Civil Disobedience, One American At A Time
The resistance against Barack Obama's radical agenda has begun. Seeds of discontent have been planted by Americans of a variety of political stripes, backgrounds, religions, ethnic groups, etc.
Its the 1960s all over again. Well, not exactly. There won’t be flower children frolicking through the meadows and cannabis won’t help people to turn on and tune out – at least for the fair minded among us.
Instead, I believe we have the makings of an American revolution of sorts on our hands, one that will seek to repudiate the policies of the Obama administration and our free wheeling, deal-a-day Congress. Policies that are bringing unbridled government spending our way, stem cell research involving aborted babies, reset button diplomacy, you name it.
And it won’t be something embraced entirely by conservatives – the seeds of disobedience will be sown by Americans of varying political stripes, except those from the far left fringe.
Two articles I read within the past few weeks have convinced me that change is on its way, but not the change that candidate Barack Obama espoused. Instead, this sort of occurrence is one that ordinary Americans will be bringing about one citizen at a time, perhaps over a lengthy period of time at that.
But change is coming.
Robert L. Dilenschneider shared some poignant thoughts about power in his article titled, “How to Be More Powerful Without Putting People Off,” which appeared in a February 2008 issue of Bottom Line / Personal. What stood out for me was this statement: “True power is not the same as running roughshod over other people or getting ahead at any cost. This form of power is temporary. People see through it and look for ways to undermine it.”
Ah, yes! Dictatorial power is always destined to fail, because as soon as it rears its head up the resistance begins. In our nation’s early days, before independence was declared, weary taxpayers rebelled against the British system by staging a tea party in Boston Harbor to protest taxation without representation.
It was a long struggle for colonialists who had nothing to lose, but everything to gain including their freedom. Britain wanted to exert its authority over a faraway land while Obama today wants to roll out his radical agenda on a sleeping American populace.
Unfortunately for the president, people are beginning to wake up from their slumber.
Michelle Malkin published the other piece which got my attention: “Going Galt”: America’s Wealth Producers vs. Wealth Redistributors. Malkin cited the character John Galt in Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” novel where Galt led the entrepreneurial class to to cease productive activities in order to starve the government of revenue. That sort of thing is happening right now as small business owners — who are the target of Obama’s pending tax increase on the “wealthy” — have decided enough is enough.
The Obama tax increase will hit businesses who pull in at least $250,000 annually, even if the owners take out just a fraction of the funds for themselves. Plundering the “haves” to aid the “have nots” sounds like a Robin Hood scheme, but that is what happens in a fairy tale — America is not some sort of social experiment playground.
I cannot say for sure how everything will come down, but I know it’ll be an individual movement first followed by a grassroots campaign that will openly challenge Obama. Small business owners, concerned citizens, young families, middle aged managers, retirees and the aged will be among those pushing back, people who understand that the radical transformation unfolding for America is something that they do not want nor can the nation afford if it is to survive as the land of the free.
Photo Credit: David Jouppi
Tags: American Revolution, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Barack Obama, Bottom Line/Personal, Michelle Malkin, politics, Robert L. Dilenschneider, taxes, US Congress
Politics | Matthew C. Keegan, 10 Mar 09
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By Kevin Jackson, March 11, 2009 @ 7:04 am
Matt, very well written and informative article. Love your attention to detail.
By Matthew C. Keegan, March 11, 2009 @ 7:07 am
Thanks, Kevin! I appreciate your “The Black Sphere” site which I find to be helpful, informative and entertaining.
Bit by bit I believe the radical Obama agenda will be exposed for what it really is: a dangerous shift in public policy meant to redefine America in ways that few can imagine.
By joey, March 11, 2009 @ 7:35 am
The counterculture phrase was “Turn on, tune in, drop out”. And it referred to LSD.
By Matthew C. Keegan, March 11, 2009 @ 7:38 am
Thanks, Joey. Obviously, I didn’t experience first hand what the 1960s was all about, having come of age during the next decade.
Cannabis is much more readily available than LSD, the drug of choice for those who want to be turned on but tune out reality.
By laane, March 11, 2009 @ 10:52 am
Well, hasn’t it always been the same story: people just persuing their own wellbeing.
I have witnessed the 60ties and it sure isn’t that time all over again. Not at all. Oh no, not at all.
By Adam Gorley, March 11, 2009 @ 11:11 am
I’m pretty sure America actually *is* some sort of social experiment playground, which is why you have a constitution and its amendments, and 50 states, each with its own tastes and attitudes.
And it’s why a man like Barack Obama could get elected by “an individual movement first followed by a grassroots campaign”.
Indeed, I think that Obama exemplifies power without putting people off.
Anyway, I won’t comment on the man’s policies until I see the real results–i.e., over the coming months.
By Matthew C. Keegan, March 11, 2009 @ 2:33 pm
@ laane — If you’re talking about a president pursuing his own agenda you got that right. And, he does have that right as we have the right to stand up and object. Yes, this isn’t the sixties and we’ll never have a duplicate of those days. Perhaps the one thing that will be the same is that ordinary Americans will speak up and simply say “enough” to what they see is wrong.
@ Adam — Absolutely, the US is a living, breathing experiment. But, it is also founded upon a constitution, one created by people who acknowledged God and had a healthy fear (respect) of Him. Today, we aren’t seeing that. Instead, public policy is being shaped to collectivize society instead of permitting individuals to create, build and explore.
By the fearless blog, March 11, 2009 @ 6:55 pm
Enjoyed your post. Very thought provoking. Words, the written and the spoken, have tremendous power when delivered with passion and conviction. I would also add that from the quiet shadows and from the least likely of places voices that had never been heard before will soon find a place in the sun. Thank you for sharing.
By LarryJackson, March 11, 2009 @ 8:53 pm
In reality, what is happening with Barack Obama was foretold by none other than Obama himself. He told us as he campaigned how he planned to change America and so far, he is doing a pretty good job of keeping those promises. Change for America is certainly here, but I am not convinced it is the kind of change we need or that we can withstand. If enough people raise their voices against the policies we are seeing enacted, then maybe we can stem the tide, but it isn’t going to be a pretty sight.
LarryJacksons last blog post..Obama to announce earmark spending reforms
By Matthew C. Keegan, March 12, 2009 @ 4:39 am
@ fearless — Unheard voices are welcome to join the debate. Oftentimes, people who stay in the shadows have so much good to share. These are the folks busy raising their children, building a business, helping the afflicted, working the shift job, etc. There is a significant minority of people who don’t vote either — perhaps they’ll finally see that they can make a difference themselves.
@ Larry — True, Obama did promise change. And he was honest in telling us that it wouldn’t be business as usual in Washington, DC. Had our economy not tanked, we might have been able to stomach some of the changes at least until the American populace got tired of the taxation and voted their objection at the ballot box. It certainly won’t be a pretty sight especially if our leadership continues its rampant spending as unemployment rises.
By Reading Interventions, March 13, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
I feel the same way. I only think it is a matter of time and certain policies that will trigger a movement. I hope it happens soon and we get our rights back!
By Matthew C. Keegan, March 13, 2009 @ 1:43 pm
Well, Mike it begins with the individual first and then fans out to others who hold a similar point of view. Together, the seeds of grassroots change begins to take shape and a movement sets in. As with any sort of collective effort, the zeal and enthusiasm of its members will help ensure its success, bringing about real change that our politicians will have to embrace or get out of the way.
By Laura-PoliticalConservativesBlog.com, March 14, 2009 @ 12:26 am
Hey Matt!
I loved your article. I am fully awake now and quite fed up. Change is coming!
By Matthew C. Keegan, March 14, 2009 @ 5:07 am
Laura, that is a good place for all of us to be — alert and working toward constructive change. Those who oppose us are working diligently to push our country ever leftward, threatening our liberties and seeking to change our way of life for the worse.