I didn’t think that I’d live to see this day. The people have spoken and we’ve elected our first African-American (as well as Caucasian-American) president. All parents in this country can now look their kids in the eye, tell them they could grow up to be President, and actually mean it.There is a lot to be done though. Fixing an economy that’s stressed and in shambles. Creating avenues so that everyone will be able to afford health care. Fixing an education system that has grown increasingly ineffective. Getting out of a directionless war that has gone on longer than World War Two. Repairing relationships and credibility that need to be restored in a global community that gets smaller every day.
But instead of this all seeming hopeless, I’m starting to get the feeling that there’s a sense of possibility on the horizon. I’ve never seen the optimism and enthusiasm that I’m seeing with our young population. The apathetic and disenfranchised have woken up, much to the dislike of a large but diminishing population who liked it better when they were down.
After eight years of failed, self-serving myopic policies and a clueless president who will be gone in 75 days (not that I’m counting or anything) it’s time to move on. I’m not sure what the next four years will bring but have no doubt that it’ll be a whole lot better than the last eight.
Yep, I haven’t felt this good since I bowled my 300 game five years ago.
4 comments:
What've you got against the W. administration? It's not easy running a country half full of idiots where you can't even shoot a man in the face without making a federal case out of it. Lighten up! We're doing the best we can man!
Obviously, the election results were disappointing to me, albeit not unexpected. W, who I voted for both times, had done a pretty good job of botching up the Republican party, especially in the last four years, and I think that has now been demonstrated in the effect it had on many races down to the local levels.
So congratulations are in order for those of you who did your part, voted your conscience, and can now have your turn in the sun again! While I could not support him, I expected Obama to win, win he has, and now we'll see if his vision of hope is possible. I sincerely hope it is.
On a local front, I guess I was somewhat surprised by the Democrat's pretty solid win in the gubernatorial race in Washington, considering some of my most liberal friends were very vocal in their support of the GOP candidate.
The one thing that really did shock and dismay me in Washington was the passage of the "Die with Dignity" issue -- which in my black and white world is assisted suicide -- nothing more, nothing less -- and is a position I cannot approach. I plan on dying when God is done with the work that is me, not when I think I should be done, but I guess many of my fellow Washingtonians disagree with me.
BTW, just to make something clear, I am NOT moving to Canada or Europe or anywhere else because of the election, nor did I ever entertain those thoughts. In four years, we'll have at it again! It's actually nice that we take turns: I endured eight years of Clinton, you've endured eight years of Bush, and I guess I can suffer through this next period as well. In the meantime, I think I'll go to Wyoming and go hunting with Dick.:-)
Obviously, I'm pleased with what transpired over the last 24 hours. But at the end of the day, Obama and his administration will indeed have to deliver and it won't be easy for a host of reasons. He seems ready to take this on and has the desire to both lead and surround himself with subject matter experts. I hope that's the case.
As for the "Death With Dignity" law that just passed, I respectfully have to disagree. I've believed for some time that a rational and sane adult should have the right to decide when his/her life should end under any circumstance. Yes, it's always tragic on some level no matter what for friends and family members. And I'm aware of religion-based arguements as well. But without having walked in the shoes of someone who is face to face with such an excruciating decision, I feel that the individual in question is the one who is best to decide this matter.
As is often the case, I disagree with my friend cvow, but I know that his positions are always well thought out and based on foundations of real substance. And, yes, I will even go to Wyoming to visit with him when he finally moves to that "promised land" where he'll bounce grandkids on his knee and shoot quail with Dick Cheney.
BowlingJoe
Joe, you will always be welcome. By the time that happens, I'll be most likely saying "See, I told you so!" -- or maybe we'll be basking in prosperity the likes of which we've never dared imagine, and I'll have to admit you were right.
Maybe we could even arrange to have Dave come do a house concert somewhere near the "Beaches of Cheyenne". (For the uninformed, that is the arena at the "Daddy of Them All" -- Cheyenne Frontier Days -- the best damned rodeo out there.)
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