Posted on 12/18/2008 6:55:42 PM PST by NCjim
On election night, hope was palpable. A sort of jittery excitement filled the air at the Catoosa Democratic Headquarters in Ringgold, Ga. A year ago, the local party was lucky to have 20 people at a breakfast meeting. Now, giddy Obama supporters edged past each other in the crowded banquet hall, sharing smiles and ogling the vast array of T-shirts and buttons. “Your grandparents were right,” read one sticker, “Vote Democratic.”
For decades, this area has been Democratic. That’s the reason we are known for having some of the best public schools around. It’s the reason we have a fabulous library, and a learning center that not only rescues individual educations, but actually boosts the local economy by increasing wages so that it brings in more revenue than it costs taxpayers. Nationally, Democratic values have brought us the social security program that supports the elderly, a public education system that ensures every child in America has the right and responsibility to go to school, help for the mentally ill, assistance for the impoverished and health care for poor children.
Curiously, the Republican Party has managed over time to misconstrue the notion of family values. Somehow a number of Christian voters have been convinced that Christianity is about denying rights to people who don’t believe like we do. Jesus was never into that. Jesus came to heal the sick, bind up the broken hearted and preach good news to the poor.
As the hours passed and the soft drinks disappeared at the election party, it became apparent that Barack Obama would be the next president of the United States. Our excitement was tempered by the memories of the 2000 election. It was not until the election was called with a wide margin that the true celebration began. White Democrats clapped and laughed and danced in the streets, vaguely wondering why the black Democrats had slipped away early. Then the sound of church bells pealed through the chilly air.
For days, the reality of what had taken place was still sinking in. “I can’t stop crying every time I think about it,” wrote my friend in New York, sounding so much like another friend in Hawaii and another in Canada. Suddenly a nation known for its racial divide had leaped from prejudice redneck status to multiculturalism, becoming an inspiration for reconciliation advocates in Europe and all over the world.
Not one to bask long in the glory of a moment, Barack Obama immediately got back to work. Less than one month from the election, he has already chosen most of his officials and cabinet members, including Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State and former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker as top economic advisor. Obama’s choices have thus far proven to be centrists and have sometimes crossed party lines (case in point, keeping Robert Gates as defense chief.)
The task that lies before the president-elect is not an easy one. If the election was hard-won, economic and foreign policy success will be more difficult still. Some have even suggested that the Republicans were relieved not to win this cycle. After all, who wants to shoulder responsibility for the mess that Bush has made? The ship of state is not easy to turn around. It may take a decade or more to recover from the economic devastation of the Bush economy and quagmire in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Then again, maybe it is all easier than it sounds. It doesn’t take a genius to do better than Bush; Obama is probably overqualified. How does one undo eight years of stupid? A lazy but clean solution would be simply to make a list of every policy Bush in enacted, and reverse it. The Patriot Act is a good place to start.
The problems Obama is inheriting are no more daunting than those faced by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We love and revere FDR because he took on leadership at a time when the nation was utterly devastated. Through creative strokes of genius, FDR not only salvaged the economy; he used the crisis as an opportunity to build infrastructure, spur innovation and strengthen American ideals.
George W. Bush’s legacy as the worst president in history presents an opportunity to the next president. If Barack Obama acts timidly and only tweaks the failed Bush policies, he can expect to be caught in the same quicksand that has brought us to this point. If Obama acts boldly, he can create a legacy as a leader who brought the United States out of depression and war, into a time of peace and prosperity. On the heels of “the worst president ever,” Obama can be the best president yet.
I just googled her [Jeannie Babb Taylor]. She’s a whack job.
This is not evidence for the Bush Presidency being the worst in History. Can you come up with any possible reasons for why the debt grew outside of blaming one man? Do you really believe that just one man is responsible for all of this? Where does Congress’ responsibilities lie in all this? How does the 9/11/01 attacks and all of the natural and un-natural disasters that occured over the course of the past 8 years play into this? Quit being so simplistic in your accusations (again, an accusation with zero evidence that places blame at the foot of this one man).
This left-wing twit’s friends are in Canada, New York, and Hawaii - all Socialist or Socialist-wannabe meccas.<p.
Need we know more?
ROTFL! Methinks history will judge George W. Bush much more kindly, once we've had to endure the Obamanation for a few years.
I'll say this: No civilians were murdered on his watch. 7+ years of protection is the record. I don't think it is in much danger of being broken with Zero at the suicide switch. You asked for a "scintilla of evidence". That's all I've got. If GWB uses TARP funds to finance the UAW through an "auto bailout", I'll have 2 scintillas. He's not Hitler. He's not evil. He's just not great, probably not even good, possibly not even mediocre. You asked for a scintilla, you got the only one I have.
The idiot socialists are about to learn that there is a big difference between bitching and doing.
Bubblehead ran for office too - http://www.babb.com/voteformom/
She can be reached at jeannie@babb.com
I don't think conservatives have joined the 'hate Bush' syndrome, but it's hard to be enthusiastic about a presidency that ended with a crashing economy.
The crash, of course, was directly caused by Democrat policies (community reinvestment baloney, refusal to allow energy production on US soil) which is hard to prove when talking to a liberal.
The biggest disappointment of President Bush, and I'll support him till the day he leaves office, is his naive belief that caving to Democrat demands would get him any credit ..... of that it would do America any good at all.
Bush's downfall was caused by his confusing "compassion" with compromise.
Compromising with those who would destroy our great prosperous capital driven nation is NOT compassionate.... it is naive in the extreme.
Unfortunately, the economy will more likely improve (by late 2009) than get worse ..... due in large part because oil/gasoline is at $1.49 a gallon --- which is the same thing as a HUGE tax cut for EVERYONE!!
Of course Obama policies would have kept gasoline at $7 a gallon, but the media and Democrats (same thing) will never allow that narrative to see the light of day.
People don't realize the effect energy prices have on the entire economy. I've said many times before that it was panic over possible $8/gallon fuel (in mid-2008) which scared many companies into slamming the brakes on growth and job creation.
In fact, methinks this entire energy spike was a contrived plot to destroy the Bush-Republican economy just in time for the 2008 election.
Combined with falling real estate, and overleveredged banks, etc ..... it was a deadly combination for the Bush Administration.
Everything this person wrote was on the same level as a school kid's term paper written to kiss up to his or her liberal teacher.
And the ironic reality is that as soon as Obama and the democrats succeed in legitimizing those 10 million new Hispanic voters they can toss any hope of their beloved gay marriage out the window - since it will become a political impossibility. An interesting type of poetic justice to say the least.
“It is a terrible shame that so many conservatives have jumped on the hate Bush bandwagon.”
because we believe substance trumps symbolism?
How old is the person who wrote this?? I’ve read better analysis from an 8 year old.
Catoosa County is also ignorant. The schools are mostly slightly above average. Georgia average. Schools in Marietta are rated higher and they carry a solid percentage of minority pupils. Catoosa schools are almost all White and that is usually worth 20 points. These are some dumb crackers.
High School graduation rates are below average, again Georgia average. They don't have the burden of inner-city dropout rates. Bachelor's degrees are scarce, 13.8% against a Georgia average of 24.3 and a national average of 29%.
If she wants to see stupid she can just look around. Or perhaps in the mirror.
Of course, you know that
“the bible should be viewed as a living document to be interpreted in light of modern realities”.
Yes, I HAVE actually heard that.
You are right. I may be a little off with the number, but it is close to that-—ahh, it was 60% in 2004-05: http://www.cgcs.org/BTO7/Pittsburgh.pdf
I have yet to see any substance from the conservative Bush critics.
Can you direct me to some?
Hey Jeannie Babb Taylor, may I suggest you see how bumb and stupid the BO voter really are.
She must have atached this drivel to her Odumbo employment application as her writing sample.
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