Walter Patterson Herald ColumnistLast week, I read the biography of a World War II American fighter pilot by the name of Jack Bradley who scored 15 kills over Germany.  
This young pilot had guts. He was cool under pressure, and it seemed every time he got into trouble, he had the ability to slow everything down and come up with a solution that would save his life. His fellow pilots commented that “Jack’s got ice water in his veins.”
He recalled one incident while he was on patrol when he encountered one of Germany’s top aces.  This German ace had knocked 40 English and American planes from the sky, and on this particular day, he was looking to add to his remarkable total.
Bradley was flying the new and improved P-51 Mustang.  This plane looked like an earlier model, but there was a new twist to this plane.  The manufacturers had added over 100 horsepower to the engine.
The German ace had a special way of shooting American pilots from the sky; He would maneuver until he was on their tail.  Usually, the American would pull the stick back, and try to out climb the enemy.  But if this maneuver did not work, the German had an easy kill.  Once the American’s plane stalled, the German simply reversed and fell in behind him.  All that was left to do was squeeze the trigger.
On this particular day, the German pilot wanted to use the same trick.  He slipped behind Bradley, and after a few maneuvers to keep the German from firing on him, Bradley pulled the stick back and went vertical.  
The enemy pilot was confident that the American would stall his aircraft long before his plane stalled. But the German had made a terminal mistake.  He failed to realize that the P-51 he was chasing was a new and improved model.  Bradley kept watch over his shoulder at the Messerschmitt on his tail. Both planes climbed higher and higher, but instead of the P-51 stalling, the German’s plane began to shake as it lost lift.
“The hunted became the hunter,” Bradley recalled.  As soon as the Messerschmitt stalled, Bradley reversed and squeezed gently.  This was kill number 12.
Just as the German pilot realized too late that there was something different about the P-51 he was chasing, there are some tell-tell clues about what is happening to our country.  We are quickly losing lift, and soon, if we don’t change course, we will be in an unrecoverable death dive.
Our political system has become corrupt.  Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, testified before Congress last week and admitted that 24 of 28 “green energy” loans went to companies that had “bundled” huge sums of money for the President.
No logical thinker can fail to conclude that this action was a reward for the President’s political friends.  There is simply no other explanation.  By the way, most of these companies who received taxpayer money have declared bankruptcy.
On March 22, the second anniversary of Obamacare was celebrated. But should any of us be celebrating at all?  
According to the Washington Examiner, Obamacare will cost every worker at least $6,058 in reduced wages, perhaps more, and smaller companies will simply pay a fine and cancel their workers’ health care. Others will lay off workers in order to pay for the increased cost of health insurance. If you are a worker, prepare to live on less, much less.
The United States will run out of money before election day.  The debt ceiling will have to be raised again or the government will shut down.  Even liberal publications like “Politico” are issuing dire warnings that “A debt doomsday is imminent.” The immense debt hanging over this country’s head is like an atomic bomb. One day soon, it is going to explode, and unfortunately, there will be little left that any of us recognize.
Mr. Obama and the Democrat Party are either incompetent or they are purposely driving this great country into the ground.  We are rapidly losing lift, and our aircraft is beginning to shake. If nothing changes, we will meet the same fate as the German pilot. We will have realized too late that the “hunter has become the hunted.”
This, my friends, is not a good thing.
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