I thought it useful to organize a few key points against the Obama presidency before he imposes an internet-based Fairness Doctrine:

1) Healthcare--economic entitlement programs are much harder to remove than increased tax rates. If Obama employs some of the government-imposed mandates he favors (let alone a possible universal system), a major portion of our economy will be socialized, probably for good. Look at the "band-aid" Social Security program that our country now wears like its favorite sweater. This could apply to the housing market as well.

2) Free Speech--Obama is notorious in certain circles for pursuing those who question his record through legal avenues (see Stanley Kurtz in Illinois). Two gems currently proposed by Democrats: the Fairness Doctrine and Card Check. The first would require equal time for conservative/liberal viewpoints on all radio stations, which would in effect shut down much of conservative talk radio (their primary medium). The second would submit workers to soft coercion to support labor unions and bypasses the privacy of a secret ballot. Oh, and there's the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which will make all organizations except churches hire people regardless of sexual orientation (think Christian counseling, schools, etc.). Conservative opposition could possibly be crushed.

3) Redistributing Wealth--The idea that Obama will cut taxes for 95% of people is a lie. Many of those people don't pay taxes, for one, and this money will not be given from the government, but from the rich. He will simultaneously allow the tax rates to go up on the "rich" (including many who own a small business and hire 4-5 workers) while "lowering taxes" for the poor. That money will go directly from the former to the latter. Little do the "poor" realize that many of them could get laid off by that extra $40,000 of taxes on their employer. It'll make our economy much worse.

4) Supreme Court--There could be as many of 4 retirements from the Supreme Court. While they likely won't come from the strict-constructionist wing, those appointments, without any resistance in the form of a filibuster, could enshrine extreme activists on the court for the next three decades.

5) Foreign Policy--Most every major politician in the twentieth century learned to follow Teddy Roosevelt's "big stick" policy with regard to foreign affairs. We should avoid military conflicts where possible, but every President had to be strong when it counted (i.e. JFK and the Bay of Pigs). Much of Europe won't stand up to Russian aggression right now. If Obama appears soft (which he does--see Biden's comment the other day about the looming time of trial), the Russian shadow may again descend over much of Europe. Will Iran fear military consequences for developing a bomb or Sudan for its continued genocide? Will American capitalism and democracy be subordinated to a corrupt UN?


Barack Obama esteems unity while eschewing dissent. How many people have been tarred with the "racist" label for question Obama's policies or connections? He could reign in his prominent surrogates in the media, but doesn't. The reverberating echoes of "unity," become eerily novelesque as those who oppose his brand of "unity" are stigmatized (and perhaps eventually crushed).

I'm not a big McCain fan at all, but I will vote for whoever (up/down ticket) stands in the way of the Obama machine.

The electoral prospects of the Republican Party are looking increasingly bleak...

*In the current RealClearPolitics electoral map, Barack Obama has fairly solid leads in enough states to give him 264 electoral votes.  If the election was tonight and each candidate won the states where they lead in the poll average, Barack Obama would defeat John McCain in a landslide--364-174.

*All of the "blue states" that McCain made competitive with the Palin pick are now out of play.  Since the financial crisis started, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and New Hampshire have all slipped out of play.  Several are now very solidly in Obama's camp.  Obama has also consolidated his gains in Iowa and New Mexico--two former Bush states.  He only needs one more to win the election.  The most likely candidates to switch are typical battlegrounds Florida and Ohio, though Obama holds decent leads in Colorado, Virginia, and Nevada as well.  He also is virtually tied in typically solid "red states" Missouri (more purple), Indiana, and North Carolina.  Remember, if Obama takes any of the 8 states just listed--which are all currently either tied or favoring Obama--he wins.  McCain would have to sweep those 8 in order to win.  In other words, you may be able to go to sleep early on election night if you're a Republican.

*In addition, Democrats are likely to expand their majority in the House by 10-15 seats.  That majority would be quite dominant.  Even more startling is the possibility of Democrats picking up around 10 seats in the Senate. Pollster has helpful maps, especially for the Senate and House.

Election results could very well be the nightmare scenario for Republicans: a very liberal Democrat in the White House and substantial majorities in both Houses--perhaps even enough to defeat filibusters.  From a conservative standpoint, the ramifications for foreign policy (e.g. rapid withdraw from Iraq, appeasement of Iran and Russia, etc.) and economic policy (universal health care, widespread tax hikes to pay for new spending) are near-disastrous.  There is even a possibility of three Supreme Court retirements and an inability of Republicans to prevent or even slow any candidate of Senator Obama's choosing.

The silver lining for Republicans: This could prove to a "rebuilding season," where such a pervasive electoral defeat will cause a purging within a rank of those who fed from the government trough rather than staying true to conservative principles.  With a more solid foundation, the future could be bright.