The View From 1776

The Centrist Turns Left
By Dariel A. Colella

During the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama was very clear about what his intentions were and everyone knew that he wanted to implement change.  But he was also very clear about the kind of change he was going to implement.  Because the media glossed over his so-called articulate words, people were caught up in the sound bites of hope and change.  Although his words seemed hopeful, they were words of a community organizer who vowed to change the United States to his own world view.  His goal, as he said, is to “fundamentally transform the United States of America.” Those were not the words of a centrist.

The health care debate has brought the question of Obama’s vision for the future to the forefront.  Despite recent backpedaling, Senator Obama stated in 2003 that he was all for a single payer system:  “I happen to be a proponent of single-payer, universal health care plan.” Michelle Obama reinforced his views and campaigned for the kind of change Obama had in mind:  “The truth is, in order to get things like universal health care and a revamped education system, then someone is going to have to give up a piece of their pie so that someone else can have more.” However, the recent town hall meetings seem to indicate that U.S. citizens are not too keen on relinquishing that piece of their pie.

The cap and trade bill seemed on the verge of passing before people woke up and realized that this might not be in their best interests.  But during the campaign Obama did not hide his agenda in this regard either:  “Under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket, even, you know, regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad.  Because I’m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name, whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, they would have to retrofit their operations.  That will cost money; they will pass that money on to consumers.” American citizens are realizing that their pie will become smaller and smaller as each day of the Obama Administration passes, and this is not a typical administration. 

The kind of leadership Barack Obama wants is the kind of leadership that he is comfortable with, community organizers.  The numerous czar appointments are one more example of Obama’s move away from governing as a centrist.  The president is surrounding himself with those who share his leftist views.  Glenn Beck has called to our attention that Van Jones, the newly appointed green jobs czar, was a radical and a community organizer, and Barack Obama has put him in a position of power to mold the United States to his vision.  Apparently revisionism is key, and changing the way September 11, 2001 is remembered is a good beginning. 

According to a special report in The American Spectator online, Matthew Vadum reports that “The president signed into law a measure in April that designated Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service, but it’s not likely many lawmakers thought this meant that day was going to be turned into a celebration of ethanol, carbon emission controls, and radical community organizing.” A National Day of Remembrance would have been more appropriate. 

It is the agenda that matters though and, once again, Barack Obama told us what his vision will look like if we elected him:  “We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times whether we’re living in a desert or we’re living in the tundra and then just expect that other countries are going to say ok.  That’s not leadership.  That’s not going to happen.” Not if all goes according to his plan.  Perhaps we should ask ourselves if the takeover of GM was a necessity, or was it a stepping stone for the implementation of government approved cars. 

Governing from the center would include bipartisian cooperation, but Obama seems to have no interest in Republican input.  In fact, the Democratic party has instead tried to paint those who are speaking out at tea parties and town hall meetings as right wing nuts or Republican planted operatives.  In reality, we are witnessing concerned citizens who are increasing uncomfortable with the far-left agenda of this administration.  Change may be necessary in this country, but it is the fundamentals that have kept us free.