The past several months have been full of gloom and despair. Dire warnings of grave consequences have become part of the everyday news landscape. Writing about golf, we don't dwell on this, but everyone is aware of it. And everyone knows everyone is aware of it.
The deteriorating economy is an 800 pound gorilla if ever there was one, and it's been sitting right in the middle of the room, since early September. We've just been politely talking around it.
But that doesn't mean we can't fully embrace something hopeful when it happens. And for many of us today feels hopeful. I, for one, am happy to celebrate that.
"The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present" ~ Abraham Lincoln
Today is a day of national celebration, let's enjoy it.
ReplyDeletePatricia and Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteWhat are we celebrating today? Is everyone celebrating or is it just the 53% of voters who chose Barack Obama?
I'm a lifelong republican and I didn't vote for Obama, but I'm celebrating. I'm celebrating the departure of a president, and philosophy, that I feel damaged our party and our country.
ReplyDeleteI really believe that Barack Obama more closely aligns with the fundamental values that made me and my family going way back choose the Republican party.
JB, I think it goes beyond the 53%. Just about everyone had gotten really fed up those last two months waiting for GWB to leave. My father didn't vote Obama and he's happy today, at least theres some hope, we'll see what happens.
ReplyDeleteanonymous: "Just about everyone had gotten really fed up those last two months waiting for GWB to leave."
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting. Is that based on some scientific polling across the nation or just within your circle of relatives?
anonymous: "at least theres some hope,"
Well, I still have hope that the federal government will leave the economy alone and let free markets sort things out. But it's a very small hope. Were I a betting man, I would bet that the idiots in Washington would continue distorting free markets just as they have been doing for deacdes.
Sorry, Patricia, for not being as happy today as you are. I usually visit this blog to read about golf, which is my escape from the agony I feel about larger and more intrusive government.
I just hope he get's rid of the cargo shorts!
ReplyDeleteLook, I'm a Republican too, I'm frankly not a big fan of Obama for a lot of reasons, BUT watching the crowds in DC in the freezing cold, I have to admit it's pretty inspiring.
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ReplyDeleteJet beagle obviously lives under a rock if he is unaware of the unprecedented show of support & enthusiasm that president Obama received at this inauguration Election statistics aside, just from observing the crowd on the mall today it is obvious that far more than 53% of the US population are supporting this president. Things have changed, get with the program!
ReplyDeleteJust so there is no confusion, my favorite economist expresses very well my sentiments on this day:
ReplyDelete"I join many wise people in celebrating the fact that, for all of its flaws, the American political system is one in which political power is transferred peacefully, without bloodshed. But my celebration is tempered. We would be an even more civilized, peaceful, and prosperous -- and truly more progressive -- society if we significantly reduced the amount of political power that there is to transfer."
Don Boudreaux
Chairman of the Department of Economics
Cafe Hayek
George Mason University
I'm sorry - but putting Obama's name anywhere near Martin Luther King's or Abraham Lincoln is like painging a Lamborghini lime green. MLK's dream of a people united not on the color of their skin, but the content of their character has been completely reversed - and it makes me very sad.
ReplyDeleteWe will have another president who has never worked anywhere other than in the government, a Secretary of State who thinks it is her job to end world hunger and put us under the thumb of the UN...a treasury secretary who doesn't pay his taxes...and a Security Director who has no experience.
For the next four years ? Keep your fingers and legs crossed, comrades.
Hi Patricia
ReplyDeleteBoth you and I have been waiting for this day to come since last year. The world has just witnessed history in the making. Amen.
Oh god forbid someone wants to end world hunger, share the wealth or share anything for that matter, as Obama said in his speach it's not about big government or small government, its about government that works. why are republicans such sore losers? when bush won in 2000 he didn't win by by 53%
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: "Obama said in his speach it's not about big government or small government, its about government that works"
ReplyDeleteAnd that's the most frightening thing I've heard from a U.S. president in a couple of decades. I'm sure Obama truly believes the size of government doesn't matter. A simple course in economics would show him otherwise.
At least Bill Clinton - a Southern centrist - had the courage and wisdom to proclaim:
"The era of big government is over"
Republicans lost their privilege to govern because they forgot this wisdom.
Conservatives today are not sore losers. They're just damned scared that we'll see four years of government expansion by liberals. And yes, almost all conservatives were furious with the Republicans for the very same reason.
now there is a ball i would hit the crap out of...
ReplyDelete