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.
Showing posts with label change. Show all posts
Showing posts with label change. Show all posts
04 November 2008
17 September 2008
Agent of Change
Sen. Obama has claimed to be the one who would change Washington, bring change to the country, bring change to the world. And yet ... what would he change and how? He refused to help even encourage change in the Illinois State legislature (http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/obama_sidesteps_
reform_in_illi.html); having lived there for some time, I genuinely wish he would. He has accomplished no change in the U.S. Senate since arriving there two years ago. He has not sponsored, co-sponsored or authored any legislation to enact real reform. Sen. Obama's campaign has mocked Sen. McCain for having 'current' (in fact, they're all former) lobbyists on the campaign payroll, while ignoring the many lobbyists who are volunteers on his. Sen. Biden's son just resigned his position as a paid-lobbyist, having cosily achieved favorable regulation and funding for firms he lobbied for that his father signed off on. Sen. McCain has a clear record of working hard for change in Washington. Following the S&L crisis in '88 (looking at this is a good way to put the current bank failures in perspective), he began a 20-year campaign against earmarks and lobbyist perks. He has sponsored and co-authored several pieces of legislation aimed at limiting lobbyist influence. He has religiously campaigned against earmarks, to the point of voting against legislation he would normally favor to protest the pork. So who will bring the change? It'll be the one whose actually done it already.
reform_in_illi.html); having lived there for some time, I genuinely wish he would. He has accomplished no change in the U.S. Senate since arriving there two years ago. He has not sponsored, co-sponsored or authored any legislation to enact real reform. Sen. Obama's campaign has mocked Sen. McCain for having 'current' (in fact, they're all former) lobbyists on the campaign payroll, while ignoring the many lobbyists who are volunteers on his. Sen. Biden's son just resigned his position as a paid-lobbyist, having cosily achieved favorable regulation and funding for firms he lobbied for that his father signed off on. Sen. McCain has a clear record of working hard for change in Washington. Following the S&L crisis in '88 (looking at this is a good way to put the current bank failures in perspective), he began a 20-year campaign against earmarks and lobbyist perks. He has sponsored and co-authored several pieces of legislation aimed at limiting lobbyist influence. He has religiously campaigned against earmarks, to the point of voting against legislation he would normally favor to protest the pork. So who will bring the change? It'll be the one whose actually done it already.
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