I have been watching Obama over the past few weeks, listening and reading his speeches and, admittedly scratching my head over his obsessive use of the words “hope” and “change”. And wondering - has the average American become so dim-witted that these two words are enough to get a man, with only 2 years of elected experience as a US Senator, elected President of the United States? I suspect that perhaps it is. What do these things mean in the context of our upcoming election?
The easiest to address is “change”. I interpret that as meaning many on the left, and probably some on the right, believe it is time for George Bush to leave. Well, because of the 22nd Amendment to our Constitution, that is guaranteed – George Bush will no longer be our President after this next election.
A “change in direction” is also a guarantee – all candidates running are decidedly more socialist than in years past. We can all look forward to more government intrusion into our lives, and expansion of the nanny state and a continued surrender of our ability to run and direct our lives to a government that seems to be determined to take care of us, whether we want them to or not. I believe these things are certain. “Change” will occur. However, “hope” is another matter all together.
There is no “hope”.
Just what is “hope”. One dictionary defines it as: “A wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment.”
A “wish”, a “desire” that a person is “confident” will come true. Think how the tenor of Obama’s speeches would change if he replaced the word “hope” with the word “wish”.
“I wish we had affordable healthcare!” “I wish the terrorists would abandon their attacks on the US.” “I wish education was cheaper.” “I wish you could pay lower taxes.” Would that make a difference in how he is viewed by those crowding around him at his rallies, passing out in ecstasy?
There is no “hope”.
Lets look at “hope” on two levels: first at the individual and personal level, the second at the national level as it applies to our national desires, goals and direction.
A high school student can “hope” to get into a good college, yet if they are unwilling to study hard, follow a college prep path, participate in additional activities and maintain good grades, “hope” will not help, they will not be accepted.
An individual that wants to get a “good” job faces the exact same challenges. If they are unwilling to learn the field they want to work in, acquire the necessary education, excel at that education and then diligently search for that job, they will not be helped by “hoping” things will go their way.
An employee who “hopes” to move up will not do so unless they work hard, continue to learn, make themselves indispensable and simply excel at what they do. “Hope” will not move them up the ladder, action will.
A couple can “hope” their relationship will endure and grow, but unless they are willing to love each other, listen to each other, accept each other and support each other, their relationship will stagnate and fade. “Hope” in place of action leads them no where.
How does this desire for “hope” transfer itself to the national scene?
We can “hope” that terrorists will not and are not planning future attacks against the US. In fact, this past week, with the House’s refusal to enact an updated FISA bill that the Senate had already past, and the expiration of the Protect America Act, the Democrat House has relied on “hope” entirely – the hope that our Islamist enemies that destroyed the World Trade Center, bombed our embassies and ships and fought our soldiers throughout the world have had enough and have laid down their arms. However, the constant drumbeat of “death to America” heard throughout the lands of our enemies’ leads me to suspect that their passion for our destruction has not dimmed. We can either confront them or surrender to them.
We can “hope” that our borders are secure. Yet, with an estimated 12-20 million illegals in our country, it appears “hope” is not securing our borders at all. We can either secure our borders, send the lawbreakers home and install a real guest worker program, or we can surrender our sovereignty to criminals.
We can “hope” that the countries of the Mideast, Venezuela, Mexico, Canada and Africa will continue to provide us oil. We can “hope” we can refine enough of those imports into gasoline with 35 year old refineries. We can “hope” we can meet our growing electrical needs without building more coal and nuclear power stations. Or, we can harvest our natural resources, drill for oil, extract and use our coal, build the nuclear plants we badly need and wean ourselves off our foreign dependencies.
We can “hope” that companies do not move their manufacturing capabilities out of our country. Our government can continue to raise their taxes, threaten to take their profits, punish their successes and promise to control their prices. However, target companies will not “hope” the government changes its mind, they will simply leave. Or, we could reduce their taxes (taxes that are passed on to the consumers by the way), encourage them to expand, support their growth (and as a result add new jobs), invite increased investment and encourage foreign companies to relocate in the US instead.
My point is this: while Mr. Obama has soared to the top his party’s ticked by “Wishin’ and Hopin” (lyrics by Ani Difranco), it’s hollow. Without commitment, direction, actions, cooperation, determination and clarity – there is nothing. And, that is exactly what it seems that Mr. Obama is holding in his hand to offer the American people – nothing.
Is this what we have come to as a country – Republican, Democrat, Independent – that we have come to demand so little from our leaders that we would vote for nothing?
There is no “hope”.
