk radio format.  In the name of "unity," Democrats have demanded that Republicans sit down, shut up, and go along with whatever they want to do.  Whenever they don't, it is referred to as "divisive" and "politics as usual," even when they have legitimate questions.

Obama has also attempted, in just the first two weeks of his presidency, to pass a spending bill so loaded with pork and excess as to be mind-boggling, all in the name of "stimulating the economy."  In fact, the disgusting bill that just recently passed the House (with not a single Republican vote, I might add) will do nothing to help the economy and saddle future generations with over a trillion dollars in debt to fund a whole collection of liberal priorities. 

Finally, Obama has taken the expected positions on national security and abortion.  Closing Gitmo without any serious plan for the terrorists there is reckless and naive, and shows that this new administration does not believe we are at war.  And Obama's actions to force public funding of abortions will ensure that even more "unwanted" babies are terminated.

Thus, I would have to say that so far Obama is behaving just as feared.  If he continues tacking to the far left on every major issue we are in for some truly scary times.

As our new president takes control, conservatives are furiously debating what our approach should be when dealing with the new administration.  Some feel that we should wish only the best for Obama, hoping he succeeds, and going along with all but the most egregious policies.  Others feel that we should treat him much like Bush was treated – opposing practically everything he wants, and trying to derail his presidency even at the cost of damaging the country.  To sum it up as one article did – do we Bush Obama?

These are interesting questions, and I think I tend more towards the first.  I like many others have been appalled at how Bush was treated during the past eight years – demonized, hated, and opposed at almost every turn.  Democrats went as far as advocating surrender in Iraq, accusing our troops of war crimes and torture, and exposing classified secrets in their attempts to damage the administration.  All the time, the most vile of insults and slanders were bandied about by even supposedly respectable figures – it was not at all rare to hear him called a fascist, Hitler, or a warmonger.  I have sworn up and down that when the Democrats took power again, this would not be the way I acted, and I would not tolerate it from others.  And that is how I intend to act.  Of course that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun, but we'll save that for later.

However, there are a few issues that, if pursued and enacted by Obama, would turn any goodwill I have towards the president into fierce opposition.  We will disagree on economic policy, on foreign relations, and on things like energy and the environment, but as long as nothing outrageous is done, we will just have to put up a fight and hope for the best.  On a couple issues, though, I intend in no way to be tolerant, because they threaten my basic freedoms and offend my most core beliefs.

First, and most important, of these is the Fairness Doctrine.  Whatever they end up calling it, this is a blatant and fascistic attempt to silence what remains one of the most powerful and free forums for conservative thought, talk radio.  If Obama pursues this, I hope he knows that he is messing with fire.  If he comes after freedom of speech he will turn normally sane people into fighters.  He will be introducing truly Wilsonian rule on the country.  I honestly don't know what to expect from some of our more fiery citizens if their right to express their opinions freely is severely dismantled.

Secondly, there is the Freedom of Choice Act, a law that takes the already extreme Roe vs. Wade standard to an entirely new level.  It would erase virtually any progress pro-lifers have made in introducing sane, reasonable restrictions on abortion rights.  For example, parental notification laws for minors – after all, if a 15-year-old needs permission to be administered Advil, is it not reasonable to require permission for a potentially risky, life-altering surgery?  FOCA would overturn even sensible rules like this.  It would strike a massive blow against whatever is left of the sanctity of life.  I have no hopes that Obama will be even slightly friendly towards this issue – he has not a single pro-life person in his employ.  But FOCA is crossing a line, introducing taxpayer-funded abortions, thus forcing all citizens to take part in this unneccessary and gruesome practice.

Finally, there are a few other issues that would signal Obama has no intention of being a fair and moderate ruler.  Card check, which seems likely to pass, would signal a slavish devotion to labor unions even to the point of opposing basic American values.  Reckless foreign policy, such as unilateral disarmament, would signal a frightening naivete and demonstrate he has no serious intentions of keeping us safe, as would precipitous withdrawal from Iraq, though that seems more and more unlikely.  And assaults on gun ownership rights, likely to take the form of indirect and "back-door" measures, would signal he has no respect for the Second Amendment.

Many other things Obama can, and will likely, enact will be objectionable if not surprising.  But on the issues I listed above, especially FOCA and the Fairness Doctrine, Obama better tread carefully before he turns half of the country, currently withholding judgement and offering goodwill, from his loyal opposition to his fierce enemies, or possibly worse if things get bad enough.  After all, there are still those of us who love freedom enough to fight for it.  Let our new progressive rulers know this well.