Originally published on the Obama White House Diaries October 10, 2012 -
As many of my friends and family members already know, I took it upon myself to start writing about politics about three and half years ago. Over that course of time, quite a bit of energy has been expended researching political news, followed by opinion. The result has generated upwards of 500 articles. In fact, this passion became so intense that, at one point, I was writing seven days a week, consuming the early morning and late night hours, all in pursuit of a self-directed mission. It was something very important, very necessary, because although it could be argued that our country has been slipping away for decades, our decline has exponentially accelerated these past four years. The politicians currently in power seem diametrically opposed to so many values and ideas that I was taught as a child, including productivity, prioritization, self-reliance, personal accountability, fiscal responsibility, respect for others, respect for property and independent, critical thinking. Now, it seems as if the world has been turned on its head. Nothing much coming out of Washington makes sense anymore.
Domestically, we are watching our national debt as well as our unemployment numbers and welfare roles soar upwards to levels generally considered unsustainable. Remember that Obama won the presidency four years ago stumping on a platform centerpiece of “fundamentally transforming the United States of America”, often citing Europe as a model, as if the economic problems of Greece, Spain and Italy were something to aspire to. He was also lionized by the press, despite his characterization of the United States Constitution as a “flawed document” and “charter of negative liberties”, preferring instead to increase federal power through massive bureaucratic regulations. Now he has broken our nation financially and divided our citizenry to the point where it may take decades to repair the damage.
Internationally, we have witnessed the melt down of the Middle East, perpetuated by radical Islamic extremists. How ironic, then, that Obama has snubbed our only real ally in that region of the world, Israel, while simultaneously trying to appease these extremists. And his Neville Chamberlain approach to US foreign policy has only exacerbated the climate of intense hatred for the United States of America. That was evident with the recent news reports detailing how our own United States Ambassador Stevens and three other Americans were brutally murdered on US Consulate sovereign soil in Libya All of this was followed by political spin, appeasement and the subsequent retraction of explanations by the State Department while Obama traveled to Las Vegas for a fundraiser. The scandal is unraveling under a Congressional inquiry, which started session today, pressured by Americans who demand answers. And that avoidable tragedy, deliberately orchestrated on the anniversary of 9/11, is only the most recent byproduct from a string of poor policy decisions, international blunders, troubling statements and outright scandals that appear to be the hallmark of this administration.
- The Internet was abuzz with sound clips of Mr. Obama reassuring the Russians that he would be able to accommodate their desire for a reduced American defense system once his second term was secured.
- The murder of a federal agent at the hands of Mexican drug cartels using guns provided by DOJ’s Fast and Furious program was not enough motivation for Obama to remove Atty. Gen. Eric Holder for his position. As recently as last week, weapons issued by the United States government continue to be uncovered in attacks against law enforcement.
- Obama refuses to enforce federal immigration laws, preferring instead to file a lawsuit intended to punish Arizona for protecting their state boundaries from illegal alien entry.
- Obama’s White House also deliberately leaked sensitive national security information for political purposes, including the names of active Navy SEAL special operators, as well as details of ongoing cyber operations against Iran and details explaining about how the president decides when and where to kill terrorists.
The list goes on. Just today, we learn from Michael Fell who writes for the website called A Hollywood Republican that the Obama administration
”coerced Lockheed Martin into dropping plans to issue legally required layoff notices to employees in the swing state of Virginia. The Office of Management and Budget promised Lockheed Martin that the government would pay the legal costs if Lockheed was charged with violating the WARN Act. That means taxpayers will get stuck with the bill for the Obama administration’s encouraging Lockheed Martin to break the law. “
All of this painfully reminds us that our domestic policy, foreign policy, national security and even our own rule of law is in shambles, with no clear direction or leadership.
Equally troubling is the sorry excuse for what passes as journalism today. We have seen the rapid demise of television network news as more and more “reporters” apparently now believe their job to be nothing more than political advocates of the White House. This administration’s questionable policies, ineptitude, disingenuous actions, and yes, wholesale corruption no longer appear to be investigated or even moderately challenged by television news. Stories are buried if they contradict this week’s fresh batch of DNC talking points, although Fox News seems to be the exception. Admittedly, it is encouraging to hear some corners of the press corps begin to criticize last week’s disastrous performance by Obama in the first presidential debate. Perhaps the downward spiral of journalistic groupthink is beginning to level off, or perhaps it just hit the ground. Only time will tell.
Which brings me to my point regarding God and government.
The past few years have been unsettling. I did my best to cope by writing what came from my head and from my heart. At the end of the day, however, I still struggle with understanding my deeper motivation to write. After all, political corruption is just part of the human condition. This website may inform friends, but it is absurd to think that anything I publish will make much of a difference. So why write? But then I remembered what a close friend asked me a while back. “What’s most important in your life? Perhaps that’s what you should be writing about.” Upon brief reflection, the answer was obvious. God. I have a lot of questions about the role of God’s word in today’s increasingly government-centric culture. Where is God revered or even referenced in our current political climate? If our values as a nation no longer come from Judeo-Christian teachings, then whose values are we following? And why? Those are the real questions that I believe are worth writing about. Because in the absence of answers, there’s a vacuum created which will be filled by the values of those who do not have the best interests of Americans at heart.
Perhaps more needs to be written about Christianity and its contribution to building what I believe to be a most remarkable nation. A nation characterized by so much opportunity, innovation, freedom, tolerance, wealth and charity that foreigners are illegally breaking down our borders to live among us. A nation architected by ordinary and somewhat flawed men who were divinely inspired. A nation that could have never been conceived by those who refuse to look up and truthfully acknowledge accountability to a higher power, preferring instead to limit their perspective to a two-dimensional world.
How serendipitous, then, that my wife Karen sent me a video clip of Ronald Reagan expressing those same feelings. Although I never met the man, Karen did had the pleasure of speaking to him more than once. As a teenager, she used to deliver ice cream sundaes from her father’s restaurant on K St. Mall to the State of California Governor’s Office. Now she’s delivering one of Reagan’s most important messages to me, just before the election. Good timing, Karen.
Ronald Reagan Tribute — Bel Air Presbyterian Church
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Ho hum, you guys are so funny. I would be willing to bet that you didn’t decide to start writing about politics “about three and half years ago” but rather exactly 3 years and 265 days ago.