Why Am I Optimistic?

When people ask me how I am doing, I like to answer, “If I were any better it would be illegal.” Today I spoke to a dear friend who expressed great concern for our country and the world, feeling that there were so many problems it was overwhelming. As I pondered on this conversation, I thought I should write this, because it is REALLY the way I feel.

Why am I so optimistic?

I am optimistic because our nation overcame racial intolerance by electing an African American to be our President. While I share in the tears of so many of our African American brothers and sisters in the relief that this election has provided and the hope that our country can finally set aside the separations of the past, I also realize that vestiges of intolerance will remain for a long time to come. AND I must say that while I am grateful for this HUGE hurdle to have been overcome, I am concerned and hope and pray that Barack Obama will set his liberal roots aside and govern our nation from a more moderate position, that he will seek guidance from on high, and will listen to the wisdom of folks who disagree with him.

I am optimistic because the men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line in our military, law enforcement and protection services care about our country and about democracy. They serve with honor and distinction, and give me hope for a brighter future.

I am optimistic because although our government made some huge blunders leading to this financial crisis we find ourselves in, the best people in finance and markets are working hard to correct these mistakes. There are sharp differences of opinions, but they are taking action, looking for solutions, being flexible in their responses, and demonstrating to me that they are doing their best to put things right.

I am optimistic because I have worked with teens for many years as a Scout leader and soccer coach. I see in the rising generation enthusiasm, morality, concern for their fellow beings, dedication to service, and love of country.

I am optimistic because there are so many good people in our great nation. Good people who opposed Proposition 8 because the believed it was not fair. Good people who supported Proposition 8 because they believed it was important for our children and our freedoms. Most were not motivated by hatred or intolerance, but by love of their fellow man and love of country.

I am optimistic because I believe that our elected officials have learned some hard lessons, and I have hope that they will be more willing and able to stick to their principles and not be blown about by the wind.

I am optimistic because the sun still shines, the birds still sing, the ocean is still blue and when spring comes, the hills will be covered in flowers. In my half century I have learned that life goes on, there are cycles, there are tragedies, there is evil in the world. But spring always comes, hope overcomes, and good always triumphs in the end.

I am optimistic because I see in my children’s eyes the hope of better things to come, the faith in a Power greater than their own, the desire to do right, the determination to try.

Trashing Sarah Palin?

Unbelievable! Idiotic! Ridiculous!

At the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama was a loaded freight train barreling down the tracks at an incredible pace, unstoppable by the bare handed John McCain standing in the way.

But then... John McCain did the unexpected, he put a mountain in the path of that train named Sarah Palin! The train narrowly avoided total destruction, but did come to a grinding halt, and for the FIRST time since the primaries ended John McCain took the lead in the polls almost overnight! Barack's big convention extravaganza was forgotten. Who else could have done THAT?

Blame McCain's loss on Palin? How STUPID is that!! What other Vice Presidential nominee has drawn the 10's of THOUSANDS of crowds that Sara Palin drew? In the SAME town in the SAME week Joe Biden drew a crowd of 800 while Sara Palin's crowds were over 10,000! Blame Sara for McCain's loss? I don't think so.

Who is going after Sarah? McCain's campaign staff who BLEW the lead that she handed them on a silver platter and are trying to save their pitiful careers by shifting the blame to someone else! Disgraceful.

Who is going after Sarah? The liberal media that fear what she will become and want to marginalize her as they successfully marginalized Dan Quail. Disgraceful.

Why did McCain loose? Because Bill Clinton did NOT listen to Paul Volker and repealed the Great Depression law that separated banks from investment firms and lead to the melt down of the financial markets in the middle of the election. With the economy in its worse condition in nearly 80 years, the voters (as they always do) blamed the party in power and went for the smooth talking Obama.

Blame Palin... give me a break!

Sarah Palin -- We love you, we thank you and we hope to see more of you!

The Audacity of MY Hope

Barrack Hussein Obama is President elect of the United States and the sky will NOT fall and there is a GOOD reason to celebrate.

An important barrier has been broken. It has been a great thing for most people in this country to be able to tell their children, "ANYONE can become President." Well, the honest will know that minorities, particularly black minorities, have never really felt that, and for good reason. When you grew up knowing that there were separate drinking fountains, separate bathrooms, separate schools, and places you could not enter because of your skin color, its pretty tough to believe that your child could someday be President of the United States.

I am glad that a black person was elected President, I just wish it were one that I had greater confidence would be someone I could trust to lead our country on a moderate path, if not a conservative one. I wish it were someone who understood the threat of Islamic Jihad to our nation, and I wish it were someone who would not appoint activist judges with a socialist and socially liberal agenda to our courts.

On the bright side again, President Elect Obama has shown himself to be a pragmatist, if not a moderate. He has shown, since his victory in the Democratic Primaries, that he will reshape his policies to match political realities. During the primaries he touted an immediate pull out of Iraq, "guaranteed." Since then he has not said that and in fact has taken a more practical approach and surrounded himself with advisors that know better and he seems to be listening to them. We will see.

On the brighter side, President Elect Obama has surrounded himself with some BRILLIANT financial advisors including Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volker (who warned Congress and Bill Clinton NOT to change the banking rules that would have prevented our financial meltdown this year) and Warren Buffet, arguably the greatest mind in the world when it comes to financial markets.

On the brighter side, the people did NOT give President Elect Obama a filibuster proof congress, so he will have to tone his programs down from the extreme liberal side.

Most folks do not know or remember that the inspired Founding Fathers of this nation DESIGNED our government to be difficult. While people complain that "nothing gets done" they forget that the Founding Fathers wanted it that way. They did not want it to be easy to change the course of this Nation. They wanted it to be difficult, they wanted politicians to spend more time in argument and debate than in passing legislation.

Sometimes that will work in your favor, and sometimes it will work against your personal interests. If you are a conservative like me, it will now work in our favor.

At least, that is the hope that I have the audacity to believe.