Since Ronald Reagan, the first Presidential candidate I voted for, casting that first vote when I was 21, the politics of who the Chief Executive surrounded himself with was at least as important as his own. Though I stress it’s still early, it looks like the far left, who thought they were electing an almost socialist radical got duped. President-Elect Obama is surrounding himself with a moderate to (shockingly) conservative cabinet and panel of advisors.

I have to admit, I’m intrigued and…OK…a little Impressed.

The left is…Well, pissed.

The appointment of Paul Volker to a panel of experts hoping to stabilize the economy is, though hopeless, a great choice. He should be the Chairman of the Fed again, but then any one of the cast of the television show Laverne and Shirley would be better than Ben Bernanke.

Retaining Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense is on the one hand an example of promise-keeping, as Obama said he’d have Republicans in his administration, but on a darker note, probably a reflection of what the President-Elect has learned since getting a big upgrade in the quality of his intelligence briefings. My gut tells me he’s heard things that rule out his changing horses at the Pentagon right now, and thought it could be as simple as the fact that we’re currently in two wars, it’s probably much more than that.

Making Hillary Clinton Secretary of State is, in my opinion, one of the boldest, most Machiavellian moves ever. Many wondered exactly why Obama would appoint such a bitter rival for the nomination that led to his election. What better way to eliminate Hillary from the game than to make her Secretary of State? To accept the job, which takes much, much more tact and finesse than Hillary possesses, she must give up her Senate seat. Hillary Clinton will fail at State. No one likes her, and that’s a problem. She’ll run, like a bull through a china shop, over allies and adversaries alike. To be Secretary of State, I would think you would need a huge reservoir of humility and empathy, traits that Hillary Clinton has famous shortages of. Once she’s gone from the State Department, she’s gone for good. Her Senate seat will have been filled. She’ll be out, unless the Governor of New York, David Paterson, replaces her with Bill. Nice.

While we follow the tale of “Joe the Plumber,” a voter the McCain campaign decided to shove into the spotlight and use as a device, the absurdity of it all just boggles the rational mind. Forget for a moment that the Republican’s new icon should probably be worried less about his taxes going up, and more worried about paying the back taxes he’s got a lien on his house for.

I know campaigning for President is hard, trying to reach all the different flavors of voters, but the Republicans have forgotten the lesson they learned from Bill Clinton. Remember “It’s the economy, stupid?”

I do.

Apparently, they don’t. Who cares about taxes right now? McCain had the perfect opportunity to present himself as the experienced statesman who can guide us through this potentially world-changing crash, but missed.

At this point, I’m sadly starting to prepare myself mentally for the disaster an Obama Presidency will be. If the Republicans win, it will only be through the sad racism that still exists in too great measure. I don’t think Obama is the right choice, and I disappointed that I have to vote against the first black Presidential candidate because of his politics and lack of experience. A couple years ago, I was hoping to have the opportunity to cast a vote for Colin Powell, but that didn’t play out. That being said, I wouldn’t vote FOR a candidate because he’s black anymore than I’d vote AGAINST one for the same reason. Unfortunately, in this election, a vote against Obama is going to be seen by a lot of people as a vote agains THE black man, rather than a vote against A black man.

We’ve got a long way to go.

I’ve made no secret about the fact that this blog supported Ron Paul for President. He was the only candidate who truly understands the nature of the crisis our nation is entering. At best, it will be difficult. At worst, it could end the dominance of the United States on the international stage, possibly forever. There is the very real chance that within a few short years, countless areas of our country will resemble the poverty-ridden third world villages you see in television infomercials asking for money to help feed their children.

But the media decided Dr. Paul was a crank unworthy of serious coverage. They love Obama. They tolerate McCain. A Presidency of the latter will not do a thing to move the United States in the direction it needs to go to address these problems. If the former wins in November, the Republic is in serious danger. Here’s why.

Barack Hussein Obama is an empty suit who is only a serious contender for the Presidency because of his race. He has 143 days experience in the Senate, and has not put forth a single idea or even the tiniest scrap of a note of what he believes should be done to put this country back on the right track. He will in no way have the support of the majority of the American people because he is the son of a African Muslim and an American woman who clearly had problems with mainstream American life and culture. Is he intelligent? Sure seems so to me. Is he a good man? I haven’t seen anything (other than the normal political dishonesty that seems to be almost a prerequisite for staying in the Senate) that suggests he is anything but an honorable American. Do I believe he is a danger to our country?

No.

But his Presidency would be. I think our country is a tinderbox of civil trouble waiting for ignition. The mainstream middle to upper-middle class American is besieged with a host of people who want what they have without having to work for it. From illegal Mexican immigrants who demand that we educate their children and give them public assistance and all the rights and privileges of American citizenship, to a thuggish, prison-life inspired class that prefers to take, rather than work for what they need to the middle-class youth culture who, because of the trash the commercial media produces, enjoys emulating that thuggish prison-inspired rap culture, we feel besieged. This is not the America of my childhood, and I feel sad that my son won’t be able to experience that America. Furthermore, I refuse to feel embarrassed that I wanted that same America to last, and I object to any who call me “racist” because I mourn the America of the 50s and 60s.

Because it’s not about not wanting a black President. I don’t care if the President’s black or white. I care that he’s capable, honest, has ideas and beliefs he is willing and able to articulate, even if I disagree with him. I DO care that there are those who want Obama to be the President BECAUSE he is black.

In my opinion, THAT makes someone a racist.

I think there’s a very good chance that the Obamas will move into the White House next January, and I dread that, because I believe it will get very, very ugly. And right now, America doesn’t need that.