Are you still reading? Is anyone?
Ok - so I am taking full responsibility for these comments and they should NOT be attributed to any church affiliation or family affiliation or anything else. These are entirely my opinions.
A friend of mine posted some opinions on her blog today, and posed a question to her sister "You said that you are afraid of Obama. Why? I really want to know." Althought the question wasn't asked of me, I want to answer it.
I am afraid that Obama will pull the troops out of Iraq too quickly and that it will leave the area unstable and vulnerable. I am afraid that the Taliban (or worse - is there such a thing?) will take over and all that we have accomplished in improving life for the Iraqi people will be lost. I am afraid that those who hate America and want to destroy us will gain more power.
I am afraid that Obama will raise our taxes. At one point he was saying that it will be on people who make $250,000+, but he started by saying $40,000+. From what I understand, he is lowering that $250,000 bit by bit, and I don't think that it will be long before it is back down to $40,000. I am not against paying taxes. I understand that there are many services that our tax dollars pay for. I am against my taxes paying for able bodied people to live lives of idleness. Caplitalism works because it is motivating. If you pay people for doing nothing, what motivation do they have to find jobs, get educated, to better themselves? If you take people's hard-earned money away, what motivation will they have to work hard to earn that money?
I am afraid that Obama will socialize medicine. I don't want people to go without healthcare! I don't want my kids to go without healthcare! But we have the best advancements in medicine in the world - other countries are decades behind us because we have a market for competition! A friend of mine had her father in the States from the UK when he had a heart attack. The doctors here were able to intervene and save his life. If he had had the heart attack in England, he would have died because he was too old. They will not intervene after a certain age, because it is not cost-effective!
I am afraid of what Obama wants to do with the Supreme Court. He has promised to appoint justices who will work in favor of the poor. Ummm - Supreme Court Justices are supposed to work in favor of the CONSTITUTION! They are not supposed to favor any person or group of people.
I am afraid of what our economy is doing. No one can blame Obama for this, but whatever promises he makes, I don't think that he can save us from what is coming. We as a people have created this problem, and we as a people are going to have to deal with the consequences and learn the hard way to live within our means, to be grateful for what we have, and to be wise with our stewardships.
Now I don't pretend to be the most politically savvy person. I quit watching the debates when they turned into a contest of "I know you are but what am I?" So if I am wrong about any of the above, feel free to correct me. I want to know. I REALLY want to understand why everyone loves Obama so much. All I have heard is that he stands for "change". No one is going to argue that there needs to be serious change, but I want to know what kind of change. All of the changes I have heard that he wants to make do not sound good to me at all. Please - someone change my mind! Convince me - really!
From my friend's blog - I hope she doesn't mind me reprinting it....
As Americans, we have given up our rights in a search for security. We have let fear enter and run our lives. You said you are afraid of Obama. Why? I really want to know. A majority in this country thinks that this man can bring about change. Some of that majority thinks he will just wave a magic wand and make their lives better. Ridiculous. This country is screwed up. We have lost our way in the journey to find life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and are now paying an incredible price. Do I think Obama can fix this? I don't think he can do it alone.
I couldn't agree more with this. We have lost our way - we have lived in the greatest country on earth for too many generations without appreciating it. We have had every luxury and still coveted more. We have increasingly turned our backs on God and his laws, preferring to worship athletes, actors and rock stars with our attention, imitation and money. We have forgotten the values that made this country great in the first place, and only a return to values, to gratitude, and yes, to God will heal our nation and solve our problems.
On the bright side - these are now in stores. Totally the upside of my day-after-an-election- gone-wrong day.
9 comments:
Kari, I agree with so much of what you had to say. I had such a pit in my stomach last night and today I just wanted all the election signs to go away so I didn't have to keep thinking about it. It will be interesting to see where our country is in 2 to 4 years. I have hope for the best, but there is a nagging fear...
Laurel - can you allow me on your blog? I miss checking up on you!
Yep, sorry, I thought I left you a comment on an old post... you need to email me at laurel.r.wool@gmail and I will send you an invitation! (that goes for anyone else who reads this who wants access!) Then, once you're loggend into your google account, you can just link to our blog like normal!
kara! this is great. thank you for replying and please look for an article on my blog. i would love to find the answers to your questions, whatever they may be. thank you for taking the time to write this. its wonderful and you quoted me. awesome!
I hate to say it but what can we do? Obama has been elected. We have to live with it. I voted and thought it was important but I hate being on the losing side for more resons than just the fact that it sucks. I have fears for the future as well but the world can't be too bad a place with old fashioned candycane Oreos to eat. Stock up, it might be a rough four years...
Shari
AMEN!!!! It makes me wish I was a little more prepared like our Prophet's have asked us to be. It will be a very interesting next few years. A big sigh of doom and gloom! :(
"Our nation, which possesses greater resources than any other, is rent, from center to circumference, with party strife, political intrigues, and sectional interest; our counselors are panic stricken, our legislators are astonished, and our senators are confounded, our merchants are paralyzed, our tradesmen are disheartened, our mechanics out of employ, our farmers distressed, and our poor crying for bread, our banks are broken, our credit ruined, and our states overwhelmed in debt, yet we are, and have been in peace" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Section V, 1842-1843, at 249 (1976 Deseret Book Company)).(Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 1976 edition on page 249, last paragraph.) I received this quote in my email from Paula W.
Kari, I'm reading this way late and I love that you put yourself out there and voiced your thoughts and feelings. I can not articulate my thoughts even half as well as you when it comes to politics. November 4th was a very disappointing day for me. I felt very let down. And then just as my friend said, the sun rose again the next day and I allowed myself to move on. I'm trying to find the positive in this. And I'm praying for our country. And our new President-elect.
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