New NASA Mission: not Mars or the Moon, but Islam!

Well, the cartoon exaggerates slightly – the Arabs invented only algebra, not all of math. After all, the Greeks knew something about geometry, etc. But other than that it’s quite accurate – Obama has directed that one of NASA’s prime priorities is to reach out to the Muslim world to help them feel better about their technological prowess. No doubt they’ll feel great about the condescension.

Equality -- of Outcome

This can be easily understood in light of the liberal/left preoccupation with equality and feeling good about oneself, whether deserved or not. For them, equal opportunity is not enough – they will not rest until there is equal outcome (socialism), and will enforce it if necessary. See also the Prager University link (above, right) on the “American Trinity” of values vs. the French trinity.

Hence redistribution of wealth, apologizing for American status and attempting to lower it militarily (unilaterally), economically (at least the result, if not explicit intent), bringing down big business, lowering our relative energy consumption (by tax penalty), and the precedence of an American president bowing to other leaders. Then, too, supporting tyrannical countries on human rights panels at the UN & giving them equal voice, favoring the perceived Arab underdogs vs Israel, coming to the defense of poor illegal aliens (well, there are also political bonuses among his base, if not the majority of Americans), etc.

They do not feel comfortable or right with the concept of “a city on a hill.” Or with superpower status, which Obama has also apologized for. One who does not value our national treasure and treasures will readily squander them – and so we who do value them must stop him. That might also explain why Obama had earlier lowered NASA’s goals and prowess from earlier lofty heights – Muslim nations will presumably feel better by comparison, and hate us less (as if the US space program entered at all into extremist thinking). Another departure from Kennedy’s loftier space competitiveness and pursuit of excellence. See also NASA and Our Endangered Tradition of Heroic Aspiration posted on Libertas.

“The Obama space policy reverses some of the tenets of the Bush adminitration. Whereas the Bush space policy of August 2006 rejected “any limitations on the fundamental right of the United States to operate and acquire data from space,” President Obama’s strategy states that it will “consider proposals and concepts for arms control measures if they are equitable, ....” (The New York Times, pg. A19, June 29, 2010) So much for keeping the high ground.

Mona Charen pointed out that Syria has provided Hezbollah (a Syrian/Iranian client in Lebanon) with long range (400 mi.) missiles, with nary a peep out of the Obama administration. In fact, despite Syria also receiving sophisticated radars from Iran in violation of U.N. sanctions, administration efforts to court and appease Syria appear to have redoubled. Presumably arming them with nuclear warheads would be perceived as merely bringing Hezbollah (Israel’s sworn mortal enemy, along with Iran) into equality with Israel. Meanwhile, Obama appears unready to do anything effective in halting Iran’s nuclear program, which some reports say is only a year from a nuclear weapon.

Other manifestations of this preoccupation with equality, and feeling good about ourselves despite lack of accomplishment, include the spreading rule to limit the score margins in kids’ soccer games (if score is kept at all), awarding trophies to all, not using red ink in correcting school papers, having many valedictorians, etc., etc.

The "Post-Racial" President

On another front, interesting that the Obama administration’s public opposition to the Arizona anti-illegal immigrant bill was based on the possibility of racial profiling. But not a word about that in the court case filed – must have just been to fan the racial vote. And so, once again, the supposedly post-racial, uniter-not-divider president doesn’t pass muster in the face of his declining polls. Oh, yes, and then there’s the case of the Black Panther conviction on voter intimidation being dropped by this administration – got to support your local racist. And now Michelle Obama’s getting into the act in her divisive political speech to the NAACP.

Justice's Sight Restored!

And for all the administration’s claim of federal jurisdiction (over Arizona’s) in immigration affairs (which it won’t assert in practice), oddly they’re silent on the actions of the sanctuary cities, or Rhode Island’s law. Hmmm.....seems justice (or at least Eric Holder) has removed her blindfold. And the administration has also instructed the justice dept. not to pursue/enforce cleaning up of state voter rolls, including the many dead and other dubious voters. Chicago politics is going national.