So I sincerely congratulate President-elect Obama on this historic occasion. And as my President, I will support him when he does what I believe is in the best interest of the nation and criticize him strongly when he does not. But I refuse to return the favor to the angry Left who, for the last 8 years have referred to the current President dismissively as "this President", and "not my President", or drive around with a NOBama bumper sticker in retaliation for their "W" with a circle and a line through it. And since I am sure to be critical in days to come, I want to begin by at least acknowledging the positive side of this historic day.
It is nothing short of inspirational to witness the moment in which someone from the black community will finally ascend the steps and take the seat of the highest office in the land. I have little faith that it will bring about the reconciliation many hope for. Yet it is symbolic of the freedom and democracy that can only happen in America. My hope for the black community, especially its sons, is that this accomplishment may finally lay to rest the notion that to achieve greatness is a betrayal to one's kind. Or that somehow America is secretly unfair. Or that getting an education, being a faithful husband and father, and making something of yourself is somehow 'acting white'. And that perhaps, if anything, will help black people in America to get over the idea that our nation is inherently racist. It is worthy of noting that 97% of black people voted for Senator Obama. But nearly half of white voters did as well. And the majority of white people who did NOT vote for the Senator didn't do so on the basis of racial prejudice, but on the basis of ideas.
What a great country this is.
Now perhaps finally we will get to know this man. We will begin to get glimpses of how he will preside based upon who he chooses to work with. I can't say that his selection of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff is an encouraging indicator of bipartisanship. Upon leading the Democratic Party to their 2006 victory in Congress, Emanuel had a clear message for Republicans. "They can go f--k themselves." But all that in good time.
My advice to President-elect Obama's supporters. Don't gloat and beware of overreaching. My advice to conservatives, don't fret and rediscover your priorities which you abandoned. This was not a rejection conservativism as many might portray. Case in point, Proposition 8 yesterday in California eliminating the right of same-sex couples to marry. Yes, in liberal California, the people overrode the judiciary and chose a conservative definition of marriage. The same people who overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama. Let us see what the future holds.
To the world...this is how America works.
3 comments:
Darren,
I was thinking this morning as I got out of my car at work that while I know very little about how President-elect Obama will govern, it's still an amazing time for our country. I'm very glad I live here.
Be well,
Bob
Darren,
I read your blog on a fairly frequent basis, but I have to tell you, that I just don't share your enthusiasm on the "My President" blog. An historic moment no doubt, but my fears run very deep as I envision the forthcoming agenda.
I saw this blog this morning and thought it was worth reposting here.
My Fellow Conservatives: (author unknown)
Remember after the 2004 election, we thought we were witnessing the end of Liberalism and the death of the Democratic Party. Democrats had bleared the lines so much they seemed irrelevant. Now it appears the other way around. The Democrats took a hard left and redefined themselves, Republicans, if they are to survive must do the same; they must take a hard right and once again embrace Conservative principles.
We currently do not have leadership. We have no one who can articulate our principles to a younger generation. Within the next four years many of the youth vote that elected Obama will finally grow up, pay taxes, begin to raise families, and have to actually take on responsibilities. We must purge the party of the Old Guard who has become more concerned with staying in office rather than performing the office in which they were elected too. Unfortunately Senator Dole was a perfect example.
Conservative principles, when articulated well, will never lose. These principles are eternal. Self reliance, self discipline, individual freedom, and morality guided by order are the fundamentals of our Republic and above all these principles by their very nature are a reflection of common sense. The next 100 days after the inauguration are crucial. Conservatives must not allow the Democrats to set and implement their agenda. Conservatives must provide alternative policies true to our principles and values. We must recognize policies may change but not our fundamentals that guide them.
The talk of wanted or needed bipartisanship and unity, the need for “Comprehensive Legislation” and “Compromise” is not the answer. The Bush second term is a perfect example; every attempt at bipartisanship was met by Liberal backlash and Republican abandonment. Americans are not tired of partisanship; Americans are tired of petty partisanship. We must always remember our Founding Fathers were partisans to the extreme. What Americans want and need is intelligent debate. We must debate the issues; define them based on our values, and force Liberals to defend their position. If we can do this Conservatism will never falter. The free flow and competition of ideas is essential to the survival of Democracy, it is the foundation of Conservatism, and our greatest strength.
Tomorrow is another day, we may have lost this battle but I am not ready to concede this war of values, principles, and ideals, the elections of 2010 and 2012 has already begun.
Be well Darren....and keep fighting the good fight.
(Crap. I hate this editor.)
Thank you for the comment David. Don't mistake my acknowledgment as acquiescence. Or appreciation for the historic value of the moment as an enthusiastic embrace of liberal policy. I will be addressing these things in the future, you can be sure.
Thanks for thinking!
Darren
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