The Gates of Thermopylae

If you don't understand that, let me clarify. At the beginning of Obama's campaign, there was a small ruckus about Obama not wearing the American flag on his lapel like the other candidates. He went on to claim that he did not need to wear the flag to show his patriotism. At the time, I thought that the move was very likely meant to separate him from the "herd" and play to his base of supporters. Those who believe that America is "on the wrong track" or, worse, is the new Dark Empire. Politicians do all sorts of things to make statements.

One of Obama's empty platform promises is that he will sit down with all the leaders of the world, if they are willing, and talk to them, reach out and try to change their minds. Even, on his list, were such notables as Kim Il Jong and Fidel Castro; two of the modern day murdering, oppressive dictators of the world.

Obama also talks about pulling the troops out of Iraq and, I imagine if he can get away with it, reducing Afghanistan to even more of a footnote than it is now. I believe it's also likely that he will leave Musharraf blowing in the breeze while the Democratic Islamic Forces of Waziristan over run the country and the nukes. But, that is supposition. He did state emphatically that he would withdraw our troops, post haste, from Iraq, regardless of consequences.

Obama is telling people that he is going to raise the taxes and they are cheering. Our fore fathers are spinning in their graves. You have to hand it to a charismatic fellow that can tell people he's about to screw them and they like it. Of course, he's actually telling them he's going to screw somebody else and give it to the poor as if he's Robin Hood. As if that ever really happens without the government taking their giant bite and handing the bread crumbs to "the people". Or the fact that it often and typically ends up that the people cheering for robbing somebody for their benefit, get robbed themselves.

Obama has talked endlessly about "regaining" America's place as a leader in the world. Among those things that he believes America should be leading is the global charge against global warming. I am certain that Obama will try to enact some parts of the Kyoto treaty even without signing it. I think he will introduce additional taxes on energy direct on the customer at the pump or taxes on energy companies like oil and others. A move that many people applaud, believing it will take some of the "profiteering profits" from the oil companies and put it towards something meaningful for them like social services or some huge renewable energy research. The problem, of course, is that these same folks never realize that that tax gets passed on to them directly, as to every other corporate tax in the form of higher prices for services and products.

You really have to wonder at people that believe that corporations would or should simply eat that tax and settle for less profit for "the good of the people". Frankly, the government doesn't care that you are getting taxed two or three times for the same services through either the back door or a direct tax because they get all the money one way or the other.

But, let's not go down the fork discussing the electorate just yet. I believe that Obama will introduce the much demanded (and it is, believe me, I talk to "normal" people) National Health Care Program. Regardless of cost or feasibility.

These things are amongst the many that have me opposing Obama and not too Happy about Hillary.

Yet, while contemplating the recent flap over the Che Guevara flag at two of Obama's offices in Houston, it finally came to me exactly why Obama wasn't wearing the American flag on his lapel.

Obama does not want to simply be the leader of the United States, but the leader of the world. It is hard to play to an international constituency with their own multitude of flags when you are wearing the flag of the United States of America.

Obama is a socialist. Full stop. He is pandering to the basest instincts of any constituency by promising them things that are beyond his power along with giving them, in the words of Caesar, Bread and Circuses. It would be very interesting to see who his supporters are and what organizations they belong to or even what nations they may have relations to.

While many are pointing to the flag and talking about Obama's Che Loving Supporters, they miss the most likely details of the origins of these flags and supporters. It was the Cuban flag with Che's image on it. While it may be that they are simply leftist "revolutionaries", the people manning the offices were not that young nor ill dressed in the pictures. These folks are likely either members of the organization that supports Fidel Castro and has been working very hard to get the US to lift the embargo and begin normalization of relations with Cuba or have equally atrocious origins with A.N.S.W.E.R or the World Socialist Workers Party.

Other things come to mind such as Obama specifically naming Castro as one of the "world leaders" he would sit down and talk to about whatever it is he thinks we have in common or would like to talk to them about. On reflection, this seems to have been a direct pandering to this base of socialists who have great love for Fidel and Chavez. Another instance comes to mind in that it was Robert Kennedy in Massachusetts that accepted the "free" oil from Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. The Kennedy's now being major supporters of Obama.

While no real connection can be made, Mr. Obama's rallies, complete with notable celebrities, are beginning to remind me of Hugo Chavez rallies where the alleged democratic people of Venezuela were shouting "socialism or death" right up until the moment they realized that Chavez actually meant "make me president for life or you will die".

I would like to know, with all seriousness, exactly where and from whom Mr. Obama's donations come from. Many people were focused on Hillary's campaign, the re-emergence of Mr. Hsu who brokered millions in donations from China during Bill Clinton's run for president. Yet, know one has sought to significantly investigate or challenge the origins of Mr. Obama's campaign contributors to my knowledge. Everyone appears to be taking his word that he received them all from average poor and middle class Americans who are looking for "change". or some other approved source.

Pardon me if some of his relations and platforms makes me think otherwise. I am really beginning to believe that America cannot afford Barak Obama, even as some temporary fit or pique. Some conservatives are willing to send the Republican party to the wilderness to learn some lessons about true conservatism in order to force the party to return to its base. I think that is the craziest thing I've heard right at this moment.

Let me return to the beginning of this post. I liken these Conservatives to the Senators in Sparta who debated endlessly while Leonidas marched out of the gate with 300 men. All the while Xerxes has already landed his million man army and is marching on the Gate.

We've been discussion immigration policy here for several days. The answer to nearly every point from conservatives is that immigrants are not or are refusing to "assimilate" into American culture and society. Yet, I fear that all of this fear over the lack of assimilation of the immigrants has turned many blind to the probability of being "assimilated" into the international club of socialist nations bowing down to the UN, the Kyoto treaty and international criminal courts.

You see, I've figured out that there are worse things than not having a perfect conservative candidate. There is being absorbed into Xerxes' Empire.

So, while you all continue to debate and demand, I've decided to pick up my spear, sling my hoplon over my shoulder and march down to the Gate. I'll be voting for McCain come November. I'll be double damned if I'm going to be subsumed into Xerxes Socialist Empire.

You all don't wait too long to join the battle lest the concession speech in November starts with this epitaph to the Spartan soldiers:

'Stranger, go tell the Spartans that here we are buried, obedient to their orders.'