Obama Youth
Completed: 2008
Medium: Acrylic on illustration board.
Price: Sold. In the collection of Alvaro and Jennfer Alvillar.
Description:
This poster is part of the Obama series. It is a reference to the Hitler Youth program which ‘was originally established in 1922 as the Jungsturm Adolf Hitler…it served to train and recruit future members of the…adult paramilitary wing of the…German Nazi Party. The HJ was organized into local cells on a community level. Such cells had weekly meetings at which various Nazi doctrines were taught by adult HJ leaders. Regional leaders typically organized rallies and field exercises in which several dozen Hitler Youth cells would participate’. (Wikipedia)
The parallels to Obama’s public service proposals are so clear that I need only provide the text from his Blueprint for Change as defense of the point: “Your own story and the American story are not separate – they are shared. And they will both be enriched if we stand up together, and answer a new call to service to meet the challenges of our new century…I won’t just ask for your vote as a candidate; I will ask for your service and your active citizenship when I am president of the United States. This will not be a call issued in one speech or program; this will be a cause of my presidency.”
Ask All Americans to Work Together to Meet Our Common Challenges
Obama will expand AmeriCorps to 250,000 slots and double the Peace Corps and dedicate these positions to addressing America’s common challenges. He also will provide new service opportunities for working Americans and retirees.
Expand Service Learning
Obama will integrate service-learning into our schools to enable students to graduate college with as many as 17 weeks of service experience.
Bolster the Nonprofit Sector
By leveraging federal dollars, Obama will foster the use of best practices of the private sector to nurture innovation in the nonprofit sector.
There is nothing I can say to express the level of contempt I hold for this program. It is not enough for Obama to tax people’s earnings. He also sees fit to lay claim to our time and our children’s time. In an Obama administration, our lives will no longer be our own. We will be at the mercy of big brother’s whims.
Obama’s Bread and Circus Campaign 2008.
Completed: 2008
Medium: Acrylic and colored pencil on illustration.
Price: Sold. In the collection of Alvaro and Jennfer Alvillar.
Description:
This painting is the first in a series on the Presedsntial campaign of Barack Obama. There are so many things wrong with this man’s campaign platform, I don’t even know where to start. After slogging through the repetitive and dogmatic treatise on Obama’s socialist dream for our future(Blueprint For America), I was absolutely amazed that anyone would vote for this man. I can’t believe that people have gotten so lazy that they would put this guy in office. We’re in for some hard times if Obama gets the Presidency with a Democratic majority in Congress. The only up side to the whole thing is the inspiration it has given me for a series of paintings. The level of taxes I’ll have to pay if I sell them makes me reconsider the practicality of working for myself. The days of bread and circuses are upon us, and it won’t be pretty.
The biggest concern I have with the Blueprint for America, is the economic reality of it. Since the government has no means of income other than taxes, I’m having trouble figuring out how Obama thinks he’s going to pay for it. Even if he empties his own tax sheltered account in a gesture of good faith to the American people, he won’t come within a century of being close to paying for his programs. I guess some people think it sounds great to stick it to the rich because they can afford it, but there are several problems with that plan.
First, there aren’t enough rich people in the world to pay for it all. Obama wants to give everything to nearly everyone, and he’s not happy to restrict himself to Americans either. The second problem I see is that government rarely does anything well, and it always costs much more than projected.
I would say he just wants to help people, but he’s really just like any other politician on a power trip. I would say he just doesn’t realize that the numbers don’t add up. The problem is, he said he doesn’t care about the effect on the economy because he’s more concerned about fairness. I have a hard time understanding what’s fair about taking money from people who work for it. He talks about the debt of the Bush administration, but he’s promising to pile on some more. The inevitable result of wealth redistribution in the name of equality, is that everyone ends up poor.
We keep hearing about change we can believe in, but no one has really defined what that change is going to be. I prefer the term Change You Can Fear.We’re told that it’s okay that Obama doesn’t have any accomplishments as a Senator because he inspires people. I’m not feeling very inspired, unless you count the ideas I have for paintings about him. I have a feeling he won’t find that very inspiring, so maybe it’s an even trade. He talks about his ability to change Washington, and my ability to help him achieve that goal, but our goals are not the same. I don’t need another wealthy politician/lawyer/pompous oaf telling me that I can make a difference. I already knew that.
I prefer to have the opportunity to improve my life, rather than have the government screw it up. I don’t want to be reduced to the lowest common denominator, I want people to be responsible for themselves, whatever the consequences. Don’t fool yourself thinking this man cares anything about your needs. He is concerned first and foremost with his own ascent to power. His ideals and their execution are the only other concern he has room for. Not your health. Not your well-being. Not your income. Not your safety. Nothing.
All of the paintings in this series will be modeled after vintage posters in order to draw attention to the fact that Obama is cut from the same mold as all the other goons in Washington.
Links:
Obama’s Big Government Vision By Lawrence Kudlow; Tuesday, February 19, 2008 www.townhall.com
What Would President Obama Do? Dick Morris Reports; Friday, June 20, 2008 www.dickmorris.com
Farewell New Democrats By Kimberly A. Strassel; June 20, 2008 www.wsj.com http://online.wsj.com/public/article-print/SB121391937825890363.html
Obama Turns FDR Upside Down By Lawrence B. Lindsey; June 22, 2008 www.wsj.com http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121391705573990175.html
Barack Obama’s blueprint for Change from the Obama 2008 Campaign website http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf
Six Ways Obama Wants to Change America By Floyd and Mary Beth Brown; June 13, 2008 www.townhall.com
Transcript: Barack Obama’s Speech on Race CBS News March 18, 2008 www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/18/politics/main3947908.shtml
Obama Speech: Yes We Can www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/26/obama.transcript/index.html
Obama’s Wheel of Entitlements.
Completed: 2008
Medium: Acrylic and colored pencil on illustration.
Price: Sold. In the collection of Alvaro and Jennfer Alvillar.
Description:
This painting in the Obama series is based on the game show mentality of the Obama campaign. Because I need information from the source, I signed up on the Obama website. As a result, I get all kinds of fun emails that have inspired various ideas for paintings. This one is based on the following: 1. the chance to win a place at Obama’s side at the convention, 2. Obama’s promise of entitlements to everyone, 3. visual references to the Wheel of Fortune.
The basic premise is this: vote for Obama, and you will have the chance to spin the Wheel of Entitlement. Each wedge on the wheel represents a wealth redistribution plan. Remember, we need only tax the rich to pay for it. After all, they can afford it.
The Bread and Circus Campaign 2008
Completed: 2008
Medium: Acrylic and colored pencil on illustration.
Price: Sold. In the collection of Alvaro and Jennfer Alvillar.
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