1) Democrats have been freaking out over Bush for the past 8 years. It’s annoying. It’s obnoxious. It’s irrational. I hope we’re better than that, but after last night and hearing some comments, I fear we aren’t. We don’t need another 4 years (or 8) of ridiculously divisive irrational hate for the “other side.” Disagree, fight for what you believe, but chill.
2) Republicans have been stereotyped for a while now as being stupid, naïve, close-minded, and uneducated. You completely back up those stereotypes when you talk about Obama being the antichrist, muslim, communist, godless. You back up those stereotypes when you claim that our country is going to hell. You only back up those stereotypes when you say you want to leave the country (which is interesting, considering the USA is still by a longshot the most conservative country in the world – anywhere else you go is more liberal). You show how close-minded you actually are by assuming that God would only support a republican. Would everyone have updated their status that they were praying like mad for our country if McCain had won? I somehow doubt it. You fulfill every stereotype by freaking out. Stop.
3) The president isn’t as powerful as we make him out to be. He doesn’t control the economy. He doesn’t make laws. Basically every single thing both McCain and Obama ran on, they don’t actually do. They can influence, but that’s it. If anything, congress is what you should worry about. They pass laws. They make bailouts. They spend the money. They’re the ones that will implement new tax plans, medical plans, social security stuff, education, EVERYTHING. All the president does is say “yes” or “no” to what comes to him. True, he can also propose legislation – but you can too! You can, right now, right up a law and send it to congress. He has more influence than you do, but that’s it. And as for congress, if you don’t like what they’re doing, the house is up for election every 2 years, so put in new people 2 years from now. 1/3 of the senate is up for election every 2 years as well (they have 6 year terms).
4) If you’re worried about what Obama will pass, don’t worry too much. The really controversial stuff that you may or may not have to fear probably won’t even make it to his desk. Republicans still have filibuster power in the Senate, meaning they can keep any bill they want from going through. Chances are they won’t use it an insane amount (I hope), but I’m confident they will on issues that you’re actually worried about.
5) We don’t know enough about Obama to have any rational opinions on anything. This could be good, this could be bad. Come January 20th, we’ll know more. I have no clue at all how Obama will lead this country – anyone that pretends to know is a fool. Once we see how he actually runs things, you can start making strong arguments, but right now, you really can’t. Every negative thing I know about Obama right now is an assumption based on associations and whatever limited real reporting on him I saw.
6) State and Local government affects your life MUCH more than the Federal Government does. Everyone remember Clinton? I was young, sure, but my family was fine. I lived a good life. My Dad was military, and even considering how much Clinton stopping helping our military, we were still good. No one that reads this can say that having Clinton as their president those 8 years made their life worse. Our country may have gone some directions people didn’t like, but your individual life was barely affected. Vote for mayor, governor, house, senate, license director, judges, etc. They actually do affect your life, your neighborhood, your city. Get good people in there, and the president probably won’t affect you one bit.
7) We have no idea who God supported in this election. Don’t pretend like you know. I don’t even know if God does pick a candidate. He has a plan, and no matter what happens in this world, we can’t mess that plan up. Maybe he wanted Obama! Maybe he would have preferred McCain. Or maybe neither – maybe he wanted Hillary or Huckabee! Who knows! When I went into that voting booth, I knew I wasn’t in control of the fate of our country (and not just because I live in Alabama). I knew I didn’t know who God preferred. I went in there, and to my best judgment, I voted for who I agreed with the most, because I couldn’t know who God wanted.
8) Running for president is different than being president. Being in the senate is different. What am I saying? The President has information that no one else is privy too. We don't know what Bush knows that Obama is about to find out. That could change a lot of things. We have no idea. New information always brings about new plans and new ideas for where our country needs to head. Obama will get that information soon if not already. By being President, by having this new information, he becomes a new person to the point where no one knows what will or won't happen in the future. Okay, so that was a lot like 5, kind of.
9) In 4 more years, if you decide that you “hate” Obama as much as you do now, vote against him. This whole country will get to decide again. 4 years isn’t that long. And who knows? Maybe you’ll vote for Obama in 4 more years! I can’t honestly say that I refuse to. I don’t know what the next 4 years will bring.
10) He is, or will be, President of the United States. A position of honor, power, high esteem, respect, and a lot of history. He is your, he is my president, he is our nations president. If you're too narrow minded to get through other problems you have, at the very least remember this one.
In closing: Chill. Calm down. Think rationally. Quit confirming bad stereotypes. Learn more about your government and our system of checks and balances. And get your news from a variety of sources (even I don’t just listen to talk radio and watch Fox News – though I enjoy both)! Most of all, I’d have to say my greatest recommendation is to learn as much as you can about issues. Without that, I hate to say it, but your opinion hardly counts.
Finally, I just wanted to say that I voted for McCain. I voted for Bush in 2004 (and I don’t regret it). But I’m honestly really excited for January 20th. I’m extraordinarily curious about Obama as president. I really want to know what kind of a president he will be. Also, I think it’s absolutely fantastic that we’ve come far enough to elect an African American president. It’s historic, and I’m pretty proud to be an American today.
First picture is at a concert/party with a whole bunch of us silly high schoolers. Ruben Studdard or however you spell his name was there, Fuel was there, Steven Baldwin, Hillary Duff, maybe another random band or two, and it ended with George W. Bush and Laura showing up. His daughters were also up in the higher stands.
And now the inauguration itself! I must say, it was MUCH less crowded than it looked to be on the news this year. You can actually see an empty space around us, which from the pictures on the news of Obama's, it didn't look to be so empty. While there though, it felt really really crowded. There was barely any room to even move or get on and off the subways!
