More Post Election 2008 Thoughts

Have you noticed it? I have. It may just be the region of the country I am in at the moment, but I think it may be an all encompassing feeling. This feeling of course is that of hope. I know the conservatives are hurting and they do not want to here about hope, but they need to regroup and come back stronger. One of my favorite political writers and conservatives, Peggy Noonan, in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal said, “History happens, it makes its turns, you hold on for dear life. Life moves.” Life moves, how accurate a statement for this historic election. A lot of things in this country are not on the right track today, but I am thoroughly excited for some unexplained reason. I am broke, unemployed, and getting rejected from graduate schools, but I am excited. I am not excited because my candidate won the election, because my candidate didn’t win the election nor did I expect him to, but because the entire world is excited about the outcome of this election. As for my vote, it went to the Libertarian candidate Bob Barr.

I chose to vote for Mr, Barr for two reasons. First, I have major discrepancies with both candidates nominated be the major parties. John “the Maverick” McCain sold his soul to the republican base instead of staying true to his beliefs (will the real John McCain please stand up?), and then he picked Mrs. Palin to be his running mate. His choice of Mrs. Palin still makes no sense; she’s unqualified and unprepared for national politics. As for president-elect Barack Obama, I do not agree with his plans for trade or health care. Creating harsher tariffs, quotas and reworking NAFTA will hurt the entire global economy. Free trade reduces the prices for goods and service worldwide. Mr. Obama’s actions could stymie the global economy driving up prices in global recession. Health care needs to stay in the private sector of the economy; placing it under the government will erode competition and drive up prices and/or taxes as we all pay for social health care. The other reason I voted for Mr. Barr is because I believe that America needs a legitimate third party.

I truly hope that Mr. Obama can govern from the center and he can avoid the demands of liberal congress that force him to the far left. Remember, Bill Clinton's first two years were a disaster until the Republican Congress came to power making him one of the most successful presidents of modern time.