NUMBER ONE

Kudos, Heels!

THE ALL-ENCOMPASSING OBAMA POWER GRAB

(sigh)

I didn't vote for Barack Obama. No surprise there for those who know me.

But I'd hoped that once in office he would realize that campaign promises are made to be broken; that once briefed on a myriad of issues he would temper his idealism with reality.

But this guy has taken off in a thousand different directions, pushing his liberal agenda ad nauseum. Reality has NOT set in. However, the following are my humble opinions, and I will give him credit whenever it's due -- whether it's today or next year.

WHAT HE'S DONE RIGHT

Announced an increase in troops to Afghanistan.

Holding the number of past lobbyists in his administration to a minimum.

Proposed a new energy grid to replace the sub-par one we have now.

WHAT HE'S DONE WRONG

Not increasing troops to Afghanistan to the level field generals requested.

Having NO lobbyists in his administration, as promised during his campaign.

Signing papers to close Gitmo. I, for one, am not looking forward to some of these terrorists sitting in jail in Alexandria, VA -- a mere 35 miles from me.

Signing stimulus packages with $900 M in EARMARKS, which he promised to do away with altogether.

Pushing for card check which would remove the secret ballot for union workers.

Contemplating re-instating the Fairness Doctrine, or "equal time" as it was once known. While this sounds fair, it's a ruse to shut up the conservative right.

Allowed Barney Frank to keep lisping his stupidity -- day after day after day.

Not realizing that a firm date for troop withdrawal in Iraq needs to be flexible and not written in stone.

The administration's food safety initiative. This is an over-the-top proposal that is impractical at best and ludicrous at worst. If you're not aware of it, check out what they want small farmers to do with their produce taken to farmers' markets.

THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS

Contemplating giving terrorists stipends when we release them from Gitmo. (The bleeding heart liberals are NUTS here!)

Appointing folks with "tax problems" to his administration. I don't buy the "honest mistake" theory for a minute.

His push for private insurance companies to pay for service-connected disabiities and injuries. This is another example of the low esteem this administration has for our military.

Appointing Yale law professor Harold Koh to the top legal job at Department of State. Check out this guy's philosophy on "international law." Scary, especially when the consensus is that he's on Obama's short list as a future Supreme Court nominee. (More on Koh in a few weeks).

I've purposely not mentioned the number one problem facing the U.S., which is the economy. I don't think anyone really knows how to fix it, so I'll give Obama a pass for now. The Clinton and Bush administrations certainly contributed to what's going on today, but Obama's spending is terrifying. I think Geithner is in over his head, and I actually feel some compassion for him. Some of the mistakes I think this administration has made is due to not really knnowing what will work. But the massive spending the Democratically-controlled Congress is trying to push through is egregious. Obama needs to rein in Pelosi and Reid, insist that Chris Dodd and Barney Frank be removed from their seats on the Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Services Committee, respectively.

Gary Hart, the humiliated Democrat once caught with his pants down, actually said something astute once: "If you want government off your back, take your hand out of its pocket."

A nugget of wisdom there.

(sigh)