Posted by
"Mind and Morals" Michael Coyne on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 12:00:00 AM
“Hello, friends! Welcome to Honest Barry’s used politics.
Have I got a model for you. This one has a beautiful exterior and runs
completely on ‘hope’ and ‘change!’ Believe me, this one’s a beauty. But you
have to act now, or you’ll be stuck with that older-looking model on the
right.”
Sound familiar? Obviously, the above quote is fiction.
Senator Obama never called himself “Honest Barry.” But, you must admit, it
would be a fitting name. More and more, I see similarities that can be drawn
between Barack Obama and a used car salesman. He’s very good at convincing
young, inexperienced voters that his politics are brand new. The problem is
that his policies and beliefs are little more than “Carter… the sequel”
repackaged into a shiny, flashy, new exterior. Really, Honest Barry offers
nothing but rehashes of old failures, he just looks new.
The “hope and change” rhetoric sounds nice, and it fits well
with college students who are more interested in “ideals” than practicality.
Obama’s politics are like the old car on the lot that has a fully refurbished
exterior, but has an engine that has broken down several times before. And,
just like a used car salesman convinces inexperienced buyers to spend money on
the pretty car that will break down a matter of weeks after the sale, Honest
Barry is successfully convincing inexperienced voters to buy absolute junk
politics that happen to have nice packaging.
Meanwhile, John McCain offers a trusted, reliable brand of
politics. We may not always like what he’s done, but we know who and what he
is. McCain’s politics are tantamount to the used car that has a lot of miles on
it, might have some dings and scratches, but it’s reliable, it’s predictable.
The car isn’t as pretty, but it won’t break down.
Fortunately, as of 7/30, Obama’s poll lead is dropping. According
to the Realclearpolitics.com average, Honest Barry’s poll lead has fallen from
5% on 7/27 to 2.6%. In three days, that’s impressive. People are beginning to
see Honest Barry for what he is, and “hope and change” rhetoric doesn’t pass
for real discussion of real issues. Obama has tried that, but he’s also failed
miserably at it. His positions shift with the wind, and the few issues he’s
consistent on are too radical for a rational Liberal.
For example, his tax plan includes hikes of 50% or more, not
to mention the absolute annihilation of small business through monstrous
capital gains hikes. He also budgets $500 billion or more just to pay for his
socialized medicine plans. He’s also predicted $12 per gallon gas prices,
rather than suggest any solutions to gas prices. On foreign policy, he showed
his naïveté on his tour through the Middle East and Europe, when he claimed
that he would still oppose the troop surge, even though he admitted that the
surge worked.
Let’s not forget his friends, Rev. Jeremiah Wright (“God
d*mn America,” and “U.S. of KKK A!”) and the Weatherman Bill Ayers (“I’m sorry
I didn’t bomb more government buildings,”). His associations with these two,
compiled with his refusal to salute the American Flag or wear a flag lapel pin,
and his wife’s statement that she has never been proud of America in her adult
life, paints an alarming picture of someone who has no interest in preserving
American values.
So, friends, let’s all remember that we need to step up the
offensive, and we have to protect young voters—and America, in general—from
Honest Barry.