LEADING DOWN THE WRONG PATH

A CHARISMATIC SPEAKER, POLITICIAN AND SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 1816, HENRY CLAY, OFTEN LED AMERICA AND AMERICANS DOWN THE WRONG PATHS. UNFORTUNATELY HE HELD HIGH OFFICE; FORTUNATELY THE PUBLIC NEVER SAW HIM AS FIT TO BE PRESIDENT.

MARVIN OLASKY, A WRITER, SAYS THAT HENRY CLAY'S "POLITICAL PATERNALISM WAS A SHAM." HE PRACTICED "GOVERNMENT BY WINKING." HE COULD "STRETCH THE PLAIN MEANING OF WORDS, GRAB MORE POWER FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE. " MEN LIKE HENRY CLAY WHO "LIVE BY THE SPEECH, SOON OVERREACH."

UNFORTUNATELY, THE POLITICKING OF LIBERALS TODAY MIMICS THE SHADY DEALINGS OF HENRY CLAY, HELL BENT ON PERSONAL POWER AND GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL. LIBERAL LEADERS IN A TOWN NEARBY ME GAVE AWAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAX ABATEMENTS TO A COMPANY TO CREATE 50 NEW JOBS. THE REWARD FOR THEIR GIVEAWAY IS A DELUSION. LIKE HENRY CLAY'S SPEECHES, NEW EMPLOYMENT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT BY DOING THE MATH, THE SUBSIDIES DO NOT JUSTIFY THE COST OF THE ENDS.

A BAD LEADER LIKE HENRY CLAY OR ADOLPH HITLER CAN SOUND SO GOOD. THAT'S THE WAY THE DEVIL PLANS IT. FORTUNATELY, IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO FIND A NEW NEMESIS, A LEADER WHO EXPECTS TO ASK YOU WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELVES, BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING FOR OUR COUNTRY, WHO NEVER ASKS WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU.