What Would Obama’s Better America Look Like?

Talk radio thundered outraged reaction to Barack Obama’s campaign event where a seven year old girl asked why he was running for President. His answer:

I’m running for president because of…because I got two daughters just like you. America is…is no longer what it could be, what it once was. And I say to myself, I don’t want that future for my children. I want…I want America to be better, to be stronger, to be more unified, to be more prosperous, to be kinder, to be more tolerant.

The consensus on talk radio, where the emphasis was on the phrase “America is no longer what it could be, what it once was,” was that Obama demonstrated contempt for America, and was inappropriately negative in a responding to a child.

But more troubling is yet another demonstration of Obama’s major campaign tactic: he uses deliberately imprecise, but seemingly righteous language, knowing that each listener will, based on the listener’s life experiences and political leanings, draw his/her own conclusions as to what the Senator means.  He knows there will be nearly as many different conclusions as listeners.

Some might think “stronger America?” means, or at least includes, militarily stronger. But in this video Senator Obama openly and forcefully promised military reductions that will leave America significantly weaker, and more vulnerable to the will of other nations. It’s important to note that this is not a “gotcha” video of an unintended stumble or slip of the tongue. In this video, which was placed on YouTube by the Obama Campaign, he reads a prepared statement from a teleprompter.

Liberty Works analyzed the video statement and detailed his promised military downgrades here and here.

Obama’s vague language strategy doesn’t include clarification to make sure every listener who approves of military strength understands that when he promises “a stronger America” he means militarily weaker.

Some listeners, hearing Obama speak of “a more prosperous America” might envision greater economic opportunity, lower taxes, lower oil prices, and an energized, profitable private sector. But a glance at Obama’s web site reveals a long list of new government programs that will restrict private sector innovation and require massive tax increases and/or massive borrowing that would crowd start-up businesses out of the credit markets.

Clearly, Senator Obama has no interest in removing government imposed restrictions, endless bureaucratic process, and junk litigation, that choke free market invention, innovation and prosperity.

Many who heard the words “America is no longer what it could be, what it once was,” would agree; In some ways America was better a few decades ago. But what is it about America that Obama thinks is less desirable than in the past?

Does he lament the destruction of millions of live human fetuses? Not a chance.

Does he regret the rise of the Anti-American Left, that blames us and our country for most of the world’s chaos, violence and misery? No.

His Pastor of twenty years and some of his long-time political associates are, and always have been among the most angry and vitriolic critics of American culture and of the values most Americans hold. In his campaign speech in Germany last month he proclaimed himself “a citizen of the world,” the favorite term of the Anti-Patriotism Left.

What about the coarsening of the culture? It’s hard to tell where Obama stands. Until recently he spoke favorably of his friend Ludacris, the rap artist whose vile lyrics assault the spirit and contribute to the general trend of cultural decay.

Obama’s public attitude only changed when ludacris released a new recording that apparently was intended to “help” the campaign by describing adversaries with profane lyrics, but instead caused embarrassment.

What about the decline in the quality of American Education? Is Obama in favor of policy changes, such as choice and competition, that have a chance of bringing about real improvement? No!

Obama has demonstrated in several speeches that his loyalties are with one of the Democrat Party’s dominant constituencies, the teacher unions and the education bureaucracy. His “fix” will be to further empower, and hurl even more money and resources at the same education establishment that has presided over decades of decline and degradation.

Senator Obama wants America to be “better.” So do we all. But we don’t all agree on what a better America would look like.

Obama deliberately discloses as little as possible about his vision. He hides the details behind masterfully ambiguous, yet high-sounding rhetoric.

Senator Obama’s vision of a better America is a place that celebrates government authority, not liberty.