Election Results: Sadness and Apprehension
// 11.5.08 // Filed under: Parenting
This morning, my insides are in a knot. I expected Obama to win. What I did not expect was the immense sadness and apprehension I would feel as a result. If I didn’t have to take care of my kids and function as a mom, I might be in my closet, curled up in the fetal position, rocking back and forth.
Many bloggers and Tweeters have recorded their thoughts about this year’s Presidential election using words like historic, proud, hope, change, and “The world is a better place today.”
Sure we’re disgusted with what’s happened in our country, but give me a break.
While I acknowledge the great significance of electing our first black president and I give Obama credit for bringing out a record number of voters, I don’t see how his win is some climactic “dawn of a new day.” When people get disgusted with a situation, it’s natural to look for change. And it makes it easy for someone promising “change” to get the support of the people. Even Jimmy Carter got elected promising change after Watergate and the results were out of control inflation, 23% interest rates and the humiliation of the hostages in Iran. Carter left America so disgusted even Reagan promised a change. Then Clinton promised change after the Bush recession.
But just how is Obama going to change our country? Let’s examine:
- He’s going to socialize health care. He’ll shift the cost of health care from the individual to the government. Yes, less personal responsibility! Your choices for health care and insurance will be diminished as the government slowly centralizes the industry in the name of “making things better for everyone.”
- He’s going to raise taxes on everyone from Joe the Plumber to the wealthier segment of the population, including the many small businesses that create jobs and drive the economy. I vehemently disagree with Obama’s words: “When you spread the wealth around it’s good for everyone.” No, scratch that. I DO agree with that statement, but I DON’T think it’s the government’s job to spread the wealth. It’s the citizens’ prerogative. There is nothing in the Constitution stating the government has the right to steal my assets and give them to someone else. If the wealthier are taxed more, they invest less, they donate less, they hire less workers and they feed the economy less by spending less money. And businesses who are taxed more may be driven out of business or out of the country.
- He’s going to give the government more power over education by throwing more money at the problem. And we all know how effective that is. While it’s unclear how Obama will move on education (he supports “experimenting” with vouchers to see if the system could work), it’s clear that the NEA is a huge Obama supporter. This certainly does not bode well for those of us wanting more privatization of schooling. And as far as I can tell, he does not support homeschooling at all.
And yet it’s like the friggin messiah has arrived.
Do people really want to be told what to think? Does no one see that we’ve been inching closer to George Orwell’s 1984? To V for Vendetta? Keep your guard up, Americans. It’s not far off.
Read this excellent post from Consent of the Governed.
Universal Healthcare: The Slippery Slope
BlogHers Act – Educational Freedom
Your Child Can Be A Human Body Detective
23 Responses to “Election Results: Sadness and Apprehension”
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Thank you………Your post mirrors my sentaments exactly………..:)
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This is a well-written post. I was resigned to the fact that no matter what the outcome of this election I was going to feel apprehension and unease. I hate that’s the way I feel about our country’s future right now, but it is what it is.
I feel exactly the same way. I just had a nervous breakdown in the shower, crying my brains out so I could hide it from my kids. I am super-sad, and the way people do ADORE Obama freaks me out. Also, I feel like I am being made to feel like I am a bad person if I express disappointment at the election results. I just wanted my side to win, can’t I be sad for a minute?
Jenny from Mommin’ It Up!s latest blog post… TodayâÂÂs the Day!
I agree. I’ve never wanted to leave the country before now. I like it here. But I don’t think I’ll like the new America much. The one that takes away my choices and hard-earned income and children.
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I have to say the only thing I liked Obama for was that we can keep our group/employer insurance and not be forced into the individual market like McCain so wanted.
I’m glad the election is over and Obama now has 4 years to prove to me he can do the job.
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Do you REALLY believe that?
Wasn’t it the Republicans who have enacted laws giving them the ability to do things like tap your phones for no real reason, to arrest people for no real reason and so on/
You were well on your way to a fascist state long before Obama showed up.
While I do not think he is the greatest guy ever…I do not think he will be plunging you into a fascist state like V for Vendetta or 1984..I saw Fascist…because that is not socialism.
Again..your allies..the Brits are socialist…the Labour Party in the UK is a socialist party.
Canada is considered socialist just because of our healthcare..which is NOT controlled by the government.
You will be surprised to know I have more choices than you probably do depending on your health insurance about who I get to see and what hospitals I want etc.
I think you need to look at modern WESTERN societies that have a socialist bent to perhaps allieviate this weird fear.
Not to mention he has a very short time to fix a huge and bloody mess
Hi Kerry. Oh yes, we have been on our way to Fascism for awhile. And that’s really the point of my post. I feel like Obama’s election has just put the final nail in the coffin. I never said the Republicans would have been saviors, but they would have been a bit better than Obama.
I don’t want to compare the USA to Britain or Canada. I want to compare the USA now to the USA that was intended by our constitution. And really, the comparison is quite depressing.
Hi Shannon;
Aunt Genia here,
You know I love you but….
you wrote “If I didnâÂÂt have to take care of my kids and function as a mom, I might be in my closet, curled up in the fetal position, rocking back and forth.” Now ,it’s my turn to say “give me a break”.
Surely you realize that no ONE elected official
has the power to do those things you are so sure will happen?
historic — certainly
proud — why shouldn’t Obama & his supporters be proud? Wouldn’t you be if your candidate had won?
hope — we ALL should hope this will be a good thing for our country.
change — we CERTAINLY need that!
We had 2 choices yesterday…whether these two
were the best our country has to offer is probably debatable. I feel that the good guys won’t run because of all the mudslinging and digging into private matters but these 2 are who we had….and to not vote is never an option for me at least.
my advice to you is “breathe”. Can’t be worse than W.
[...] here is a homeschooling mom that if it weren’t for needing to care for her children, would be in my closet, curled up in the fetal position, rocking back and forth. Just a little over dramatic, do you think? She also goes onto worry about socialized health care, [...]
Hey Genia – you know me, over-dramatic is my middle name.
I basically agree with you but it makes me nuts the way everyone is acting like he is THE ONE. And yes, he is just one elected official – but he has the power to appoint people in govt around him that agree with his agenda. And then there’s the Democratic majority in the House…
I’m not sure why people respond in such an emotional way (positive AND negative) to Obama. He’s not the messiah or some horrible demonic character. Probably not the nail in the coffin either. And changes that cost money will likely be set aside as our economy continues to struggle.
I do think our founding fathers would be quite shocked with what has happened to our country. They might think our key mistake was to let women and blacks vote. If only we’d kept to having just white men vote, the election might have turned out quite differently.
I don’t see it. Now, if McCain had of won then I’d agree with the 1984 analogy (though, I’d probably say more along the lines of Handmaid’s Tale). But Obama? Have you read 1984 lately? Perhaps it’s time to pick up a copy and give it another go through. I like thinking for myself. Which is why we have to kick the “white, wealthy, Christians are the only real Americans screw everyone else in the country” politicians out of office and get some people in who actually care about our country. That’s why I’m thrilled to have voted Obama.
Your post expresses some of the fears I have, but even with that said I still think the way the country responded and voted was really inspiring. And, if Obama CAN heal racial divides and inspire people, that is something too. I am worried about all the other things you’ve mentioned as well, but I’m more worried by the slant in Congress than who got president. We’ve lost our balance now for the first time in a long time and a lot could change. I guess we’ll just hold our breath and hope for the best.
BTW–it took a lot of courage to post this and I admire that.
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My nine year old son cried when he heard Obama was elected….I was close myself.
But, my faith is in a Higher Power, not a politician, and I will pray that He leads Obama in the right path. Obama ain’t got nothin’ on Him!
How can you be so consistently wrong? Every one of your three examples is just factually wrong.
Read beyond Fox News and friends and none of this will seem as frightening.
Nance
Oh. My. Gawd! It’s soooo refreshing to find you. I couldn’t agree more — in fact, if I hear one more person say ‘I’ve never been more proud to be an American’ I swear I will rip their eyebrows out through their nostrils. I am always proud to be an American and of this country, even if the president isn’t my choice. Not to mention the fact that there will be no checks and balances within the congress and senate. Nope, none of this makes me any less PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN. Period!
Thanks for listening.
You’re just being honest. I voted for Obama. Still. I cried. Raising a family – not to mention, weeding through all the rhetoric and living the reality that we ARE in some serious deep crap – will do that to a person. Nope, I don’t think you’re being dramatic. Not one bit.
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Great post!
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My sentiments exactly! I don’t know why people are so hell bent on thinking that Obama will wave his magic Democratic wand and create a miracle.
I’m a Obama supporter and all but we’re all expecting too much of the guy.
Ah well… On another note.. It still terrifies me that someone like Palin had a chance to oneday become President..
Caio
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Hi-
I say let’s take a step back and not panic. Obama is neither the Messiah, nor the reason to hide in the closet, at least not yet. Let’s give him a chance to prove himself. He WAS chosen by the people in a constitutinal way.
David Letterman wrote this; (it’s the Letterman we don’t often see) …
‘ As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark.
‘The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right?
The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain’t happy and want a change. So bein g the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, ‘What are we so unhappy about?”
A.. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day,
7 Days a week?
B.. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?
C.. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?
D.. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?
E.. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state?
F.. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?
G.. I guess having thousands o f rest aurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.
H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the
hospital.
I.. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.
J.. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames, thus saving you, your family,and your
belongings.
K.. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.
L.. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenag ers own cell phones and computers.
M.. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?
Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy.
Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don’t have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here’….it continues for a while.
Hi Jess and thanks for your comment. I appreciate what you are saying about being grateful. However, I don’t see it as a bad thing that people are dissatisfied and want more and more and more. In fact, I believe that’s what has made our country prosperous. Hard work, ambition, selfishness, capitalism. All these things are seen by some as dirty words and that really drives me nuts. Liberals like Letterman want us to think that we have so much compared to the rest of the world and we don’t deserve it. That only those who are poor and struggling are noble, while those of us who work hard and are successful are spoiled brats. I don’t subscribe to that line of thinking.
Shannons latest blog post… Election Results: Sadness and Apprehension
Hi, Shan,
You said:
“That only those who are poor and struggling are noble, while those of us who work hard and are successful are spoiled brats.”
I can tell you from experience, that being poor and stuggling, while it may be noble, is no fun. I can also tell you that working hard and being successful is a whole lotta fun, and I wish it were that simple. Throw in Murphy’s Law and you end up working hard, being successful, and still poor and struggling. Bad things happen to good people who work hard, and no matter how much we don’t want to look outside the window of our safe, warm homes at these people they still effect our lives and our children’s lives.
If everything goes as planned, parents pay for college or at least help and support you, you get married, then husband and wife are successful, have healthy children, no unforseen problems, natural disasters or illnesses, life is good. Throw in one element of hardship and everything changes. It not as simple as just working hard for a lot of people, and we need leaders that really know and understand that.
Jess, your last comment is completely right. It sucks that bad things happen to anyone. But that doesn’t make the people who are happy “spoiled brats.” And it’s not the government’s (or the taxpayer’s) job to take care of everyone that has something bad happen to them.