THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

As a young boy growing up in Chicago I loved going to the Brookfield Zoo or the Lincoln Park Zoo and view the elephants. They were impressive mighty beasts, but back in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s it was very sad to see them confined to relative small enclosures. Thankfully, today zoos recognize the importance of creating a more natural habitat and with that, much larger spaces. It was even sadder to see these magnificent specimens herded around at the Ringling Brothers Circus in the Chicago Stadium with the handlers poking them with sticks with a spike on the end.

As we journey along during these troubling times of economic turmoil, wars across the world, massive financial debt, energy shortages, world hunger, climate control, health care reform, and any number of special interest subjects, my old friends the elephants come back to mind.

I suggest that there is an elephant in each of our homes, and it is our federal government. Certainly our Founding Fathers had the vision to institute assurances against a federal government that had too much influence, and their works carefully crafted assurances to protect States rights. All those efforts are now being infringed upon, and there is a growing danger of an all powerful, all influential federal government; AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM situation.

Your Commander has stated previously that the rush to judgment by the new Obama administration is trying to over-ride our precious Constitution, and institute its dominance and philosophies on a growing welfare/entitlement comfort state of being.

Recently, Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman, spoke at a public television forum, and said, “When the elephant falls down, all the grass gets crushed as well.” That metaphor is certainly true today, and it is a perfect example of just what our federal government is trying to accomplish. The Obama-led team, with the theory that no crisis can be ignored but should be used to its advantage, is just plain NOT in our individual best interests. It particularly chooses to benefit special interest, major campaign contributing groups such as ACORN (which likely operates illegally), or unions such as the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), trial lawyers, political elite, and the list goes on.

The average hard working stiff is just like the grass and are the ones getting squashed by the elephant when it falls upon us. The federal government is the elephant when they impose self-serving will upon the electorate. Don’t you find it very interesting that our politicians are screaming during this health care reform debate that the voters are sounding un-American and that we are unruly when we call them to be held accountable?

I, for one, am happy to see that the average Joe is finally finding the fortitude to jump up on the elephant and guide him in the proper direction. It is about time that our voices are being heard, and maybe they will be properly acted upon as our Founding Fathers originally intended.

I still love watching elephants at the zoo or today most often on television. I am now beginning to see hints that the voters, rather than government, have a shot at becoming the elephant. That would bring to mind a scene near the end of an old Elizabeth Taylor movie titled “ELEPHANT WALK,” when the elephants ran wild through the master’s house.

Our elephants are attending the TEA PARTY meetings and the TOWN HALLS, sending e-mails, making their opinion known and their voices heard. Hopefully, our voices will be heard in a very loud, only in America non-violent way at the polls come November, 2010 and ultimately 2012. The arrogant Obama administration has unwittingly organized our herd, the herd is ready to charge, and the Dems are scurrying for cover.

COMMANDER GRANGER