Pay Attention and Take Action

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!"  So goes the line from my favorite scene from The Wizard of Oz.  I am tempted to update the line to, "Pay no attention to the man behind the teleprompter!"  However, that is something that no American can completely afford... literally.

I highly recommend the recent WSJ article by Fouad Ajami, "The Obama Spell Is Broken".  Ajami recounts how Obama was taken in by his own mystique, and essentially believed his election was a mandate for implementing sweeping progressive change.  Ajami suggests what many of us have been onto for some time, including:

The economic stimulus, ObamaCare, the large deficits, the bailout package for the automobile industry—these, and so much more, were nothing short of a fundamental assault on the givens of the American social compact.

We don't have in this republic the technocratic model of the European states, where a bureaucratic elite disposes of public policy with scant regard for the popular will.

It was the way in Paris and Berlin (not to forget Oslo of course) of rebuking all that played out in America since 9/11—the vigilance, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the sense that America's interests and ways were threatened by a vengeful Islamism. But while the Europeans and Muslim crowds hailed him, they damned his country all the same. For his part, Mr. Obama played along, and in Ankara, Cairo, Paris and Berlin he offered penance aplenty for American ways.

 But the curtain has now parted.  Scott Brown was elected in Massachusetts, in a victory that no participant in this republic should ignore.  A veteran with three decades of military service taking over Ted Kennedy's seat, somebody slap me.

However, all is still not well.  The Right Truth blog has a great post that should serve as a wake up call to everyone seeking to make Scott Brown type changes in their elected leadership.  The post points out that the GOP handed Obama some great talking points for all his true believers in their recent Q&A session.  However, I particularly like the snippets attributed to Paul E. Vallely MG, US Army (Ret).  Vallely focuses on a "constitutionalist" approach, and urges:

We cannot permit the current leaders in the White House and Halls of Congress to continue in their efforts to lead us down the road of Progressive Socialism. This is the current battle we Constitutionalists face and we must be aggressive in our efforts. Notice, I have eliminated the terms of liberal…conservative…left and right, as they have little meaning in today’s battle for our Country. Incompetence of officials now come into play as relates to our National Security and Economy and is the rationale for resignations.

I have been thinking that this really is the lesson that should have been learned via the Scott Brown election.  Massachusetts registered Republicans made up approximately 12% of the potential electorate compared to about 3 times that many registered Democrats.  Brown won the election 59% to 41%, because of independents and third party voters.

We all need to take a hard look at our elected officials in Washington.  Business as usual is not working and never will.  If your Congressperson or Senator is part of the problem, be part of the solution.  Pull back the curtain and listen to what the man behind the teleprompter is saying.  To borrow a phrase, Yes We Can... Take It Back Again.