05 November 2008

Black Clouds, Silver Linings.

I expected to be up very late last night, watching election returns.
What a surprise...
What with Black Panthers with nightsticks and all the A.C.O.R.N. shenanigans, McCain had every right to pull an "AlGore" and muddy the waters for weeks to come. The fact he didn't says volumes, and illustrates the difference between class and classless.
Thank you Senator.

Some quick thoughts from my point of view:
Wonderful and horrible-
How wonderful that the U.S. showed a minority can accede to the highest office of the land!
Now that it is obvious minorities are truly equal, how long can affirmative action policies continue?
Are the days of thugs like Jesse Jackson coming to an end?
Will minorities in general, and blacks in particular now use Barack Obama as a role model, rather than Snoop Dogg?
We can hope.
But what a can of worms this man has been handed. And sadly... the methods he says he'll use to remedy the situation have been shown, historically, to make things worse.
I fear the next four years will be frustrating for him, and painful for us all.
And for Obama worshippers like Peggy Joseph, a huge disappointment is in store.
That's tough, and sad.

However...
From the ashes rises the Phoenix.
The republican party is down so far, the bottom looks like up.
I'm hopeful party leaders will study the lessons of this election...

Nominating a "rino" and trying to attract left-leaning moderates almost made this election a fiasco. McCain's selecting Sarah Palin for a running mate re-invigorated his campaign. In order to survive, it's obvious the tack the party must take.

So here we are, making history.
Enjoy it now.
From this point on it will get painful.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes. We. Can.

You and I will not agree with everything Obama will do going forward. But what I'm confident in is that Obama will listen to our dissent. His response and decisions will be measured and well thought out. You and I may call that ruthless and opportunism and still others will say it's pure genius.

Ultimately my vote is a gamble just like most choices in life. But it's a choice that gives me some sense that the American ideals are alive and functioning and the hope that this century will be another American century.

Palin 2012? From a bird's eye point of view I'd seriously question that route. Not out of spite for the woman. I do believe she's almost as ruthless and skilled as Obama but at the same token I do not think the GOP can win the highest office with her on the ticket. The writing's on the wall. The way in which Palin was presented and the swift response by independents, moderates and free-thinkers epitomized and caramelized that yearning for Change. Your base is already solidified. I think deep down most of you would have voted Republican with/without Palin anyway just so a *liberal* won't get elected. Going forward with Palin is to insist in the complete demise of the GOP. I suggest to allow the thought of a Democratic President to sink in for a little bit. Let the emotions subside. Do some *conservative soul* searching. Accept. Only after this contemplative period should you begin to consider the thought of how the phoenix will rise from the ashes and with whom to lead it.

It *can* and will rise for sure.

Thanks to you and everyone else for the stimulating dialogue and allowing me to learn *more or less* a little bit of American Politics. It was fun.

My last .02 cents.

ddf said...

It took a Nixon to give us a Carter. It took a Carter to give us a Reagan. I only hope the damage can be repaired.

The Old Man said...

I tend to disagree with you, rodolfo. Unlike you, I see the section of America that Sarah Palin resonated with. I admit she was my VP choice 6 months before her nomination (evidence is on my blog) but that was due to her integrity and (dare I say it?) wholesomeness.) OTOH, your condescension is irksome and belies your assumed worldliness.

As I counseled another mis-guided gloater on another blog - save your September 2008 paystub (or records). Compare it to September 2012's paystub. Post a comparison here.

You DO get a paystub, don't you?zesser

The Old Man said...

To quote the Rifleman -
MPalin/Jindra '12....

(Forgot to add that to previous post)

Grant (Falcon124) said...

Hi Mate,

While our political views may differ (not that it matters much, I'm in Australia :) I do have one comment to make:

I must say that based on the past 5 months, I don't think it matters which of the two won the US election. The USA (and much of the world) are heading into recession and all hell is breaking loose with companies closing and tough times hitting us. While their methods may differ in how to get through the next few years, both candidates would have been mired in the muck and the general public would have suffered no matter what.

Look at announcements from Cessna & Hawker about layoffs. Cirrus did the same earlier, AAI shut its doors and Eclipse are ducking for cover. Boeing isn't trying to ramp up production after the recent strike as it knows there's no need - orders are cooling off.

All this happened prior to the election. More is going to come. Whether it's Democrats or Republicans at the helm, the next year or two will be pain & suffering for many. Neither candidate's policies could make much difference to that until mid 2010 at least.

My partner's parents went through shear hell in the "Recession we had to have" here in Australia (1990-1991) that resulted in divorce and pain. It looks like we're about to go through a lot of the same economic problems again. Good luck with everything over there - hang tight and keep doing all you can to "keep the bastards honest" (lobby and ensure your voice is heard in Congress :)

Cheers,

Grant

texasnana said...

I work in the finace industry. I knew when the markets opened this morning that if this pick was not what Wall Street wanted to see the landslide would begin. And so it has. I truly wish the man well but am not hopeful for what is ahead. I fear the Carter years will look like a cakewalk by comparison. And, more than likely, it will still be Bush's fault.

GB - an affair? Surely not. I do not the man or his wife but truly do not want this story to be true. Source?

Greybeard said...

TN-
Google Obama, Vera Baker, and see what comes up. When I tried it I got 91,000 hits... you can take your pick.

CJ said...

GB -

And so the mantra begins: accept, accept, accept...

Okay, Rodolfo, I'll 'accept' The One in the same spirit as the liberals embraced George Bush...

Actually, I can't be as spiteful and vindictive and insane as they've been. I was raised better than that.

And as DDF said - it took Carter to give us Reagan.

cjh

Grant (Falcon124) said...

Lets face it folks - the stock market has been staggering from side to side like drunken goat for the past month or more. Can we really say that the market falling the day after the election was an indication that Obama's policies suck????

Honestly, I don't think it matters who had been elected, I think the stock market was going to continue the roller coaster ride no matter what.

Face it, the USA (like the rest of us in the western world) is going into recession. Pain is here and will last at least another year or two, no matter who's policies are deployed.

Grin, bear it and find a way to survive/grow in the current environment. My small company is ready to be the mammals while the dinosaurs die around us as they fail to adapt. It won't be easy, but it will give us opportunities to excel.

Meanwhile, hassle your elected representatives and remind them that they are for the people and serve the people :)