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.
“He’s also not a socialist. And he’s not coming for your guns.”
Um, try hanging out and read a bit from change.gov
He wants to make pump action shotguns banned under assault weapons.
He was also a member of the New Socialist Party until he switched to Democrat to run for office. So you tell me, he’s not a socialist?
You are sadly mistaken. I hope you are college age. Then you can tell me how wonderful he is when you are fulfilling your 100 hours of community service that will be required.
That is not a rumor, that is a fact according to his own website.
You represent your side very well here in ‘enemy’ territory.
Welcome to FR. :)
IF you recall, Bush also ran as a uniter in ‘00, based on his experience as Governor of Texas working with Dems in the legislature. The other side never, ever gave him a chance. Conversely, Obama has NO history of reaching across the aisle. If Sen. McCain voted with the president 90% of the time, Obama voted with Harry Reid 98% of the time.
Maybe the GOP will not reciprocate in kind.
It’s nice to see you’re pro-2nd amendment stance, as well as your genuine love of this country, but it’s the same Liberal argument on Iraq vs Afghanistan I’ve heard many, many times over and it still holds no water
Iraq was the crossroads of terrorism; Sadaam was choking the very life out of the entire country. Hundreds of thousands were murdered in gas chambers, the Baath party crushed all dissenters, and many known and notable terrorists deemed just as dangerous as Bin Laden were being granted asylum and continued to plot our downfall, as well as that of our allies
Obama wants to bring the fight to Afghanistan at the cost of rushing of Iraq why exactly? You seem to see the bigger “picture” of international conflicts being vital, which for a Democrat is refreshing, and yet you can honestly stay objected to the war in Iraq? Intellectual dishonesty
Come on guys, this is a rather gracious Obama voter. Give him (her) credit.
I respect your candidness about your feelings after the elections, and your sincere empathy for the disappointment here.
I’m afraid your guy has set himself up to disappoint you even more than GW did to us, because you do have to admit he does have some pretty big promises to keep.
I’d like to hear your predictions and hopes for the Obama years.
You want to know what I feel? I feel like he is fullva manure & there are too many people who liked the smell of it IMHO. And I am scared for this country. I hope he & your dems don’t make a bigger mess of this country. I refuse to sugarcoat it for you....I am worried, very worried.
“He’s also not a socialist. And he’s not coming for your guns.”
“Universal Voluntary Service” is an Orwellian oxymoron. To those of us with a grasp of the English language it sounds very much like a proposal to bring back slavery. What’s your take on it Travis? You voted for the guy.
I buying lots of popcorn in anticipation of when the disillusionment sets in. He has already backtracking on two promises and he has only been elected three days!
Thanks for posting. How does it feel to be one of the newly minted “rich”?
That was a rhetorical question. Here’s a real question. Your decision to answer or not will tell me a lot about your character:
In your point of view, what do you think the goverment can do better for you than you could do for yourself given the opportunity?
I do know that Obamas change does not include cleaning up government spending and today on his list of economic advisers is Granholm. She is the biggest failure as a governor in as many years as I can recall and he asks her for advice? Nuts.
This statement clearly indicates you have no idea who Obama is. You apparently have no knowledge of his membership in the New Party, what its platform is and what its goals are.
Are you pro-socialism or pro-capitalism?
The only war in which we were legitimately in was in Iraq, as the damn terms of the cease-fire required no hostilities from that point onward, or risk having another war. Hussein signed off on this. And every week, Iraq locked on another plane in the “No-Fly Zone” and that constituted an hostility, to which Clinton has the fighters take out the installation. Heck, Clinton sent just under 1,000 missiles into Iraq as the Monica thing was starting, and the world thought that was fine and acceptable.
But you agree with Afghanistan and, apparently, Croatia, both of which we had no legal agreement to bomb them to Hell if a term of an agreement was broken?
Shove it and get the hell out of here. You have no brain.
I didn't seriously mean for him to be zotted. I want him to stay and see his "logic" blown to smithereens.
I think if Ronald Reagan was around on 11/5/08, he would have suggested that we be of good cheer- because America is greater than any one person (including some clown named Obama).
Respecting your opinion and putting it most politely, I believe that Barak will do more harm than good in his presidency.
50,000,000 dead and more dying each day. Pile it on America. You sow the wind, you reap the whirlwind.
“So that’s my two cents”
Thanks...don’t let the door hit ya in the behind on the way out.
You've just graduated from being a lifelong democrat and liberal to a full fledged Marxist. And the path you've chosen is the destruction of America. You and your like shall NEVER be forgiven.
Obama won because McCain is a short frumpy oldster who couldn't talk or debate his way out of a paper bag.
Not to be shallow, but most American voters want a dynamic, bold, articulate, half-decent looking person who is consistent in their beliefs.
McCain was NONE of those.
McCain blew his chance when he signed on to the govt. bailout and suspended his campaign from the debate, and changed his mind 24 hours later like a whipped puppy dog.
McCain was anything but a solid, strong conservative messenger....
McCain is the connsumate WashDC insider, which is EXACTLY what many want to reject. Yet McCain saw himself as someone whom we could not do without.... sort of like a liberal Democrat pretends to be.
McCain thought the independents and conservative Democrats would flock to him because he has been an anti-Republican the past 8 years (despite the 90% vote with Bush claims from Obama)
McCain Feingold, McCain Kennedy, immigration, taxes, gang of 14, calling faithful Christians names, opposing a secure border wall --- McCain has been a thorn in the eye of conservative Republicans for 12 years ---
And how do liberals pay him back?? They call him racist, and flock to Obama.
Lessons learned, folks.
Democrats view people like McCain as evil, even as they encourage him to betray every principal he claimed he ever had.
“Not nearly as sorry as you’re gonna be. Trust me on that.”
Perfect reply.
The only thing I regret is the MSM will continue to carry The One’s water and all failures will be blamed on Bush.
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