Posted on 11/07/2008 10:40:35 AM PST by Traviswf
Hi there. I voted for Obama, but have been reading a lot of Freerepublic lately to see how the other side is reacting. I'm not trying to troll here - honestly - but if you feel I am, that's understandable. I just wanted to offer a perspective on this that I think may be interesting to some of you. Oh, and this is much longer than I intended. And I'm fairly certain I'm not posting this the right way...for which I apologize.
When Bush was elected in 2000, I was upset. And yes, I whined about him "stealing" the election. I don't really think that's true anymore - it was just a painful way to lose. Sure, we can whine about the popular vote vs. the electoral vote, but you can't change the rules in the middle of the game. Then I watched the movie Recount and realized just how awful the democrats were at trying to win the damn thing. Gore seemed like he didn't really want it.
When Bush won in 2004, I was absolutely devastated. I thought the world was going to end. I didn't think we should be in Iraq, I agreed with Kerry that we had to finish the fight in Afganistan. I was worried about the courts. And frankly - I just didn't like Bush. I didn't like the way he governed, the way he spoke, and the way he talked as if we on the left were less American.
On 9/11 I happened to be in Toronto on business. When the towers fell, I knew I had to get home. A colleague and I wanted to go to New York, to help in some way. But we were told nobody was getting anywhere close. Our next instinct was to get home - to California. We didn't just want to be with our families, we desperately wanted to be in our country. That day was rough because my colleague thought his wife might have been on one of the planes - her travel plans were very similar. It took hours of agony before we, thank God, found out she was safe.
So we rented a car in Toronto and drove across the country. It took a couple hours to get across the border in the middle of the night. We stopped in Omaha, and then Colorado. I can't even tell you how much I loved my country driving across its beauty in those days after the attacks. And there were no jokes about "we're in enemy territory" because we were in "red states." We were in America. Everywhere we went people said "How are you? Is everyone safe?"
I know everyone has similar stories of those days. And certainly many, many people have stories of real loss - not just "we thought we lost someone, but it was a happy ending." Then, fairly quickly, I felt my patriotism coming under attack because I had a difference of opinion about how to fight back. I didn't think Iraq was the right choice - it made no sense to me, and I certainly wasn't alone. But people questioned my love of my country. And that was very, very hard to forgive.
When 2008 came up, more than anything, I wanted to win the White House back. I wanted to punish the Bush administration for what I felt was not just a failure to be competent, but a failure to keep the country united. I inititally supported Hilary, but I had this feeling in my gut that she was just going to be Bush - but for our side. She'd be a partisan warrior, a polarizing figure (which Bush wasn't when he started, but Hilary already was...). It made me sick to my stomach.
I wanted to go back to feeling like an American in those days after the attack - where our disagreements were things we laughed about over a beer and the real threat was far, far more serious.
I'd written Obama's candidacy off as a dry run for 2016 or later. Or maybe he was running for VP. I thought - hey, dude, at least finish a term in the Senate. Then when he said "we're not a collection of red states and blue states, we're the United States of America" it hit me like lightning. It had nothing to do with him - it had to do with the country, and my love for it and this feeling deep down in my gut that we were fighting over the placement of the deck chairs while the ship was sinking.
Wow, this got really rambly. Sorry about that. Here's why I posted initially. I saw this thing on here about Obama's "national defense force" and some posters commenting about the coming civil war or some such. I'm pretty sure Obama was just talking about funding for police. I mean - are you guys really worried he's going to do this? There was a rumor on the left that Bush was bringing a military brigade trained in "riot control" home from Iraq before the elections. People were convinced Bush was going to take over the country in a military coup. I'm sure you think that's laughable - as do I. Obama is not going to raise a civilian force of brown coats. First of all there's no money for it, nobody would go for it, and he'd be laughed out of the White House.
He's also not a socialist. And he's not coming for your guns. If he did either of this things, he can basically just go home now. Those are not realistic positions for any president to have. He will likely appoint liberals - at least too liberal for you guys - to the courts.
But here's the thing. He's going to try and be a good president. I think they all do. And Obama ran on uniting the country, on being bipartisan. That's sort of ALL he ran on. It's how he won 60% of independent and brought home so many of the Clinton voters. So if he doesn't deliver on this - I imagine he'll be fairly easy to beat in 2012.
So that's my two cents. Obama was always going to get my vote as the nominee because I'm a lifelong democrat and a liberal. But I'm not a socialist or a pacifist. I believe in the 2nd amendment and favor the idea of most issues being decided by the states. I'm not a religious man, but I respect those who are and I think the Dems over reach in pushing religion out of the public square. I believe global warming is a serious problem, but I also think Al Gore enjoys it WAY too much.
And here's another caveat. I know it's easier to be bipartisan and talk about "togetherness" when my guy won. I was where you guys are now in 2000 and 2004. I mean, my party ALMOST ran Howard Dean and then said "No wait! John Kerry is a much better idea!" Or in this election to have a friend say "You've GOT to read Alec Baldwin's latest piece on HuffPo." I mean...really? He doesn't count as an "Obamacon" you know, he only plays a republican on TV...(you guys ever notice that our most annoying Hollywood liberals end up playing republicans? what's with that?)
So yeah - we've all spent some time in the woods. I just hope we can all agree that we're just as American as the other, and we're passionate about what we believe to be the right path to take. There are real problems with the economy, and Islamic Terrorists aren't going to take a vacation for four years.
That's about it I guess. Sorry you guys lost.
You can resist with a round of Kum Ba Ya if you want. I will resist the way I want. Wars are won by making the other SOB die for his cause.
...Then when he said "we're not a collection of red states and blue states, we're the United States of America" it hit me like lightning. It had nothing to do with him - it had to do with the country, and my love for it and this feeling deep down in my gut that we were fighting over the placement of the deck chairs while the ship was sinking. ...
Yet when a conservative states similar sentiments...the Dems rancor starts, the bashing, the nonsupport, the disloyalty is so evidently present.
It's so evident in my local liberal rag, the comments are all about ceasing the rancor, all getting together for 'our' president, that 'our' president needs the support of us all...
Sorry, I'll just extend, tenfold, the same type courtesy, the same type cooperation, the same type support our present president experienced for the last 8 years.
Curious how this 2008 election is now to be considered legitimate, that the will of the people was truthfully expressed, whereinas the previous two presidential elections were considered illegal, illegitimate, stolen.
Allow me to practice my 2009/2012 mantra...
Obama lied, poor people died...
It's Obama's fault...
Obama deserted his campaign promises...
It's Obama's fault...
Obama's cabinet is full of multi millionaires...
It's Obama's fault...
Obama is beholden to special interests...
It's Obama's fault...
Obama is beholden to foreign interests...
It's Obama's fault...
Change???..why these people are Clinton retreads!!!
They are desperate for our cooperation. The same cooperation they gave us and this president.
If the producers in this nation simply start a work and production slow down, the same thing the Dems have been doing for years that crashed this economy (read their blogs, they have been doing it for years), then the revenue streams to the Obama coffers dry up. The takers, will have nothing to take from the producers. And thus once and for all expose the fallacy of Socialism in an utterly harsh way. The ONLY way that will get people to wake up from the Obama stupor. Work at the minimum tax bracket you can afford, save all you can, spend minimally and contribute to FR of course.
This terrifies them more than anything else. That the producers will just stop agreeing to the never ending funding of the takers. They don’t expect this reaction from us. They are used to us just bowing our heads and going along with them.
Expect a lot of impassioned pleas for you to help them destroy you, your spirit to resist, and everything you ever believed in.
There must be some reason you are here and posting such a thing. At first I thought you were a teenager and thought there might be hope for you. Then I saw that you were on a business trip on 9/11/01, so I figure you must be at least 30, probably older. I hope you will actually read the responses here and be open to continuing to read the wisdom of your elders on FR. I was a radical Earth First leftist in my twenties (though I am proud to say Dukakis was the only Dem I voted for for president—at least he didn’t win!). Then I came to see that the Republican party was much closer to the ideals of freedom our country was founded on. I hope you will come to see that Obama is a great threat to that freedom and to our Constitution. Let us know when you decide to join the side of truth.
I made my self take a long time watching him to see if there was anyway I could vote for him but there is too much hate in him. He does not love this nation or our people. He has been raised to love the communist ways. His tutoring in the ways of revolution by leading communist activist, muslim activist, black activist and if you stop to think of his sitting under Rev Wright for 20 years you can see what is ahead of us.
I am an old lady that loves our freedom and I want our children and our 6 grandchildren to live in the Nation that our Forefathers left us.
My family members fought in almost every war. Some were with Gen, George Washington in the Rev War. Many of our men died, lost arms,legs, eyes and other body parts. My cousin Willie Anderson was a gunner on 2 different ships that went down. He lived but all the rest of his life he would run and dive down when he heard a plane.
A Japanese MIG went into a ship he was on. He told us how he had to tare off the head set he wore because of the cries of the dying men comning into his ears as he shot at the MIG.
I just hope and pray that you don't have to see our USA hurt too much by Obama. GOD bless the USA.
The people that want all the things that Obama promised all voted for him.
The people that actually have to pay for those things voted against him.
Welcome to FR. If you decide to remain civil and participate, you’ll end up picking up an education along the way. Be careful though. Us eeeeeevil conservatives have a way of rubbing off.
Ask yourself: will you still be able to face your more liberal friends and/or family members if you ultimately decide that President-elect Obama is a marxist/socialist? That he does want to take away guns? That he is inexperienced, naive, and generally useless? If you can’t face that possibility, then I suggest you leave quickly before your cherished beliefs are challenged.
(And as the site handle indicates, I was at one time both a Democrat and a FReeper. And I’m no longer a Democrat. But I’m still a FReeper.)
You obviously haven't fallen (like a few in this thread have) for the phony, bottomless pit of manufactured compassion of a troll--who voted for a big-government, anti-military, anti-American, far-left extremist, socialist, racist and terrorist sympathizer.
For later read and reply...
AWESOME post! bookmarking.
VirginiaMom
He is probably moved in front of the TV to self flagellate himself. The messiah is about to save the world. LOL /s
http://www.freedominion.com.pa/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1255065&highlight=#1255065
I don't consider these good auguries:
Understanding Obama: The Making of a Führer
There will be no one left to protect you
Barack Obama wants to institute a Civilian National Security Force, a vast militia not unlike Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, a personal army. He knows he would need such a force to protect him and to enforce his will on Americans. Americans will have not seen such arbitrary power used against them since the days of the Civil War when Lincoln put the Constitution in the bottom drawer of his desk and set about arresting anyone who opposed his policies...
VIDEO of Obama calling for a Secret Police Force: CIVILIAN NATIONAL SECURITY FORCE??
QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT civilian national security force.
OBAMA AND HIS SCARY NATIONAL SECURITY VISION - QUICK IMPRESSIONS
Obama's plan to disarm America (video, in his own words)
Good explanation of this post, which at first had me baffled. Atlas definitely needs to shrug. Maybe this naive adult, Travis, will try reading Rand's work. It has converted leftists before.
“Conservatives can will always avoid arguing from a position of emotion. You and I can get along politically, outside of our personal emotions. Our common ground is the Constitution from where we should always take facts and present them with thought and reason...not emotion. That’s what makes a conservative.”
With all due respect, I heartily disagree. Human beings just don’t function that way. Of course, emotions color our thinking. We are not automatons, after all.
A good percentage of the reaction to Govenor Palin at FR is emotional, and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s a little hard to get motivated over a dry, scholarly treatise. A good balance of emotion and loginc makes for good political campaigns.
Now, I would agree that conservatives should not, and would not, act SOLELY on emotion. Liberals might (Yes, we can!), but I’d say that only paleos would base their politics on raw emotion, and they are only marginally conservative IMHO.
I think you are full of sh**, to put it bluntly. Please name the Pro 2nd amendment people that this POS helped get elected. Give me a speech or some quote in which he says he stands for the 2nd. In other words please give some evidence of what you say you've "read". That's kind of like an anonymous source, so let's see the facts not just something you read.
sorry, for as long as the facade is in office, I will claim he stole the election with acorn, call him a chimp and stupid, point out every single mistakes he makes, give him credit for nothing and blame him for everything even for things that are not his fault like the weather.
you know the same as the left treated bush
PYOPS - Expect to see plenty of Kos and DU seminar posters.
They are terrified we are going to just quit producing and force-test the Marxist model to the hilt, seeing if they can deliver on that which they cannot - unless we help them do it.
I’m not buying any Marxism today, thank you.
How do you “make peace” with a man who has set out an agenda to overthrow the US Constitution?
It is not possible. You let him do it or you fight tooth and nail to stop it.
This is not hard.
I had my wife quit her $100k job partly for this reason. After I computed the taxes on the 2002 tables along with child care her effective net was like $10k. We’ll manage the price hikes that are going to come, but people less fortunate are really, really going to struggle
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