Topic: Election 2008
Post-Election Commentary - A Conservative Response I had decided to wait a few days to write some of my post-election thoughts. To give me a chance for it all to sink in and realize what we are now facing as a nation, the state of the conservative movement.by P. Spencer
(conservative)
Saturday, November 8, 2008
first, I want to congratulate President-Elect Obama and all of his supporters for a well run campaign and win on Tuesday night. The election was closer than you'd probably like to admit, but turning over most of the battleground states, even by slim margins was something I thought wouldn't happen to the extent it did. Unlike the extreme left, who declared that President Bush was "not their president" and vowed on obstructing him at every chance regardless if it was downright traitorous or not (ie: revealing top secret information in a time of war), I along with the conservative base vow to a starting position of "Loyal Opposition" - after all, "country first". Obama is my president now, and I will call him by his formal title "President Obama" and not just "Mr. Obama". However, we will continue to speak out on damaging and dangerous polices of the crazy left. It is my hope that Obama is serious about reaching out to conservatives, and he did say some nice things in his victory speech... I truly hope that he means it, but seeing his appointments so far, I'm not holding my breath.
I do want to say I can see some bright spots in the election for conservative thought but also some concerns.
For starters, It was a relief that Democrats did not completely take over the Senate by winning 60 seats. This means that like the Democrats did during the Bush Administration, the remaining Republicans can use the filibuster to delay any craziness of Democrat agenda. And this should be the case if the road this administration takes panders to the extreme left who will want their money's worth in contributions to his campaign. The Democrats started the abuse of the filibuster with Bush, now we can and should expect the remnant Republicans to do the same. This dynamic should help though to keep at least some of the balance in check and perhaps slow down the move towards increasing socialism and big government.
Second, the rejection of same-sex marriage continues. The biggest bright spot for conservatives. And the results this year again should give Democrats some pause on that issue. It is clear that, even in liberal states which handily went to Obama, that many Democrats even still reject the notion of redefining marriage. Now, 30 states have written into their constitutions bans for same-sex marriage, which is very close to the number of states needed to attempt a federal constitutional amendment. I know many of my friends on facebook here were against Prop 8, and probably will never understand this rejection. But the consequences are dire, and redefining marriage will necessarily herald in severe losses to freedom of speech and freedom of religion which are totally unacceptable. We cannot allow new law by judicial decree. We cannot allow parental rights to be discarded over this issue, we cannot allow plain preaching on the concept of marriage out of the bible (as well as most other religions) to be considered hate speech, we cannot allow the state to force an agenda of political indoctrination in public schools that may be contrary to parental authority. We cannot allow the snowball effect afterward of destroying home schooling to ensure all children are forced to endure the political indoctrination - forced state sanctioned political indoctrination in public school IS getting at the very heart of tyranny (reminds me of the USSR or fascist Germany). Yet the loss of liberty is exactly what happened in Massachusetts: with some churches loosing their tax exempt status for refusing to marry gay couples, and parents being arrested for trying to opt out their children from the agenda in the public school; Christian based orphanages forced to close rather than be forced (again by judicial decree) to permit gay adoption against their convictions. While in Canada, pastors have been thrown in jail solely for preaching out of Romans (one of the core books of christian doctrine). It has always bothered me that this is a "right vs. left" or "Republican vs. Democrat" issue. This is a moral issue and In fact this is a "Liberty vs. Equality" issue. We MUST NOT sacrifice our liberty in areas of our foundational first amendment and that of parental rights. Unfortunately compromises that could prevent this slippery slope seem unlikely in today's political climate.
Third, it is my strong hope, that with the election of Obama - that race and identity politics will become a thing of the past. That the chant 'Yes we can' will serve as a call for renewal for the conviction of individual and family responsibility. That especially fathers will become present in the home again, especially for the poor where it is so desperately needed. That also we have affirmed yet again that if you work hard enough in this country, despite your origins or the hand you were dealt at birth, you can achieve anything. It is my hope that when we saw Jesse Jackson crying at the victory celebration on election night, that it was in part because he is now out of a job and his rainbow coalition has become irrelevant. No more can he extort money from businesses at the mere accusation of racism. Affirmative action no longer needed and in it of itself declared racist (which is what it is). Racial and identity politics is ugly, unfair, and only serves to widen the racial divide. A Black conservative being called an "Uncle Tom" or, not even really black at all (like Justice Thomas or Condy Rice) should end....yeah and monkeys might fly out of my ass too.
Fourth - though turn out seemed large, it in fact was matched that of 2004 according to CNN: Democratic turnout increased by ~2%, while Republican turnout declined by ~1% - just signs of the energizing of the respective bases. Values Voters did not 'suddenly go away' as evidenced by the propositions. This information and exit polls clearly indicate that the economy is what really swung the election for Obama. This admittedly was an area McCain was particularly weak on in his campaign, and I admit I nearly fell out of my seat when I heard him say in the debate he wanted to buy up failing mortgages and sell them back at an intentionally gigantic loss. The stock market just took it's worst 2-day plunge since 1987 and I think it may have something to do with Obama's stated policy that he will raise capital gains taxes. Large money holders (like foreign investors) and big companies (Not the typical American Investor yet because they haven't realized it yet) can't afford to keep their money in the U.S. market and therefore will take their money elsewhere, perhaps China or Europe. China and Saudi's already say they want to dump the American dollar, catestrophic for us if it happens and they will guaranteed retaliate on any American protectionist policy. The typical American investor and worker will get hit the most. But for conservatives, a slumping American economy may help keep the tide from the higher taxes Obama and Democrats have promised, and for some restraint on bigger government and handouts.
Fifth - the introduction of the country to Sarah Palin was positive from the perspective that we saw a highly successful, staunchly pro-life, and conservative thinking woman. The vitriolic attack from the left was the epitome of intolerance, and all because she shatters the left's feminist paradigm. The message is clear: YES - you can be a woman, and also be pro-life. The attacks on her, even after the election are all designed to suppress this message and to marginalize her accomplishments (which doesn't seem too "feminist" to do to me). Sarah shows that the Conservative movement is diverse, something the whacko-lefties just can't stomach and can't understand.
Sixth - The serious allegations of voter fraud and tampering in this election should give any citizen of the United States grave concern. It should be investigated fully, any found responsible prosecuted to the fullest extent. Democracy means nothing when the very integrity of the voting process is in serious question. It is massively destabilizing to our way of self government and it should hit to the core of American ideals in both parties that cheating should never be acceptable. Americans should unify over this issue and bring upon bi-partisan measures that would secure the vote, prevent registering in multiple states, prevent the overwhelming of oversight officials with phony registration forms. Bullet proof reforms that prevent the dead from voting, and the practice of busing homeless to polls in exchange for some form of payment. Tampering in various state elections by intentionally crossing over state lines from guaranteed blue states like Maryland to register in order to effect the election of a close by battleground state like Virginia only an hour away by car should be prohibited. While passions run high during elections, we must not be tempted to do 'anything to win'.
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Posted By: Jake, the champion of the constitution
Date: 2008-11-12 05:24:52
Dear P Spencer,
Welcome to the Chart! I do look look forward to hearing how allowing same-sex marraige will cause:
1) "severe losses to freedom of speech"
2) "severe losses to... freedom of religion"
3) "new law by judicial decree" isn't getting the gov't out of defining marraige simply removing laws that should not be allowed in the first place. What gives you the right to define what others can and cannot do? If you choose to not engage in same-sex marraige fine, but why can't I then turn around and say, "well I don't want you to be sanctioned by the State to engage in multi-sex marraige?" You may just laugh and think this is ridiculous, but it all depends on your definition of "liberty" and "freedom" How do you define these terms?
4) loss of "parental rights"
5) challenges to "parental authority"
6) destruction of "home schooling"
7) "loss of liberty" in Massachusetts,
8) "parents being arrested for trying to opt out their children from the agenda in the public school;" and "Christian based orphanages forced to close"
Please educate me in regards to both Prop 8 and also on your principles (ie if Prop 8 did not exists, if it was just a question of allowing same-sex couples to be together in THEIR religious/civil ceremony.)
"We MUST NOT sacrifice our liberty in areas of our foundational first amendment and that of parental rights."
How does allowing 2 people to be together affect YOUR first amendment... or YOUR parental rights? Perhaps you mean you want to control OTHER's parental rights. There's a name for that, and it's not "conservative"; it is "statist"
ok this is for gene, maybe you missed the title of this article, A CONSERVATIVE RESPONSE. of course it's going to be a republican viewpoint. yeah you missed a lot of things in this article.
All old "stuff," some right and some wrong. Here's my proposal:
Sitting members of both houses of Congress should be docked 2 months salary for allowing the man-made mortgage crisis, especially in light of the fact they were warned, and senior members should be docked an addition 2,000 and admonished to apologize to the American people.
Taking action to hold government responisble for their mistakes is long overdue and might encourage our legislators to be more responsible in their actions and their votes.
Further, since Obama has promised us transparency in government, I would like to see the costs of housing "illegal aliens" in each state published. Estimates show Texas spent $650,000,000 last year for healthcare costs for illegal aliens. California, which is going broke, spent an estimated $400,000,000 for healthcare costs for illegals.
Add in schooling, free lunches, welfare, entitlements and all our other welfare programs, HOW MUCH ARE WE SPENDING ON ILLEGAL ALIENS?
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