"What Now?"

[Warph]

The Constitution was very much a document of its time. It reflected the very best thinking of enlightenment and pre-enlightenment philosophers.  But it is not a perfect document and to say today that Obuma will toss it out the window I believe goes too far in describing what he will try to do.  It is the difficulties of today that will dictate how he approaches our challenges.  And in the context of Constitutional precepts written 220 years ago, he will stretch some of those no doubt to achieve what he wants.

Where he reaches too far, we Republicans will smack him down.  But I believe he should get some leeway if only because our founders did the same thing when they first confronted the theory of the constitution with the reality of their times.

The problems of early America were enormous, having just come through a ruinously expensive war, a barely united populace behind the idea of a country at all, and squabbling about everything from land grants to borders among the several states.  In fact, once the Constitution was ratified, the universal question on everyone's mind was "Now what?"

How could they even begin to solve these massive difficulties?  The Constitution was, after all, just a piece of paper.

It helped that George Washington was the first president.  Not a brilliant man by any means, Washington's strengths were his leadership ability and his sterling reputation – something he used as vintner might pour out wine from a carafe.  The longer Washington was in power, the more his reputation suffered, the more empty the carafe became. Washington deliberately expended his most precious resource to keep the country from flying apart.

After 8 years, his reputation was still great enough that he was able to keep us out of what would have been a catastrophic war between England and France while putting the nation (with Hamilton's scheming help) on a sound fiscal footing.

Obuma is no Washington although I believe he has demonstrated some leadership qualities that some recent presidents have not.  The guy has to have something inside of him to create the kind of mass movement I saw last night in Grant Park at the Obuma Victory Rally.  Easily 80% of that crowd of nearly a million were under the age of 25.  Media and money help, no doubt about it.  But our new president-elect has something else about him as well; the ability to inspire.  That is a quality not all politicians have and I have a feeling we will have need of that ability before all is said and done in the near future.

The long line of pundits, politicians, academics, and advisors is already forming, each clamoring to showcase his or her prescriptions for how the new president-elect should solve the many foreign-policy problems awaiting him at the White House door.  There are the obvious ones, such as dealing with instability in Iraq and Afghanistan and countering Iran's and North Korea's nuclear ambitions.  Then there are those that in the long run will be more important to his country's security and well-being: reforming the global financial system, enhancing energy security, managing a growing antiglobalization backlash around the world, and reforming global institutions that are no longer up to these challenges.

It might seem logical for President Obuma to attack this formidable agenda simply by starting with the biggest and most pressing problems first, and then working through the long list of others. But this piecemeal approach—of tackling problems in isolation from one another—is doomed to fail, because it puts us back in the same ruts where we've been stuck for years.  Sorry George.

I am finally over my "Mad" from Obuma's victory last night but don't think I have caved for the "ONE".  Believe me, that will never happen.  I will probably oppose 90% of what Obuma and the democrats try to do.  Some people on this forum will question how I can do that and still claim to see Obuma as "my president."  If that's the kind of attitude Obuma supporters are going to have I fear for this country.

Such authoritarian impulses are common in mass movements and it remains to be seen whether Obuma is strong enough to resist the temptations such support presents for him.  It would be easy to turn to his true believers in times of political trouble and simply ride roughshod over the naysayers.  Let's hope he has the moral compass and clarity of vision to see beyond such pettiness and embrace diversity of opinion – even when things get rough.

One thing is certain; Obuma, the democrats, and liberalism are going to be given a chance.  There's not much we conservatives can do about that.  Do we work to constructively engage the opposition or do we simply participate in mindless, partisan hackery?  I'm not saying that we shouldn't fight, and fight hard, for what we believe in.  But we shall soon see if Obuma is serious about engaging us in a dialogue.  If he is, I would think that for the sake of the country, we try to meet him halfway.

We must pick and choose our spots over the next 4 years.  Constant caterwauling about every little thing an Obuma Administration does will get us nowhere.  While we should oppose those things that we believe are detrimental, perhaps it wouldn't kill us if we actually looked around to see if there was anything we could support him on?  Like getting him to support a bill for drilling within the 50 mile limit.

Obuma has spoken passionately on issues of individual responsibility for African American fathers and other single parents.  This is conservative bread and butter and I would have absolutely no problem in helping our new president make those words a reality.

I know most of these words are falling on deaf ears.  But I believe in democracy.  And in case you haven't noticed, the majority has just spoken as loudly and as specifically as they can in a democracy.  If it is all or nothing for you – if you wish to oppose the color of the curtains Obuma picks out for the Oval Office – then I wish you luck in your solitude.
I plan on being engaged the next 4 years – fighting against those things I believe need to be fought while offering what support I can wherever I see our interests merge.  That is the role of a responsible opposition.

Who knows?  Perhaps we can teach liberals a thing or two about what it means to be in the minority.


.......Warph

[pam]

Common sense at last in a world gone mad......you get lemons make lemonade.

[flo]

Warph, I have read your post in it's entirity and I fully agree with you except for the name of our president.  That correct spelling would be Obama  .  We have to remember that a country divided will not solve the problems we face.  You mention the victory crowd being mostly under age 25.  No doubt he has inspired the younger generations to get involved.  I'm wondering if this is do, in part, on his ability to "electronically" connect with the younger generations.  Whatever the reasons, he is now our president and the country must rally.  There will be many things a lot of people will not agree with, but that is the political process in this great America.  Thank you for your post.  At least it makes common sense.

[mtcookson]

My biggest problem with this:

We have to remember that a country divided will not solve the problems we face.

Whatever the reasons, he is now our president and the country must rally.  There will be many things a lot of people will not agree with, but that is the political process in this great America.

The dems haven't done this or haven't understood this for the last 8 years... yet now they ask the conservatives to do it.

I'm thinking the only thing I will do is start to become more fair, like how the dems/liberals wants us to be, so in that case, I will not rally... because it is only fair.

[sixdogsmom]

Warph, I entirely agree with all your post. And I will make this concession; if you will stop calling Obama by the name Obuma, then I will stop calling George Bush Dubya! 

I too was impressed with the crowds that were out celebrating, but I would like to make this point. Most were young people, but it would take more stamina than most older folks to muster to stand in a crowds for upwards of five to six hours.

[Teresa]

Warph..............
Damn! You're good... 

sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...okay.......................

I'll TRY..............

[Diane Amberg]

I'd still like to see Nancy and Harry go far, far away.

[Teresa]

I'll even pay for their ticket to "nowhere"..if they will just stay gone.