America’s Obama Obsession

Anatomy of a passing hysteria

by Victor Davis Hanson - October 23rd, 2009 - National Review Online

For 30 months the nation has been in the grip of a certain Obama obsession, immune to countervailing facts, unwilling to face reality, and loath to break the spell. But like all trances, the fit is passing, and we the patient are beginning to appreciate how the stupor came upon us, why it lifted, and what its consequences have been.

As usual, Victor Davis Hanson has done an impeccable job of analyzing the process that led to the Magic Marxist Messiah winning the election last November.

He has also done a logical job of analyzing and predicting the future consequences of the disillusionment with Obama. However this second step assumes certain facts that I have no confidence are true. Hanson offers two future scenarios that he thinks are possible. One scenario is rational for someone who wants America to succeed. The second scenario is a mild version of staying the course "transforming" America into a radical new vision.

But I wonder, what if Obama does not just stay the course, as Hanson defines it:

... Obama could hold the pedal to the floor on the theory that, as a proven ideologue, he must move the country far left before the voters catch on and stop him in his tracks in November 2010. That would mean more of the “gorge the beast” effort to spend and borrow so much that taxes have to soar, and thus redistribution of income will be institutionalized for a generation. He would push liberal proposals no matter how narrow the margin in the Senate. He would keep demonizing Fox News. In Nixonian fashion he might continue to hit the stump, ratcheting up his current “they’re lying” message and energizing his left-wing base by catering to the unions, gays, minorities — and liberal Wall Street special interests.

What if, instead, Obama vastly increases his campaign and actively interferes with his political opponents? What if he accelerates the anti-Fox effort and shuts down Fox and talk radio? What if he accelerates his subversion of our courts and uses the willingness of left wing judges to shut down opposition groups and stop them from even advertising on a government controlled media?

What if he endorses the global cap-and-tax legislation by Presidential edict and then dares political opposition to interfere with UN initiatives to subvert our sovereignty? Who has the guts to challenge him?

Corporations all over America are acting like subservient curs and they whimper for Obama approval. They are abandoning the Chamber of Commerce to get their piece of the Obama pie under cap-and-tax. We no longer have anyone of real power who is willing to fight Obama. Even the Republican Party is endorsing socialist candidates like Scozzafava as they tremble at Obama's arrogance. With Republican leaders like Michael Steele and Newt Gingrich caving, who needs traitors like Quisling?

Obama's ability to win may only require he continue to act while his opposition talks... and talks... and talks.