The all-important lapel pin

Is this presidential election really going to be about lapel pins?

Barack Obama's opponents are peppering him with accusations of not being patriotic enough because he does not wear an American flag lapel pin. Seriously? You can criticize Obama for many things, if you like, but if all you have is some conformist fashion faux pas, don't waste my time.

From Ronald Reagan through the 1994 mid-term election, conservatism was on the move in this country, led by Republican calls for fiscal responsibility, a hearty defense and smaller government.

But for the past decade, Republicans have been squandering their surging position of power on impeachment proceedings, gay marriage, ensuring God remains in the pledge of allegiance (like God needs the Republican Party) and, now, Barack Obama's lapel pin. Give me a break.

After the 2002 mid-term elections, Karl Rove believed the Republicans were on their way to a permanent majority. But Rove did not consider that "permanent" majorities are not built by divisions, but by commonalities. And for the past decade, all the Republicans have been doing is dividing, by whatever goofy social agenda they can latch onto. Meanwhile, they spend money in Congress like a 21-year-old heiress who just got access to her trust fund.

I don't want to hear about lapel pins. I want to hear about the shrinking dollar, the debt we all owe China and Saudi Arabia, how we plan to stop American military deaths in Iraq, how we finally plan to bring Osama Bin Laden to justice, how we are going to curb carbon emissions and how we are going to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels.

I do not want to hear about lapel pins.