Published: August 30, 2008 10:12 pm            

Jimmy Espy: Unconventional

My 3-year-old daughter is a fervent supporter of Barack Obama.

The other night she told my wife, a Hillary backer now slowly moving her tent into the Obama camp, that she liked Obama because he was “tall and could get things off the shelf.”

Tall and could get things off the shelf ... after a week of listening to the elite of the Democratic Party and their stooges in the national media, I have yet to hear a better reason to vote for the Illinois senator.

That is unless you are one of the camp followers who still gets excited when Obama starts rattling on about “change” and “new politics.”

I listened to his acceptance speech on Thursday — a speech which left much of the national media corps flopping on the ground in ecstasy — and came away thinking this very bright young man either has absolutely nothing of substance to say or he’s saving the real stuff until after the election.

One thing Obama mentioned surprised me. In the middle of his litany of standard (and very expensive) Democratic promises to voters he mentioned that he would help the American automobile industry build better cars. Dang, you would think that after all that has been written about Obama I would have known that he had background in automobile design. The Fords must be thrilled that help is finally on the way.

Obama mentioned that not all problems faced by Americans were of government doing, but nonetheless he is ashamed that the government isn’t doing something to solve all of our woes.

Overpay for your house? Tell Obama where to ship the cash.

High price of gas messing with your trip to Panama City? Obama will build you your own personal windmill?

Got a bunion? Obama will have a  doctor stop by your house. No charge.

The eradication of all personal responsibility. That is Obama’s promise to you. Sit back and relax.

As Merle Haggard sang:

 

We’re all gonna be drinking free bubble up

And eating that rainbow stew.

 

Americans, ask not what you can do for your country, instead send a list of things to Washington you need done and Obama will make sure the government starts doing for you. No charge.

A 3-year-old is one thing, but that grown-up people fall for this claptrap is embarrassing.

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It’s the Republicans’ turn this week and my expectations are low. Can anybody in that party even articulate the case for smaller government or has the funk of the past eight years enveloped everyone?

Intellectually, how do Republicans go to the podium and make a case for cutting federal spending, reducing taxes and diminishing the role of the federal government in our lives and not get laughed off the stage. Not because the message isn’t the right one, but because after the past eight years Republicans have forfeited the right to call itself the party of small government.

It is the correct strategy. Anyone who listened closely to Obama heard him making the case for a government that grabs you by your boo boo at birth and slaps a tag on your toe when you die. In between those events, the feds are gonna oversee as much of your dealings as possible ... for your own good of course.

You’re going to be wrapped in the warm, cocoon of cradle-to-grave government.

Isn’t that what we all want?

Republicans should reply “No.”

And they should say it loudly.

Show some backbone.



Jimmy Espy is executive editor of The Daily Citizen

        

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