I notice, by way of Fox news [1] and a few other places, that both John McCain and President Obama have delivered speeches on this Fourth of July, that sound on similar themes.
I suppose these kind of platitudes are to be expected, given the day. But at what point, did all this about freedom, liberty, and the individual, become mere platitudes? I ask, because neither one of them, apparently, feels that government and freedom are the polar opposites they always have been. Or, as Ronald Reagan once put it, the government isn’t the solution, government as the problem.
As I said in a recent Pajamas Media article, [2]
In the long list of things done and said by Barack Obama since walking into the Oval Office, is there any one thing you can think of that would suggest he believes freedom is the answer for the human condition?
There’s certainly nothing I can think of, but I suppose there are those who would consider me to be less than fair when talking about such issues. But I am confident you won’t be able to think of anything, either.
I raise the question because the answer is key when analyzing his words and actions responding to the Iranian situation.
I go on:
At every turn since becoming president, as various problems have presented themselves, Barack Obama has raised the power of government over people (usually the least accountable government possible, his pledge for transparency notwithstanding) and eschewed the free market solution. He’s taken over the banks and the auto companies. He’s now working on taking over health care. He’s appointed “czars” who are not accountable to any elected authority and who even Democratic Senator Robert Byrd insists are unconstitutional.
These are not the actions of someone who thinks freedom paramount. Clearly government, and not freedom, is Obama’s panacea.
With this is mind, why are we so shocked and amazed when he refuses to stand up for freedom for the people of Iran? He’s already made it consistently clear that he doesn’t support freedom. Rather, he thinks government is the solution for every problem.
That quote makes an excellent link, because Iran was precisely the issue brought up by John McCain in his speech today.. McCain can hardly chided for bringing the subject up at all, in relationship to Obama and his dedication to freedom, since I did also, but I am also forced by something called the truth to suggest that Mr. McCain’s dedication to freedom over government has been something less than stellar, as well.
Indeed, the truth is that the only reason that we have a Democrat in the White House right now, is because Mr. McCain decided to project himself as a Democrat lite, as opposed to coming out strongly for controlling government growth and in fact reversing it. McCain never did, and offered only half as much governmental increases than Obama… and no reduction at all.
Without that dedication, any reference to “freedom” and “liberty” takes on the status of meaningless platitude. That means both of ’em.
So, you’ll pardon me if I don’t stand up and salute when such gets mouthed from these two. See, if I thought for a second that either one of them actually believe what they were saying, I’d stand up and salute. As it is, I’ll mark both of their speeches with one finger. Guess which one.