A Well Overdue Exposition on My Reaction to the Recent Presidential Election and Current Political Scene (Or, my last political rant for a while)

The outcome of the election was certainly no surprise for me, but that did little to offset the discouragement, frustration, and outright fear for this country.

America has elected, by slight popular majority and large electoral majority, its new President for the next four years. The face of America. The leader of the free world. Argaubly the most powerful office on earth. And the man chosen to fill that role is Barack Obama.

I have already detailed why I could not support Obama for President. I stand by those reasons, and will not dismiss them. However, the office of President demands my respect as an American and a Christian. While I do not agree with a majority of his political ideologies and have deep misgivings about his abilities and motives, I must acknowledge his civil authority. Nonetheless I cannot and will not remain silent. Still, I hope that we all can work together for the good of the nation and its people.

I was reading an open letter to the President-elect today from none other than Chuck Norris himself, who besides roundhouse kicks and cancer-curing tears is known for his outspoken conservative views. He urged Obama to reverse the recent trend of expanding government, explicitly uphold the Constitution, protect human life, and strive for balance in leadership, despite Obama's promises to do otherwise. Chuck also reminded our next President that as an elected official he is in the employment of "we the people". As the people's highest representative he is expected to carry out the role of President on our behalf, with our consent. That is the fundamental concept of a republic.

A friend of mine brought up an excellent point yesterday as we glumly watched a news report on even more government bailouts. He pointed out that these corporations have, largely due to the influence of labor unions, become socialist economic systems. Now the government is essentially buying up falied socialism, while promising to implement more of the same. Who is going to bail out the USA when the failure flows uphill? Suddenly one world government seems a little closer.

I could go on and on. There is no shortage of reasons why believe the near future will not be as rosy as some hope. There are many points I could make on why Obama is not fit to be leader of the free world. But right now, all that is irrelevant. The die (or ballot, rather) has been cast, and only an act of God would likely change anything at this point. We are left to make what we can of the present, ever looking to the future. I am reminded, as I tend to be fairly often, of the words of Gandalf the Grey when I wish none of this had happened:

So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.

And so, I remain cautiously optimistic. There is strength and life yet in this great republic. May God continue to bless the United States of America.