Sarah's Thoughts
Reflections
Several days have passed since the presidential election. I have spoken with family members and friends who voted differently than me and who are excited about the upcoming Obama administration. These conversations made me pause and think about my own reaction. Was I being unfair? Have my posts been too unkind to our president-elect? My answer is … no.
On this blog, the following items are fair game:
1. Obama’s policy goals and the negative impact I believe their enactment would have on our country
2. the men and women with whom Obama chooses to surround himself in his administration
3. the ridiculously high expectations that some supporters and advocates in the media have for Obama’s presidency
What is also fair game? The hypocrisy of Obama’s supporters who are angry that we aren’t all unified or that we are not giving our president-elect a chance. I don’t seem to recall much unity in 2004. Instead, I heard empty promises of moves to Canada and saw an effort to encourage Democrats to “Shop Blue” (or something like that) and support businesses that had contributed to Kerry. This time, it seems as if there are many people who are simply smitten with Obama and can’t comprehend that millions of Americans don’t share in this love. Many Obama supporters are so irritated everyone is not enamored with their chosen one that their rantings are still quite angry on this blog and others. You won! Be happy!
You may say, “But Bush had already been president for four years in 2004. We knew what he was about. That is why we were so upset.” True. But we also know what President Obama hopes to achieve in the Oval Office. From health care to education and foreign policy to taxes, I don’t like what Obama is proposing.
I don’t think President-elect Obama is an evil man. The left uses horrible words such as “fascist” and “Nazi” to describe President Bush. These labels are inaccurate, mean-spirited, and downright childish. You will never see such name-calling from me. If you find such an example, please let me know and I will apologize. From all I can tell, our president-elect appears to be a devoted family man who values his wife as a partner and adores his little girls. In this respect, he is wonderful role model. However, I simply think his policies are dangerous to the growth and greatness of our country. I will continue to rail against his ideas and the arguments made by his supporters. It is the political/economic/social philosophy followed by Obama and those who elected him that I dislike, not the man himself.
I hereby pledge on this day — November 10, 2008 — that I will write a happy blog post every time President-elect Obama does something as our leader with which I agree. Now, with his selection of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff, his aloof demeanor at his first press conference, and his hesitancy concerning the missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, he is not making me at all concerned that my typing fingers will tire commending his decisions and actions. But, I will be pleasantly surprised if good things happen and I won’t hesitate to say so. There you go … my step towards unity.
November 10th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
The hypocrisy of Obama’s supporters who are angry that we aren’t all unified or that we are not giving our president-elect a chance.
You and Nathan are both talking about this supposed outcry from those on “the left” to not criticize Obama…I really haven’t seen it. I don’t think anyone on my side of the aisle had any illusions that Rush Limbaugh, et al, would come around and sing khumbaya for President-elect Obama.
November 10th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
I have heard lefty pundits on TV say things like, “It’s time for everyone to come together and give this president a chance” and “The right-wing is already attacking him!” I have had several conversations with people who are frustrated that the nation did not come together on November 5 and ride the unity train. Not Rush Limbaugh … I don’t think anyone expects that to happen. What would be the point of his job? But, I think that some Obama supporters who really feel his voice speaks of hope and a unified, brotherly America are upset the other average voters won’t now play along.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Well, I think the American people at large are giving him the benefit of the doubt, as evidenced by his rising favorability numbers (68 in Gallup) and “job-approval” rating (+17 from +8 last Wednesday). But I wouldn’t expect partisan Republicans to be swayed so soon after an election (if ever) in favor of a Democratic President.
Now, having said that, I hope the questions about Obama stick to his birth records (as was Nathan’s tact Tuesday) because that only benefits our cause…but if you guys want to be the voice for limited Executive authority after 8 years of expanded Government and constitutionally-questionable Presidential decrees…have at it.
November 10th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Sarah – I am glad that you wrote that Obama is “a devoted family man who values his wife as a partner and adores his little girls. In this respect, he is wonderful role model.”
I completely agree with this sentiment, and I think it is actually worth quite a bit.
I am glad to know you believe this, since last week you said to me that you believed Obama was “an amoral man who is obsessed with himself.”
I respect that you do not share Obama’s political views, but I have a harder time with attacks on his character.
November 10th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Catherine — I apologize … I need to clarify. I meant that I think Obama is an amoral man in terms of his political ambition. And, he has said before that he sometimes believes his own hype about his abilities and that he is on a “righteous path”. I know that a healthy ego is always needed to run for president, but I think he goes above and beyond the minimum amount required. That’s just the impression I get when I watch him.
Sean — I want to be a voice for limited executive, legislative, and judicial authority. We haven’t had much of that lately.
November 11th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Is the following sufficiently bitter in tone to make a Kos or DU entry, or should it be cranked up a rew notches?
Barry the bitter bigot, liar, anti-Constitutionalist, Marxist, statist and nascent totalitarian won’t show the American people his birth certificate. What is Barry hiding? We get your program Obamessiah, punish success, re-distribute wealth, murder babies, silence critics, subsidize voter fraud (ACORN), subsidize racism (La Raza). Now you’re hiding the program you ran on by deleting pages from your change.gov site, the arrogant presumption of creating your own seal for the: “Office of the President Elect.” Pathological narcissism.
We’re watching. The Resistance lives!
November 11th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
“but if you guys want to be the voice for limited Executive authority after 8 years of expanded Government and constitutionally-questionable Presidential decrees…have at it.”
And what are you going to have to say when President Obama reverses none, or maybe one or two, of President Bush’s “constitutionally-questionable” presidential decrees on national security powers?
There is absolutely no reason for anyone who supported McCain to do anything but try to undermine Obama’s presidency as much as possible. The last eight years have taught us well. This is what the Left has turned politics in the US into.