OF COURSE, WE WANT HIM TO FAIL!

   From the moment Rush Limbaugh uttered that fateful sentence the media, the Democrat party, and many in the Republican Party have expressed shock. They’ve run ads, and Republicans from town hall to Congress, from Main Street to Wall Street have been asked: “Surely you don’t agree with that. Surely you don’t want him to fail?” 

   And my answer is “Of course I do.” There are plenty of reasons why. There are the obvious reasons. I don’t want to see the success of leftist economic policy or foreign policy, not only because of the devastating long-term results, but because if they have even the appearance of success we prolong the time it takes to set the country back on the right course. I especially want to see his social agenda fail. As a staunch pro-lifer I don’t want to see the success of polices that promote a culture of death. And to the degree that we have to tolerate such policies I certainly don’t want to see that time extended into six, eight, ten or Heaven knows how many years, possibly to the point that we’d never be able to steer things back in the right direction. 

   I know that many of those appalled at statements hoping for Obama’s failure, particularly among your “average Joe’s,” have  the economy in mind. Surely we want people to go back to work, to see the stock market climb, to see home values go back up, etc. I’ll admit that one’s a tough one for me, as I have friends who have been more directly affected by the economic downturn than I have (I didn’t have a whole lot to start with!) But James Carville was on to something when he said “It’s the economy, stupid.” If Obama’s economic policies succeed, then we can expect upwards of eight years of higher taxes, greater dependency on the government, less freedom, more government intrusion, less concern with our safety from terrorism, and the devastating social policies I fear (hello no restrictions on abortions, gay marriage, interference in the rights of religious groups to follow their conscience, persecution of home schoolers, and the list goes on).  So I guess “nirvana” for me would be modest economic recovery, followed by  downturns around September of 2010 and September of 2012. 

   But I go a step further than even Limbaugh did. He’s said that, if Obama experienced some “miraculous change,” suddenly becoming a conservative on some major issues, that he could support him. I have problems with that. Obama was elected on an agenda of left-wing turns, with fiery rhetoric making George W. Bush and any conservative of significance out to be ogres. Heck, even McCain was made to look like a cold-hearted, war-loving rich guy who wants to stomp all over the poor, minorities, and women. I believe in something called repentance, so if Obama ever did have such an unlikely transformation, then I contend the only respectable thing for him to do would be to step down. Let him run again, but the next time as a mere mortal, not a god, espousing the same conservative principles he berated so many others for holding. Let the populace judge him on that basis. 

   I’m also keenly aware that success for the administration in charge results in even greater of their numbers in the House and Senate. So if Obama continues to serve as a Democrat, even if he experienced a “conservative” transformation, the results on Capitol Hill could be devastating. The thought of even more Barney Frank’s and Chuck Schumer’s runs chills down my spine.

   So what do I wish for Obama? I wish him good health, long life, happy family moments, lots of laughs, many nights of playing or watching hoops, and heck—maybe even a lot of appearances on Leno and Oprah. And a disastrous presidency, with overwhelming defeat in 2012.