Compare Skill Sets

Never confuse philosophical debates with the game of chess. Although both are contests with winners and losers, the outcome of debates are determined by many subjective factors.

A debate is influenced by the physical appearance, likeability, facial and body gestures, attire, voice intonation and the words chosen by the participants. The winner is helped by these factors, plus the predisposition of the judges.

In many ways, debates are beauty contests. A weak argument, well presented, can trounce a strong argument poorly delivered. A debate can be won by the participant who puts the “best shine on his or her shoes.”

In contrast, chess depends on strategy and execution. With the exception of intimidation, subjective factors don’t influence the outcome. It’s a game of absolutes. The results become unalterable historic facts which denote the exact move and counter move that turned the tide.

That’s the real world that the President of the United States faces. Each day the White House awakes to a zero sum game of life and death. The person seated in the Oval Office plays chess with the world. Presidents and US opponents come and go, but the responsibility to win and the consequences of a loss are constants.

The presidential contest is a debate which employs the strategy of chess. The outcome is determined by the campaigns’ plan, execution and equally important, the voters’ perception of the candidates. There are no rules. The campaigns and candidates influence, but can’t control the opponents’ moves, and their resources are always limited.

That’s the world the President of the United States faces. But unlike the candidates’ lyrical theatrics, a president’s decisions impact the security and well-being of 300 million citizens. Favorable sound bites in the evening news don’t define presidential leadership, or change the endgame.

And unlike chess opponents, presidential candidates can take their moves back. The pundits and party hacks, depending on their political affiliation, bless or disparage these message changes as either refinements or backing out of a dead-end.

There is a red flag that is ignored by these reactions to campaign about-faces. It’s one thing for a political candidate to retreat to higher ground and another for the President of the United States. The latter can’t pull the trigger and take the bullet back. The nation lives with the consequences.

There is compromise, but no acceptable margin for error in the White House. A charismatic presidential candidate can say “oops” and survive, but presidents don’t have this luxury. No candidate, who survives on backtracking or skirts the issues, is ready to assume the office.

The 2008 presidential campaign is a competition between Senator Obama, a polished speaker with shiny shoes, and a seasoned, international chess player, Senator McCain. Either can win.

Let’s hope the electorate understands we are war and pretty doesn’t count. We need a leader who will strengthen the battlements and dominate the chess board; not one who will weaken the US position to appease the players sitting on the opposite side of the board.

The Environmental Judas Goat

Al Gore’s career exemplifies why America is headed in the wrong direction. He is the leftwing’s celeb provocateur, the environmental pony it groomed to showcase and promote its anti-America agenda.

He is global warming’s official spokesperson. His political affiliates financed his ascendency into this world of fabricated science. He was a natural for the post, having already crowned himself the inventor of the Internet.

Gore is the product of a wealthy family, a white version of affirmative action. In the vernacular, he was a rich kid with a big ego whose fortune never depended on his personal talent. He eked his way through Harvard and Vanderbilt.

His academic record is dismal and devoid of any scientific accomplishments beyond getting a D in a natural science course. Real scientists, using real data, have since debunked and refuted most of the prepared text he read in the film documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.

He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his reading ability by Europeans who share his supporters’ political agenda. This is the same mob that is begging America to elect Senator Obama. They can’t get enough of Americans undermining American strength.

Al Gore is kind of a sad creature, a second rater who plays the same role as snowplows on dump trucks. Although he is out front, his direction and maneuvers are guided by others. It doesn’t take much digging to discover why he was chosen to front the global warming crusade.

His 1992 book, Earth in the Balance, updated the lyrics to the Marxists’ tune. It introduced the environment as a cause to discredit capitalism and increase the power of government. Of course, the big lie made him the darling of the socialist wing of the Democratic Party.

He blamed the planet’s cyclical environmental changes on capitalism, the evils of consumerism and the restricted role of women in business and government. His message: American corporations are ruthlessly destroying the environment. Thus, America’s economy can’t be admired because everything it accomplishes harms the planet’s poor and downtrodden.

This thesis is class warfare dressed in environmental green, rather than its traditional “have and have not” attire. It’s a ploy to paint capitalists as parasites willing to destroy the planet for financial gain.

Al Gore is not a prophet; he is a Judas Goat leading Americans to the slaughter. The Democrats’ solution for the current energy crisis dovetails perfectly with his grand plan: Blame the oil companies, expand government and pray for wind and sunshine.

For decades now this anti-America sentiment has been floated around the world. It’s music to the ears of Europe’s socialists. And, it has collected many converts closer to home, like Reverend Wright’s flock and Michelle Obama.

A Hint of Patriotism

Sometimes a gut reaction is a good barometer of the truth. The Olympics in Communist China and Russia’s invasion of its southern neighbor, Georgia, stir a lot of memories. The world has seen this prelude before and witnessed the clash of ideologies.

The Cold War was defined by scholars as a Protracted Conflict. The collapse of the Soviet Union, symbolized by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, allowed the world to take a deep breath and relax a little.

A period of jubilant optimism refreshed the West as countries were freed from Soviet domination and the peril of war. Now it seems that what appeared to be a new epoch of peace was little more than a time out between rounds.

As with Russia’s Georgia intentions, only the self-delusional believe the Olympics are a neutral competition among fair minded competitors. The competition reflects the emerging reality that it is again us against them. You can sense a lurking hostility in the coverage of the Olympics.

Listen to the anchors on the evening broadcasts and the reviews of each day’s events on the cable networks. The anchors and commentators can’t hide their gut reaction to every US win. Like the flag raisers on Iwo Jima, the US athletes are portrayed as something more significant than the sum of their individual heroics and triumphs.

The teams are again proxies. This is seen in the obvious distinction which differentiates the media’s near universal response to the victories of US allies, and those they have commonly labeled as US maligned.

Try as it may to sound neutral, the media can’t conceal its patriotism. That we are at war with evil is seeping out between the lips of its anchors, editors and commentators.

The disappointment the media reflects when America loses to western countries, such as Canada and Australia, is offered with praise for the victors. You hear a graceful bow to the opponents’ accomplishments in the news recaps. The disappointment caused by these US losses is healed by the feeling that at least a friend won.

The victories of the Chinese are enveloped in descriptions that reek of disdain. Reminiscent of the Soviet empire, their athletes are described as obedient, mindless cyborgs, bred and groomed on government owned farms. Not much has changed since only the name tags on the East German participants identified their sex.

The joy of every US success the media describes is ripe with the delight it takes in our adversaries’ failures. The message is not deliberate; it just seeps out between the cracks.

The Olympics have not cast a shadow on our international relations. Rather, the Olympics have shed light on the US media. They still have a grain of patriotism despite pretending we are the world’s enemy and that our wounds are self inflicted.

Of course, the media can’t officially admit we are at war with innately evil countries and expect its candidate, Senator Obama, to win. It took the Olympic Games to identify their motivation, dishonesty and the last shreds of their patriotism.

Where's My Refund?

There are a handful of US companies that are truly American born and bred. They symbolize what makes America a nice place to live, work and raise families. Each has contributed to America’s uniqueness. They are the personification of our strength, prosperity, perspective and history of innovation.

These corporations have all experienced brutal competitive challenges. Some have staggered and a few awoke to headlines which declared their imminent death. Their grit, guts, dedicated employees and vision have made them icons.

It’s difficult to imagine our country without the Eastman Kodak Company, IBM, Coca Cola, 3M, John Deere, General Electric, Kelloggs, Ford Motor Company, Johnson & Johnson, Anheuser Bush, Procter and Gamble, American Express, Intel, Black and Decker, General Mills, Federal Express, Microsoft, Sears, General Motors, UPS, the Walt Disney Company, Hershey’s, McDonalds, ExxonMobil and Caterpillar.

It would be impossible to find a family that hasn’t benefited from their achievements. Children can identify their products, and most have played with toys emblazoned with their logos. What scratch hasn’t healed faster with a superhero band-aid? What child hasn’t listened to cereal go snap, crackle and pop? Now that’s America!

These corporations have impacted our lives, our routines and our senses. They have improved the quality and enjoyment of life. They have pampered us with convenience and raised our standards and expectations. They have empowered our lives.

The energy, raw material, technology, transportation, communication, pharmaceutical, insurance, medical and financial institutions can fill reams of paper with hallmark names. They are the nation’s backbone. They invested in our future and changed our perception of speed, agility, performance and security.

Now write your memoirs. Set a chapter aside to compare the benefits that private enterprise contributed to your happiness, health and well-being to that of government.

No Kidding! You discovered that there’s not much beyond a high school diploma, national security, a road system, the local police and fire department, the Constitution and a smattering of agencies which protected your rights and health that provided the benefits of the private sector.

Yet the government gobbled up at least forty percent of your lifetime earnings. Be honest with yourself. You haven’t gotten much for your money. It’s a safe bet that you only dealt once with companies that charged outrageous prices and delivered shoddy products and services.

So tell us again why you vote for politicians who want to enlarge the government’s share of your income.

Okay! Okay! It’s understood that masochists enjoy abuse. They enjoy the IRS' catchy motto, Snag, Cripple and Gouge. Setting aside those with this proclivity, tell us again why you are a Democrat. Those that have milked the welfare system their entire lives need not respond. We already know why you love Harry, Nancy and Barack.

Fairytales Have Come True

The attitude of America’s citizens has changed since 9/11. Generosity and patience are at a premium. Our optimism is jaded by uncertainty, our confidence soiled by apprehension and our horizon is blurry. America is angry. Its citizens want change.

This is what ignited Senator Obama’s candidacy. He was a breath of fresh air. Now he is just contributing to the political pollution. Since the packaging peeled off, we see another insufferable, elitist politician who stutters without a teleprompter. And Senator McCain is only a few steps closer to starboard and maybe a few degrees forward.

We need a statesman at the helm, but will end up with Daffy Duck or Elmer Fudd. Neither candidate has offered a concise blueprint to put the country back on course. McCain is carrying notes on a napkin, and Obama’s vision makes Little Red Riding Hood look perceptive.

This Congress’ legislative record, by comparison, raises the Seven Dwarfs to the status of a world class think tank. What don’t the Republicans and Democrats understand about the message Americans sent during the primaries? We are furious. We are sick and tired of programs that throw Americans overboard to appease our competitors, enemies and southern neighbors.

We are tired of political correctness distorting the issues and smearing the truth. We would rather have our strength respected than our downfall beloved.

Congress treats our future like a game of chance. They gamble and tinker with our lives for political gain. Statecraft has been reduced to party gamesmanship. Lobbyists and freeloaders crush us with debt and devour our stamina.

Congress has succeeded in dividing the ship of state into competing constituencies. We have become a nation of sub-cultures. Class warfare, euphuisms and doublespeak are their weapons of choice to chip away at our core values and undermine our traditions. They have flushed merit down the toilet which is extinguishing our freedom and valor.

They thrive on indecision because solutions reduce their influence.

They think we are fools, but it is Congress that is delusional. They think the West can negotiate with terrorists and that our allies aren’t self-serving. But war is not about compromise or building love. Our survival is not negotiable. Iran is going nuclear. While these DC miscreants dither, the lynchpin of Islamic terrorism is planning our destruction.

So what is left to debate? It’s Iran that has a decision to make. Destroy the centrifuges or become the world’s largest parking lot. Only those who believe that Wile E. Coyote is a victim of the Road Runner’s lack of compassion can image Obama delivering this message. That’s why terrorists praise Allah for his primary victory.

As the data on the cause of global warming mounts, Al Gore makes Chicken Little look like the scientific prophet of the ages. The country is desperate for affordable energy, and Speaker Pelosi has morphed into Snow White. While this Save the Planet princess remains in a coma the Big Bad Wolf is stalking this country. Meanwhile, the Three Little Pigs are getting hammered by unemployment and inflation.

We are tired of being treated like Hanzel & Gretal. We are not lost and we know who always gets stuck paying for the gingerbread house. Get this straight! We are not going to climb into the oven to appease their appetites.

Although the nation will be stuck with McCain or Obama, it is not too late for Congress to think of itself as an American institution.

The Righteous Path of Inclusion

While in Germany, Senator Obama decreed, “People of the world this is our time.” That’s an extraordinary statement which prompts a tiny question. Exactly who are these “people” he is addressing? One is drawn to conclude that his proclamation was a call to arms to everyone in the world who shares his vision.

If so, on that glorious July day in Europe he assumed the mantle of leadership in the battle against inequality on planet earth. Finally, the world is in the presence of a candidate willing to unmask global injustice. How magnanimous! Can a new national holiday be far behind?

Think of the blessings he will bestow on all humankind. With the president of the United States, and its taxpayers, carrying the world’s burdens there will be no need for the United Nations. That’s a good thing. Of course, there is one impediment that may ruffle a few feathers.

The US Constitution clearly states that its president must be born in the United States. If the US president is also the defacto president of the World, the politicians in Syria, Iran, North Korea, Russia, China, Europe and the Third World will demand Equal Opportunity Eligibility. Obama, no stranger to this logic, certainly will work to appease them.

Now it’s clear why he and his friends in the Senate heroically defeated an amendment which would have made English the official language of government. It’s unreasonable to expect newcomers to adopt our customs and language. An official language reeks of discrimination and is a barrier against inclusiveness.

Obama’s disciples were rightfully joyous when the US Supreme Court granted captured Islamic terrorists all the legal rights of US citizens. Certainly this decision screams inclusiveness. When combined with New York City and Boston funding Muslim mosques, the terrorists will soon be shamed into laying down their arms. You can feel the love blooming.

On the home front, Obama’s soul mates are waging a courageous war against the sinister forces demanding businesses verify the social security numbers of job applicants. This is blatant discrimination against illegal aliens, who through no fault of their own happen to be here without permission.

Once Obama, Reid and Pelosi end this cruel practice, people across the globe will recognize that US citizens are serious about giving away their jobs.

Obama’s fellow visionaries are setting the table for the world’s citizens to vote in US elections. They are passionate about laws which prohibit the need for proper identification as a prerequisite for voting. Letting everyone in the world participate in our elections will end this ugly, anti-inclusive discrimination.

And once Obama introduces the grand goals of diversity and multi-culturalism to the world, all will see the advantage of unlimited welfare and doling out opportunity based on gender and ethnicity. This will end the insensitive practice of judging people on their merit.

Certainly all countries will feel compelled to follow the righteous path Obama will clear. They too will eliminate borders and share their bounty. They will provide free education, housing, nutrition and medical care to all who appear on their governments’ doorsteps. Naturally Iran, the Arabs, Russia and Venezuela, in the spirit of kindness, will provide free oil to the world.

Of course there will be naysayers. These are the evil ones that Obama has pledged to destroy. They are the fools who cling to the antiquated concepts of private property, personal responsibility, the rule of law, and selfishly cling to their guns and religion and money.

It's That Simple

The US presidential election is now focused on two presumptive nominees. This concentration of media attention buries the fact that the nation’s direction can’t be predicted merely on the campaign utterances of the winning candidate.

Neither Obama nor McCain will be isolated figures, working alone in a White House vacuum. They will bring teams composed of politically likeminded individuals. We elect a team with a single compass.

The US is engaged in a global war against terrorism and is under economic duress. Our future prosperity and security will be determined by the team the new president selects.

Thus, forecasting the direction the nation will take under either’s watch is best predicated on the candidate’s inner circle of friends, supporters and advisors. It’s this political aggregate that the electorate should, can and must gauge.

Politicians hate hypothetical questions because they bar equivocation. They prefer dealing in circles rather than boxes with those nasty corners. So they trade in the abstract of their own choosing, which provides multiple avenues of escape. In business slang, this is called the view from 50,000 feet.

Americans live much closer to earth. So here is a hypothetical question for the electorate. With the nation’s economic and national security in upheaval, who would you rather have advising the next president?

Condoleezza Rice or Ms. Save the Planet, Speaker Nancy Pelosi

General Petraeus or Mr. We Have Lost the War, Senator Harry Reid

Oliver North or Mr. Flag Burner, William Ayers

Mayor Giuliani or Mr. Sanctuary City, Mayor Gavin Newsom

Governor Tom Ridge or Spend Baby Spend, Governor Duval Patrick

Senator Romney or Mr. UFO, Rep. Dennis Kucinich

Michelle Malkin or Ms. Not Proud of America, Michelle Obama

Glenn Beck or Mr. Tingle Legs, Chris Mathews

Duncan Hunter or Ms. Nationalize Oil and Healthcare, Maxine Waters

Rev. Graham or Mr. Damn the US, Reverend Wright

Senator Orin Hatch or Mr. Welfare, Senator Kennedy

These are the candidates’ political soul mates. These people are representative of those leading the current debate, and those who will influence the US international, domestic, and economic legislation for the next four years.

Compare their positions on illegal immigration, energy, taxation, and border and national security. This is the choice Americans will make in this election. It’s that simple.