2008 Presidental Election

2008 SMACKDOWN: WEALTH-CREATORS VS. WEALTH-DESTROYERS

This election is a plebiscite of the freedom of individual rights and the free-enterprise system against the tyranny of oppression and government control of thought and behavior.

This is shaping up to be the most important and clear-cut election of my lifetime. (Of course being aged I don't remember too far back.) While Sen. John McCain is certainly not the most conservative politician available, he's the Republican choice. He has a strong sense of himself and has shown through his words and votes over the years that he stands up for his beliefs. Agree or not, he isn't governed by polls. As for Sen. Barack Obama, forget the "Hussein", because Muslims have strong beliefs, and substitute "Stepford". Sen. Barack Stepford Obama marches lockstep to the radical far left epitomized by MoveOn.Org. After snatching the Democratic nomination from the shoe-in Hillary, now Sen. Obama's handlers are portraying him as moving to the center, to the snickers of George Soros in the background. But in actuality, being against "big business" and profits, he is a man of the people. As he said in 2007: “Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula?” the senator said. “I mean, they’re charging a lot of money for this stuff.”

But getting to the real Obama was his speech at the 2008 commencement of Wesleyan University: “[O]ur individual salvation depends on collective salvation...[The Communists proved the benefits of collective salvation.] You can take your diploma, walk off this stage, and chase only after the big house and the nice suits and the other things that our money culture says you should buy. You can choose to narrow your concerns and live life in a way that tries to keep your story separate from America's." The good senator is known for his natty suits and shoes in which he dresses in his million-dollar house. And a small point: the "money culture" does not "say" what anyone "should" do, but what one "can" do. Freedom to make decisions for ourselves.

Well I have news for you Senator, the "money culture" you deride is nothing more than the drive, ambition, creativity and dedication that has built the United States of America into the strongest, most prosperous country the world has ever known. And your goal is to take from a minority -- the achievers -- and buy votes from the underachievers. Well America, good luck on your future with no incentives.

Its underlying philosophy of freedom -- free enterprise, free speech, free pursuit of happiness -- is slowly spreading with its lurches and lunges back and forth throughout the world. It is trade with other countries that has most recently brought millions of humans from devastating poverty to some semblance of "middle class" in China, India and Vietnam, for example.

No, Senator, we are not guaranteed equality -- it's not in the Constitution, nor possible with humans -- only the equal opportunity all Americans enjoy.

And do not doubt that the free-enterprise system is at stake. What are the two biggest campaign contributors to Obama and the Democrats? Unions (throught their leaders, not members) and trial lawyers.

Trade unions are anachronisms, surviving (barely in the private sector) only by laws and government quid pro quo -- unions contribute to Democrats in exchange for ease of unionizing government entities and pay increases. Rather than work with companies to help their growth and success, unions many times harm the companies or entities for which their members work. Auto manufacturers and airlines come to mind. Oh, speaking of the United Auto Workers (UAW), it is striking suppliers to General Motors Corp.'s most important new growth vehicle (the Chevrolet Traverse crossover) at a time then GM is facing death. Does it care if GM survives? Apparently not. And one of Sen. Obama's platform planks is to change existing laws to make it a walk in the park to unionize companies. Workers don't seem to want unions so the Democratic Party's biggest campaign contributor will make it easier.

It'll be an interesting election.