During his first months in office, President Barack Obama clearly delivered the message that by "change," he meant "radical change" and that he is not particularly proud of America. This is a message that he globally broadcast, with bowed head, as he cuddled up to our historical enemies, disrespected our allies and hand over fist threw good money after bad in the form of bailouts.

Obama is moving the country far to the left and at least 50 percent of Americans believe this is the right direction. The other half of Americans are struggling to quell a persistent sense of unease as Obama puts in place his overreaching government policies and a $3.4 trillion budget and more than doubles the national debt.

According to the Wall Street Journal, "Mr. Obama's budget assumes that nearly all of the new stimulus spending will be temporary - a fantasy." Who knew Obama would be given free rein to enslave future generations to a nonsustainable economy?

The New York Times reports that Obama's budget "signals a radical change of course by redirecting enormous streams of deficit spending toward programs like health care, education and energy, and paying for some of it through taxes on the rich, pollution surcharges and cuts in such inviolable programs as farm subsidies."

More than any other president, Obama has polarized the country and even he no longer pretends to be bipartisan. The politically moderate veil that served him well on the election platform has dissolved and revealed the liberal nature of his intentions.

Americans have grown weary of terrorism, economic strife and political malpractice. This fatigue makes it easier for so many to swallow Obama's policies, especially when they are rammed down the throat before what is in the mouth can even be identified.

For example, Obama lied on the campaign trail when he promised that any bill signed by him would be reviewable for at least five days before he signed it. In fact, not even the House and Senate were extended that consideration before they committed $787 billion dollars to the stimulus bill.

Much of Obama's support can be attributed to personal appeal and Bush-jerk reaction. Polls indicate the man is liked more than his legislation. If he had run for president on the heels of the Reagan or Clinton administration, would Obama be faring as well or would a rested and stable America have chosen a patriot instead of a radical to lead the country?

Obama's speeches induce euphoria in the lovers, dreamers and those drained by the grimness of the Bush years. Nevertheless, his policies belie his concerned tone and extend the power of the government, not citizens. Lawrence Kudlow, host of CNBC, states: "This isn't free enterprise. It's old-fashioned, liberal tax and spend and regulate. It's plain ol' big government."

This cannot be good for a capitalist country founded on individualism, free market competition and privacy.

Obama has a remarkable following and the members of his narcissistic flock, although no longer from a Christian nation, are as loyal to him as the disciples of Jesus. They appear unwilling to examine Obama's plans beyond the short term. This indolence has given rise to higher taxes (yes, they are coming), massive spending (which is why those taxes are coming), and the imminent nationalization of private industry, which is an unconstitutional power grab.

Americans want change, but perhaps not in this way, at a frenzied pace without scrutiny, and a blatant disregard for the intelligence of citizens. Americans are entitled to succeed or fail, without massive government intervention and have traditionally been allowed to keep the fruits of their labor, as the Constitution intended.

Obama recently stated that, "In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world," and he claims to be a "global citizen." Despite his kowtowing, the current European Union president identified the Obama administration's program as a "road to hell" and said that European leaders were "quite alarmed" at the White House's policies.

While 50 percent of Americans carry a crush for Obama and his critical view of our country, others admire America with its big heart backed by a big military and the opportunities to dream big or fail big. We believe our standards of morality are worthy of emulating and we are not ashamed.

We have a sincere passion to shine our beacon of light on the oppressed, even if it takes military might to make that happen, and we are capitalists, individualists and patriots.

We want America to succeed, even if we are led by a president who is not proud of our country, considers our own soldiers terrorists, is willing to leave our country open to attack and whose deceptive rhetoric puts Slick Willie to shame. We will continue to teach our children to respect his office, but to view it with a critical, independent eye, and that self-reliance, not government control, is the key to freedom and prosperity.