So, it is all done (except for the Coleman/Frankin fiasco). Obama will be our next president. I’m surprised at how much I really don’t care. I guess I gave that up when I graduated from college and my youth left me. Those of you who have known me for years know how passionate I used to be about politics.
Anyway, I think that the Obama win does bring up some very interesting, albeit early, observations. Here are three of many.
1. Little criticism of how poorly the Republicans competed in this election. I was waiting to hear some pundits acknowledge what a mess the Repub’s are and what a bad job they did. Instead, I hear gums flapping on Fox News about how the Dem’s don’t have a mandate to govern. Huh?! No wonder the Repub’s lost! If the Repub’s don’t pull their collective heads out of their a****, they had better get used to losing. They can’t live in their “la-la land” forever. Bad choices. Bad organization. Bad execution. Terrible. They really need to return to the core values of the party and relate to people how those core values apply to everyone, not just rich, white folks or white folks who aspire to be rich.
2. Will there now be a shift in affirmative action? I’m not for affirmative action. I do think that, historically, it did have its place. Minorities would have not had the same opportunities without it. I, as a female, have likely benefited from it. However, Obama ascending to the presidency, in my opinion, has placed affirmative action into a different light. A major barrier has been removed. Obama would have never been elected without votes from white people. It will be more difficult for minorities to use the race card. I’m not ignorant enough to think that racism will disappear. You wouldn’t believe the racist comments and jokes I’ve heard over the course of this election. However, I think that it will be more difficult to use the ‘poor me - pity party’ excuse as an obstacle to individual success.
3. Will Obama be able to deliver on the promises? Likely not. Neither would McCain if he had been elected. I’ve survived party changes in office before, and, guess what?! Not much ever seems to really change. Most pundits and talking heads tend to over dramatize the actual effects that a change in party in office actually brings. Economically, we seem to have more serious issues to deal with than I can remember, but we have survived. We have been involved in unpopular wars before and have survived. People can still own their hunting rifles. I can still spew forth my goofy opinions and not be jailed for them. The pendulum of our country has always swung from left to right, right to left, back and forth, and we have survived. Promises or no promises, we will survive. Isn’t democracy great! And, no, people, we aren’t going to become a socialist country. Another ‘buzz word’ used to scare people. Scare tactics generally seem to work pretty well, but it didn’t for the Repub’s this time. (See #1)
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10 comments:
The Republicans aren't ones to admit they're wrong -- powerful, white men often do not....
I'm exhilarated by the news. Realistically I know how hard it is to really change things, but Obama's charisma and the fact that record number of people turned out to vote will at least boost confidence. It seems to be the one thing we lack that can make a difference without any tactics or money needed to back it up.
I'm even more exhilarated by the fact that our school referendum passed -- both questions! We'll restore 40 teachers, get our class sizes back to what they were in 2006 and restore some of the activities that were cut. It also allows us to look ahead, make a plan and run the district in the most effective and efficient way possible.
I could've tolerated any other defeat but this one. It's the one closet to my heart -- the one I walked miles for going door to door.
It's a new era, a new day. I want to be positive about it and look for what I can do in my own corners of the world! Let's be proud that we live in a democracy where we can make a difference!
" Marna said...
The Republicans aren't ones to admit they're wrong -- powerful, white men often do not.... "
In victory, why the bitterness and bigotry?
You apparently didn't see McCain's humble concession speech. I felt proud to be an American when reading responses from all over the world on the BBC site this morning. Many were amazed at how we can fight it out politically, but concede power without bitterness.
I am not a Republican, nor do I foresee that ever happening (unless, of course, Ron Paul, by some miracle, were to wrangle the party away from the Neo-cons), but I can't help but feel that your divisive attitude makes people despise your positions rather than evaluate the logic in them.
(...and this is coming from someone who spent half his adult life as a registered left-leaning Democrat...)
But I have come to realize that both the Neo-cons and the those on the Left are moralistic enough to think the other side is evil and that they know what is best for me...
I will restate it again, and you can quote me on it:
Both sides are wrong.
Like 98% of the rest of America, you have bought into the idea that there are only two sides to American politics. There is another way, and it starts with basing everything on respecting individual liberty. But that requires respecting (and not demonizing) those who have different views than your own...
Enjoy your victory, and let us all hope that when the pendulum swings the other way again, the Neo-cons no longer control the Republican party.
I was referring to Budsy's comments in her post (see #1). And, I was generalizing, like I tend to do ... about corporate executives, Neo-Cons and others who I see as typical Republicans.... I liked McCain's concession speech. I thought he was very gracious and I'm not bitter!
And don't bait me.... you may win political arguments, but I think I could take you in a knock-down drag out fight...... :)
Alright! That's it! No more drinkin' and smokin' and staying up late. I'm hittin' the gym. I'll be ready the next time I see you!
Again, I second Dane's comment. But I do have a question for Dane:
How do you feel about Ron-Paul endorsed republicans? For example, Michelle Bachmann was endorsed by Ron Paul, but one could argue that she is in the neo-con class as she supported the iraq war among other things.
-DC
David Carlson Politics
DC-
To answer your question: Unlike many of the followers of Obama, my favorite politician became so, not because he is charismatic, not because he is in a particular party, not because he makes me feel good and says the things I want to hear, not because he had a chance in hell of becoming President, but because 90% of everything he says is what I believe to be true.
I disagree with him on some things. I am staunchly pro-choice (No matter how I feel about it personally, I will never be a pregnant 13 year old black girl from South Central LA. Neither I, nor my government has the right to judge what is “right” for her). Ron Paul is anti-abortion. I can respect his position, especially considering he has more insight than me--as a specialist in obstetrics/gynecology, he has delivered more than 4,000 babies.
Speaking about Bachmann, I have lived in Arizona for 20 years now and have lost touch with MN politics. But I would have to say that generally I disagree with endorsing ANY neo-cons, so I disagree with the good doctor on this issue, too. We are closer to fascism now because of them than ever in our history. The fact that the Dems have taken over just means we will move away from fascism, but no move closer to the “other” form of Big Government (refer to my politopia map in a previous post--Hitler and Stalin aren’t that far from each other....).
The day before the election, I caught a co-worker in the parking lot and gave him a bad time about the McCain sticker in the back window of his 5 Series BMW. “So, you are one of those Big Government Republicans?”, I asked him.
“No. I just don’t want to waste my vote,” he explained.
I explained to him that he was “wasting” HIS vote. He was perpetuating the establishment. By voting (or endorsing) in a way you think is pragmatic, you are bolstering up the current big brother government. I am older, and therefore, way more cynical than you are. Ironically, it has been your logic, your enthusiasm, and your dedication to liberty that has rekindled my ten year dedication to the Libertarian Party.
I have voted in 7 Presidential elections. The person I have voted for has NEVER won! Talk about a reason to be cynical! Yet, I have come to see a new youth movement, one hidden under the hysteria of the youth supporting the Obama personality cult, one hidden (or, more accurately, ignored) by the mainstream medias.
There is a growing swell of young people who are more worried about MY liberty than any political entity, party or government agency. I believe this movement will long outlive the charisma of any current leader, if for no other reason than faith in any man (Obama, JFK, Bush, Reagan, Hitler or even Ron Paul) is fleeting, yet, by believing in principles and values bigger than one’s self, they will be enduring.
I listened to Naomi Wolf today (major GWB critic and libertarian-leaning liberal) on the Lew Rockwell podcast. She explained that our country was formed by people who were willing to die because they could not stand the injustice of being taxed a couple of pennies for tea, yet we can sit in an airport and watch grown men watch as their wifes and girlfriends are groped by the TSA in the name of “security”.
We should be ashamed of ourselves for allowing this country to become what it is. We are a country that doesn’t believe in democracy. We are a country that doesn’t believe in capitalism. We are a country that doesn’t believe in personal liberty. Yet, it is young people like you, both on the Right and Left, who believe in Liberty, that give me faith and keep me voting.
Government isn’t the answer, whether it is the big government neo-cons or the left wealth-stealing re-distributors. Both want power and care nothing about the individual.
My friend DC, it is not Ron Paul (or who he may or may not endorse) that gives me faith in the future. It is you and the 500,000 like you. Ron Paul is getting old. It is you, and other young people like you, who must find the Lawsons of this world and bring them to us...
(For the rest of you: I am still working on my “If I Were President” post on the Iragi war. Despite it’s name, The National Party Times was never meant to be political. It was really a play on words, “party” meaning people getting together, not in the political sense, but in the social sense. I have a feeling that my upcoming post may prove that the two most diabolically opposed political forces on this site may actually find they are the best of friends.)
do you realize you used the term "young people." are we that old?
Dane,
Wow! I am humbled that my enthusiasm has had such an effect on you. Your post is filled with truths. It's pretty late right now so I won't write a super long response, but there is a lots of good stuff you mention.
Do not forget that the 'old-timers' if you want to put Ron Paul in that category STARTED this revolution. I get a sense you think I am putting too much of this movement on Ron Paul. Trust me I am not, and I do realize he is old, and I also do realize he may die in office because I don't see him ever stepping down until he literally can't walk. But besides that, I feel as though I need to soak up as much as I can WHILE I can. There is no way of knowing how long he will be around. God willing another two decades!
But I also realize there is this movement, and the thing is it is all founded on education. Both Obama and McCain the neocons and the far left almost blind us of truth. If you only listened to mainstream media, you would think the most important issue in politics right now is how much money Palin spent on clothes! Lovers of liberty are founded on principles and education about issues. There is no getting around that. For example, I couldn't articulate an argument for Ron Paul's foreign policy, so this summer i got his book "a foreign policy of freedom." Life-changing, not so much so as the revolution: a manifesto, but still just changed the way I view foreign policy.
The great thing is, there are probably 40 more books I want to read about political issues, just so I can understand even better why I support a constitutional, libertarian, government. Why is it the best? Why is it better? Why is it not popular?
Victoria (my girlfriend and Bert's niece) said that the thing about Ron Paul is that it seems like you need to really look into it to understand it. That is so true. But when you do spend the time, you just start wanting more and more! And it is so worth it.
My friend Trevor is really getting hooked on the message of liberty. He is in Sweden this year, but coming home for Christmas. I almost think that is too long to wait, I want to mail him the revolution: a manifesto simply because i want him to read it so bad! I will probably buy a second copy, my first one is always lent out!
But the message of liberty is alive and well. I don't care how many neocons and liberals there are out there, I hold out hope. I have to.
DC
David Carlson Politics
Yeah, but I kicked DC's butt in fantasy football!!
(Oops, did I say that outloud?!)
:-)
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