Why we should still like Ike and back Mac
By McCainiac
"He was a Democratic presidential candidate from Illinois, a celebrated orator and an intellectual running against a military hero at the time of an unpopular war. His political resumé was relatively short, and his appeal formed in part around his call for a change in the practice of politics in this country. Critics claimed he was an elitist, and Republicans accused him of being weak and naïve about America's enemies. He got crushed in the general election."
Coincidence? I think not!
Read the rest of the article here and the HuffPo reaction here
Ned Temko at the UK's Guardian says it's "All About Adlai":
..."for Obama, the decisive issue may not be Iraq, or universal healthcare, or energy policy. This time around, it's not even likely to be the economy, stupid. It will be all about Adlai."
Back in April, I discussed how Obama's mama thought so little of Eisenhower's America in the 1950s and how her revulsion to Ike and Kansas shaped the woman she became and the values she imparted to her son, Barack "Adlai" Obama.
Since April, I've discussed just how much I believe McCain is the second coming of Ike, the forgotten conservative. I believe modern day conservatives would do well to read this 1966 interview with Ike and read his thoughts on democracy, government, LBJ and the Great Society. Just as McCain surprised many conservatives when he revealed his true colors at the Saddleback Forum, I think they'd be surprised to find out Ike was no RINO either and was conservative to the core.
Don't believe me? Listen to these terrific quotes by Ike from that 1966 interview:
On the role of the federal government:
On welfare:"The centralization of power in Washington—when we talk about this, we must also consider the need to strengthen city and State government, to make it better. So you must argue for improvement in local government."
"These problems do exist—in health, education, welfare, and other things. They must be solved. But the closer you can bring the action to the local level—that is the best way to do these things."
On Democracy:"All Americans are concerned with real need-where people are not getting a proper education, are not being fed and clothed properly, but we are getting the feeling today that we are not just taking care of the needy, but that we are acting unwisely to the extent that we are actually using the Federal Treasury to encourage and reward laziness and malingering. I would like to see more efficiency in determining who actually are the needy, and who it is that just wants to get an easier living."
"In our welfare programs, an effort should be made to make sure that the needy have proper support. But the idea of temporary relief seems to be giving way to a new idea that hard work is not the way to make a living, that you should look to the Government to take care of you."
"How are you going to get ahead in the world? By hard work—that was always the American way. But now, no longer do all our people take pride in good work well done."
On Vietnam:"Our experiment in self-government is still going on today, just as much as when the Founding Fathers first conceived of our form of democracy, the American Republic. The older I grow, the more certain I am that only by education can we really save our form of government."
"Self-discipline is what we need. We must teach this across the board in the press, in the schools, at home, in the churches, in Government. It must be some kind of movement."
"Today, people scoff at the word 'crusade.' But a great force brought on the Crusades-a great belief. What we have to do in America is generate a great belief in democracy. One of the things it demands is respect for law and order."
"If we can achieve this self-discipline, this self-government, then all the rest of our problems will take car of themselves."
"I do not believe in 'gradualism' in fighting a war. I believe in putting in the kind of military strength we need to win and getting over with as soon as possible."
When his advice was sought several years ago, General Eisenhower said in effect: Don't delay. Don't procrastinate. If you are going to do this, then summon all necessary military strength, do what you must do quickly, and get it over with. Don't give the enemy time to build up his own strength, and disperse his military targets. But this advice went unheeded by the [Johnson] Administration. Now, General Eisenhower says, "the war has been going on too long, and something has to be done to bring it to an honorable conclusion."
Service, reform, peace, prosperity.
McCain is echoing everything Ike stood for and Obama is the egghead, elitist Adlai all over again.
It's time to take back our country and stop the earmarks and out of control federal government. Reform the federal government and return control to the state and local governments. Stop the runaway gravy train in Washington. The time is now and the cause is just. If you need further inspiration, look no further than the above quotes by Dwight David Eisenhower. If you want a President who puts you and this country above partisan politics and pork barrel spending, look no further than John McCain. He is a true Eisenhower Republican. Susan Eisenhower should be ashamed to be backing Obama. Her grandfather would be a strong McCain supporter were he alive today.
Join together, my fellow Americans... come to the aid of your country and Back Mac in 2008 just as we backed (and liked) Ike in 1952.
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