Today's Events Provide a Glimpse of Life in these United States Under President Obama, Heaven Help Us

Like the vision shown Ebenezer Scrooge by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," today we were granted a vision of "America Yet to Come" under a Barack Obama Presidency

Judicial Activism
First came the decision of the California Supreme Court, ruling that the equal protection provisions of the California Constitution require same-sex marriage, and in the process invalidating California Family Code Section 300 and Section 308.5 (passed by voter initiative on March 7, 2000 as Proposition 22).

Discussing his theory of judicial appointments this past May 8th, Senator Obama remarked:

"Now there's gonna be those five percent of cases or one percent of cases where the law isn't clear. And the judge has to then bring in his or her own perspectives, his ethics, his or her moral bearings.
"And In those circumstance what I do want is a judge who is sympathetic enough to those who are on the outside, those who are vulnerable, those who are powerless, those who can't have access to political power and as a consequence can't protect themselves from being being dealt with sometimes unfairly, that the courts become a refuge for justice. That's been its historic role. "

The problem, of course, is that when judges begin to act on their own perspectives, ethics and moral bearings, they will do so even when the law is clear. The statutes of California overturned by the State Supreme Court today cannot be more clear. Marriage is a contract between a man and a woman. Same-sex couples are given equivalent legal rights under the State Domestic Partnership laws, as Chief Justice Ronald George acknowledges in his opinion. Nonetheless, Chief Justice George used the equal protection clause of the State Constitution, adopted in 1879 and surely never intended to validate same-sex marriage, to strike down both the will of the legislature, as expressed in Family Code Section 300, and the will of the people, as expressed in Family Code Section 308.5 as recently as March 7 2000.

That is nothing less than judicial dictatorship, abusing the checks and balances of the State Constitution and the powers the State Constitution gives to the legislative branch and to the people (through initiative and referendum). The only solution in California is a consitutional amendment establishing marriage as a contract between a man and a woman. The only solution nationally to prevent such judicial activism on the federal bench is to elect John McCain as President.

National Security, the War on Terrorism and Protection of Israel

The other glimpse into a future United States under a President Obama came as a result of the speech today by President George W. Bush before the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, on his visit to Israel to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Israel's independence. Here are the paragraphs from the President's remarks that caused such a kerfuffle among the Democrats:

The fight against terror and extremism is the defining challenge of our time. It is more than a clash of arms. It is a clash of visions, a great ideological struggle. On the one side are those who defend the ideals of justice and dignity with the power of reason and truth. On the other side are those who pursue a narrow vision of cruelty and control by committing murder, inciting fear, and spreading lies.

This struggle is waged with the technology of the 21st century, but at its core it is an ancient battle between good and evil. The killers claim the mantle of Islam, but they are not religious men. No one who prays to the God of Abraham could strap a suicide vest to an innocent child, or blow up guiltless guests at a Passover Seder, or fly planes into office buildings filled with unsuspecting workers. In truth, the men who carry out these savage acts serve no higher goal than their own desire for power. They accept no God before themselves. And they reserve a special hatred for the most ardent defenders of liberty, including Americans and Israelis.

And that is why the founding charter of Hamas calls for the "elimination" of Israel. And that is why the followers of Hezbollah chant "Death to Israel, Death to America!" That is why Osama bin Laden teaches that "the killing of Jews and Americans is one of the biggest duties." And that is why the President of Iran dreams of returning the Middle East to the Middle Ages and calls for Israel to be wiped off the map.

There are good and decent people who cannot fathom the darkness in these men and try to explain away their words. It's natural, but it is deadly wrong. As witnesses to evil in the past, we carry a solemn responsibility to take these words seriously. Jews and Americans have seen the consequences of disregarding the words of leaders who espouse hatred. And that is a mistake the world must not repeat in the 21st century.

Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: "Lord, if I could only have talked to Hitler, all this might have been avoided." We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history. (Applause.)

Some people suggest if the United States would just break ties with Israel, all our problems in the Middle East would go away. This is a tired argument that buys into the propaganda of the enemies of peace, and America utterly rejects it. Israel's population may be just over 7 million. But when you confront terror and evil, you are 307 million strong, because the United States of America stands with you. (Applause.)

Seems like pretty unobjectionable stuff to me. Please note that the President nowhere suggests that when he says, "Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along," that he is talking about Barack Obama, or any other Democratic Party leader. If one assumes that, one must also believe that he was referring to the Democrats when he later said, "Some people suggest if the United States would just break ties with Israel, all our problems in the Middle East would go away."

Yet, Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, Senator Biden and Senator Kerrey all assumed that President Bush was talking about them. Now that's food for psychological analysis! Senator Obama remarked:

"It is sad that President Bush would use a speech to the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence to launch a false political attack. George Bush knows that I have never supported engagement with terrorists, and the president's extraordinary politicization of foreign policy and the politics of fear do nothing to secure the American people or our stalwart ally Israel."

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.