Making your voice heard

First of all, I am happy that an African American has achieved the highest office in the land. It proves that anyone can achieve anything in our great country.  I disagree with the agenda that President-elect Obama has campaigned under.  However, I will stand with him to help heal this country and move forward.  I reserve my First Amendment right to disagree, however.  In addition, he is my President too and he will have my respect and my prayers.  He has a difficult road ahead. 

I do hope that he keeps one campaign promise of working with those outside his party and not be like Harry Reid who has basically proclaimed that now the liberals can put forth their agenda unhindered by dissenting votes.  I don't see that as working together and I hope President Obama will be better than this administration at working across the aisle.  I have seen and heard horrible and hurtful things come out of the mouths of Democrats too.

Ms. Davidson,

Thank you for your post.  I was very glad to see it here.  I'm not a Republican, but I'm pretty far from Liberal also.....so it is very often hard to find anything to identify with among these posts.

Your are correct, not all Republicans should be smeared with being called racists. Many Republicans voted for Obama.
They looked at the choices presented and selected the best person for the time. Many Republicans who voted for McC/P also are not racists but voted because they felt that it was for the good of the country.

Yes, Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation that ultimately freed the slaves. But in a letter to Horace Greeley he said that if he could preserve the Union by maintaining slavery he would have. The Civil War and his own consciousness changed his mind. But it wasn't instant and it was totally counter to what people in and outside of his party wanted.

Yes, African Americans participate in not just the Democratic party but are Greens, Independents, Peace and Freedom and yes, even Republicans. Any politician who does not recognize the value of diversity in crafting effective policies is in trouble. Which is what happened when the current administration didn't listen to moderate voices from either party.

That Justice you accuse of being smeared by Democrats was accused of sexual assault. It was held in an extremely public hearing and ultimately the man took his seat. Being Black does not exempt you from being scrutinized. He was being seated for SCOTUS. He would have faced these type of cases. Painful as it was for him and the country it had to happen.

One more thing. The economy & the handling of the banking crisis was under Republican stewardship and administration. Under a 6 year Republican controlled congress there was bribs paid to manipulate votes, circumventions of freedoms and an Executive branch that felt it was a law unto itself. The cry of "Socialism" and "Corporate Welfare" came from all sectors of this country. From the bottom up, across class, race and party affliation.

The freedom of the hostages, it happened as Reagan was sworn into office. He was legally President for a few minutes upon their release.

So where are we? Well for starters we will have to learn not to use each other party's affiliation as a pejorative. It will be hard. I have seen and heard things from the Republican side that were extremely hurtful. I don't trust "the party." I know the some extreme corners of the Republican party does not like me, has said so and has no intention of working together. We have nutzo Democrats too.

The choice has been made. You want to try to work together? Or not. It is time. We have work to do, are you in or are out?

Gena - Out On The Stoop ( http://outonthestoop.blogspot.com )

Can I disagree with Obama and not vote for him and not be labeled a racist (not "rascist") please?  Why must it be either/or?

May I remind you that slaves were freed under a REPUBLICAN president?  May I also remind you that it wasn't that long ago that another African-American ran for president and he was a REPUBLICAN?  His name was Alan Keyes.  May I also remind you that under the first President Bush, we had the first African-American (who was actually of Jamaican heritage) Secretary of State?  His name is Colin Powell. Also, under a REPUBLICAN president, we had the first appointment of an African-American Supreme Court Justice, even though the Democrats tried to smear him? May I also remind you that under the second President Bush, we had the first female speaker of the house, Nancy Pelosi and the first African-American, female Secretary of State?  Her name is Condolezza Rice.

I refuse to vote for a candidate on the basis of their race, but rather on their agenda.  President-elect Obama's agenda is right on the same track as the agenda of Jimmy Carter - who drove our economy and our world standing (can you say "Iran hostages"?) into a ditch.  All it took to free the hostages was the  landslide victory of Ronald Reagan, and he never fired a shot.

So will you please check your facts before you call Republicans "racist"?  Oh, and check your spelling too.

Houseonahill

www.Houseonahillorg.blogspot.com ( http://www.houseonahillorg.blogspot.com/ )

Ms. Davidson,

While your sentiments are very sweet and sincere, Ohio, I am sure, will look past the "Me, me, me" that has plagued our nation for so long and delve into what America truly means in this 21st Century.

Your candidates are good people BUT this election is about SO much more than the things you stated, which is why I am feverishly hoping your candidate does not win.

 This general election has been very revealing about just how divisive, disingenuine, scared, and rascist your party really is.

 The language alone, not to mention the viscious lies and commentary about Senator Obama, without even looking at either parties candidates' preparedness, speaks volumes. The Obama/Biden ticket is more educated than you guys dare to let on. Just take into account what it takes to acquire a law degree. Now times that by the fact that as a colored man, Senator Obama had to work THAT much harder to obtain his Magna cum laude status. FROM HARVARD. Senator Biden also holds a law degree and double B.A.s in political science and history. This fact voids your argument completely and means that both of these men can quite effectively achieve financial and ecomomic reform.

 Your party then attacks this ticket for his collegiate connections. How else do we learn if we ostracize ourselves from the think tanks of this country. McCain was at the bottom of his class, and while he served his country, his win stands to disengage the world. Palin is someone I refuse to even comment about, as she can not even, with her journalism B.A. speak a coherent sentence.

So, for the sake of global connections, our fellow Americans, who Republicans pretend are invisible, it is my hope, my prayer, that Grant Park Chicago's Rally tonight be one that presents a fresh, new, inclusive-for-all tomorrow and a real chance for this country to move forward for you, yours and for us all.

Trust me, all that you Ohioans and other hard-working states like you will still be able to hold your values, and opinions dear, but if your candidate wins people like myself will not.

Enjoy the day!

~ House