Paying Peter Back

It’s over, finally.  I was pretty sure Obama had this in the bag especially in light of the financial crisis.  It couldn’t have happened at a worse time for the GOP ticket.  More than that though Obama ran a better more energized campaign.  Even Ben Stein said the McCain campaign was the worst he’d ever seen.  Republicans really dug into this hole the past few years.  First with spending like mad men.  Which of course will now continue with a largely Democratic Washington.  Second, the scandals.  There was a lot of broken trust and they did it to themselves. [ This is completely aside from the Fannie Mae BS that was largely stonewalled by democrats but that's neither here nor there]

I’d have to say my #1 complaint in the coming months/years will be the spending.  Frankly, no matter who won was going to have to raise taxes.  Lowering taxes is really a pipe dream.  Contrary to popular belief the Obama tax cuts aren’t cuts, they’re welfare.  When someone who doesn’t pay taxes gets a check from the government it’s welfare.  I said a while back that a lot of the programs are mathematically challenged as far as where the money will come from.

Back in 1994 Clinton was challenged on the “Hillary Care” program becauase of the same reasons.  The calculations were bust.  I can imagine that a lot of the Obama proposals will meet the same challenges which brings me to my final point.

I think that a lot of people are going to be disappointed with this presidency and here is why: Washington politics.  Candidates over the years run on these big platforms to get things done and if the general consensus of the country opposes it, it won’t get done.  Remember privatized social security?  I thought it was a good idea but don’t get me started in on Social Security.  I’ll say this though, it makes the current financial mess look like a minor clerical error in comparison.  People didn’t want it though.  It was rejected.  Things have to pass through the House and Senate.  Democrats have a majority but not enough to ram things through unchallenged.  The President doesn’t have a magic wand and ride a unicorn on a beam of dreams and wishes.  It’s a process.  It’s lots of processes.  He’ll also have to compromise and appeal to the other side when pushing certain items through.  A president should do that.

So things might not come in the form as promised during the campaign.  They’ll end up a little more moderate and appealing to a larger group.  That will probably not be enough for certain republicans.  And some democrats will feel it’s catering too much for the party that isn’t even in power.  Oh well it takes all kinds.

So a lot of things just simply aren’t going to get done or they’ll be revamped several times to get them done.  Obama will have all the intentions of pushing his proposals but they will undoubtedly meet opposition on the hill and the senate floor.  Basically a lot of people will get soured by the experience of seeing how things pan out in Washington.  I know I’ve been soured by it.

So the new tagline will be:  Yes we can, well maybe, sometimes…

Republicans?  You guys have to seriously step back and reevaluate where you stand and what you believe in.  No I’m not a textbook republican.  I’m technically Libertarian but that guy never wins so what’s the point? :)  GOP has a lot of soul searching to do to get back on the right track.  Reagan is a great place to start if anyone is listening.  Among the many great things he said, here is a tidbit:

Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.

So congratulations to President Elect, Barack Obama.  I will not agree with his agenda more than likely but he is our next president and it was the will of the American people.  This is the greatest country in the history of mankind in one of the greatest ages of mankind.  Godspeed.

edit:

Basically what this guy says sums it up

p.s. at least McCain won Georgia, sooo, neener!

Tags: election, final word, house, policy, president, senate