Thoughts on the Election

Posted on November 4, 2008
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments

First off, I’m pretty dang glad it’s over. Please. Next time. Don’t let there be a never ending election cycle. Ugh.

As many know, despite being what one would probably call a conservative, I voted for Obama. Not because I’m excited about him (although I am glad that we’ve had a black President now – I’d like to see an Asian American one next). Rather it was more a vote against McCain and what I see as the weakness of his temperament. Over the last couple of months I’ve linked to a few essays by much better spoken conservatives than myself who’ve made similar points.

My hope is that out of this defeat that the conservative movement can reinvent itself and do more than merely pay lip service to economic conservative principles and small government. I don’t know that they will. Afterall I’d have thought 2006 would have been a wake-up call when far too much was business as usual for the party.

If the liberals in the Congress take this victory as more than it is – doing what Bush and Clinton before did – there will be an inevitable backlash. Further it is much easier being on the offense than the defense. (I’ve hated having to defend the Republicans the past 8 years when they’ve done so much wrong despite some of the attacks being ridiculously exaggerated) In reacting against liberalism the Republican party might regain their authenticity and rediscover their roots.

That said I think the world and the nation is in bad enough shape so as to need good government now. I think it is in all of our best interests if Obama is the most successful President in years. I hope and pray he governs from the center and can solve many of the problems besetting our country. I really hope that this huge change gets people out of the doldrums of the economic downturn and that things get going again. I really hope that our problems with radical Islam, with the danger of WMDs, and much else is overcome by Obama.

Frankly there’s no way Obama is as bad as some conservatives are fearing any more than Bush was as bad as some made out. Although I certainly hope (and frankly believe) that Obama is simply far more competent than Bush was. Hopefully he won’t make the same level of mistakes Bush did.

I was very happy, listening to his acceptance speech just now, that he reached out to Republicans. I’d note that Bush appeared to have done the same. Fortunately Obama didn’t have to deal with the spectre of a contested election to make the polarization worse. The fact is that Obama is all of our President. And we all ought hope he succeeds.

Related posts:

  1. Thoughts on the Inauguration
  2. The Rise and Fall of the Republican Era
  3. Utah Republicans Becoming Liberal
  4. Politics of Energy
  5. The Health Care Finale
  6. Mormons and the Election

Comments

3 Responses to “Thoughts on the Election”
1 Gerald Smith on November 5th, 2008 8:34 am

I agree that we need to have Mr Obama in our prayers for success. After all, his failure ends up hurting all of us.

Clark, what is your opinion on the upcoming Congress? More democrats have been elected, but many of the new ones from 2006 and now are moderates. Will this moderation affect how the Democrats will work? Will Harry Reid embrace Joe Lieberman or kick him out of power in the Democratic caucus?

Why do you think that more of the new Democrats are moderates? Everything I’ve read suggests that there has been more polarization in the Democratic party in the Senate and House. At least as compared to 1992. The same effect is going on in the Republican party.

To be honest that, more than anything else, worries me. That’s why I mentioned that I hope Obama can control his party. Bush controlled the Republican party very effectively although this ended up significantly hurting the party for obvious reasons. I think there are many, many Democrats who want to enact a lot of radical policies. (Getting rid of hidden ballots for unions being the obvious one people have been worried about the past months) If they do this then we’ll end up with some very bad laws and a backlash in 2010 or 2012. However while I think that would help reinvigorate the Republican party I would much rather have Obama control the Congress and rule from the center which is where he ran the last year. (Even in the primaries he ran from slightly to the right of Clinton) I think I would like Obama if he is center-left on social issues and center-right on economic issues. But I’m not at all convinced that will happen.

What happens to Lieberman will be interesting. I don’t know. I think he’ll be even more excluded but perhaps Obama will reach out. I don’t know.

The interesting question to me is what happens to Romney. I didn’t like Romney during the primaries – primarily because he had no passionate issue and came off as inauthentic. I think he has the opportunity to significantly reinvent himself. But he’ll need to find something to do the next 2 – 3 years.

Just to add, the best discussion by a conservative voting for Obama I’ve seen is this one by Mickey Edwards being interviewed on NPR. He helped cofound the Heritage Foundation so obviously is a pretty solid conservative. It’s worth listening to,

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