The Wall Street Journal article published earlier today, titled 'We Could Be In for a Lurch to the Left," was astute and powerful. It examines the potential effects of a President Obama without restraints from Congress. We now know that scenario to have come true. The next President of the United States will be Barack Obama. And we are all going to find out what it will be to live under a President almost unchecked by the Congress. Fortunately, the Senate does not, at this time, appear to have passed the 'magic 60' number, which would allow the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. Here in Florida, while we appear to have gone to Obama, more local races and Congressional seats have gone to or been maintained by the Republicans, so we did contribute to providing a check to the Democratic momentum.
What are we going to do? I just drank my third glass of wine and ate my fourth mini-bar of chocolate in self comfort. But, tomorrow I get up for work as normal to give a lecture, and tomorrow afternoon I finish off working on my dissertation proposal. Life will go on. What comes next? I have to turn to John McCain's more than gracious concession speech (see the title link for the text). We must love our country enough to continue to work for her. We must love our fellow citizens (even if they voted for the wrong man) enough to continue to work with them. We must never back down on these things. When I was working phones in the local victory office this past weekend, several volunteers were talking about taking their money and getting out. I totally sympathize, but this is the wrong answer. America needs us. We worked for John McCain because he was the best man for President. We need to continue to work for the country he has sacrificed his entire life for.
Spend tonight (OK, two nights) mourning. I certainly wept during John McCain's acceptance speech. Then, get up. Stop whining, and work to fix our country. Fight against the Democratic machine that's coming into power whenever appropriate. Never let anything slide as a voter. Don't stop. Above all, love the United States of America rather than wallowing in anger and bitterness. We can do nothing to change these results, but we can do much to change the future.
You'll have to give 4 years.
ReplyDeleteIt has to get real bad before it gets better.
For the long run, this will be good.
You never know how good you had it until you lose it, and then you wonder why you let it go in the first place.
The way I look at it. Obama owes too much to the radical liberals. And with both the Senate and the House in the hands of the radical liberals, they're going to implement a radical agenda with Obama cheering them on.
It will get bad.
AND Obama will NEVER be my president.