The Wizard of Oz

   I was born and raised in an area of New York City called Ozone Park. Local residents referred to it, as OZ (oh zee). OZ was not an Emerald City nor did it have a yellow brick road leading to it. It was in fact, a blue-collar community of mostly patriotic people. OZ, unlike Oz, did not rely on a wizard for guidance. We relied on good old-fashioned wisdom. I think Dorothy and her entourage would have liked Ozone Park. They would have found an answer to their quests there. For instance the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion would have come to realize that; you have a brain when you think, you have a heart when you love and you have courage when you stand defiant in the face of evil.

   I now know how Dorothy must have felt when she realized she was “…not in Kansas anymore.” During the Presidential address last Monday night, an address laced with deception, fear mongering and political sniping, I realized that I was no longer in the America I knew as a child. It seemed like I was transported to a land where political advantage was more important than common decency and a President would rather frighten people than address their concerns. Strangely, it was as if Toto had pulled back the curtain and revealed that we were being frightened by a bungling, incompetent, fraud.

   President Obama was in full campaign mode Monday night. And now eight days later we have a bill enacted into law that did little to stem the tide of wasteful spending or our headlong plunge into national insolvency. At a time when America needed a President, Barack Hussein Obama Jr. decided to act like a politician and chose deception over decency. A true leader would have reassured his fellow citizens, and the world, that The United States of America will comply with its’ debt obligations and fulfill the essential roll of government. Instead of insinuating that default was inevitable he could have said – Social Security recipients, members of the armed forces, veterans, and other essential services will receive their checks. However, disbursements to nonessential projects, often referred to as pork barrel projects, may not be issued. In addition, all departments and agencies will be instructed to step up efforts to eliminate fraud, waste or abuse. Let the people of the United States of America and all nations know that the Government of the United States is fully committed to returning to a reasonable debt to GDP ratio and an increase in domestic productivity. We will do what we have always done in difficult times. We will make the sacrifices necessary to insure that the United States of America remains a symbol of freedom and prosperity for all the world.  But the President decided to take the low road. Instead of being a statesman Barack Obama chose to be a showman.

   No my friends, we are “…not in Kansas anymore” and we will not get back to the America we knew before greed, political correctness and apathy corrupted it, by clicking our heels together three times. Washington has become the Land of Oz and is being controlled by a Wizard. If we ever hope to get back home again we will have to turn from the wizard and embrace a spirit, the Spirit of America. Like the patriots in OZ and not residents of Oz we will have to rely on blue-collar wisdom. We must; think of what has happened to America, we must love America and we must stand defiant in the face the evils that will destroy America.  – Kevin

PS This commentary was originally posted on face-book on Aug. 2nd