Jan 20 2009
I Wish You Well President Obama, The Nation Rejoices A Barrier Finally Destroyed
 
We seat a new President today – our President. And we can finally close a chapter on the racial divides that split this nation from its inception. Our lofty goals for humanity were always deeply and morally flawed with the support of slavery and its aftermath of racism. We can finally say we have arrived.
As the above picture illustrates the nation is in an incredibly celebratory mood. The crowds are huge – the smiles broad, the pride busting out. There are high hopes for our new President, and I for one hope he can succeed. Unlike some right wing whack jobs who are hoping he fails, I am still an American first. In fact, the tired conservatives better take a long hard look at what they threw away in their quest for purity. President Obama comes into power with massive support and with his party in firm control of both houses of Congress.
This is no accident. It is the will of the people who have rejected whatever poisoned brew this latest crop of ‘true conservatives’ are dishing out. Hate, anger and hoping Obama fails are recipes for decades of wandering out of power again. Conservative values, to a moderate level, are very positive and very good for this nation. It is why Democrats now adorn their policies with elements of conservative thinking (like low taxes, accountability and strong defense).
But conservative intolerance, fear mongering and degradation of fellow Americans on whims of zealotry are not positive and inspiring messages. The story of Barack Obama is an inspiring story. Sneer at it and you will find a proud nation giving you a well deserved finger back in your face. Obama is not my choice and I fear his liberal tendencies will undo a lot of good work.
I will guide him through support. I will try and blunt his liberal instincts and explain how conservative thinking is not bad, just some conservative thinkers. I will challenge him and disagree with him. But I will support the President of The United States. That’s what makes this country great. And that is what so many of us demanded for the outgoing President Bush, and many fell short there as well. How could anyone do any less?
Do unto others ….
Update: I listened to President Obama’s speech and I still don’t connect with him. Ce’ la vie. He recognizes the challenges, the delayed hard choices. He is seriously naive to think partisanship is over, as he claimed. How many times have I seen these fanciful visions from incoming neophytes? Debates will continue. We must concur with the path forward. He will need to reach out to the center and let down the far left.Â
He seemed a bit preachy, and his speech was filled with vacuous sound bites. But it is still an incredible moment, and he can learn if he wants to. Hopefully, those of us who have noted his inexperience are wrong and he will grow quickly to meet our challenges. Here is hoping that a miracle occurs.
Welcome to DC President Obama, you will soon learn why this place sucks he life blood out of people. Instead of trying to change America, you would do better to try and change DC and the halls of power. Only then can we make dramatic changes in our country’s direction.
Update: I hope everyone is noting the theme that we all need to sacrifice – that includes liberals and their dreams of endless wasteful government spending.
Update: OK, he flubbed the oath, the nation and his administration is still standing. Geez!
Update: Oh God no – not another administration of Juvenile Delinquents! Rahm Emmanuel, Obama Chief of Staff, caught for all prosperity on this historic day (H/T Drugde):
Update: Even more 3rd grade antics from the looney left as they mock PRESIDENT Bush. Why do these people ruin President Obama’s moment with these idiotic stunts? I mean really, this is not all about them! Talk about a ‘look at me’ complex. If this is how they start off we are in for a rough 4 years and the Dems will not hold power very long. Is 2010 the next 1994?
And this is how Obama claims his party is “Ready To Lead”? What a sad joke.
owl:
“The only joy I found in the day was thinking what this day meant to many older folks that had lived it. The younger? Forget it. They do not witness racism and I will not pretend they do.
President Obama now needs to clean his own house and get rid of the racists that are still standing in full view. He chuckled when his man practiced racism…………….again.”
Wow, that was pretty impressive. In the course of three sentences you stated that:
– Younger people have never witnessed racism.
– There are racists in Obama’s house.
– You witnessed racism today.
So, there’s no longer any racism (I assumed it ended in 60’s? None since then?), but yet there’s ongoing racism right around us.
If you honestly think that “younger” people could not possibly have never witnessed racism – then you may indeed be the dumbest person alive.
Terrye:
“Oh yeah right Guy. You make some crack about right wing whackos”
Actually, I was quoting AJ, from this very article:
“Unlike some right wing whack jobs who are hoping he fails, I am still an American first.”
So, if you have a problem with the phrase (which now covers at a minimum Rush Limbaugh, World Net Daily, and commenters dave m, Redteam, kathie, and The Macker at this site), then take it up with him.
“and then ignore your fellow Obamabots.”
Exactly how does calling them “idiots”, “chowderheads”, and “morons” constitute ignoring them?
WOW guy..I’m a right wing wacko. Can you define right wing?
Guy:
No you were not quoting AJ. You were dissing perdogg and you know it.
I am not right wing, in fact I am center, a moderate in most things.
But I did notice today that conservatives were not threatening to leave the country or hoping that a bunch of people get killed in Afghanistan or Pakistan so that they can win seats in the next election. They were not hoping for some natural disaster or whatever just to mess Obama up and help them out politically. No, we will save that for the progressive side. Obama needs to remind his minions about his desire to put childish things aside, I don’t think they got the message.
Guy:
Was it racist for lefties to call Condi Rice an oreo? How about Jeremiah Wright? Would you call him racist? I would.
Cobalt:
I disagree. These people think that living without cable is doing without. They will never jeopardize their comfortable lives. Most Americans are not that intense when it comes to politics. They have more important things to think and worry about.
People , talking heads and Obama supporters talk about how electing that Obama brought the country together, he says we all must work together to get the hard work done for everybody. Guy, you probably think that sounds pretty good. But in the next breath he disses President Bush, the rich, those in opposition to abortion, embryonic cell research, same sex marriage, tax cuts that include the wealthy, those who work for a living who earn more then $200,000, and on he goes. Well in by book that is divisive. Well George Bush has had a few hard problems these last 8 years that he could have used support for, where was Obama then and all the encluders.
Going after the rich is really ridiculous considering the all the billionares and millionares that support Obama. The Democrats have become the party of the super rich, the celebs and the idle rich. Just look at the money they shelled out for this party today.
Today saw the biggest market drop on any Inauguration day in history. The idle rich might like Obama but thus far business seems less than impressed.
Besides, back when Bush was inaugurated in 2001, the loyal {smirk} opposition was throwing eggs at the presidential limo. They even had to cancel the walk to the White House if I remember correctly.
It is just amazing how much more respectful for the office Democrats are when one of their own wins. Otherwise you just do not know what they will do.
New White House site slams Bush
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17700.html
Yeah, that is really setting the tone for change. Change for the worse, maybe. I just don’t think they can help themselves.
Terrye:
You’re partially right – I was quoting AJ (well, okay – let’s say, “using his exact words”), and I was insulting perdogg. Because he deserved it – AJ wrote a very well thought out post calling for unity and supporting the new POTUS in these tough times, and perdogg posts some “Cult of the COLB”-level bullshit about how possibly offering a choice of two different positions to Biden might be a “crime”. It’s petty crap that like that prevents anything meaningful from ever getting done. It’s just decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio.
“It is just amazing how much more respectful for the office Democrats are when one of their own wins.”
You know what else tends to cause nice reactions, from both sides? When the guy who wins the popular vote by 7 points takes office, instead of the guy who lost the popular vote and then had it handed to him by the Supreme Court in a decision that many people still feel bitter about to this day. NOTE: this is not a judgment by me on Bush v. Gore, this is simply a statement of why tensions were a bit higher in 2001 than 2009.
“Was it racist for lefties to call Condi Rice an oreo?”
Yes.
“How about Jeremiah Wright? Would you call him racist?”
Yes. Wow, those were easy.
Now, would you call the Obama bucks put out by the California GOP racist? Because I would.
Racism exists in the left, right, and center. Only crazy people deny any part of that – and that’s exactly my point.
kathie:
“WOW guy..I’m a right wing wacko. Can you define right wing?”
I don’t have to. *I* did not call you a right wing whack job, AJ did. Take it up with him.
AJ: ““Unlike some right wing whack jobs who are hoping he fails, I am still an American first.â€
You, last night: “I want him to fail.”
Guy I did not say I want him to fail. I specifically talked about policies that I didn’t feel were good for the country and hoped that they fail. My hope is that there is a really good discussion on each measure and the best policy can be found. My worry is that the majority will push through stuff because they can and not think it through. Once 850 billion dollars is in the pot it had better work because it puts this Country in a terrible financial situation, especially if something big happens, like another terrorist attack. I’ve seen some of the spending in the big bill and it is a Christmas tree of billions that don’t help education, jobs, or green energy. Obama talks about being non-ideological, if it is true, why wouldn’t corporate taxes be on the table?
I wish I could trust Obama or even know what he really stands for. I can’t get a handle on him. I love the fact that he is black, I think it is great for many reasons that this Country has finally turned the page on our past. Do I think it is the end of prejudice, no, but I think it does say something very positive about a subject that I have hoped would turn out this way.
PS I don’t think that America needs to be remade. It’s failings are the failings of imperfect human beings. If we were all perfect we wouldn’t inhabit this planet. His words condemn everybody to some unspecified wrong doing. I think that is a crummy approach.
kathie:
Well, that was actually a very reasonable response. I did not get the same feeling from you reading this that I did from what you wrote last night – so if I simply misread your intentions and concerns, than I apologize.
About corporate tax cuts – he had that “job creation” cut in there, but removed it after many Democrats complained loudly. In general, you listen to the people who got you elected – at least, you do if you want to ever get re-elected, or pass any important bills. If George W. Bush received a “mandate” (his words) when he won re-election in 2004 with an electoral count of 286-251, then what do you think Obama has after winning 365-173?
Personally, I’m a follower of Keynesian economics, and one of the basic tenets there is: “When in a recession/depression, icrease spending and cut taxes.” And that’s what this plan does: $550B in spending, $275B in tax cuts, while keeping the Bush tax cuts in place (for a while). In the current state of the economy, I think this is the best plan, and the economists whose opinions I respect the most agree.
You are free to disagree, of course – but it would help if that disagreement came with an alternate solution. And, I think you need to recognize that with the current political make-up of the House, Senate, and the White House – some policies are going to get passed that you don’t like. Trust me from personal experience over the last 8 years – you will survive.
Guy:
Just because someone wants Obama to fail to nationalize medicine or something does not mean they want him to fail as president.
Bush never went after Clinton, he was always gracious. Obama was more than a little petty today and his supporters definitely were and thousands of these people have been openly hoping that Bush would fail, that America would fail, that our troops would fail. Double standard once again.
And as for some bs about someone saying Biden might have committed a crime, the Democrats have made a crime of political differences for years. I have heard nothing but talk of investigations, show trials, tribunals etc for years. I mean for heavens sake, Bush did not commit a crime when he fired those Attorneys but you would not know that to hear the Democrats. You reap what you sow, the idea that Biden might have committed a crime is no more absurd than the crap I have been listening to from Bush bashers for years.
BTW, Guy, 58 million people voted for the other guy, Obama is not King. That mandate thing only goes so far.
Terrye:
“Bush never went after Clinton, he was always gracious.”
He didn’t need to, he had Cheney for that.
And of course, it has now become an accepted fact within the GOP that Clinton was responsible for 9/11, despite being out of office for 8 months, and that whole “Bin Laden determined to strike within US” briefing in August 2001. But hey, why nitpick.
“Obama was more than a little petty today”
Really? Which part of his speech would you describe as “petty”? I’m geniuinely curious.
“and his supporters definitely were and thousands of these people have been openly hoping that Bush would fail, that America would fail, that our troops would fail. Double standard once again.”
I have had close family members in Afghanistan, both Iraq wars, Vietnam, Korea, and WWII. You will never find me wishing “that our troops would fail”.
I’ve already agreed with you that people who booed and taunted Bush were morons. If I was there, I would have told anyone around me doing that to “Show some class”. I’m not sure what else you’re looking for from me.
And I beg to disagree – politicizing the DOJ, by basing your hiring judgements on questions like “Why do you want to serve President Bush?”, or an applicant’s view on Roe v. Wade actually is a crime. That department is supposed to be completely politically neutral – and it wasn’t under Fredo.
I disagree. These people think that living without cable is doing without. They will never jeopardize their comfortable lives.
Again, you’re repeating the same thing everyone’s said about Americans for over two centuries. We Americans have constantly proved them wrong–when we get pushed to our limits, we’re the meanest SOBs on the planet, which is why everyone else hates us so much on the one hand and beg for our help on the other. The Civil War was our bloodiest conflict to date–and that’s because both sides were fighting against other Americans who were as equally bloody-minded.
Most Americans are not that intense when it comes to politics. They have more important things to think and worry about.
IIRC, at the outset of hostilities (i.e., Lexington & Concord or Sumter & Bull Run/Manassas), less than 3% of the colonosts actually gave a damn one way or another the American Revolution, and less than 10% of the populace cared one way or another about the Confederacy or the Union.
It doesn’t take much to get a real, no-effing-kidding war going.
“And of course, it has now become an accepted fact within the GOP that Clinton was responsible for 9/11, despite being out of office for 8 months, and that whole “Bin Laden determined to strike within US†briefing in August 2001. But hey, why nitpick.”
That briefing had no actionable intelligence in it that would have prevented 9/11. But hey, why nitpick.