As incredulous as Jay Bush not wanting to serve baked beans at his barbecue, Barack Obama recently stated that he does not give his kids birthday presents or Christmas presents.

Now this is an attitude that I can understand somewhat. At a time in my life I felt that the true spirit of Christmas was lost in gift giving and that it had become too commercialized and I thought about not giving gifts. Perhaps this is what Barack and Michelle Obama feel. I did however come to my senses and continue to give gifts to my children and other family members on our special occasions whenever possible. After all why not take any and all occasion to give gifts. Perhaps the Obamas believe that it is unfair to other children if their children get new clothes or bikes when others less fortunate get none or inferior gifts. As a family I let my children know that it was good to create and nurture the spirit of giving. Sometimes we would even give donations in each others names to charitable causes just to perpetuate the ongoing causative kindness of giving and the value it gives to the giver and the recipient. Most people do it and it is a natural part of human nature and the American way. The more we prosper, the more we can give.

The fact that the Obamas philosophy does not promote this type of giving of oneself through gifts lends itself to make me believe what I have been feeling more and more as I learn about Barack Obama. He is not in touch with the true spirit of the American people and our inherited customs and philosophy.

A free people give freely and receive with grace. Perhaps the Obamas believe that our country and our world is too materialistic. That is their right. In a free world, though, a person is entitled to be as materialistic as they choose. I wonder if the Obamas ever give each other a bouquet of flowers, or a foot rub. Why don’t they like pets? These everyday things that most of us take for granted are alien to them. They also believe in economic equality for all. They don’t believe that those who prosper are spiritual enough or smart enough to give on their own and that it should be legislated through taxation, socialized medicine and a host of other socialist principles. These principles tend to take individual initiative away from ambitious people and give power to the government which he intends to lead. For a liberty loving person like me, as I think about Obama and his socialistic views, being president, it is getting a little scary. Start adding all these little “quirks” up, where are they leading to?

Barack Obama not giving to or exchanging gifts with his children on their special occasions … “That’s just craaazy!”