When he first entered the national political arena, I thought Barack Obama was a sincere man, mistaken in his political beliefs, but an honest advocate of them.  Today, like millions of Americans, my evaluation of Barack Obama would be quite different. 

Without attempting to go over every policy, speech, and embarrassment to explain what is wrong with the man, I might just sum it up the way that many parents do when teaching their sons and daughters about right and wrong.  "Obama," I would say, "is a bad man."

What people do matters.  But, who they are determines their behavior.  Who they are will express itself in what they do on a consistent, regular basis.

As human beings we all make mistakes.  We sin.   But, people who are bad make a lifelong, regular habit out of it and have very little, if any, sense of remorse.  Actually, they rather enjoy it.  There's a sense of autonomy, self-determination, and blazing one's own path that seems to thrive in a person who recognizes no rules but his/her own and no authority other than the desires of his/her own heart.

In his book, People of the Lie, M. Scott Peck tackles a problem that most psychiatrists and therapists avoid.  The problem is bad people, or as Peck describes the issue, "evil."  Peck concludes that evil people are outside the norm of healthy, human behavior, but they're not crazy or delusional.  They're quite sane, which makes them all the more terrifying.  They are dysfunctional members of society.  In a nutshell, bad people lack two critical human characteristics that the rest of us share and admire.

#1. They lack Honesty.  They lie. 

Most people lie to prevent embarrassment or to cover an error.  It's not a way of life.  Bad people lie all the time and about almost everything.  It's purposeful and automatic.  It's part of who they are.  It's how they live, it's how they function, and it's how they manipulate, gain advantage, and achieve success.  They lie with reckless abandon and they are really good at it.  Mix a little truth into a lie, add some well-contrived sincerity, and it's instantly believable. 

We've all met people like this.  Something about them sets off alarms in our intuitive brain.  We don't know why, but we know they're lying and we're being deceived.   If asked to repeat what the lie was, it would be tough to nail down.  Bad people are really, really good liars.  If challenged, they will back-pedal and change their story until they can find solid ground to stand on which cannot be questioned or refuted.  Victory. Trained therapists have a difficult time divining truth from fiction when faced with such a person whose very identity is rooted in half-truths.  A common way of referring to these bad people is that they are "like nailing jello to the wall."  It's almost impossible to pin them down.

#2. They lack Empathy.

Empathy is the ability to put one's self in the shoes of another, even if only for a moment.  To be a good person, empathy is required.  It is the essential ingredient in humanity and is deeply embedded in our culture.  Americans care.  We care because we have empathy.  It's in our national DNA.  It's in our religious texts.  We teach it to our children every day and we gladly help others when we're able because it's the right thing to do. 

Bad people view empathy as a weakness to be exploited.  But, they do care about themselves.  A lot.  Passionately.  They  are the "Me Generation" on steroids.  Spouses, children, and friends don't matter.  Not really.  They're valued only to the extent that they can provide support, praise, honor, and adulation.  Bad people live for that.  If they cannot garner praise and adoration from their reluctant relatives, it's just as satisfying to intimidate, control, and manipulate them.  The ability to instill fear in others is a powerful narcotic to their warped sensitivities.  Bad people use and abuse others.  They feed off of the insecurities of others and exploit their vulnerabilities.  If the targets of their exploitation refuse to show fear or admiration they will be abandoned, family and friends included, with a shocking coldness.  The unfortunate souls who find themselves living with these monsters will often develop significant mental, emotional, and physical symptoms.  It is a horrific nightmare.

Bad people come to us as sweetness and light, charming, intelligent, confident, and often successful.  But, they are chameleons who will say whatever is necessary in order to get what they want and do what they may.  No truth.  No empathy.  No soul.  Shape-shifting through life they reinvent themselves to suit their audience so as to be everything to everyone.  Inside, they are soulless.  Alone.  Scared.  Afraid of being found out and exposed as a fraud.  Their fragile self-image hides behind a facade of confidence, humor, and "I'm above it all."  Hence, they appear arrogant, haughty, and cannot bear scorn or reproach.

Barack Obama is one of these bad people.  He's dishonest, narcissistic, and pinning him down can be like nailing jello to the wall.  He's all things to all people, but he is no one -- an empty vessel.  He uses people and then disposes of them when it's expedient.  His grandmother, his spiritual mentor, anyone who becomes an inconvenience is thrown under the now infamous bus.  He is adept at mockery and ridicule.  His arrogance is legendary.  His skin is decidedly thin and he cannot bear to be contradicted or challenged.  He works, not for the American People but, for himself.  

Obama's presidency is a lot like Obama.  It's all about him.  His needs.  His wants. The nation's crises can't compete with his love of golf, parties, or globe-trotting vacations.  After all, in his mind, he deserves these creature comforts.  Despite his appearance of confidence, Obama's is an empty soul in search of fulfillment.  The salve for his wounded heart is the acquisition of raw power.  Power that is unimpeded, unopposed, and subject only to the capricious whims of a self-conscious, adolescent boy housed in a middle-aged man's body.  Nothing less will do. 

Fortunately for us, there's an election in 2012.  Unfortunately, there are still Americans willing to reelect this alien that inhabits the White House.  They need to know who he really is.  Someone needs to tell them just like their mom and dad used to.  Someone needs to help them understand.

To all Obama supporters: 

America is depending on you, the electorate, to do the right thing.  When you vote on November 6^th, 2012, please do so carefully.  Consider your country.  Resist the temptation to vote the party line.  America is in trouble and needs a president who believes in America and values Americans.  Remember this as you choose your candidate:

Barack Obama is a bad man.  A very bad man indeed.

Jay Clarke is a businessman and life-long Conservative from Southern California.  Like many people, he has held a number of careers during his life time including 9 years as an EMT/Paramedic, 4 years as a music pastor and 19 years as a small business owner.  He's a proud husband, father and grandfather.