We've been told over and over that opposing President Obama's socialist anti-American agenda is due to deep-seated racism and not any conservative values one might hold. Now, the National Public Radio (NPR), of all media outlets, has posted a piece on their blog saying that there might be something more to disliking Obama than just racism. I know, I'm shocked too.

This refreshing revelation from a decidedly left-leaning news source starts out with a great premise:

There's no question we're living in a time of divisive politics, when roughly half the country is likely to hate the president, no matter whom he or she might be.

And back it up with a good quote:

"If any white Democrat had pushed through a billion-dollar stimulus plan and a takeover of the health care industry, he would have been equally detested by conservatives and Republicans," says Whit Ayres, a GOP pollster and consultant.

Continuing with this line of thought, the writer puts in a little historical context. Obama doesn't have a trademark on being hated:

But modern presidents have all triggered strong negative reactions. John F. Kennedy met with rhetoric from the John Birch Society that in some ways mirrors Tea Party responses to Obama. Militia movements expanded and grew during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, while George W. Bush's presidency inspired hatred on the left and a novel fantasizing about his assassination.

"Bill Clinton was vilified and hated more, with more passion," says David Carney, a Republican consultant. "It was much more personal and negative than anything about Obama."

This is actually true. Clinton was impeached and Obama has not been even though he deserves it more.

Then we get to the heart of the matter, which is Obama's agenda:

It's possible that no Republican would have voted for the Affordable Care Act if it had been promoted by a President Joe Biden or John Edwards.

Possible, nothing. Opposition to socialism is color-blind.

"There's a perception that Obama's major achievement is a transfer from middle-income white people to low-income minorities," says Robert Smith, a San Francisco State University political scientist.

Perception, nothing. ObamaCare is a transfer of wealth from the middleclass to the poor.

But the truly great news is, you can hate Obama because he is an elitist douchebag with contempt for average people and American culture:

He's a product of the Ivy League who did himself no favors in 2008 by dismissing those who differ culturally from him as "bitter" and clinging to their "guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

"He just doesn't relate well to flyover country," says Carney, the Republican consultant. "His eliteness, his disdain for things that are more traditional America is more the reason why he's disconnected to this large portion of the country than his race."

Last week when I wrote If You Didn't Vote For Obama You Are A Racist, I was feeling a little down because I consider myself to be a pretty open-minded guy. Now, thanks to this article I realize I'm not a racist for opposing Obama, just smart. Thanks NPR!

Many years ago, I met this Canadian guy while hiking in Up-State New York. He made a comment on racism that has stuck with me ever since: "There are a million better reasons to hate someone other than the color of their skin. Most people are dicks and the rest of them are <snip>s." Amen.

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