Dear Leader...

As if journalism hasn't already given up the thinly veiled sham of objectivity, it got even more absurd when I turned the pages of the Chicago Sun Times and an 8x10 glossy of the official presidential photo fell out into my hands. Not ever remembering any commemorative photos of George W. Bush magically appearing in any Chicago newspaper, I called the Sun Times this morning to find out exactly how many of these commemorative photos they have given out. Even the operator who took my call said sarcastically, "I lost count after 5." The answer she came up with was 5 different photos of Obama inserted into their papers with no guarantee there won't be more. This, obviously, is to make sure that every citizen has a framed photo of our new Dear Leader on their mantles. Not only that, the Sun Times has an Obama webpage where they are selling commemorative items and an Obama store on site at the Sun Times building.

Add this to the 17 covers of Time Magazine Obama has been on in one year compared to the 22 covers of George W. Bush in 8 years. And I'm sure I don't need to tell you what those were like...


And yet, there are people, even among my friends who can't see the absurdity of it all. Or they're just lying and enjoying the obvious bias. I'm not sure which. I hate to think that some of my friends are simply stupid, so I will go with oblivious or not paying attention. It should worry you that the media is so invested in making Obama into a national idol. I haven't seen one story from the major media (except from Drudge) on the enormous amount of pork in the "stimulus" package that is going to cost the taxpayers 800 billion dollars. They're so busy burying their noses up the new president's you know what, and printing commemorative glossy photos, they simply don't have the time to find out what 400 million to leftist, vote-stealing groups like Acorn will actually do to stimulate the economy. Or how many jobs will be created with 350 million tax dollars going to STD prevention?

Excuse me?

Even I am surprised that I have material already for a column. I had low expectations of the Obama presidency to begin with. But nothing could have prepared me for the barrage of liberal manure being slung from the White House in 6 short days. (Then again, God created the earth in 6 days, so it is entirely possible that our new messiah could destroy it in the same amount of time.) Let's start with the Guantanamo debacle.

A day after saying that the prisoners at Guantanamo are probably "very dangerous" our new President signed an executive order to close the prison with NO plan for what to do with the "very dangerous" prisoners. Not only that, he is stopping the military tribunals for the terrorists which means they will most likely get criminal trials on US soil. Basically, the Commander in Chief has sent his first message to his troops. "Military tribunals are okay for you people, but terrorists deserve more rights." Let us forget for a moment the insult to our troops, and focus on the absurdity of allowing enemy combatants to be covered under the US Constitution! They aren't citizens! There is no "right to a speedy trial" for anyone outside this country. To extend our rights to terrorists is a ridiculous, needless, and dangerous move. The Guantanamo prisoners are covered under the Geneva Conventions. They don't need our Constitution in order to get a fair trial. Are we now saying that military tribunals are unfair? How are you going to explain that to all the court marshaled enlisted? Should they get new trials in criminal court?

Just a few days after this first executive order, a new Al Qaeda video surfaced on Al Jazeera starring, guess who?? Two former Guantanamo inmates! And as expected they are blabbering about their commitment to the terror cause. Pentagon research has also uncovered that 61 former prisoners have returned to terror and a suspected 43 more as well. I'm still scratching my head as to how Bush allowed that many prisoners released.

Here's my question to you. After Obama's first executive order, do you feel safer?

Then there's the second executive order to fund overseas "health clinics"...yeah, sounds great right? Except, he specifies only those health clinics that offer abortions. Let's forget for a moment that abortion is a horror that we should be trying to make rare rather than spread around the world, but we are in the middle of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and this guy is going to send OUR TAX DOLLARS for foreign abortions????? Excuse me?? There are no words.

Then came the attack on Rush Limbaugh. Obama said that if the Republicans want to get along with him they'll have to stop listening to Rush. Obama really has nothing to fear since today's Republicans are most certainly NOT listening to Rush. If they were, we would never have lost the election. But let's address this issue of anger over Rush saying, "I hope he fails." Considering his first executive orders are releasing terrorists to wreak havoc on Americans, and funding abortions overseas...YEAH, I HOPE HE FAILS TOO.

Any so-called conservative who says to themselves or TV cameras that they hope these policies are a success are either lying or in the wrong party. To imagine that Republicans should embrace policies that are so opposed to their core beliefs is ridiculous! It's like asking PETA to embrace killing kittens. (Oh wait, they do that.) Or asking the ACLU to defend a Christian. It's simply NOT GONNA HAPPEN. So to all of you, my friends and enemies, who will insist that I and others like me just get behind the president, show solidarity and be "patriotic", prepare to be disappointed. The president's skin color just isn't enough for me to throw 32 years of experience out the window. And patriotism, according to Hillary Clinton, is dissenting loudly against "any administration" we choose. I choose this one.

It's funny how dissent is only a virtue when a white Republican is in office. The vitriol spewed against Bush for the last 8 years by Democrats and their supporters appears to be long forgotten by the same people who perpetrated the insults. And not once during all of that nonsense did I say, "Oh, just get behind the president," because I knew it was a lost cause. Anyone who can pen an entire book about assassination fantasies involving George Bush is clearly deranged. Those of us who are disagreeing with Obama are doing so based on experience, history and moral beliefs. None of our criticisms are anywhere near what the left threw at Bush and nor will they be because we're not mentally disturbed.

So just prepare yourselves. Obama did not win in a "landslide". He won by a clear majority which still leaves almost half of the country in opposition to his policies. To expect that half to simply shut up for the next 8 years and watch their beliefs and values be crushed without a fight is asking too much. We will not be silenced simply because Obama won. What is American about that?

Sidenote about more absurdity: In Peggy Noonan's latest column she waxes sappy about all things inaugural. One of her observations is of all the African-Americans in minks and how funny it is that PETA wouldn't dare take them on. I don't think it's funny. I think it's absurd. So it's okay to wear fur if you're a black Democrat? PETA won't come after you because you have the one thing no one will dare question...immunity from criticism based on skin color and political party. I guarantee PETA wouldn't have any problem going after white Republicans wearing fur.

Inaugural Fatigue

I should have written this last month when my Inaugural Fatigue truly set in. I think being in Chicago makes it worse than anywhere else in the country because our newscasters feel it necessary to update us on every minute detail every single damned day since the election. I have heard, unwillingly, about every fashion choice Michelle Obama might have, to every commemorative stamp, coin, plate, mask, shoes, i-pod accessory, facebook group, sticker, license plate, coffee mug...to every Hollyweirdo who will be in attendance for The One's big day.

I am truly in inaugural hell. Let us look back to what Hollywood and the media were doing when President Bush was elected. Oh yeah, right...nothing. Except making documentaries on hanging chads, stolen elections and Al Gore's misery. There have been tributes on HBO, CNN, CBS, ABC, FOX, and countless others to the Obamamessiah. Celebrities are turning out en mass to "celebrate" the election (although one could argue it's curious that most of them have new movies or albums coming out). After the election of George W. Bush, the only Hollywood activities recorded were enraged comments about leaving the country for good.

I remember the feeling I had when Bush took office in 2000, that the "adults" were finally back in charge. This was compounded when the Bush staffers found their White House offices vandalized by Clinton staffers. It was a good feeling to know that those juvenile criminals were finally out of the White House. Now, it is the reverse. The children are returning. The short-fused, temper-tantrum-prone Hollywood elite are returning to use the Lincoln bedroom ill. Great.

A part of me will enjoy bringing you the tales of idiocy that will ensue, but the greater part of me is simply outraged that this is happening...AGAIN. Thanks to the Republicans who refused to give us a conservative candidate, we will all suffer the consequences. All I can hope is that after tomorrow, the inauguration madness will dissipate and we will get back to finding out who Barack Obama really is, without the pomp and ridiculousness of the never ending 170 million dollar parties, celebrities and fashionistas.

Why I hate New Year's Eve

I think New Year's Eve is the most useless holiday with it's only redeeming bonus being a day off of work on New Year's Day. Since there is nothing to celebrate but the passage of time (based on a subjective and meaningless calendar that we just made up to count the days) revelers do nothing but pay exorbitant prices for mediocre food, drink themselves into a vile stupor, then drive home killing someone somebody loves. Happy New Year (insert anemic noisemaker sound effect here).

These photos illustrate my point far better than I could with words.

Have you ever seen sadder people?

This is supposed to be fun? I admit, I have had my head in a toilet a few times in the past, but never once did I get up and think to myself, "I really need to do that again next weekend."

I do believe New Year's can be meaningful and fun, but there's no way it can be either of those things with so much alcohol involved. Why would you want to start your year with a killer hangover and a DUI charge? For the last several years, my husband and I stay home, make lobster, drink a glass of champagne, watch a movie, and make out when we hear the fireworks go off outside. I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year. Safe, sound, sober and happy.

I hope everyone reading this had a safe night with family and people who really love you.

The article attached to the above photos is also illuminating to our human condition that is worsening by the minute. READ HERE