Barack Obama: Great Society II

Barack Obama has a sweeping progressive agenda for the nation that is closer in content to the Great Society of Lyndon Johnson than either of the Presidents that Obama has sought to emulate,  Abraham Lincoln or Franklin Roosevelt. Johnson, a Democrat who had extensive experience in championing legislation while serving in both the House and Senate prior to becoming Vice President and assuming the Presidency following the assassination of President Kennedy. Following his election in 1964, Johnson’s agenda for Congress included civil rights legislation, education, health, Medicare, beautification, conservation, the war on poverty and economic development through urban renewal.

Obama’s progressive agenda may appear new and shiny but to a large degree is really Great Society II. The names may have changed but the agenda hasn’t.Obama’s focus on health insurance, redistribution of wealth, education and the greening of America are merely contemporized versions of entitlement programs. As with President Johnson and Viet Nam, Obama must contend with wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as remain vigilant with respect to pirates, terrorists and Mexican Drug Cartels while navigating through a global economic crisis.

The risk to the nation, is that Obama is a true believer in the progressive agenda with a messianic ego and limited experience. His actions at recent international conferences would indicate that he also possesses a naivete or such an exalted ego that he believes he is transforming the perception of America in the eyes of the world by denigrating America through apologies for the actions of previous administrations. He has proved that decisions in the White House are based upon political considerations such as the decision to declassify and release CIA files as they related to the use of torture by agents on suspected terrorists.

Lyndon Johnson is seldom mentioned by the progressive media nor I suspect are his policies frequently reviewed by Obama and his advisers. His was a challenged Presidency that culminated with his decision not to seek election to another term after receiving a mandate  by winning  in a landslide just four years prior. He was an experienced leader who succumbed to the burdens of a broad agenda that was designed to transform America. Time will ultimately determine whether or not Barack Obama succumbs to the same pressures as Lyndon Johnson. We can only hope and pray that our nation does not.

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Somali Piracy Demands Swift Action By Obama

We are thankful for the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips of the Maersk Alabama. America was fortunate that the mission resulted in rescuing Captain Phillips without harm to any American personnel involved in the rescue. It now appears that the Obama administration should complete a reconnaissance of  the Somali Pirates dens and upon gaining the appropriate intelligence develop a plan of action to assure American ships free passage on the high seas without fear of further incidents of piracy.

President Obama should take advantage of the momentum established by the rescue of the Captain of the Maersk Alabama and execute a decisive surgical strike on the Somali Pirates. Failure to act decisively will only serve to intensify the issue and lead to additional acts of Piracy. America has taken the first step toward intervention with the recent naval operation. However, it is unlikely that the success of the mission will provide an adequate deterrence to the Somali Pirates. America has shown in the past that it is often at its best when it strikes decisively to resolve threats upon its security.

The outstanding performance by the Navy, saved the administration from potential  political and international embarrassment. Further incidents may not result in the same positive out come and could evolve to  further weakening the perception of America, by both our allies and our enemies.

This is a time to demonstrate  strength and clarify, for the global community that this nation will not be held hostage by a group of  Somali Pirates. The time for resolutions and impotent rhetoric from the United Nations has past. For a President who has attempted to emulate Lincoln and Roosevelt, Obama has a unique opportunity to be Jeffersonian and eliminate the scourge of  Piracy and free the seas  as Jefferson did over two hundred years ago.

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Kill Shots Doom Pirates Save Treasure

Captain Richard Phillips, the Captain of the Maersk Line cargo ship Alabama, was resued today by navy seals in the Gulf of Aden. The Captain was rescued as navy seals executed three shots to the head killing three Somali pirates that were holding the Captain hostage aboard a lifeboat. A fourth member of the pirates was being detained by the U.S. Military and may face charges on Piracy and Kidnapping.

We commend the Obama administration for authorizing the kill order in this incident and all those involved in executing this mission. Captain Phillips represents the best of America. His willingness to give himself over to the Somali Pirates in exchange for the safety of his crew is truly heroic. The President should savor the out come of this incident and recognise how quickly it could have escalated to a Jimmy Carter moment, had the pirates been capable of reaching shore in Somalia.

The issue before the administration now is what does America do next to prohibit further incursions by Somali Pirates on American flagships. The pirates may be emboldened by the attention they garnered by attempting to secure an American registered vessel and in fact it may awaken the opportunity to terrorists based in Somalia. America must respond at the appropriate time to do what is best for America.

This is no longer an issue exclusive to endless rhetoric and impotent resolutions of the United Nations. America has become militarily engaged and should complete its mission with the  appropriate force required to insure that seas remain safe for American vessels.

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Somali Piracy Demands Obama Execute Strategic Strike

The plight of a Captain of an American cargo vessel being held hostage by Somali Pirates has cast a spotlight and focused the eyes of the world on the Gulf of Aden and a group of former Somali fishermen, who have determined that piracy on the high seas is the most lucrative option available to them to earn a living and support their families and communities. Unfortunately, for those involved piracy is deemed unacceptable among the global community of nations.

While the American Captain is held on a lifeboat in the shadow of America’s naval power, seemingly powerless to intercede, the world has been forced to gain a perspective on the anarchical nation that Somalia has become. What we perceive as piracy, many Somali’s view as a legitimate option toward a lucrative career. While America has been engaged in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Somalia has continued to decline to a rogue state in which anarchy is the politic of the day. It is a broken state in which the human instinct to survive dominates the desire for the rule of law.

We as a nation are unable to maintain order in as many areas of the world that require it, nor is it in our nature as Americans to do so. Contrary to the rhetoric of the progressive left, America is not inclined toward empire building.  

When provoked, it has been, with a but a few notable exceptions, our policy to respond in kind to protect American economic interests and the interests of our citizens. The issue of piracy off the coast of east Africa cannot be tolerated. It is in our interest and those of our allies to assure the safety of  trans oceanic commerce.

Clearly we support the effort to insure the safety of the hostages being held by Somali Pirates and America should move quickly to secure the hostages. We must then move to eliminate the pirates in East Africa by using the military might that our nation is fortunate to posses. President Obama must understand that a progressive diplomatic response to the Somali issue is unacceptable. We will not resolve the threat of Somali piracy with aid and rhetoric.

America’s response to this issue will be watched closely by our enemies. If we fail to take aggressive action at the appropriate time we will be viewed as a weakened nation with a President that chooses to orate about idealistic platitudes and goals as opposed to safeguarding our security and insuring our standing in the global community. President Barack Obama, who chose to bow to a Saudi King must not bow to the will of Somali pirates.

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Obama To Apologise To Somali Pirates

The Obama administration, is rumored to be planning an apology to Somali pirates who have been active in the Gulf of Aden. The President,  who established himself on his recent European tour as the great apologist for America’s policies including, its use of the atomic bomb to end the second world war, is apparently considering an apology to Somali pirates for the past economic and military excesses of America which,  per the Administration has resulted in a global economic imbalance,  thereby creating an environment that has forced the oppressed Islamic pirates of Somalia into piracy.

The administration will propose that Congress enact the federal mariners act which will levy a 15% federal surtax on all marine purchases including boats, motors etc. to fund the Somalian Piracy Fund which will redistribute the fund to Somalia in what will be called equalization payments. The Obama administration purportedly, will ask representatives of the Somali Piracy Liberation Front to endorse a treaty which will prohibit Somali Pirates from engaging in acts of Piracy on American flag ships and American allies that contribute to the fund.

Representatives of the Somali Piracy Liberation Front had been reluctant to engage in acts of Piracy against American flag ships until the President’s recent European tour. Upon hearing hearing about the conciliatory tone of the President and his attempts to ingratiate himself with Islamic community the Pirates elected to test the response of America. It is also rumored that for several weeks prior to this most recent act of Piracy the Somali Piracy Liberation Front has been in contact with the Obama administration seeking a bail out given the decline in the global economy.

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