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| Rob's Soapbox | ||
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Congratulations!
You have finally landed on the one page on this entire site (and on the entire internet for that matter) that is purely without bullshit... my soapbox page. There are a lot of times during our show that, whether it's because of time constraints and other obligations, I don't always get to address some issues that I feel don't get the attention they deserve. There are even more times when I just don't feel like waiting until the show the next day to get some things off my chest. Thus, I have started the "Rob's Soapbox" page. If you have clicked on this page looking for someone to coddle your fragile sense of self-esteem, or tell you what you want to hear or to reinforce your outdated world view, then exit this page right now and go somewhere else. If you are in search of the last forum for reason and common sense left in the world, then sit back, relax, and enjoy. I make only one promise with this soapbox page... if you read long enough and often enough, you will eventually be offended. So here's my latest soapbox. Listen up, 'cause you just might learn something... |
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March 3rd, 2008 YES WE CAN'T Barring some sort of last minute miracle or unexpected tide-turning shift in sentiment, it looks as though it’s a done deal; Senator Barack Obama will run for president as the Democratic nominee against Republican Senator John McCain. With Barack Obama comes a dramatic promise of not just “change,” (the most over-used word of this campaign so far), but rather a real and palpable “sea change.” While others have tried, no candidate has captured the John F. Kennedy-style-enthusiasm in the way that Obama has, and that brings with it all the promises that JFK was never allowed to deliver on. The very fact that Obama is the nominee speaks volumes to his ability to motivate, coalesce, and inspire people despite all qualifications and achievements to the contrary. While Hillary Clinton is hardly the most qualified person ever to run for president, compared to Barack Obama, she is FDR, Churchill and Margaret Thatcher all rolled up into one. Obama is, without a doubt, one of the most charismatic, romantic, inspiring, swoon inducing men, (let alone politicians) to come across our national stage in decades. Already at Bill Clinton/Ronald Reagan levels, Obama is more than just a great communicator, more than just an evangelical-style orator; he is a man who literally makes people faint at his very presence. No really, I am not making this up…almost everywhere the man speaks; someone faints at his very entrance. This, in a nutshell is the very essence of what is being called “Obamamania.” For the record; a reminder: I was the one who was pointing out that Obama was a communist in Democrats’ clothing last year when no one believed that he had a chance in hell of being the actual nominee. While I loathe the man’s policies and politics, I see, hear and understand his grasp on the American consciousness. The dangerous thing about Socialism/communism is that its’ message is so attractive to the mindless amongst us that all it needs is a great and talented salesperson and people will begin to buy in lock, stock and barrel. The lure of being promised “free” health care, a “level” playing field where companies aren’t allowed to make “obscene” profits and a world that is “united” is hauntingly attractive to those among us who just want to “get along.” With Barack Obama, the socialists amongst us finally have that great pitch man. It matters not that he promises a fairy tale because most people who will follow him loathe this country and this world with such a deep seeded passion that they are literally wishing for a fake existence. This brings us back to his appeal and the levels at which Obama’s followers have literally staked their own personal happiness. Obama as a leader may best be compared to a walking deity. Perhaps some would prefer the comparison to that of a cult leader. Either way, I mean it with the utmost respect. The man is, without a doubt, an amazing communicator and speaker and he simply gets better at it every time he experiences it. He appears at all times to be cool, calm, collected, in control and ready to exercise a diplomatic, eloquent answer to any and all problems placed at his feet. If you choose not to actually listen to what he says, you will literally find yourself mesmerized by his ability to speak in the perfect tone, with the perfect pace, delivered at the right volumes to properly punctuate whatever point it is you think he is making. As a man who is scared to death of what an America under Barack Obama might look like I admit that I have found myself fighting off the urges of one of the biggest man-crushes of my life while watching the guy speak. Fortunately for me, I also listen to what he says and I am snapped back into reality by the thought of an America that provides government mandated and run health care and runs away from our military challenges and obligations. My ability to actually listen to the man not withstanding, most people simply don’t and don’t care to. We stand at the precipice of the tipping point in America as it relates to our arrogant, ignorant society. We have long taken our freedoms and opportunities for granted in this nation and now along comes a man who eloquently promises to nestle us in his bosom and “make it all ok.” Obama promises that we will never be hurt again, that all of us will live in a world where everyone talks to each other, everyone plays nice and no one ever really has to lose, they just have to get along. For a nation of people that are scared and complacent, the Obama message is just what they’ve been looking for. This brings us back to Obamamania. The people that believe in and love Obama are fervent, to say the least. It is not overstating things to say that he has already literally inspired an entire generation. People who never dreamed of caring about politics are gathering, formulating and uniting for and behind him. The passion with which people believe in him is perhaps unseen in this country, ever. With big promises come big dreams, big hopes and a support and belief system that says “we trust you, Barack, now lead the way.” Throughout this campaign one of the many things Obama has done exceptionally well is his on-going tag line at speeches of “yes we can.” It speaks to all of the downtrodden, disaffected, un-interested people who believe that the American dream has passed them by or was never made available to them. It speaks to everyone who believes that America, at its’ core, is still a racist nation first and foremost. It speaks to all of the people that look at the rich and successful amongst us with envy rather than pride. It speaks to the vengeful nature of a lazy and complacent society that believes if we punish successful people, everyone else will, through some sick form of osmosis, feel better. In other words, when you ask if we can stop the racism, stop the out-of-control gap that’s allegedly growing between the middle and upper classes, stop homelessness and stop people from having to use the Emergency room as a medical plan, the answer is simply “yes we can.” He never says how, of course, and that doesn’t matter. Americans don’t care about the details, they just want the promise. “Tell me, please, Barack, that everything will be okay,” says the country and he simply looks at them says, “It will be…because yes we can.” I am a fan of watching people have their silly, over-inflated dreams dissolve before their eyes. I am a firm believer in dreams, but I demand that they be realistic. Telling a 9 year-old girl that she can be a star quarterback in the NFL is not a realistic dream or goal to set, for example. With Barack Obama running for president, I win either way. If he is, in fact, elected (with a Democratic controlled congress no less), he will implement a myriad of policies which will send this nation spiraling into an economic malaise not seen since the late 1970s. Our health care system will crumble and the quality of our care will no longer be the greatest in the nation. The richest amongst us will actually become more wealthy and the middle class will become poor (this is what ALWAYS happens when trying to implement socialist policies; they have the exact opposite effect of the stated goal). While all of this and more will prove once again that the government isn’t the answer, but rather is the problem, it won’t do so right away. It will take years of pain and suffering for all of us to finally and truly realize the mistake we made as a nation and will take a truly great leader to come along and fix all of the problems created by an Obama presidency (if you are missing the similarities to Carter-Reagan you must be blind). Thus, I choose to root for the other scenario. I hope, wish and pray for a sterling summer for Barack Obama. I want him to run the greatest campaign ever seen, giving speeches like no one ever has before and watch him enter the fall with a lead in the polls of 20+ percentage points. I want the Obama fans to believe and know in their hearts that their dream is imminent and destined. I want hope to be riding high and be the word of the day. “Hope” that we can, “hope” that we will, “hope” that this is it; the turning point in America’s history. Euphoria will be the mood of the day and the media will fawn all over Obama while puking all over themselves with self-delight. In my perfect scenario, this emotion and hope and belief will carry right on through Tuesday, November 4th when John McCain is elected president. Not because I believe McCain is the answer to what ails America, but rather because I know that he will follow the President’s version of the hypocritical oath and will “do no harm.” The status quo of consistent, moderate growth, relatively low unemployment and tax rates and a nation not attacked for 8 years is just fine with me while we wait for the next true, great leader to emerge. I do not wish for McCain to win because I believe in him, but rather for the sole purpose and desire to see how many suicides, literal and figurative, occur on Wednesday November 5th when Barack Obama has lost. Nothing is more rewarding to me than watching people put faith, trust and hope in someone other than themselves and having all of those dreams ripped away from them in one fell swoop. Obama is no more than the answer to peoples’ hopelessness than a diet pill that promises to melt away the fat. Anytime I see people place their very destiny in the hands of another person, I sit back and wait to see those people destroyed, again, by their inability to believe in themselves. November 5th might just provide such a day.-------------------
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