Rational Liberty has an awesome post about President Barack Hussein Obama. The RL post examines the BHO personality cult, the birth certificate controversy, the Leftist agenda and more. This is an awesome piece of writing that the Conservative mind will truly appreciate.
JRH 6/12/09
*****************
Blog Editor: Every once in awhile I update posts from the original SlantRight.com archive in case I lose favor with the server owner. Politically and theologically we don't see eye to eye; hence the reason for blogging on other platforms. Below is the rest of the post as it roughly appeared at StantRight.com.
UPDATED: 7/10/15
+++
The Dangers of Barack Hussein Obama
Rational Liberty
June 10, 2009
What makes a man dangerous? How does tyranny rear its ugly head? In politics, these two questions are mostly interrelated. A treacherous politician can become a tyrant with the proper supporting cast and a groundswell of ignorance from the People. The process can be drawn-out or it can be quite rapid, but in many instances, it has a little of both.
Political dangers arise from a hodgepodge of factors. In politics they can occasionally combine to deliver an inspirational figure to the unwitting masses. When the public mood is on a downturn and more people feel discouraged or desperate concerning their everyday lives, a seemingly transcendent politician can capture the dreams of the less industrious and largely uninformed. All that is required from the politician in question is lofty rhetoric, platitudes, constant deflection of any culpability, and promises of a return to prosperity and greatness no matter how it is achieved. Paired with a poorly educated and downtrodden citizenry, their popularity is sure to rise and prevail over any shortcomings.
We have witnessed such “cults of personality” in recent history. Nearly all of these leaders – from Joseph Stalin to Hugo Chavez – have overseen or will oversee unmitigated disasters for the populations they control. Misery and death, either for their nation or their neighbors, is a common result. The promises and dreams of the populace quickly vanish into deeper despair and the ascendance of central government. War, genocide, and a general tyranny are most frequently the ends achieved. Millions of dead civilians is usually the definitive outcome.
Over the past year and a half, the United States has seen the arrival of a new political personality. Like those leaders previously mentioned, Barack Hussein Obama broke onto the national scene at a time of general malaise, where the nation was suffering from war weariness, political discord, and the beginning of a financial collapse. The media picked up his life story and touted him as a transcendent figure who had the capacity to unite a nation and bring it out of what they felt were some of its darkest days.
However, the only achievements in the political realm by Barack Obama were his few unimpressive election wins and his calculated oratory style that seemingly mimicked the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights-era public speakers. His lack of any executive experience was seen as ostensibly trivial and, in some cases, refreshing. His radical record, agenda, and relationships were ignored or flat-out denied by himself, his supporters, and most of the media. In essence, his personality and his speeches propelled him to the forefront of politics – and eventually – into the White House.
But the dangers of Barack Obama are much worse than just his lack of experience or his disastrous policies.
First and foremost, Obama’s natural-born citizenship has never been confirmed – and it most likely never will be. As his father was a British citizen at the time of his birth, Barack is constitutionally ineligible for the presidency of the United States. No matter how many times that fact is denied or how many times those who mention it are ridiculed, it will always remain truthful. The fact that a constitutional violation this egregious receives very little attention and will not be remedied is quite disturbing and demonstrates how far we have already strayed from the principles of constitutional law as a nation and citizenry.
So, at the outset, and the first major problem along the path to tyranny, is the illegitimate occupation of the federal executive – commonly referred to as usurpation.
Not only has the media mostly failed to inquire about the citizenship issue, but they have also failed to seek answers about Obama’s relationships and extensive connections with far left organizations, donors, and close friends and associates. They are almost completely unwilling to criticize him and even comedians are reluctant to poke fun at him. Some have made the statement that he gives them nothing to joke about, allegedly due to his superior intellect and absence of gaffes. Either these comedians and their writers haven’t been paying attention or they are simply ignoring reality.
When this type of public cover by the media and entertainers is so blatant, one wonders why they go to such lengths to avoid what came to them so easily with multiple predecessors. Are they afraid of a general public backlash – i.e. the mob? Are they afraid of being labeled a “racist” because of Obama’s skin color? Or do they steer clear of criticism and comedy because they simply found someone with whom they agree ideologically?
In any case, the results are similar. Obama usually receives or will receive a pass on any faux pas or political failure he encounters. The public will remain uninformed and their perceptions of him will continue to be skewed by irresponsible media reporting. The entertainers will create an aura of imperviousness that resonates through the oblivious masses. In the long run, it either sets up Obama for undeserved glory – which would further contribute to the cult of personality and a potential further abuse of power – or it sets the stage for a spectacular fall and lingering public malaise, apathy, and cynicism.
Because of the negligent media habits, and the condition of our economy, the illegitimate administration has been able to move quickly to implement policies that are in fact quite radical and potentially devastating to our long-term liberty and prosperity. Laws that can cause irreversible damage are being introduced, considered, and passed by our Congress.
Some who oppose Obama’s agenda blame these policies on naïveté. The problem with this belief is that Obama has mentioned on several occasions that he plans on “remaking” American society. He follows the same pattern of influence and initiatives that past left-wing administrations adhered to when implementing their socialist, or “progressive,” agendas. Many of his plans are nearly identical to Marxist ideals and a fascist social order. He knows what he’s doing ideologically but isn’t fully competent at executive decision-making and appears to be uncomfortable in that role. This is where his inexperience shines brightly.
Regardless of the blunders, the backtracking, and the constant clarifying of their multiple positions, the Obama administration has already been able to pass some of their game-changing legislation. It’s then sold to the public as a great achievement and credit is given to the administration before any positive results are known.
A perfect example is the “economic recovery” legislation - also known as the “stimulus” bill. We were told that this $787 billion was needed immediately to save the economy, but less than 6% has been used in four months and there is no evidence of any job being “created or saved” as promised by the administration. Add this to the fact that the money used for this legislation – or any other, for that matter – must first be confiscated from individuals. Nevertheless, when the bill was signed into law, it was touted as one of the greatest achievements of a new president. But the only thing that truly made the legislation impressive was the fact that it was the single largest spending bill in history. To make matters worse, the administration and Congress made claims of restoring fiscal responsibility during a “summit” just one week later.
The rapid pace of economic destruction is intentional and it will only continue to deteriorate if the public remains apathetic, or worse, eager and excited about the “social change” Obama has begun. Still on the “change” list is the green agenda, government healthcare, and additional education spending, among many other things. Trillions of dollars in added national deficits will almost certainly sink the dollar and the U.S. economy. Not even a radical leftist can deny the effects of massive and unsustainable debts. Obama is well aware of what his agenda will do, but he’s relying on the ignorance of the public and his fellow statist supporters to let him continue along his reckless path.
The domestic front is not the only way to destroy a nation or fundamentally alter it. Foreign policy plays a key role as well. Our relations with allies and the way we handle hostile regimes plays an integral part in how we are respected and how our influence is received in foreign affairs.
Since Inauguration Day, several foreign leaders in a multitude of ways have tested Barack Obama. Each one of these tests – whether it has been the advancement of nuclear technology by Iran or the nuclear testing and launching of missiles by North Korea – has demonstrated the weakness of Obama’s more “diplomatic” strategies. In other words, he has so far failed these tests. We know that the tactics of the new administration are intentional, but are the results as well?
During the administration of George W. Bush, many Democrats expressed their concerns of using fear and perceived weakness as a means of implementing laws and policies that, in their opinion, restricted liberties in exchange for enhanced security. When tyranny has taken hold in modern times, it usually came disguised in a mask of safety and stability. The domestic agenda of Obama has already been pretty well articulated. It involves a regimentation of society guided by an influx of daily government oversight into our lives. To impose these new laws and to make them “work,” he’ll need an enforcement mechanism never before seen in this country.
By making us appear weak in the eyes of our hostile enemies, Obama is inviting further challenges to our international influence and possibly even attacks on our country or our citizens abroad. This will undoubtedly have an impact on national defense and can provide him with the necessary mandate to increase domestic surveillance and security. Even if that scenario is not premeditated, it will provide for the same type of government intrusion once feared by the supporters of the current administration.
If his foreign policy blunders and his domestic agenda do in fact make us weak, then the results can be even more catastrophic than September 11, 2001, and can create a situation similar to the events that followed Germany’s Reichstag fire in 1933.
The United States as a nation is walking a very fine line between liberty and tyranny. The balance is found in the resolve of the People and their willingness to stand up for individual freedoms and to stand against government infringements upon them. With widespread ignorance, apathy, and fear – whether it is of an economic or physical nature – the equilibrium shifts to the advantage of a domineering government. The catalyst for a dramatic transformation in the relationship between government and the governed can simply be one man with a soothing oratory style and a handful of spurious promises, along with the necessary cover provided by a supportive media.
The rise of Barack Hussein Obama has so far epitomized that cult of personality.
Nonetheless, despite all of the aforementioned risks, poll numbers are beginning to show a decline in public approval of Obama’s handling of economic and fiscal issues. And while similar political personalities rose to power in what was known as the “old world,” the United States has always had a different mentality about government and politics, and about the individuals who hold office. In the face of an extreme assault on the American way of life it may be the American tradition and longstanding American principles that are our ultimate saving grace.
Sustaining those traditions and principles in a society that suffers a constant barrage of conflicting legislation and outright mockery won’t be easy. It will only be a matter of time before the standards for individual liberty and our free republic are lowered or distorted. After all, that’s the goal of the so-called “progressive” movement in the United States – and so far it has been quite successful.
The question remains whether or not the informed citizenry can eclipse the blind and panicked masses. The dangers are real and the consequences are grave. Sooner or later, one side will have to surrender more power to the other. When that time comes, we will need to decide whether it will be the government that forfeits, or the People.
Will the political aspirations of one man and an oppressive movement prevail, or will individual liberty and principled republicanism triumph?
________________
Copyright © 2009 by RationalLiberty.com
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without written permission by the author.
About Rational Liberty
JRH 6/12/09
*****************
Blog Editor: Every once in awhile I update posts from the original SlantRight.com archive in case I lose favor with the server owner. Politically and theologically we don't see eye to eye; hence the reason for blogging on other platforms. Below is the rest of the post as it roughly appeared at StantRight.com.
UPDATED: 7/10/15
+++
The Dangers of Barack Hussein Obama
Rational Liberty
June 10, 2009
What makes a man dangerous? How does tyranny rear its ugly head? In politics, these two questions are mostly interrelated. A treacherous politician can become a tyrant with the proper supporting cast and a groundswell of ignorance from the People. The process can be drawn-out or it can be quite rapid, but in many instances, it has a little of both.
Political dangers arise from a hodgepodge of factors. In politics they can occasionally combine to deliver an inspirational figure to the unwitting masses. When the public mood is on a downturn and more people feel discouraged or desperate concerning their everyday lives, a seemingly transcendent politician can capture the dreams of the less industrious and largely uninformed. All that is required from the politician in question is lofty rhetoric, platitudes, constant deflection of any culpability, and promises of a return to prosperity and greatness no matter how it is achieved. Paired with a poorly educated and downtrodden citizenry, their popularity is sure to rise and prevail over any shortcomings.
We have witnessed such “cults of personality” in recent history. Nearly all of these leaders – from Joseph Stalin to Hugo Chavez – have overseen or will oversee unmitigated disasters for the populations they control. Misery and death, either for their nation or their neighbors, is a common result. The promises and dreams of the populace quickly vanish into deeper despair and the ascendance of central government. War, genocide, and a general tyranny are most frequently the ends achieved. Millions of dead civilians is usually the definitive outcome.
Over the past year and a half, the United States has seen the arrival of a new political personality. Like those leaders previously mentioned, Barack Hussein Obama broke onto the national scene at a time of general malaise, where the nation was suffering from war weariness, political discord, and the beginning of a financial collapse. The media picked up his life story and touted him as a transcendent figure who had the capacity to unite a nation and bring it out of what they felt were some of its darkest days.
However, the only achievements in the political realm by Barack Obama were his few unimpressive election wins and his calculated oratory style that seemingly mimicked the likes of Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights-era public speakers. His lack of any executive experience was seen as ostensibly trivial and, in some cases, refreshing. His radical record, agenda, and relationships were ignored or flat-out denied by himself, his supporters, and most of the media. In essence, his personality and his speeches propelled him to the forefront of politics – and eventually – into the White House.
But the dangers of Barack Obama are much worse than just his lack of experience or his disastrous policies.
First and foremost, Obama’s natural-born citizenship has never been confirmed – and it most likely never will be. As his father was a British citizen at the time of his birth, Barack is constitutionally ineligible for the presidency of the United States. No matter how many times that fact is denied or how many times those who mention it are ridiculed, it will always remain truthful. The fact that a constitutional violation this egregious receives very little attention and will not be remedied is quite disturbing and demonstrates how far we have already strayed from the principles of constitutional law as a nation and citizenry.
So, at the outset, and the first major problem along the path to tyranny, is the illegitimate occupation of the federal executive – commonly referred to as usurpation.
Not only has the media mostly failed to inquire about the citizenship issue, but they have also failed to seek answers about Obama’s relationships and extensive connections with far left organizations, donors, and close friends and associates. They are almost completely unwilling to criticize him and even comedians are reluctant to poke fun at him. Some have made the statement that he gives them nothing to joke about, allegedly due to his superior intellect and absence of gaffes. Either these comedians and their writers haven’t been paying attention or they are simply ignoring reality.
When this type of public cover by the media and entertainers is so blatant, one wonders why they go to such lengths to avoid what came to them so easily with multiple predecessors. Are they afraid of a general public backlash – i.e. the mob? Are they afraid of being labeled a “racist” because of Obama’s skin color? Or do they steer clear of criticism and comedy because they simply found someone with whom they agree ideologically?
In any case, the results are similar. Obama usually receives or will receive a pass on any faux pas or political failure he encounters. The public will remain uninformed and their perceptions of him will continue to be skewed by irresponsible media reporting. The entertainers will create an aura of imperviousness that resonates through the oblivious masses. In the long run, it either sets up Obama for undeserved glory – which would further contribute to the cult of personality and a potential further abuse of power – or it sets the stage for a spectacular fall and lingering public malaise, apathy, and cynicism.
Because of the negligent media habits, and the condition of our economy, the illegitimate administration has been able to move quickly to implement policies that are in fact quite radical and potentially devastating to our long-term liberty and prosperity. Laws that can cause irreversible damage are being introduced, considered, and passed by our Congress.
Some who oppose Obama’s agenda blame these policies on naïveté. The problem with this belief is that Obama has mentioned on several occasions that he plans on “remaking” American society. He follows the same pattern of influence and initiatives that past left-wing administrations adhered to when implementing their socialist, or “progressive,” agendas. Many of his plans are nearly identical to Marxist ideals and a fascist social order. He knows what he’s doing ideologically but isn’t fully competent at executive decision-making and appears to be uncomfortable in that role. This is where his inexperience shines brightly.
Regardless of the blunders, the backtracking, and the constant clarifying of their multiple positions, the Obama administration has already been able to pass some of their game-changing legislation. It’s then sold to the public as a great achievement and credit is given to the administration before any positive results are known.
A perfect example is the “economic recovery” legislation - also known as the “stimulus” bill. We were told that this $787 billion was needed immediately to save the economy, but less than 6% has been used in four months and there is no evidence of any job being “created or saved” as promised by the administration. Add this to the fact that the money used for this legislation – or any other, for that matter – must first be confiscated from individuals. Nevertheless, when the bill was signed into law, it was touted as one of the greatest achievements of a new president. But the only thing that truly made the legislation impressive was the fact that it was the single largest spending bill in history. To make matters worse, the administration and Congress made claims of restoring fiscal responsibility during a “summit” just one week later.
The rapid pace of economic destruction is intentional and it will only continue to deteriorate if the public remains apathetic, or worse, eager and excited about the “social change” Obama has begun. Still on the “change” list is the green agenda, government healthcare, and additional education spending, among many other things. Trillions of dollars in added national deficits will almost certainly sink the dollar and the U.S. economy. Not even a radical leftist can deny the effects of massive and unsustainable debts. Obama is well aware of what his agenda will do, but he’s relying on the ignorance of the public and his fellow statist supporters to let him continue along his reckless path.
The domestic front is not the only way to destroy a nation or fundamentally alter it. Foreign policy plays a key role as well. Our relations with allies and the way we handle hostile regimes plays an integral part in how we are respected and how our influence is received in foreign affairs.
Since Inauguration Day, several foreign leaders in a multitude of ways have tested Barack Obama. Each one of these tests – whether it has been the advancement of nuclear technology by Iran or the nuclear testing and launching of missiles by North Korea – has demonstrated the weakness of Obama’s more “diplomatic” strategies. In other words, he has so far failed these tests. We know that the tactics of the new administration are intentional, but are the results as well?
During the administration of George W. Bush, many Democrats expressed their concerns of using fear and perceived weakness as a means of implementing laws and policies that, in their opinion, restricted liberties in exchange for enhanced security. When tyranny has taken hold in modern times, it usually came disguised in a mask of safety and stability. The domestic agenda of Obama has already been pretty well articulated. It involves a regimentation of society guided by an influx of daily government oversight into our lives. To impose these new laws and to make them “work,” he’ll need an enforcement mechanism never before seen in this country.
By making us appear weak in the eyes of our hostile enemies, Obama is inviting further challenges to our international influence and possibly even attacks on our country or our citizens abroad. This will undoubtedly have an impact on national defense and can provide him with the necessary mandate to increase domestic surveillance and security. Even if that scenario is not premeditated, it will provide for the same type of government intrusion once feared by the supporters of the current administration.
If his foreign policy blunders and his domestic agenda do in fact make us weak, then the results can be even more catastrophic than September 11, 2001, and can create a situation similar to the events that followed Germany’s Reichstag fire in 1933.
The United States as a nation is walking a very fine line between liberty and tyranny. The balance is found in the resolve of the People and their willingness to stand up for individual freedoms and to stand against government infringements upon them. With widespread ignorance, apathy, and fear – whether it is of an economic or physical nature – the equilibrium shifts to the advantage of a domineering government. The catalyst for a dramatic transformation in the relationship between government and the governed can simply be one man with a soothing oratory style and a handful of spurious promises, along with the necessary cover provided by a supportive media.
The rise of Barack Hussein Obama has so far epitomized that cult of personality.
Nonetheless, despite all of the aforementioned risks, poll numbers are beginning to show a decline in public approval of Obama’s handling of economic and fiscal issues. And while similar political personalities rose to power in what was known as the “old world,” the United States has always had a different mentality about government and politics, and about the individuals who hold office. In the face of an extreme assault on the American way of life it may be the American tradition and longstanding American principles that are our ultimate saving grace.
Sustaining those traditions and principles in a society that suffers a constant barrage of conflicting legislation and outright mockery won’t be easy. It will only be a matter of time before the standards for individual liberty and our free republic are lowered or distorted. After all, that’s the goal of the so-called “progressive” movement in the United States – and so far it has been quite successful.
The question remains whether or not the informed citizenry can eclipse the blind and panicked masses. The dangers are real and the consequences are grave. Sooner or later, one side will have to surrender more power to the other. When that time comes, we will need to decide whether it will be the government that forfeits, or the People.
Will the political aspirations of one man and an oppressive movement prevail, or will individual liberty and principled republicanism triumph?
________________
Copyright © 2009 by RationalLiberty.com
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without written permission by the author.
About Rational Liberty
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