I still can’t believe she would take it

Of course, in the early days of the Republic, Secretary of State was a launching pad for the presidency. Maybe Hillary is going old school.

This blog (and dangerously, I am speaking for Sarah on this, too) is dedicated to a conservative philosophy. We advocate what we believe to be the real interpretation of the Constitution, and what policies best serve the most people.  The only times either of us have become personal on this site have been in response to an individual who has declared themselves worthy of personal repudiation. As in, if you’re a jerk, I’m going to call you a jerk. But that is rare.

In a bygone age, we were told that disagreeing with the president was a noble act, the epitome of patriotism in our Republic.  Logically, I would presume this applies as well to disagreeing with the president-elect. My dissent, as patriotic as the Left’s over Iraq, is based only on policies that Barack Obama has said he intends to implement. I am not speculating as to what he wants to do, nor am I misinterpreting his words.

It is not a Democrat versus Republican posture - I have said nary a negative word about Tennessee’s Democrat governor, Phil Bredesen. Others in my party have, but since I have been generally happy with the way he has run the state, I have little to say. The same goes for Nashville’s congressman, Jim Cooper. I wish he was more conservative, but he is a good, informed and responsive representative.

To those who claim that Barack Obama has not had a chance, and that it is unfair to criticize his intentions, I must ask you why we have debate and an election season. The only thing that has changed since Tuesday is that we know Obama’s proposals are on their way to being implemented. Rolling over in the face of policies one believes to be detrimental to the country’s well-being would be civic malpractice.

Besides, Obama has a record. He served in the Illinois State Senate for eight years (even though we heard hardly a thing during the campaign about his record there), and he was deemed by nonpartisan watchdog groups as the most liberal member of the United States Senate since he arrived there in January of 2005. So, there are things we know.  I hardly need to wait for the effects of higher taxes and a rapid retreat from Iraq to know that both would be disastrous for our country’s future.

Of course, if Barack Obama pursues a more right leaning approach to governing, you will hear not a word from me. But I am a betting man, and I am not betting on that.

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After today, the Tennessee Vols are the worst team in Division I. Seriously.

I know the Democrats I know are tired of hearing about “media bias”, blah, blah. At certain times, it sure does seem like conservatives are whining. Then we read stories like this

The story by Deborah Howell dissects the numbers as well - positive stories on each candidate, color photos, issue pieces, and the like, all favored Obama. To their credit, The Post has admitted they were derelict, but it is a little late - the damage is done.

From Ben Smith at Politico

Ah, gracious in victory!

UPDATE The apology

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I had heard about the advent of Change.gov, Barack Obama’s marketing platform during the transition phase.  After a quick glance, it appears that most of it is vague boilerplate. Surprise! (yawn).  However, some of it contains more specific proposals, and even some of that has dollar values attached to his proposals.  I just went through the “Agenda: Revitalizing the Economy” page - the spending is mind boggling, especially since his proposals will do absolutely everything but revitalize the economy. I will be sifting with more deliberation through the site over the weekend.

Well, now we know. Let’s toast to “Hope”, delivered to you complete with a United States of America government watermark.

Blue Collar Muse has put together a good analysis of Barack Obama’s victory speech, dissecting his words, and taking them at their plain meaning (a speech admittedly I was unable to watch - Seinfeld was on instead, and the parallels were startling).

Of course he needs our help. He needs our money. About a trillion of it.

Go read the rest.  Remember, there are 56 million Americans who feel this way. Barack Obama only got 2 million more votes than George W. Bush did in 2004.  If he wants us to “heal”, then he needs to come to us. We are not the ones obliged to come to him.

I received this from a friend of mine in Atlanta yesterday afternoon

Excellent question, and yet, we will know that answer about the same time we discover the Ark of the Covenant.

With all that happened last night, I am quite content (actually) that Tennessee has proven itself sane, from the vote for president to the state house and senate, which the Republicans now control. Two straight elections in the face of a high Democratic tide, and Tennessee has chosen to go in a different direction. We conservatives can at least be thankful we have a solid place on which to re-begin the movement.

Unfortunately, Tennessee’s take did not happen enough elswhere, and we have to now be prepared for whatever Barack Obama and his Legion of Good Feelings choose to do (If I so hear anyone say in person “I’m so proud of my country”, I am certain to get arrested for misdemeanor assault for the certain impulsive slap down that is bound to occur).

Actually, let’s get outside the parens on that one. Why does this make you proud of your country? Was the country a rag-tag bunch of racist, bigoted knuckle-dragging teenagers before yesterday? I have never been “proud” of my country, state or whatever for electing a candidate. I have been happy. I have been pleased. But the emotion of pride has never even made a cameo appearance. It sounds a bit patronizing, actually.

Maybe I am the only one unsurprised that a black man could win the presidency. Fair to say, I figured Obama was too liberal to do it, but he did not run on his record. John McCain ran a bad campaign and Obama won. My shock is that a center-right country voted for an individual they knew nothing much about, who possesses a liberal track record and has befriended some of the most awful individuals ideologically imaginable.

Add one final thought - one should never cry in the process of voting. No crying in baseball, and no crying at the ballot box. Not unless a Black Panther hits you with a night stick where it hurts. Geeze.

I did indeed vote for president. I voted for…Nathan Scott Moore.

Here is how I figure it. I don’t “necessarily” meet the constitutional requirements to hold the office (I’m not quite 35). But, with the media’s record of not demanding strict proof of such things, I thought I’d at least give it a shot.

Want to see my birth certificate? Not yet - now, hand me that copy of Photoshop, and get me the email address of Sean Hannity…

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I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about the issue of Obama’s birth certificate. I think it’s a legitimate concern, but there are plenty of other policy issues that were more pressing to me. Yesterday, for some reason, I thought more about the “Great Mysteries of Obama” and I do wonder why he was never pressed to be more forthcoming with his various records.

President-elect Obama has yet to release his medical records, his school records, and his birth certificate. Would John McCain have been able to get away with this secrecy? Absolutely not. And, don’t give me the excuse that McCain is old and has battled cancer and therefore knowing his current medical condition was more important. People can get sick at any age.

Is Obama afraid that his college report cards will not reveal a brilliant scholar? Bush, Kerry, Gore, and McCain have all shown recently that showing up on the Dean’s List is not necessary to make your case for leading the country. I don’t think that’s the issue.

Does Obama not want the world to know that he is flat-footed or that he is sleep apnea? Or, maybe he is embarrassed by his weight? Nope … don’t think so.

What would all of these official documents reveal about our future president that he doesn’t want us to know? I really don’t think it’s a lunatic fringe concern. And, it’s another example of how the media and voters had two years to vet this man but chose to give him a pass because he talked a good game about hope and change.

Some people take their sports way too seriously. Two people were shot dead following a LSU/Alabama game. A guy was so upset at the smack talk a neighbor was bringing about the Tigers’ losing effort that he shot the man and his wife! It is a game! Why should you passionately care one way or the other more than five minutes after the final seconds wind down? And, this is coming from a huge sports fan who has become quite accustomed to her teams coming up short.

My favorite sentence in the news article:

The investigator also said alcohol may have been a factor.

You think????

Several days have passed since the presidential election. I have spoken with family members and friends who voted differently than me and who are excited about the upcoming Obama administration. These conversations made me pause and think about my own reaction. Was I being unfair? Have my posts been too unkind to our president-elect? My answer is … no.

On this blog, the following items are fair game:

1. Obama’s policy goals and the negative impact I believe their enactment would have on our country

2. the men and women with whom Obama chooses to surround himself in his administration

3. the ridiculously high expectations that some supporters and advocates in the media have for Obama’s presidency

What is also fair game? The hypocrisy of Obama’s supporters who are angry that we aren’t all unified or that we are not giving our president-elect a chance. I don’t seem to recall much unity in 2004. Instead, I heard empty promises of moves to Canada and saw an effort to encourage Democrats to “Shop Blue” (or something like that) and support businesses that had contributed to Kerry. This time, it seems as if there are many people who are simply smitten with Obama and can’t comprehend that millions of Americans don’t share in this love. Many Obama supporters are so irritated everyone is not enamored with their chosen one that their rantings are still quite angry on this blog and others. You won! Be happy!

You may say, “But Bush had already been president for four years in 2004. We knew what he was about. That is why we were so upset.” True. But we also know what President Obama hopes to achieve in the Oval Office. From health care to education and foreign policy to taxes, I don’t like what Obama is proposing.

I don’t think President-elect Obama is an evil man. The left uses horrible words such as “fascist” and “Nazi” to describe President Bush. These labels are inaccurate, mean-spirited, and downright childish. You will never see such name-calling from me. If you find such an example, please let me know and I will apologize. From all I can tell, our president-elect appears to be a devoted family man who values his wife as a partner and adores his little girls. In this respect, he is wonderful role model. However, I simply think his policies are dangerous to the growth and greatness of our country. I will continue to rail against his ideas and the arguments made by his supporters. It is the political/economic/social philosophy followed by Obama and those who elected him that I dislike, not the man himself.

I hereby pledge on this day — November 10, 2008 — that I will write a happy blog post every time President-elect Obama does something as our leader with which I agree. Now, with his selection of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff, his aloof demeanor at his first press conference, and his hesitancy concerning the missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, he is not making me at all concerned that my typing fingers will tire commending his decisions and actions. But, I will be pleasantly surprised if good things happen and I won’t hesitate to say so. There you go … my step towards unity.

Since you are going to be my president soon, I decided that I needed to get past my disappointment over the election results and move ahead to a new day. I spent a lot of time reading the blogs of your supporters and watching analysis on television. I finally get it! How could I have been so blind? I hereby issue my heartfelt apology to you and to every American who supported your campaign. You guys were right! You probably don’t have time to read the liberal/progressive/”smarter than everyone else” blogs, what with carefully choosing a Cabinet from the exact same people who were part of the Clinton administration (gotta love that change!). Maybe you haven’t even turned on CNN or MSNBC. So, let me share what I have learned about you!

Come January 20, 2009, every citizen of every nation is going to love America! I think that is so awesome! I don’t have to be embarrassed to be a nasty American anymore. Osama bin Laden is going to walk out of his cave with a shrug and a smirk. The nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea will be dismantled and flower gardens will be built in their place. The terrorists will go back to just being moms and dads and maybe open up some ice cream shops. We will give up on this silly notion that the United States is the greatest country on earth due to its freedom, opportunity, and hard-working people so that other countries don’t feel bad about themselves.

All of those morons who live in rural areas and always vote against their economic interests will finally understand that government programs are really what they need. What a relief! Why should they have to strain their simple minds over issues of personal finance and how to raise their families?? Come on … they barely have enough brain cells to memorize all those Scripture verses or hang a flag the right side up. I’m glad that you are going to convince them that you need to take care of everything. It’s been so painful to watch them struggle through life with such a lack of common sense.

When I was railing against all of your proposed spending (such as free college, universal health care … well, almost … right, Hillary?, tax credits, assistance for home owners who made the decision to buy a bigger home than they could afford, free day care), I was so naive! I thought to myself, “How is he possibly going to pay for all of these programs? If Americans just get all of these things handed to them, what happens to the motivation to work hard, compete, and make smart choices? Won’t these programs just further bloat the federal government? Won’t he necessarily have to raise taxes with people like me getting nothing in return” But, I was so wrong!!! I didn’t realize that every American who benefits from an Obama entitlement program will be so inspired by the kindness of the federal government that he will be compelled to give back to his country through AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, cleaning up the shoulders along our nation’s interstates, or serving as crossing guards at a local elementary school. So inspiring! A nation filled with a volunteer spirit that can only occur when coaxed by the federal government. To see millions of Americans giving back to their country because YOU told them to … that will be amazing to see. When should that start happening? February, maybe March, of 2009? I will be watching with hope and a heart ready for change.

In closing, President-Elect Obama, I have been so wrong about you. I am embarrassed. I’m glad that I FINALLY took the time to inhale your power and get filled with your magic. I am ready for Inauguration Day! There will be no more homelessness, no more war, no more animosity between the races, no more consequences for poor life choices, no more poverty, no more silly retirement accounts (I trust you will make better decisions with that money)! Oh, magic day. You cannot get here fast enough.

Your devoted convert,
Sarah

P. S. — Did you catch Charlie Rose talking with Jon Meacham and Evan Thomas from Newsweek about you on PBS yesterday? They called you “manipulative” and “creepy”! How dare they!!! The members of the media worked harder than anyone to get you elected and now they are already showing signs of buyer’s remorse?? I, for one, will be writing a letter. Don’t let them get you down!!

Despite my disappointment with the outcome of yesterday’s election, I must admit to some excitement over the opportunity that conservatives now have to rise from the ashes. We are being forced to regroup and re-examine what we stand for, and that is a good thing. “Republicans,” not “conservatives,” have been controlling things for too long.

Conservative philosophy did not lose last night. It was not even on the ballot. America is a center-right country and will continue to be so. The only reason a conservative did not win the Republican nomination is that there were too many of them running. And, I firmly believe that one of the other candidates could have beaten Obama yesterday. But, that is now in the past.

Michael Steele (from my home state!) said it very well last night,

“Ronald Reagan made it cool to be a Republican, for God’s sake. It was the package we presented to the American people: We love fresh ideas, we love the back and forth of debate, we relish reaching out and welcoming people to be part of this effort. That’s what we need to re-establish.”

When I think about the great bench we have warming up for the next round of elections, I have a lot of hope. (Hey, I might as well get some of this “hope” action today!) Jindal, Romney, Ryan, Pawlenty, Steele — I am confident that these and others will reform our movement and we will be strong again. As Grover Norquist said yesterday, we must “politely step away from the Bush presidency and say we’re going back to basics.” I know we will do just that.

My husband has already eloquently stated some of the views I am about to share on his side of the blog. But, I must echo his sentiments concerning the “historic nature” of this election.

I am fine with white men being president until I die. I am also fine with a black man, white woman, black woman, Hispanic, Asian, gay man or lesbian, atheist, Jew, Christian, etc. being the president as long as they advance a conservative economic agenda, keep our military strong, and do as little else as possible on the federal level.

I am not overwhelmed with shock and pride that my country could elect an African American. Of course we can! We are a wonderful and diverse country. I have always operated under the belief that any citizen of the United States can become president. I see no reason to believe otherwise in 2008. And, as a woman, I will not be shedding tears of pride when we eventually elect our first female president. I will be happy if she is a conservative, but not blown away but yet another “historic moment”. Good for you … you have ovaries and you are president! Now, let’s get going with making this country a better place. That will be it.

I know that my country is an amazing and tolerant country in which a person of any background can be elected. The racists who live here are few (and by no means limited to the South) and are far from politically powerful in numbers. Stop giving them more credit than they deserve.

UPDATE: Based on a couple of comments on my husband’s side of the blog, let me offer a quick clarification. I understand the important symbolism of an Obama presidency and what it shows the rest of the world. I’m just not surprised by the victory. I don’t get people who say, “Never did I think in my lifetime …” or “Who would have thought in a country where just 40 years ago …” America has come a long way, and done so quickly. I think it’s a good thing that I am not at all surprised or overwhelmed with our African American President-Elect.

If Senator Obama wins tonight, let’s all get ready to give until it hurts! Good times, good times.

Proposed changes in taxes after 2008 General election:

CAPITAL GAINS TAX

MCCAIN
0% on home sales up to $500,000 per home (couples) McCain does not propose any change in existing home sales income tax.

OBAMA
28% on profit from ALL home sales

How does this affect you?
If you sell your home and make a profit, you will pay 28% of your gain on taxes.
If you are heading toward retirement and would like to down-size your home or move into a retirement community, 28% of the money you make from your home will go to taxes. This proposal will adversely affect the elderly who are counting on the income from their homes as part of their retirement income.

DIVIDEND TAX

MCCAIN 15% (no change)

OBAMA 39.6%

How will this affect you?
If you have any money invested in stock market, IRA, mutual funds, college funds, life insurance, retirement accounts, or anything that pays or reinvests dividends, you will now be paying nearly 40% of the money earned on taxes if Obama become president. The experts predict that higher tax rates on dividends and capital gains would crash the stock market yet do absolutely nothing to cut the deficit.

INCOME TAX

MCCAIN (no changes)

Single making 30K - tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 6 0K- tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $31,250

OBAMA
(reversion to pre-Bush tax cuts)
Single making 30K - tax $8,400
Single making 50K - tax $14,000
Single making 75K - tax $23,250
Married making 60K - tax $16,800
Married making 75K - tax $21,000
Married making 125K - tax $38,750

INHERITANCE TAX/SPAN

MCCAIN 0% (No change, Bush repealed this tax)

OBAMA Restore the inheritance tax

How does this affect you? Many families have lost businesses, farms and ranches, and homes that have been in their families for generations because they could not afford the inheritance tax. Those willing their assets to loved ones will only lose them to these taxes.

NEW TAXES BEING PROPOSED BY OBAMA

* New government taxes proposed on homes that are more than 2400 square feet

* New gasoline taxes

* New taxes on natural resources consumption (heating, gas, water, electricity)

* New taxes on retirement accounts

* New taxes to pay for mandated health care

What a relief! If Senator Obama becomes president in January, you won’t have to worry about paying for gas or your mortgage anymore. President Obama will help you! How will that work exactly? Will Obama actually be out there pumping gas for us? Or, will we just get cute little gas coupons in a book that we can tear out and use at our favorite service station? Do we mail our house note to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and let Obama write the check? If so, will he provide the stamp for the envelope? What if I can’t afford this stamp? Will one be provided to me?

I’ve tried to wrap my brain around it … I really have. I understand why certain groups are voting for Senator Obama. People who think the government “owes them something,” those who don’t understand our founding principle of federalism and believe that the President is just the Mayor of America who will build new elementary schools and fill every pothole, and naive folks who like to say things like, “Communism is a great theory. It just hasn’t been tried in its pure form yet” are obvious Obama supporters. But, what about the millions of other people who already have voted, or will be voting tomorrow, for Obama? I don’t get it. Don’t the following questions bother you:

1. What does Obama mean by the Civilian National Security Force that is “just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded” as our military? Millions of civilians taking to the streets to control the masses? Sounds like a free country to me!!

2. Doesn’t this statement by Obama

We need somebody who’s got the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it’s like to be a young teenage mom. The empathy to understand what it’s like to be poor, or African-American, or gay, or disabled, or old. And that’s the criteria by which I’m going to be selecting my judges.

run counter to the objective, non-emotional role of a federal judge? The Constitution should be interpreted the same for everyone, regardless of skin color, age, or income.

3. “People of Berlin - people of the world - this is our moment. This is our time.” For which office is Senator Obama running?

4. “We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times.” So, it’s the government’s place to determine which kind of cars we can drive and the temperature at which we can keep our private homes? Will Big Brother have secret cameras installed behind our mirrors or picture frames? (I assume President Obama will ask for the spare key to all of our homes, since half of them will be owned by the government anyway.)

5. Isn’t it ridiculous that supporters of Senator Obama talk about his courage in opposing the War in Iraq? He was a State Senator at the time. He did not have to cast a vote on this issue. It’s easy to say how you would have voted when you know the validity of your assertion can never be tested.

There are so many more questions. Why would we want a president who doesn’t believe in the great uniqueness of America? How can we elect someone who could utter the phrase “punished with a baby”? Why are people who don’t believe in redistribution (i.e. “spreading the wealth around”) considered selfish and unpatriotic? How will 95% of working Americans receive a tax cut when 40% of Americans don’t pay taxes?

Baffling.