BARACK OBAMA - SHOULD WE WANT HIM TO SUCCEED ? - THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY
Since the election was decided almost two weeks ago, there have been commentaries and pundits many who are conservatives who have stated that now that Barack Obama has been elected President, we should wish him well and hope that he succeeds. I have a problem with this type of a blanket wish for success with someone in whom I have no agreement with concerning policy and whose political philosophy, I believe, is not only dangerous for our country but will take us down a path that was never intended by those who Founded this Nation.
Some will look upon this as the rantings of a poor loser. That I will quickly correct. My Presidential candidate has lost the election before. I supported Gerald Ford in 1976, George H. W. Bush in 1992 and Bob Dole in 1996 so I have experienced loss in the political realm before. I am not a sore loser. But just because the opposing candidate has won the Presidency it does NOT mean that I should set aside my beliefs and principles to support someone in whom I do not believe in.
As an American I support the office of the President and respect the position even when I disagree with the office holder because he still is the leader of this Nation and the Commander in Chief of the greatest military in the world. But from a stand point of principle, core beliefs and supporting a policy that I have almost no agreements with is asking anyone to disregard personal and political philosophy just to wish success for someone who is polar opposite of what I believe and stand for.
It is possible to respect the office and not support the office holder. I can respect the fact that he won a successful campaign and the Presidency, but wishing Barack Obama success compromises those principles and ideology that I have believed in and fought for my entire adult life. I cannot wish success or even give the benefit of the doubt, what little there is, to someone who throughout his campaign of , " hope and change, " talked about change that I believe is destructive for our country and provides no hope in solving our problems especially those that have been created by government.
Not supporting him being successful as President is not a result of bitterness or anger but simply because my principles and beliefs cannot allow me to support policy that will take this country down a dangerous path through applying principles of socialism to a government that Constitutionally is a free Republic. I have disagreed with President Bush when he instituted policy and signed legislation that followed to an extent this dangerous path. I do not support the bailout programs or any of the entitlements and excess spending that were started while Bush has been President.
So just because Obama has been elected should I compromise my beliefs and principles just to support him because he will be President and wish him success ? Absolutely not. If Obama does something as President that I agree with I will support him but when he does not I cannot and will not blanketly give him my support because he is President. I hope and pray the he will continue to protect this Nation which is his Constitutional responsibility but supporting him just ,"because," is wrong and also contrary to my duty as a citizen.
The Constitution begins with, "We the people." Within the wording of this most precious of American documents are found freedoms that call on me as a citizen to speak out against a government or a leader in whom I disagree and the freedom to descent when my government is not following what I believe to be the right and Constitutional path.
Most in this country misunderstand what the Framers meant when they included freedom of speech as one of our first freedoms. Freedom of speech is NOT placing a crucifix in a bottle of urine and calling it art. The Founders had just fought a war to become independent from a Monarchy that punished opposition and either imprisoned or harassed anyone who spoke out against the Crown and the abuses that were forced upon the Colonies and the people.
Freedom of speech as the Founders saw it is the free and liberating ability to speak out against government and to openly disagree with its leaders without fear of reprisal or punishment. This does not provide a blanket immunity for violence in that opposition claiming free speech rights of descent but responsible and sensible and lawful opposition to that which we as citizens see as wrong and not taking our country in the right direction.
Therefore because of my beliefs and principles it is my duty as an American and one in whom the Constitution decrees as giving government the right to exist, opposing the person who sits in the Oval Office is not only right but expected of me when I disagree with him Support him when I believe he is right and oppose him when I believe he is wrong. It is my obligation as an American to hold the President accountable to what I believe and to Constitutional principles that are the foundation of this Nation.
Blanketly supporting ANY President neglects our responsibility as citizens and compromises our core beliefs when that President talks or governs in disagreement with those beliefs and principles. It is up to us as citizens to hold him accountable, and if opposing his policy is part of that accountability then we must do it. Even before he takes office based on what he campaigned on and the policy he presented in that campaign as his agenda when taking office.
Some still say, "he hasn't even taken office so give him a chance." Why should I, "give him a chance," when in doing so I compromise the very principles and beliefs that I have lived by and stood for my entire adult life ? Why should I, just to, "give him a chance," neglect what I believe is my responsibility Constitutionally to do as an American and oppose that which I believe is contrary to the direction this country was and still is intended to go ?
Barack Obama in his beliefs steps into the Presidency opposing that in which I believe and will use his Constitutional authority to try and take this country down the path that he campaigned on. He will not stop this agenda just because it disagrees with me as a citizen. He will not blanketly change his agenda to support my beliefs as a citizen. Remember even as President with all of the power and the authority he is still a citizen of the country and as such we have the same rights as he in standing up for what we believe and the principles we believe are right.
His beliefs do not support me and mine do not support him. Both of us have a Constitutional responsibility as citizens to express those beliefs. The difference is that he has Constitutional authority to make those beliefs legislative initiatives and law. As a citizen I have and equal responsibility to oppose those beliefs and his agenda to prevent it from becoming law. That is my duty and a sacred Constitutional honor that we have only in this great and free Nation. An obligation and honor that I will continue and fight for !
Ken Taylor
Some will look upon this as the rantings of a poor loser. That I will quickly correct. My Presidential candidate has lost the election before. I supported Gerald Ford in 1976, George H. W. Bush in 1992 and Bob Dole in 1996 so I have experienced loss in the political realm before. I am not a sore loser. But just because the opposing candidate has won the Presidency it does NOT mean that I should set aside my beliefs and principles to support someone in whom I do not believe in.
As an American I support the office of the President and respect the position even when I disagree with the office holder because he still is the leader of this Nation and the Commander in Chief of the greatest military in the world. But from a stand point of principle, core beliefs and supporting a policy that I have almost no agreements with is asking anyone to disregard personal and political philosophy just to wish success for someone who is polar opposite of what I believe and stand for.
It is possible to respect the office and not support the office holder. I can respect the fact that he won a successful campaign and the Presidency, but wishing Barack Obama success compromises those principles and ideology that I have believed in and fought for my entire adult life. I cannot wish success or even give the benefit of the doubt, what little there is, to someone who throughout his campaign of , " hope and change, " talked about change that I believe is destructive for our country and provides no hope in solving our problems especially those that have been created by government.
Not supporting him being successful as President is not a result of bitterness or anger but simply because my principles and beliefs cannot allow me to support policy that will take this country down a dangerous path through applying principles of socialism to a government that Constitutionally is a free Republic. I have disagreed with President Bush when he instituted policy and signed legislation that followed to an extent this dangerous path. I do not support the bailout programs or any of the entitlements and excess spending that were started while Bush has been President.
So just because Obama has been elected should I compromise my beliefs and principles just to support him because he will be President and wish him success ? Absolutely not. If Obama does something as President that I agree with I will support him but when he does not I cannot and will not blanketly give him my support because he is President. I hope and pray the he will continue to protect this Nation which is his Constitutional responsibility but supporting him just ,"because," is wrong and also contrary to my duty as a citizen.
The Constitution begins with, "We the people." Within the wording of this most precious of American documents are found freedoms that call on me as a citizen to speak out against a government or a leader in whom I disagree and the freedom to descent when my government is not following what I believe to be the right and Constitutional path.
Most in this country misunderstand what the Framers meant when they included freedom of speech as one of our first freedoms. Freedom of speech is NOT placing a crucifix in a bottle of urine and calling it art. The Founders had just fought a war to become independent from a Monarchy that punished opposition and either imprisoned or harassed anyone who spoke out against the Crown and the abuses that were forced upon the Colonies and the people.
Freedom of speech as the Founders saw it is the free and liberating ability to speak out against government and to openly disagree with its leaders without fear of reprisal or punishment. This does not provide a blanket immunity for violence in that opposition claiming free speech rights of descent but responsible and sensible and lawful opposition to that which we as citizens see as wrong and not taking our country in the right direction.
Therefore because of my beliefs and principles it is my duty as an American and one in whom the Constitution decrees as giving government the right to exist, opposing the person who sits in the Oval Office is not only right but expected of me when I disagree with him Support him when I believe he is right and oppose him when I believe he is wrong. It is my obligation as an American to hold the President accountable to what I believe and to Constitutional principles that are the foundation of this Nation.
Blanketly supporting ANY President neglects our responsibility as citizens and compromises our core beliefs when that President talks or governs in disagreement with those beliefs and principles. It is up to us as citizens to hold him accountable, and if opposing his policy is part of that accountability then we must do it. Even before he takes office based on what he campaigned on and the policy he presented in that campaign as his agenda when taking office.
Some still say, "he hasn't even taken office so give him a chance." Why should I, "give him a chance," when in doing so I compromise the very principles and beliefs that I have lived by and stood for my entire adult life ? Why should I, just to, "give him a chance," neglect what I believe is my responsibility Constitutionally to do as an American and oppose that which I believe is contrary to the direction this country was and still is intended to go ?
Barack Obama in his beliefs steps into the Presidency opposing that in which I believe and will use his Constitutional authority to try and take this country down the path that he campaigned on. He will not stop this agenda just because it disagrees with me as a citizen. He will not blanketly change his agenda to support my beliefs as a citizen. Remember even as President with all of the power and the authority he is still a citizen of the country and as such we have the same rights as he in standing up for what we believe and the principles we believe are right.
His beliefs do not support me and mine do not support him. Both of us have a Constitutional responsibility as citizens to express those beliefs. The difference is that he has Constitutional authority to make those beliefs legislative initiatives and law. As a citizen I have and equal responsibility to oppose those beliefs and his agenda to prevent it from becoming law. That is my duty and a sacred Constitutional honor that we have only in this great and free Nation. An obligation and honor that I will continue and fight for !
Ken Taylor
posted by The Liberal Lie The Conservative Truth | 9:38 AM
4 Comments:
You sound like me. I will respect "the office of the president". Big difference. I will not criticize Obama after he takes office unless he deserves to be critized. I will keep a close eye on him and watch what he does. I will speak up loudly and vehemently if I disagree with him. I believe that you and I, and conservatives in general, can disagree with him without sounding like the liberals did. I'm going to be sore for a long time with those who compared George Bush to Hitler!
Many people have expressed the belief that now that he's won, Obama will tend towards the middle. Personally, I don't believe it, but time will tell.
Hmm...and coming from the same side that claims you cannot support the troops unless you support the war and the president....
Gets a little tricky when the shoe in on the other foot...
I'd like to address Tao's comment - I don't know any conservatives who have agreed with President Bush on everything. I personally have never said you cannot support the troops unless you support the war and the president. I have said you cannot support the troops without supporting their effort, which happens to be the war in Iraq. The fact is we were in Iraq and are in Iraq, and as long as we remain there the troops and their effort - the war - must both be supported. You can't condemn what they are doing without condemning them! I stand by that.
I don't agree with what President Bush is doing here, either:
http://www.womanhonorthyself.com/?p=5230
Tao: Does this mean you all of a sudden support the use of U.S. military power?
I didn't hear anyone here say that they want the U.S. to LOSE the war in Iraq.
Do you now want us to win?
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