Head of the Classless

I was a bit apprehensive to listening to the inaugural address and swearing in today, and since I ended up not waking up to this new day until five minutes to noon – that decision was made for me.  I later caught the event online and was not too discouraged by what I saw.

Obama gave a tasty speech that I am sure will be repeated over and over again in the weeks and months to come by those wanting to hold tight to this day of “History”.  I am one to think that every Presidential Inauguration is a historic event, and that I would love to be a part of any of them.  Sure, sure I understand that this was the first African-American man elected to this office, pardon me for my slight cynicism.

See I am probably not unlike most people who take self-interest and appreciation for what they accomplish and what they stand for.  I think that everyone is a capitalist, who decides to do something ambitious.  I think we are all a little racist.  And I think that we are all desservant of freedoms – the most important of which is the freedom to fail.

I had a real issue when Obama had that little chat with “Joe the Plumber” and gave me the impression that if I succeed, I shouldn’t be punished, but I should take an active part in helping those behind me succeed also.  I’m all for helping people succeed – but you can not thrust success onto someone who does not have the character to support it.

I think that if I am willing to work two or three jobs, then I should be expected to pay more taxes.  WHAT!?  Yeah of course I should, but not at a higher percentage than someone who makes a living from one job.  Increasing a tax percentage on someone productive is just an incentive to be less productive.  This is where something like a flat tax would work – and I have no idea why one is not in place.

I’m not really down on Obama.  Really.  I think he is eloquent and can really read a tele-prompter.  He can really tear that thing up.  I am down on the countless masses that think he’s the incarnate of something other than another man just like them.

I thought today that when he said “Our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions, that time has surely passed” in his speech, that he meant past past – not previous President sitting to his left, past.  I was reading an article this evening that told me he was speaking about the later.  If that was a jab, then I’ll just wince and carry on.

What I WAS appalled with today however, was the boos and jeering and the chanting that President Bush got as he approached the venue.  I could never see myself even entertaining the thought of disrespecting, well… ANYONE like that.

While there are many many things I remain uncertain about, I am ready to support this new President as I have said before.  If someone takes a shot at him or disrespects him, I am willing to go to bat for the guy – he has earned that respect in my opinion.  I think Bush deserves a bit of respect too, and wished that more people felt like I do.

I am also looking forward to my delivery of the entire four piece set of the Obama Inaugural Plates from the Franklin Mint.  They are guaranteed to more than triple in value – and here we wondered where Big Government was going to get its hands on more dough!