It only took two paragraphs for the contributor and columnist, Lisa Schiffren, of the National Review Online to insert the word “Marxism” and attach it to Obama and anyone that supports his ideas on the economy, in her article. As Carl Sagan used to say, “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence”. But then again, the conservatives use the dirty words like “Marxism”, “terrorism” and other “isms” so sparingly that there is nothing extraordinary about their claims anymore; such mantra has incorporated itself into the standard linguistic usage within the conservative circles. What’s even less surprising is that the pop icons of conservatism almost never substantiate their claims with evidence. The only evidence is the sensationalist slogans, which are preached to the faith-based crowd where the dogmatic doctrine is: “someone said it, it must be true”.

The article of course represents the last ditched effort to reverse the momentum of the 2008 presidential election by making vague allusion to Joe “the plumber”. While it may represent a powerful argument for some, it is nonetheless a self-fulfilling prophecy. Keep repeating it and maybe some will believe it. However, what’s more embarrassing is that she didn’t even bother to do the research on the so-called Joe “the plumber” whose name happens to be Sam and who is not a plumber!

The reason why McCain so attached himself to “Joe the plumber” is because he is desperate to put a name on his cause - that is, cutting taxes for the rich. Obama’s proposal consists of raising the highest income bracket from 35% to 39% - known as pre-Bush taxes. That’s a modest increase on the wealthiest of Americans and is not a number that represents hampering of job creation. But to Lisa Schiffren, it’s outright “Marxism” and “welfare state”. Do conservatives ever intend to make an argument from genuine logical construction, as opposed to what it is now - knee jerk reactions? Is there ever going to be an end to hearing about the notion that Democrats want to spread the wealth around with someone else’s money and that they will sit down and talk to the terrorists? I don’t mind having a civil and honest debate about economy, national security, health care, civil liberties and foreign policy. But I do mind hearing meaningless slogans over and over again beyond which conversation stops and then just recycles itself with identical talking points.

When Lisa Schiffren and another brilliant right-wing mind, Stephen Moore, reared their heads (in the words of another brilliant mind - Sarah Palin) on the Bill Maher show, I thought I was watching a comedy act from these clowns. Not only did they fail to make an argument, let alone a counter-argument, but even their old talking points fell flat. They couldn’t make a case for the simplest of concepts. But what Lisa Schiffren did manage to do in her article is to refer to Temple University, in which she debated a law professor, as a “bastion of ambient academic Marxism”. Oh, now I am persuaded by the big words…

The rest of the article of course continues its predicted course. Barack Obama is presented as the prophet sent by Karl Marx himself to socialize and destroy America along with its imaginary “Joe the plumbers” who earn more than $250,000 a year. What is becoming more and more predictable by the day however, is that Barack Obama will be our next president and a commander-in- chief!