I'm Afraid
Disclaimer: If you voted for George W. Bush do not read this post. The content of this message is not directed at you, I just need to get this out so that I can survive the next four years.
I'm afraid of George Bush.
I'm afraid of a nation that has given this man a wholesale endorsement of his past and future actions.
I'm afraid of a Democratic party that is so out of touch with the average American's values.
I'm afraid of another four years under the 43rd Reich.
The results of the election were dissapointing to me to say the least. I just can't believe that not only has Bush been re-elected but the American people have given substantial majorities in both houses of Congress to the Republican party. Think about it. Our system of government is based on checks and balances. That no longer exists. The Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches(thanks to Presidential appointments) are now under the control of one party and virtually one man.
I'm afraid of what George Bush spending his new "political capital" will cost me. What will it cost American workers? How about the elderly or the infirmed? The environement?
I'm afraid of a man that took this nation to war without listening to reason. As I have mentioned before, he never speaks of the now 11,000 dead Iraqi civilians. He diminishes the tragedy of their death by never even speaking of it. And we have collectively said that this behavior of his is acceptable by renewing his contract. What does that say about us?
I'm afraid of how he views his power. In an article in the L.A. Times today he was quoted as saying:
"When you win, there is a feeling that the people have spoken and embraced your point of view, and that's what I intend to tell the Congress."
I would be equally afraid of a Democrat who said this, but Bush did and given his history, there is cause for alarm. This man intends on force feeding his agenda on the entire nation. Open up and say ahh.
He has clearly stated that he intends to halve the deficit. How? With more tax cuts for job exporting corporations, how will this be accomplished. Simple, the Republican politicians learned in the 80's that it is unpopular to cut programs. So what the party leadership does is cut taxes first. When revenue dries up, then they cry out about there not being enough money and then programs get cut because it is 'prudent'. Beware of falling funding for education, the EPA and science programs.
His actions will adversely affect teachers, the elderly, students, people who like clean drinking water and many others. And we have allowed him and his partners in crime to do it.
I'm afraid of the Republican party leadership who helped Senator-elect DeMint in South Carolina into office. This guy has actually said that he doesn't think single mothers should be teaching in the classroom. What kind of mentality is this? Where the hell is our country going?
I'm afraid that George Bush is giving Christians a bad name. His advertising his faith is welcomed. The association that average people make between his faith and his behavior is troubling.
I know what my Christian brothers and sisters will say. God establishes the powers on Earth and He is in control. You're right. I agree with you. Its just sometimes I want to bang my head against the wall trying to figure out where it is all going and why. Anybody got a verse that can help me understand why I should keep voting ? I could use it.
Most of all I'm afraid for myself. I no longer know where I fit in the American political landscape. I used to think there was such a thing as bipartisanship. I believed there was such a thing as a moderate. I hoped there was still room for reason in politics. I just don't know anymore.
Peace to all.
7 Comments:
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Sherry, I thought about the third party vote myself. It seems like our choices get harder and harder. Thanks for commenting.
Sorry Sherry, I accidentily deleted your message when I meant to delete mine. Bloglistipation of the brain I guess.
I think the verse Psalm 71:5 is a good one for this occasion. In fact, the whole psalm is fitting.
"For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD ,
my confidence since my youth."
------------------------
Psalm 71
1 In you, O LORD , I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
2 Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness;
turn your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my rock of refuge,
to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
from the grasp of evil and cruel men.
5 For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD ,
my confidence since my youth.
6 From birth I have relied on you;
you brought me forth from my mother's womb.
I will ever praise you.
7 I have become like a portent to many,
but you are my strong refuge.
8 My mouth is filled with your praise,
declaring your splendor all day long.
9 Do not cast me away when I am old;
do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
10 For my enemies speak against me;
those who wait to kill me conspire together.
11 They say, "God has forsaken him;
pursue him and seize him,
for no one will rescue him."
12 Be not far from me, O God;
come quickly, O my God, to help me.
13 May my accusers perish in shame;
may those who want to harm me
be covered with scorn and disgrace.
14 But as for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
of your salvation all day long,
though I know not its measure.
16 I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD ;
I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.
17 Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
18 Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come.
19 Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God,
you who have done great things.
Who, O God, is like you?
20 Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
21 You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again.
22 I will praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will shout for joy
when I sing praise to you-
I, whom you have redeemed.
24 My tongue will tell of your righteous acts
all day long,
for those who wanted to harm me
have been put to shame and confusion.
man mike you are such a funkiller....
2Cor. 4:14 We know that the same God who raised our Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself along with you.
2Cor. 4:15 All of these things are for your benefit. And as God’s grace brings more and more people to Christ, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
2Cor. 4:16 ¶ That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. (the key to where we want to be)
2Cor. 4:17 For our present troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!
2Cor. 4:18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. (we need to be looking forward!)
Mike
I apologize how long it took me to respond. I've been buried myself.
Thanks for posting this. I was chicken, actually, to go too far. You went much further and were still supported; it's great to see.
I think Bush is whacked; his economic policy, his pathetic war, his jingoism, his personal limitations...I could go on. I can't believe we re-elected him either. And I have two words why, well, four: Karen Hughes, Karl Rove. Bush's team took a combat dodger who started a useless war and built a record deficit, who stood winking at the country while making his friends rich, and turned him into a war-hero moral visionary of the right. It really was politics.
And Kerry lost not because he couldn't talk; his team blew. He didn't vote for Bush's Iraq war; he voted to allow force if Hussein wouldn't comply with weapons inspections. Under pressure, Hussein did agree to let inspectors back in, but by then there was no stopping W, even in the face of international outrage, something he and his group publicly deride. Rove tapped into lots of streams in american consciousness, some positive, some dark: isolationism, patriotism, fear, revenge, the need for a strong center in times of trial, sexual moral concerns, all that. But above all, and I admit I heard this elsewhere, he managed to label Kerry as a flip-flopper. It was a ridiculous accusation, but it stuck because Kerry didn't refute it as he should have.
And so a guy who was actually in combat (and how much Kerry wanted to be there I don't know) became a peacenik weakling; a guy who used political connection to avoid combat a cowboy hero. A cowboy. Bush can't even ride a horse; he was raised a New England blue blood; that is incontestable. The texan thing came much later. His ranch was a pig farm before he bought it, and no real ranching goes on there. But he struts around in field jackets and says things like noohclere weapons and we think he's john wayne. But, as politics is about, well, politics, his team waged a much better battle.
And, as so often happens, the wealthy won for their agenda.
I know it's kind of chicken, blurting this out all here. Thanks for giving me the guts to do it. And I know Paul says all political power is given by God; well, then Nero, Caligula, Lenin, Hitler, Stalin...those guys weren't supposed to be questioned and deposed? They were tools of the most high? I don't believe it.
After reading Romy's post, I do want to understand the other side; but it's coming slowly. In many cases, I think people voted in response to a brilliant marketing campaign. Be well funkiller.
t
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