I'm hungrier than a Chilean Miner!

Chomping at the bit, as they say, for election day come November. Not November 2010, but rather 2012. 2010 is all but a foregone conclusion, I want to see if America can look past the glitz and glam of what an Obama campaign can do to see that he, and more specifically his chosen ideology, do not embrace the idea of American exceptionalism; and moreover that it contains within it a seminal dislike of private sector boot-strap success ... but more on that in a moment.

I thought that perhaps the most enduring father-son image I had ever witnessed on a national stage (which precludes first place in my mind, that of myself as Darth Vader and my son as Luke Shywalker some Halloweens ago) was Drew Brees and infant son on the field, reveling in New Orlean's first ever Superbowl win. Tickertate and the like a flutter, like so many snow flakes in a Bing Crosby movie, it was truly as moving as sports gets. But to see, and he must of been all of 8 years old, that little Chilean boy - in a hard hat no less - rush to his Dad, with that expression of pure untouched relief on his face as he saw his father emerge, alive, is an image that can not be scripted, can not be commented on, only silently enjoyed by onlookers. It was pure happiness, expressed in the type of tears and hugs only a child is capable of inducing.

Now, I hasten to add that the American private sector, specifically their ingenuity and their willingness to help (ahem, Mr. President), played a large part in this:

"Two Coloradans who had been drilling water wells for U.S. troops in Afghanistan and a team of NASA doctors and engineers whose experience with astronauts leaving the pull of gravity played crucial roles in ensuring the rescue.

Jeff Hart and Matt Staffel were instructed by their employer, Layne Christensen Co. of Mission Woods, Kan., to drop what they were doing in Afghanistan and head to Chile for a rescue mission. The drillers worked for 33 days straight before they were able to bore down to the trapped men on Saturday." (source)

Yes, NASA is a government entity ... the only sector of government the President has seen fit to cut. Why is that? I mean America leads the world in space explor ... ahh ... maybe that explains it. Borrowing from the theme Ronald Reagan kept in a plaque on his desk, "There is no limit to what a man can accomplish so long as he doesn't care who gets credit", this is not to "ensure" America gets her share of credit in what has become a world-wide vigil for the rescue of blue collar family men. But more to say simply this: Mr. President, surely you must see that when left unencumbered there is no limit to the good man can do on behalf of his neighbor. Not when forced, not when dictated, not when required. But rather when his own ingenuity and compassion are allowed the freedom to risk both wealth and neck in the assistance of his fellow man. Only then are we allowed to see the human spirit, the American spirit, shine in all its glory and leave the world a better place then it was found. Free men are uniquely qualified to rescue souls in distress ... and defend them; for there is no greater ally at your side sir, then those who choose to be there. And no government mandate will ever produce such a choice in man's heart, for you can not legislate good choices, only narrow them.