The campaign obviously did not turn out as I had personally wished. I was hoping that Americans would see the benefits of not participating in a Federal Socialist society. Apparently, feelings had been so strong about the present administration that they wished for any break from what they saw as a continuance of the current course. Therefore, a great orator that embodies a change simply by being the person he is was handily won this latest contest.
Is there reason for Constitutionally minded Americans to fear? I don’t think so. While the upcoming administration may indeed embrace ideals that will promote the most Socialist society in American history, the means of the Change will be reversible. For in reality, the only true way to preserve the change in time perpetual is to totally amend the US Constitution to adequately ensure that these goals would remain the Modus Operandi for the Federal Government. This simply will not happen in a Center-Right country. All Change will come in the form of expanding bureaucracies which can be eliminated if the implements of that Change prove to be fallible. I personally believe that America will embrace the ideals of Freedom and Personal Responsibility. That the ideal of Rugged Individualism will again rise from the ashes to inspire Americans to live the life that the Founders had envisioned. My hopes are that the current economic crisis will lead the American people to honestly reflect on our current consumer frenzy and focus us on ideals that motivate us to a society where we work for our rewards. No matter the position, no matter the level, Americans need to remember that sustaining our way of life is dependent on the individual and the fruits of their personal toils. These are my personal hopes for the future of our society.
As I was perusing Facebook statuses yesterday, I observed a sight that truly saddened me. Ardent supporters of the Republican ticket were lamenting that the President-Elect is “not their President” or that they would move from the country. The supporters of the winning ticket were also reveling in the victory and being quite callous in their personal statements. It broke my heart to witness people voice such vehement feelings toward someone just because they do not agree. If Republicans are truly angry, do not forget that it was under a Republican administration that our current situation arose. Now certainly, Congressional Democrats did prevent the reform of the Government Sponsored Entities whose failure exacerbated the problem of deficit spending. Democrats also have their certain share of blame for the war of Facebook statuses. For if one is a true Liberal, they would accept that people have the right to disagree. Our nation was built upon discourse. To brand someone as a horrible person just because they don’t agree is not proper, indeed it isn’t even what would be considered mature.
The election of Barack Obama to the post of President of the United States was truly historic. It is the culmination of the idea that every American has an equal right to participate in the process. This election truly validates the grand experiment in Democracy known as the United States of America. The fact that I may not agree with the agenda of the President-elect does not make him any less in my eyes. He was, in fact, elected to be the President of my country. I won’t be the one lauding his policies, but I will give him the support and prayers that the leader of this nation has always garnered in my being. Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States, and as a citizen, I cannot in good conscience tolerate our society to divide over what is an actual mark of progress in that society. Did I vote for him? No. Are there valid questions about his past and his policies that I still hold? Yes, but I will not allow them to further the divide between the two sides of our Political Spectrum in my personal life. I will take a path not trod as of late by those in the Left (with respect to their disdain towards President Bush), I will support him as the leader of the Free World, not fester an underground hatred, and do all in my power to voice the virtues of our Federal government operating as defined in the US Constitution. In the immortal words of John Wayne when asked about the election of John F. Kennedy, “I didn’t vote for him but he’s my President, and I hope he does a good job.”
Unite as Americans, do not divide as partisans. May God Bless America and may God guide the President-elect in his leadership of the Unites States.
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Very well said. thanks.
Carol
Yo, bro. I think there are some reasons for Constitutionally-minded Americans to fear. There will be some threats to our national trajectory that most Americans might miss due to the distractions they choose as more important than casual observance of their federal government.
This happened under FDR during the New Deal, with the adoption of Social Security as an entitlement. We missed the message of Ida Mae Fuller: the first person to receive a Social Security check at 65 years of age, which was the lifespan in 1935, this little old lady did her nation the disservice of living to be 100. She paid less than 100 dollars into the system; when she died, she had collected over $20,000 in Social Security benefits.
We also saw a lurch in entitlements under LBJ, during his Great Society push, which has rendered us with the Medicare/Medicaid system that has floundered since its conception in 1965. Today, Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid make up 42% of our national budget, and grows every year.
Many problems we see now are a result of the perpetuation of the entitlement systems. The challenge Obama faces is to resist the urge to lurch left with entitlements. Do these programs violate the Constitution? Well, in the Constitution, in Article I, Section 8, Congress has the enumerated power “to pay the debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.” Historically, the interpretation of this clause has been loose and progressively irresponsible. Approaching these problems has not been politcally popular, but now its time for Republicans to return to their limited government roots.
Consider the words of these Republican patriots: Abraham Lincoln, who said, “You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves;” and Calvin Coolidge, who said, “Collecting more taxes than is absolutely necessary is legalized robbery.”
It’s time for a return to these values. Ronald Reagan called for this when he said, “I don’t want to go back to the past; I want to go back to the past’s way of looking at things.”
Obama, Congress, and the GOP start with a clean slate; we’ll see how loosely they decide to interpret “common defense and general welfare.” In the words of Senator Tom Coburn this week, “The Republican Party can either restore its identity as the party of limited government or go the way of the Whigs.”
I agree with Travis, there are some reasons to fear, but I also agree with a point you made: for better or worse, he will be the next president, and may God guide him. I believe ALL things are possible with the help of the Creator. I believe Mr. Obama can be a good leader, he just needs to listen to those who are wiser than he is, and act accordingly.