I have been passionate about elections for as long as I can remember. What I don't ever remember feeling is this incredible level of frustration! People that I know, and whose intelligence I respect, are voting Obama, but the reasons that they give are so ill-thought out. My brother has a Ph.D. and is a social psychologist. He opposes redistribution of wealth. His concern is for the working poor - for people with a strong work ethic who, for reasons not of their own making, are a paycheck away from disaster. His vote is going for Obama. Huh? Permit me a quotation:
“One of the tragedies of the Civil Rights movement was because the Civil Rights movement became so court-focused I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change.”
Obama goes on to suggest that while Americans (OF WHICH I WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE WERE I ALIVE THEN) were working to bring about the right for blacks to sit at lunch counters, they should have been been petitioning for the right to have someone else pay for the meal. Now, of course, Obama is blasting Fox News (http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/27/radio-interview-obama-laments-lack-supreme-court-ruling-redistributing-wealth/) for creating a news story where none exists, in his mind at least.
When are Americans going to wake up and take note of what this man represents, and of what he wants to do? His own words condemn him over and over. Joe the Plumber has become somewhat of a caricature in this campaign, but that should not detract from the fact that Obama did tell him, in no uncertain terms, that he wanted to take from those who had to give to those who did not. There goes the incentive of every single person in this country to strive to have more and to do more than our parents. There goes the notion of self-sacrifice and any idea of a work ethic. Entreprenuership? Why? Stick my neck on the line and assume all of the risk when there is no payoff at the end? All I get at the end of the line in Obamerica is the government's hand in my pocket. I don't mind paying my taxes. I firmly believe it is my duty, and the duty of ALL citizens, to pay taxes. But don't take my taxes and give them to citizens (and non-citizens) who don't pay any taxes - citizens who don't have my drive and my work ethic and, yes, my moral fiber. I know, how dare I impose my morals on anyone. I'm very old-fashioned. I actually got married before I had children. I have four children (gasp!), but they are all with one man (gasp!) and (brace yourself!) he's my husband! If you've recovered from your faint - keep reading.
I have a problem with my husband's paycheck being given to the individual who is not contributing to society in the way that contributions to society have always been measured. Why have tax breaks always been given to families (defined as married couples with children)? Because it has been deemed that this arrangement is the one that stands most to benefit society (I won't get into the social science statistics, but let's be honest - we all know them). Why, then, are my choices now to be financially punished, while the opposite arrangement is financially rewarded! When did we all become so backward? I can actually answer that question - when we began to worship at the altar of political correctness and tolerance. Look what we've bought with our currency: Obama.
Back to my brother: Dr. Bro. He's intelligent. He's hardworking. He has come so far to be where he is today. He has said that his concern is not as much with the welfare moms of whom I speak above - his concern is for the struggling middle class, who because of their education and work ethic should be upper-middle class. Why then would he cast a vote for Obama? Taking money from those who have it only serves to quash the very sector of society that creates jobs, which is the only way out of this whole mess in which we find ourselves!
I'll say this for our illustrious Democratic candidate: he has a big mouth. He has never made any pretentions about what he wants to do with our country. If we elect him, I suppose we deserve him. Michael Novak said that we elect a President who looks like us (please, people, move beyond the idea of descriptive representation here). That is why I hope and pray that we will elect McCain, because if the American people truly think that Obama looks like us in any way, shape, or form, then I am not sure if I even recognize America anymore. Maybe we truly are a nation of Obamericans.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
You are right. His ideals are wrong for America. and will take us closer and closer to a radical, fundementalist nation. All we can do is pray.
Keep up the good work.
Sandra Seaman
So well said. Although, I must add, if I only got my news from the mainstream media I would not know the truth of Obama's record either. If the Dems win, the DNC should throw a party for Katie Couric and Company for the non-stop, free-of-charge Obama commercials the mainstream media has aired. Thank you Barbara West,(the newslady in Fl. who had the audacity to question Joe Biden about O's policies), I pray your network will stand by you. True journalists, like you, are a rare breed.
Post a Comment