Posted on 11/05/2008 6:22:16 AM PST by SnakeDoctor
I have decided that I will do what my liberal counterparts could not in 2000 and 2004 -- I will be gracious in defeat. I will not fall prey to "Obama Derangement Syndrome" as the leftist blogosphere was infested with "Bush Derangement Syndrome". I will, against my better judgment, give President Obama the benefit of the doubt ... and let him succeed or fail based not on his past, but based on his actions over the next four years. I will put his past in the rearview mirror, put aside my justifiable skepticism, and hope that he will live up to his soaring rhetoric and "moderate" "bi-partisan" billing.
I will prove that I believe all I've said over the last 8-years about standing behind my President during wartime. I will pray that Barack Obama is as "pragmatic" as analysts have declared, and that he understands the fundamentally conservative nature of the country. I will work to rebuild my party, and stand up vigorously to Obama at every wrong turn -- but I will not spew the bile and hatred for my opponent that I've seen from the left since 2000. Ultimately, I refuse to become a mirror image of the hate-filled obnoxious left-wing blogger.
I also think it is important to note that the election of Barack Obama vindicates, in some respects, conservatives' view of American exceptionalism and the American Dream. It has always been our contention that through hard work and ingenuity, anyone, regardless of race, gender or creed, can succeed in this country. The ascendancy of Obama proves that. It is truly remarkable how far we've come in the last 40 years. Perhaps this is a big step in achieving the "colorblindness" we've been seeking for so long.
This election stands as a repudiation of the Republican Party -- but not of conservatism. Barack Obama won because he ran as a conservative Democrat -- touting tax cuts and a strong national defense. I hope beyond hope that he is not the liberal ideologue we feared he was -- I hope he truly represents the best his party can offer.
As conservatives, we must return the Republican Party to its roots. The defeat of John McCain proves that running "moderate" Republicans is not a path to victory, and that the slide toward "big government conservatism" we've seen under President Bush will ultimately end up in the destruction of the party. In some respects, we're the victims of our own success in the War on Terror ... as that issue has faded from the minds of voters. I pray that it won't take another deadly attack to wake us back up.
We must reinvigorate the party, and conservatism. The singular bright spot of this entire election cycle has been the emergence of Sarah Palin as a national political figure. I truly believe she, along with up-and-comers like Bobby Jindal, is the future of American conservatism.
I love my country -- and I truly pray that we conservatives were wrong about Barack Obama. I am an incurable optimist. It is always darkest just before the dawn ... so there are two alternatives here -- (1) Barack Obama isn't as bad as we thought and the country will be fine, or (2) he's as bad as we predicted, he'll run us off the rails like Jimmy Carter did, and a refreshed conservatism will emerge in 2 or 4 years.
H
I will acknowledge Obama as the duly elected President. If he does something sensible such as keeping terrorists in Guantanomo, I will note his hypocrisy but support his actions.
I will do what I can to stiffen the spines of Congressional Republicans to minimize the damage he causes to the nation. I dream of his getting thrashed four years from now and will work towards that.
(Sorry for all the I’s).
On the other hand, if they can't deliver on their promises then they only have themselves to blame. No repubs to kick around and no GWB to blame. If the later is true then the New Reagan revolution will begin within the next year.
Jindal, Palin etc
I’m going to act like an adult about the whole thing. I’m not going to run around and throw tantrums like the nutroots have been doing for eight solid years. Besides, I’m going to be too busy making a living for myself and my family—and working on rebuilding a CONSERVATIVE Republican party—to have time to scream and yell at Barack Obama like some drunk hippie college student at an anti-Bush protest.
}:-)4
I want my PIE!!
more PIE!!
Where’s my PIE????
Sorry, I am going to have to respectfully disagree. After being called a racist among other things, Obama and his crowd deserve nothing from me. I despise the man and his politics.
May he fail miserably.
It's the least I can do for my country.
>> If the country is fundamentally conservative, how did Obama get elected?
First ... neither candidate was truly conservative — so, when there’s no conservative on the ballot, the country is forced to sift through rhetoric.
But both candidates displayed conservative rhetoric throughout. Obama spoke incessantly about tax cuts, attacked McCain’s healthcare plan as a tax increase, and spoke of renewing efforts for victory in Afghanistan.
I believe this was a repudiation of Bush’s “big-government conservatism”. People expected Reagan conservatism when they elected Bush ... and domestically, they didn’t get it. Therefore, they don’t trust Republicans. A majority believed there would be tax increases under both Obama and McCain. It is clear there would be spending increases under both Obama and McCain.
Bottom line — conservatism wins elections. Even liberals try to paint themselves as conservatives when voting time rolls around. By running a moderate, we didn’t take advantage of that.
H
Bush played the nice guy in 2000 and lost the popular vote. He played nice again in 2004. Luckily the Swift Boat Vets were there to go on the attack. It was a slim victory and Bush owed it to them. McCain played nice in 2008. He lost.
Reagan won landslide victories because he was willing to be a fighter instead of Mr. Nice Guy. He called the Soviet Union for what it was, an evil empire, and he called Jimmy Carter for what he was, an incompetent buffoon. Bush Sr. won in 1988 because people thought he would be a strong, fighting conservative like Reagan. By 1992, they had seen he was a RINO and consequently he lost.
Playing by Marquess of Queensbury rules and fighting unarmed while our opponent has an AK-47, two Glocks, and a bayonet and uses every dirty trick in the book is never going to lead us to victory. And just because we fight back doesn’t make us “Sink To Their Level (TM).” I am so sick of that BS line. If a homeowner shoots an armed intruder, does he or she Sink To Their Level (TM)? Do you think the homeowner should be charged with murder?
We should all quit our jobs. Afterall the gubmint is going to take care of all of us now. Why work?
At least they will only have themselves to blame now. 2 terms of clinton, ensured bush’s victory. Let’s hope 1 term of obama rallies repubs everywhere. And to all you repubs who stayed home and did not vote for McCain, enjoy your mess
May all their dreams come true.
My kids were hanging their heads this morning, but everything is going to be okay. We are still Americans living in the greatest country in the world. I was at Dunkin Donuts this morning with my husband and this lady (white) pointedly said ... I am moving out of this country. Well, honey where’ya gonna go? Canada? They are just as socialist. I am still optimistic and I still love America.
>> Being a nice guy sure worked for President-elect McCain, huh? Oh, wait.
It worked for Reagan — who was modest, amiable and a genuinely nice man. I don’t think McCain’s problem was that he was a nice guy — I think his problem was that he wasn’t conservative.
>> Trolls have been here left and right (actually just left) gloating and calling us Nazis. I hope for your sake that no trolls show up on your thread. The liberals will call us Nazis whether we’re nice or mean. They’re too stupid to understand the art of give and take.
Exactly my point. So your response is to match their stupidity?
H
The greatest thing about Freepers (most of them anyway) is that they are Patriots. We may not like the man, but we should still have respect for the office. Like it or not, he will be the President of the United States, not just the President of the Democratic party. He will be our President. We will be the patriotic opposition once again. Sucks to be us, but I refuse to slam MY COUNTRY like the other side has done for the past 8 years. I love my Country, and even though it will not be my ideal for the next four years, it will still be my Country, and I will fight for her!
God Bless America!!!!!
Ditto.
We got through 8 years of Clinton, this will be all right, too. I am fine. I am NOT fine with my relatives calling me ignorant. That has saddened me more than anything. I still congratulated the winning team and wished them well, while they call me names.
>> After being called a racist among other things, Obama and his crowd deserve nothing from me. I despise the man and his politics.
Barack Obama deserves the respect befitting the Constitutionally elected President of the United States. Nothing more, nothing less.
I didn’t say his followers deserved anything. They don’t. They’re petty, obnoxious, pathetic indidivuals. I simply refuse to respond by becoming a petty, obnoxious, pathetic individual.
>> May he fail miserably.
I’ll not wish for the demise of my own country. It is this kind of rhetoric that we called unpatriotic when Democrats wished for economic collapse and wartime losses for political gain. It is no less unpatriotic when it comes from the right.
Country over Party.
H
I’ll decide to be gracioucs to Obama after I’ve seen proof that he’s qualified to be President as stated under Article 2, Section 1 of the Constitution. Specifically:
1) I want proof that he’s a natural born citizen.
2) I want to hear him say the required oath: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
I believe he will have as much trouble with #2 as #1. I fully expect him to say “ammend” instead of “defend”.
Right on!
H
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