Socialists are always full of contradictions, and no more so than when they are full of pomp and circumstance...eagerly sculpting their own "history" out of the country's foundation.

Barack Hussein Obama's Inauguration was the rule today, and not the exception.  His crown of thorns sitting firmly on his head, the political messiah tried hard to wrap himself in premature martyrdom, inflated crisis and a new-found war on terrorism.  And at the same time, Obama used all the floral and fauna in the English language to deliver the message that he, himself, is the Light and the way to salvation and hope.

According to Obama, principles cannot save us.  The Constitution cannot save us.  Free markets and capitalism cannot save us.  Only one man, with a plan to change our system of government, can save us from the, "nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights."

And what is the "price of citizenship"?  What must we sacrifice on the alter of socialism to be saved?  Well for one, Obama asks us to give up our ideals, saying that we suffer from, "worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics".  Dogma is another word for principles, ideals, the things you believe in.  Give them up, because those are things that will stop Obama's success.

And what do we do when we have left behind the things we cherish and believe in?  According to Obama, the goal is, "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America."  With nationalization of industry and "spreading the wealth", Obama will remake America in the image of Karl Marx's socialism.

To those of us who do question his plans, and who refuse to give up our ideals and set aside our conscience, Obama acknowledges our worst fears: "Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans."  He is correct in the articulation of our fears.  We know that our economic system cannot tolerate Obama's plans.  But it is not the size of the plans, but the scope. 

From his own lips, Obama declares that scope to be vast and far-reaching, "The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified."  A government so large, that it can take care of your every need.  Juxtaposed with Thomas Jefferson, it is a stark reminder that Obama is asking us to forget our nation's founding principles.  For as Jefferson so rightly said, "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."

As for the free markets, Obama is quick to relegate it to the ash heap of rewritten history, by arguing for government interference...that it is only through Obama's own control of the markets that we will find prosperity and opportunity.  Obama concludes that he will use the markets to take us down the road to a "common good", a term used frequently by socialists, communists, fascists and liberals to twist the engine of a nation's economy to their own purpose.  

As for our military, Obama cherry-picked the events that led to our nation's birth, to satisfy his own quest for "peace" at any cost.  "As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations."  But Obama has ignored the very thing that gave us a nation, that gave us a home and that gave us the opportunity to preserve peace and prosperity. 

And that was war. 

The Founding Fathers did indeed draft charters.  But that alone did not give birth to our great nation.  They waged bloody battle to give rise to our Independence, our safety and our eventual peace. 

As for Obama's foreign policy, it is safe to assume that what we have happily and willingly given to the world is not enough.  We will surely be forced to give more: "And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it."

To accuse indifference, and lecture apathy, where there is none, is heartless.  America is the most charitable, most giving nation that the world has ever seen.  From our early beginnings, we have struggled to share opportunity, freedom and peace with the world.    We have given billions of dollars to the world, so that their hospitals and schools and libraries could be built.  We have given food and medicine to impoverished countries, so that people would not starve.  We have sacrificed the lives of our young men, so that the world would be free. 

And yet, among those nations that Obama would have us help, Iraq appears not to be on that list.  He promised today that we will leave Iraq, no matter the outcome that abandonment will induce.  Because Obama's sympathy for the world is not truly about charity to other nations, but about your "responsibility" to give up the pursuit of your happiness, for the betterment of the world around you.  It's about the demand he makes on you, to give up your comfort, give up your dreams...and replace them with his.

For, as he so boldly stated, "This is the price and the promise of citizenship".  It is true that freedom is not free.  And neither is Obama's plans for America.  Are you willing to pay the price?

Since Election Night, there has been immense pressure foisted onto the shoulders of conservatives.  Republicans have blamed conservatives for their election losses.  Democrats have blamed conservatives for not being "patriotic" by joining in the throngs of devout followers and the $170 million ascension to the throne that takes place tomorrow.  The media continues to blame conservatives for everything under the sun, from the Bush presidency to the "divisive" nature of American politics.

And now, conservatives are blaming other conservatives for not "wishing Obama well" and for not "hoping" that Obama is successful.  I am not sure what we are supposed to hope Obama achieves.  Should we be hoping for a premature departure from Iraq?  Should we be hoping for another multi-trillion dollar bailout?  Maybe we should be hoping for universal health care.  Or maybe we should be praying for the nationalization of the auto industry.  Ooooo!  I know, I think tomorrow I should hope for the murder of babies who's mothers have decided that they are "unwanted".  I can "hope" that these aborted-yet-born-alive babies are left to suffocate in a bassinet in the hallway of some hospital somewhere.

Is that really what the world wants conservatives to hope for?  If so, let them hold their breath.  Conservatives who believe in, and adhere to, their principles will hardly be chanting "yes we can".

But maybe, during the course of the next four years, we should take a cue from liberals.  Perhaps we should model our behavior on theirs.

When President Bush asked a nation to pray and come together, after the 9-11 attacks, Democrats accused the President of reading to children while the Towers and the Pentagon burned.  Was that giving President Bush the benefit of the doubt?

When President Bush asked for cooperation and secrecy from media outlets in regard to the federal financial terrorist tracking program, the New York Times plastered the details on their front page...warning the terrorists and allowing them to protect their assets.  Did the media hope for the success of the country, much less the President?

When Bush stumbled over words, every liberal to be found called the President dumb, stupid and ignorant, no matter how inarticulate those liberals were themselves.  Was that giving Bush the benefit of the doubt?

When the country was at the height of the War On Terrorism, fighting Islamo-fascists abroad, Hollywood produced a constant stream of movies depicting American soldiers as evil, naive and stupid.  John Kerry "hoped" for an education for all young Americans, so that they wouldn't get stuck in Iraq, and Harry Reid announced that we lost the war.  Were those well wishes for America?  Or maybe that was patriotism on display?

When the President was in the midst of overseeing the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, there were movies and books created, depicting and relishing the assassination of President Bush.  Is that a liberal's idea of wanting Bush to succeed?

Everything that has ever gone wrong in this universe, liberals have blamed on Bush.  From Hurricane Katrina to climate change to a rise in unhappy marriages...there is nothing that liberals and their media pups haven't blamed on the President.  Maybe conservatives should give Obama the same treatment that he and others continue to give to Bush.

The economic crisis...tomorrow at noon...if a miracle hasn't occurred, and we are still in a spiraling economy, it's Obama's fault.  Global warming...if he can't change the course of climate change...he will be blamed for every hurricane, fire and flood.  And if he can't get rid of those "uhs" and "ummmmms" that pervade his every sentence...we will call him out as an inarticulate idiot.

If I can't pay more mortgage, have patience with my children or lose those final fifteen pounds...it's clearly Obama's fault.

There is only one catch to this strategy...the media.  I have heard the question asked on many talk radio shows, "What will happen when Obama's followers become disillusioned with him, and realize that he can't deliver on most of the things he promised?"  The answer is simple...we will never know.

You won't be told that his policies aren't working.  Tropical depressions will never become hurricanes.  Global warming will see a turn-around, and human kind will be saved.  Events will be spun and transcripts will be scrubbed.  As miserable as your life may become (with increased taxes, sky-high oil prices, a one year wait to see a doctor and a continuing decline in your child's education)...you'll be told that America is a better, fairer and more equitable place...so you should be happy.  H-A-P-P-Y.  Happy.

It will take work to find the truth about the state of the union during an Obama Administration.  The media is invested in his success because they are invested in his brand of governance.  The media believes in government control, as long as they help to control it, and so they will. 

There will be very little talk of failure, no matter what happens.  Because like the auto industry and the banking industry and mortgage lenders...Obama is too BIG to fail.