Say what you will about Donald Trump, he accomplished what millions of Americans have tried unsuccessfully to do for the last two years...he got Barack Obama to produce his birth certificate.
Well, a birth certificate, anyhow...
However, this ongoing TV drama--entertaining as it may have been--has done nothing to convince me that Donald Trump would be a fitting President in 2012. I still believe that the best way to beat Obama is focus on his record and his decisions--every major decision Obama has made has effectively pissed off the majority of the American People...so why would a dog and pony show focusing on Obama's birth certificate or college records--which could potentially be legit--be a preferable strategy to focusing on his record--a record for which there is no defense?
You'd have to ask Donald Trump...I sure as Hell can't think of a good reason for what he's doing.
But, regardless of what I think, what you think, or what anybody else thinks, Trump is going to go as far with this as he wants to go. Likewise, the media--who are just licking their chops any time they can report on birth certificates, suspected racism, and class warfare instead of reporting on the Tea Party's calls for fiscal responsibility and less government--will be right there to feed off of Trump's questions about Obama's legitimacy. So since this environment is going to be there anyway, is there any possible way that those of us Conservatives who wish to focus exclusively on the issues (mainly because that's what's right for the country, but partially because it will be the easiest way to beat Obama) can somehow benefit from this ongoing media circus?
Perhaps there is...and I discuss this possibility in episode #10 of "America's Evil Genius"
Friday, April 29, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
AEG#9: The Trump Card
The Man. The Myth. The Hair. Donald Trump has made noise about running for the Presidency in 2012--and while it remains to be seen whether he's serious or just looking for some publicity or a stroking of the ego, he is at least saying some rather impressive things in recent media appearances. He's talking a good game about how we should deal with the Chinese, how America should re-build itself economically, and how Barack Obama isn't fit to manage a Tastee-Freeze, let alone be the President of the most powerful nation on earth.
But is that enough?
It's one thing to tell people what they want to hear when you appear on television--heck, Obama attained the Presidency by doing little more than this. But is The Donald truly a Conservative? What are his views on issues other than business and the economy? Is simply calling out Obama enough of a qualification to be President?
In the most recent edition of America's Evil Genius, I discuss these issues and analyze Trump's potential to be a good President. In addition, I introduce the "Presidential GPA", which will be the method I use throughout the run-up to 2012 to determine exactly who the best candidate for the Oval Office should be.
But is that enough?
It's one thing to tell people what they want to hear when you appear on television--heck, Obama attained the Presidency by doing little more than this. But is The Donald truly a Conservative? What are his views on issues other than business and the economy? Is simply calling out Obama enough of a qualification to be President?
In the most recent edition of America's Evil Genius, I discuss these issues and analyze Trump's potential to be a good President. In addition, I introduce the "Presidential GPA", which will be the method I use throughout the run-up to 2012 to determine exactly who the best candidate for the Oval Office should be.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
AEG #8: Why should I hate the rich?
Within the last couple of months, the American Left has ratcheted up their "time-honored tradition" of attempting to pit Middle Class Americans against "Wealthy" Americans. From the Wisconsin Teacher Controversy to the current budget battles in Congress, Democrats are consistently floating the message of "the rich need to pay their fair share" and "If Tea Partiers really wanted to change what's wrong in this country, they'd oppose the rich instead of opposing the government!"
With that in mind, I ask the Left a very simple question in this week's edition of "America's Evil Genius". Quite simply, why should I--a middle class American--hate the "rich" or consider them any kind of adversary?
With that in mind, I ask the Left a very simple question in this week's edition of "America's Evil Genius". Quite simply, why should I--a middle class American--hate the "rich" or consider them any kind of adversary?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
AEG #7: Is Obama Beatable in 2012
You've probably heard them over the last year and a half just as I have...those people who insist that Barack Obama--as a sitting President--will have a huge advantage going into the 2012 election and that if the GOP has any hope of unseating him, they must find the ultimate "perfect" candidate, or else Obama wins 2012 in a cake walk. But is this really the case? Do the same traditional "advantages" that most incumbents have when running for re-election apply to Obama? Is the political environment in the 2010's unchanged enough that simply being an incumbent--and little else--would be enough to virtually guarantee re-election?
I think not. And in the most recent edition of "America's Evil Genius", I make the case for why Barack Obama has a huge mountain to climb in order to win in 2012--regardless of who is running against him. Both Part 1 and Part 2 of this conversation are below:
I think not. And in the most recent edition of "America's Evil Genius", I make the case for why Barack Obama has a huge mountain to climb in order to win in 2012--regardless of who is running against him. Both Part 1 and Part 2 of this conversation are below:
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
My reactions to the Libyan situation (and some kudos for Obama???? WTF???)
Well, *that* was certainly an eventful weekend, wasn't it?
The world finally decides it has had enough of Libyan leader Momar Kadafi (or however he's spelling his name this week...I swear, in the last 40 years this guy has gone through more versions of his name than "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince"!) and launches a military strike. And Barack Obama--who up until now has been disgustingly doveish in his approach to "The War on Middle Eastern Culture"--was right in the middle of it. Obama made the call to authorize America's portion of military intervention in Libya. Obama ended up getting some level of criticism from both sides of the political aisle, with some of the "peaceniks" on the extreme Left (those that oppose any military action, for any reason, ever) saying the action was unjustified, and some on the Right opposing the decision because of the cost and (in some cases at least) simply because Obama authorized it.
My reaction to the events of this weekend? It might surprise some of you, considering how anti-Obama I am on most issues...but I support Obama's decision and believe he made the right call. Kadafi is one of many Middle Eastern despots who has advocated the anti-Western mentality that resulted in 9/11 and the subsequent war between Western Civilization and The Middle East. Once he started firing on his own people, his removal could wait no longer. Kadafi's regime is emblematic of the type that routinely springs up when an anti-Western, anti-Christian philosophy is allowed to take root. As such, the Libyan people, the American people, and the entire world is better off without it.
So I'm on board with Obama--all is well, right? Well, not quite. While I agree with Obama's decision, I'm a bit worried about how he arrived at that decision. Think back to your high school or college days, when you took an Algebra course. If your Algebra course was anything like mine, it wasn't enough to simply produce the correct answer on your homework or an exam, you also had to "show your work" as well. The idea being that your mastery of the process was as important as the actual answer you arrived at. After all, you could sometimes get the right answer by guessing, but "showing your work" made it clear that you fully understood the mathematical processes that you were being taught. Back when I was in high school, if you got the right answer on your Algebra homework, but didn't show your work (or if the work you showed was incorrect), then you only got half-credit (or sometimes, no credit) for your response.
And so it is with Obama's response to the Libyan issue. He came up with the correct answer, but when he "shows his work" in terms of how he got there, it's not impressive at all. At no point was Obama out in front marshalling the world's forces against Kadafi...indeed, he barely reacted at all until the United Nations and Europe made it clear that they were going to respond. He did not take the bull by the horns and shape the situation to our advantage, but instead was almost goaded into the situation. For the first time in our lifetimes, America is involved in a military conflict, yet we're not calling the shots. Such a result is inexcusable for an American President and the leader of the Free World. To take such a lackadaisical entry into the conflict compromises America's traditional (and rightful) role as the leader, the trend setter, and the catalyst for freedom loving nations everywhere. Obama did not lead the nation or the World in this matter--instead, he reacted and "followed".
America leads. It does not follow.
So the lack of leadership shown by Obama is quite worrying, indeed. It's difficult to compare hypothetical situations between Presidents, but I suspect that if a Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush would have been confronted with this situation, they would have been out in front, making the case for military involvement, would would have been clear about the need for Kadafi to be deposed. Obama--while authorizing military action, which is a positive--has not made the clear case for military involvement nor has he made it clear that the continued reign of Kadafi will not be tolerated.
To do so would require strong language, and as the BP Oil Spill, the Egyptian situation, and now the Libyan conflict have illustrated, strong, straightforward, from-the-gut, clear leadership is not a trait that Barack Obama has. I've always suspected that this deficiency is rooted in the academic cocoon that he has come up in--and that his disconnection from the "real world" throughout his life leaves him looking for "consensus" and "input" when when clear and obvious decisions are right in front of his face.
Obama managed to back into one good decision. And for that he deserves a small amount of credit. But one decision does not make a leader.
The world finally decides it has had enough of Libyan leader Momar Kadafi (or however he's spelling his name this week...I swear, in the last 40 years this guy has gone through more versions of his name than "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince"!) and launches a military strike. And Barack Obama--who up until now has been disgustingly doveish in his approach to "The War on Middle Eastern Culture"--was right in the middle of it. Obama made the call to authorize America's portion of military intervention in Libya. Obama ended up getting some level of criticism from both sides of the political aisle, with some of the "peaceniks" on the extreme Left (those that oppose any military action, for any reason, ever) saying the action was unjustified, and some on the Right opposing the decision because of the cost and (in some cases at least) simply because Obama authorized it.
My reaction to the events of this weekend? It might surprise some of you, considering how anti-Obama I am on most issues...but I support Obama's decision and believe he made the right call. Kadafi is one of many Middle Eastern despots who has advocated the anti-Western mentality that resulted in 9/11 and the subsequent war between Western Civilization and The Middle East. Once he started firing on his own people, his removal could wait no longer. Kadafi's regime is emblematic of the type that routinely springs up when an anti-Western, anti-Christian philosophy is allowed to take root. As such, the Libyan people, the American people, and the entire world is better off without it.
So I'm on board with Obama--all is well, right? Well, not quite. While I agree with Obama's decision, I'm a bit worried about how he arrived at that decision. Think back to your high school or college days, when you took an Algebra course. If your Algebra course was anything like mine, it wasn't enough to simply produce the correct answer on your homework or an exam, you also had to "show your work" as well. The idea being that your mastery of the process was as important as the actual answer you arrived at. After all, you could sometimes get the right answer by guessing, but "showing your work" made it clear that you fully understood the mathematical processes that you were being taught. Back when I was in high school, if you got the right answer on your Algebra homework, but didn't show your work (or if the work you showed was incorrect), then you only got half-credit (or sometimes, no credit) for your response.
And so it is with Obama's response to the Libyan issue. He came up with the correct answer, but when he "shows his work" in terms of how he got there, it's not impressive at all. At no point was Obama out in front marshalling the world's forces against Kadafi...indeed, he barely reacted at all until the United Nations and Europe made it clear that they were going to respond. He did not take the bull by the horns and shape the situation to our advantage, but instead was almost goaded into the situation. For the first time in our lifetimes, America is involved in a military conflict, yet we're not calling the shots. Such a result is inexcusable for an American President and the leader of the Free World. To take such a lackadaisical entry into the conflict compromises America's traditional (and rightful) role as the leader, the trend setter, and the catalyst for freedom loving nations everywhere. Obama did not lead the nation or the World in this matter--instead, he reacted and "followed".
America leads. It does not follow.
So the lack of leadership shown by Obama is quite worrying, indeed. It's difficult to compare hypothetical situations between Presidents, but I suspect that if a Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush would have been confronted with this situation, they would have been out in front, making the case for military involvement, would would have been clear about the need for Kadafi to be deposed. Obama--while authorizing military action, which is a positive--has not made the clear case for military involvement nor has he made it clear that the continued reign of Kadafi will not be tolerated.
To do so would require strong language, and as the BP Oil Spill, the Egyptian situation, and now the Libyan conflict have illustrated, strong, straightforward, from-the-gut, clear leadership is not a trait that Barack Obama has. I've always suspected that this deficiency is rooted in the academic cocoon that he has come up in--and that his disconnection from the "real world" throughout his life leaves him looking for "consensus" and "input" when when clear and obvious decisions are right in front of his face.
Obama managed to back into one good decision. And for that he deserves a small amount of credit. But one decision does not make a leader.
Monday, March 7, 2011
America's Evil Genius #4: The Battle for the Soul of the GOP
AEG#4 has hit the airwaves. This week: The internal battle within the GOP between the old-line "big government" Republicans (you might know them better as "Moderates", "Compassionate Conservatives", "Establishment Republicans", or "John McCain") and the new-line Modern Conservatives (typified by the Tea Party movement, though that movement does not entirely encompass this new generation of Conservatives). In the run-up to 2012, the battle of "Obama vs. Everybody Else" might possibly take a backseat to the "Conservatives vs. RINO" battle going on within the GOP!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
America's Evil Genius #3: Should the Best and The Brightest go to the Public Sector?
On February 28, Barack Obama made the statment to America's Governors that "We need to attract the best and brightest to public service".
Why, Mr. President? So that they can work against the interests of the American people, rather than working in concert with us?
Episode #3 of my "America's Evil Genius" polticial commentary series examines this idea in detail. The idea that the Public Sector is the LAST place we need our best and brightest to end up!
Why, Mr. President? So that they can work against the interests of the American people, rather than working in concert with us?
Episode #3 of my "America's Evil Genius" polticial commentary series examines this idea in detail. The idea that the Public Sector is the LAST place we need our best and brightest to end up!
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