Time To Come Together

By Greg Quinn

November 5, 2008

The election is over, history is made, and we have a new President-elect for the United States of America.  Barack Obama is the future leader of our nation.  While the election did not go the way in which many of us had hoped (the 49% of the country who voted for Senator McCain), the election is now over.  Now is the time to put aside partisan politics.  Now is the time to recognize that the office of President is sacred to our country, that the majority of the nation has spoken, and we all must collectively put aside our differences and find a way to unite in harmony and find solutions that work for all concerned.  Now is a time to come together.

As one that spoke loudly as to why Obama was not the right choice for our nation, let me be one of the first to state that our decision now moves from who is to be elected to how do we best support the one that was elected. 

The US is a model of democracy for the world, and has been since the beginning of our nation.  Our founding fathers fought tyranny to establish a free country, a nation where anyone could make a future with enough hard work, determination, and a bit of luck.  All of this played out for Barack Obama.  Obama is a model of how far a minority race in our nation, once put down and enslaved, now has chief representation within the leadership of our great country.  This is exciting.  This country's founding documents state that we are all created equal in the sight of God, and it is wrong for one man to put down another because of the depth of his pocketbook or the color of his skin.  For the accomplishment of the man and the representation of his race, I am excited for Mr. Obama.

However, my departure with Obama’s candidacy was not about the color of his skin.  It was the Obama camp and his supporters that made race an issue, and I have taken objection to this from the beginning.  Race should have not become a factor in this election, but it did.  Nevertheless, race is not the issue.  At issue is not the man, but his policies.  As Obama is now President-elect, it is not time for division.  It is time for two different groups, with different philosophical approaches, to find ways to work together.  Not race.  Issues.  Not the man.  Issues.  So, how do we put aside our differences in order to work together?

Let me start by stating that it is necessary that we agree to disagree on some things, and work hard as a team to find middle ground acceptable to the majority of Americans.  Our nation was divided once before, during the Civil War, over economics (not slavery, as some would have you believe).  We face economic challenges today, as well as many others, and many distinct differences in the two camps (Democrat and Republican) as to how to resolve these challenges.  Let us not let these differences divide, and instead, let us work hard to find ways to come together to win collectively. 

Secondly, taking elements of Obama’s campaign as places where we need to focus on mutual development, let’s begin the process of taking actions to insure that the freedoms we enjoy are not at risk.

Item: Gun Control.  Obama and Biden want to take our guns.  We at Gunblast.com and the NRA, as well as other similar organizations, have worked hard to insure that Obama’s plan of gun control did not become a reality.  We figured the best way to prevent this was to keep Obama-Biden out of office.  Since that did not work, we now must find a way to insure that gun control is not an issue that will win.  Solution:  We must make the Obama-Biden camp back up on their intent to limit our Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms.  Work with the NRA and your elected officials to insure that our Second Amendment rights are not destroyed.  We cannot back up here; any nation that has lost the right for its citizens to bear arms has suffered much at the hands of their governments.

Item: Taxes.  Obama and McCain disagree on taxes.  McCain ran on lower taxes for all.  Obama ran on higher taxes for those that create jobs and lower taxes for the middle class and those that do not pay taxes today anyway.  Some 20% of our country (lower to lower middle class) pay no taxes.  Under Obama’s tax plan, these people that pay no taxes will get more money back.  Those in the middle class will get tax breaks.  Those that earn over $200K per year (as of today) will pay higher taxes.  In other words, those that create the jobs will have to take money from the businesses in higher taxes that will result in fewer jobs and therefore adverse impact to the middle class for whom Obama has tailored his tax plan.  So, his tax plan will not work as proposed.  Solution:  We need to push, through legislative means and from constant communication with our Representatives and Senators, toward a solution that will not adversely impact the group of Americans who create the jobs.  Can we come to a mutual solution that will benefit everyone more equally?  Yes we can!  McCain’s plan actually came close to doing so.  Therefore, a new tax plan must be developed to replace the proposal of Obama that will be a win-win for all tax levels of citizens.

Item: Size of government.  Obama and the Democrats want to enlarge government.  McCain and some of the Republicans believe in smaller government.  These are different philosophical approaches that are major counter-offenses one party to another.  Solution:  We must find common ground.  Can we do so?  Yes we can!  I believe that, working together, the scope of government can be limited so as not to interfere with the private citizens of our nation.  This will be one of the more difficult things to accomplish across the isle, but we must find ways to do so.

Item:  Healthcare.  We must pretty much accept that we will have a new national healthcare plan of some sort.  That given, we must make sure it is designed and enabled so as to not cripple our economy or stagnate the level of type of health coverage that is available to Americans now.  We have the best healthcare system in the world, and we need to make sure that, whatever plan is initiated, that it protects the quality of our healthcare, protects the access by our citizenry, and does not bankrupt our country.  Solution:  Be a voice.  Let your Senators and Representatives know that, if national healthcare is to be adopted, it should meet the criteria of voluntary participation, no sacrifice of quality, no disruption of access, and no increase in taxes to pay for it.

Item:  Abortion.  I am pro-life.  The Bible teaches pro-life.  Our nation was established on principles that safeguard the lives of our citizens, especially those that cannot protect themselves.  Even undeveloped nations protect the sanctity of life, but in America, we do not.  Obama is pro-choice, which is a kind way of saying pro-abortion, or pro-murder of innocent babies.  There are distinct differences here, and middle ground will be hard to find.  Solution:  Continue to fight hard for your position of pro-life.  I don’t see us gaining ground in the Obama administration, but it is important we do not lose ground.  Be a voice of passion for the lives of the unborn.  Contact your elected officials often to make sure their small voices are heard through you.

Item:  Government spending and balanced budgets.  Obama’s plan will cost a whole lot of money.  Money we do not have.  I am opposed to continuing to borrow from China for US programs to bail out organizations or individuals.  I am opposed to taxing those to have in order for the government to figure out how to give away to those who have not.  Solution:  Push for a balanced budget.  Push for reduced government spending.  Push for spending cuts.  Obama stated that he would find ways to trim budgets; make him accountable to do so.  Keep your elected officials on their toes to insure that we don’t leave a huge bill for our grandchildren to pay, or have our nation owned by a communist government.

Item:  Experience.  Obama’s lack of experience was one of my major objections to his election.  He was elected anyway, and perhaps represents the least experienced President-elect in our nation’s history.  Biden does balance this lack of experience some, and that helps.  But, Obama needs our help.  Solution:  We have many seasoned politicians - Democrat, Republican and Independent - that have solid experience that can be put to good use.  To do so, we must put partisan politics aside.  We must ask our elected officials to find ways to work together.  Those of us who can must volunteer and offer our help.  Obama in his acceptance speech indicated that he needed the help of those that didn’t support him in this election, and he is correct.  Let’s give him this help.  He does need it.

Item:  Foreign policy.  Obama has no foreign policy experience.  Biden has some.  Many other Senators and Representatives have more.  Solution:  Let’s get seasoned patriots who have the best interests of the United States of America in the position of directing foreign policy.  Not the UN.  The US.  Let’s hold Obama accountable to protecting the interests of America, and area of which I have had concern about his capabilities and intent.  Let’s let Obama prove we are wrong, that he does have the interests of America in his heart, without alternative motives, and let’s keep him focused and accountable in protecting our great nation.

Item:  Illegal immigration.  We perhaps have the greatest risk to our nation from porous borders between US and Mexico.  Obama nor McCain talked about how they would handle this problem, but I suspect that Obama will want to grant amnesty to those that are here illegally.  If so, why not grant amnesty to murderers or child molesters or thieves?  We cannot do so.  Solution:  Work with your politicians and make your voice heard.  Speak loudly.  We must close the border to illegal immigration.  We must punish those that are here legally.  We must have a better system for those who wish to follow the law to come to the US in the proper manner, as did our ancestors.  It is not about immigration, but about illegal immigration.  The key word is “illegal”!  Don’t let an Obama presidency turn the backs on the security of our nation.

Item:  Military and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Obama wants to bring the troops home.  McCain wanted to win the war first, then bring them home.  Obama wants to send more to Afghanistan.  Obama has no military experience.  His track record has not been one of support to our troops.  Solution:  We must hold Obama’s feet to the fire, and make sure that decisions made in regards to our military and the war are keeping with the best interests of the security of our nation.  You have a voice; let it be heard.

Item:  Education.  Obama wants to socialize education.  In other words, education controlled by the federal government.  I am opposed to this.  Here’s why.  The federal government has a horrible track record of success on other programs, so why allow it to take over the education of our children?   The US is behind other improved nations in the education of our children.  We lose kids to engineering and scientific disciplines every year.  I have been involved in technology most of my career, and see the future of technological development in the hands of foreign countries, not the US, unless things change within our educational system.  Socialized education is not the answer.  Solution:  Let’s get business more engaged in education.  Let’s get rid of the poor teachers.  Let’s hold good teachers accountable.  Let’s allow discipline back in the classroom.  Kids and their parents must be held accountable for their actions.  Let’s pay teachers a good wage.  Let’s get rid of the teachers’ union.  Let’s give parents the tax breaks necessary to allow them to determine the best method of education for their children.  And, let your voice be heard.  Don’t let our children be turned over to the government to teach; it will not work.

Item:  Economy.  The economy is most likely the straw that beat McCain.  I have been a Bush supporter for two elections.  Actions, or failure to act, over the past two years, with Democrats in charge of the House, have put me at odds with the Bush policies, especially over the economy.  I have been active for years in the Republican party, but it would have been difficult for any Republican to have won the Presidency with the failed economic policies and rigged bail-out plans of the Bush White House over the past couple of years and months.  We are in a mess now and we should have seen it coming.  For that I fault the current administration.  Our failed economy has cost the Republicans the election.  Now, Obama as President must get our economy back on track, and his model for doing so is different than what my experience teaches me of good business practices.  Solution:  We need to keep our elected officials engaged in the right solutions to fix our economy.  No more bail-outs.  No more special interest protections.  And, no new taxes to do so.  We have a government that is too big; cut it.  We have social programs that are failing; cut them.  We have money that is being wasted; change the process.  Obama has a tremendous opportunity to be a hero in the economy, and I certainly hope and pray that he and his team develops successful plans to do so.

I am reminded of a scene in one of my favorite movies, "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan".  Spock was in a glass room with a toxic gaseous substance that, if it got out, would certainly kill all aboard the Starship Enterprise.  Spock with selfless abandon locked himself in this room, choosing to die where the rest could live.  “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one”, he told his friend Captain Kirk.  Taking the words from Spock, yet not choosing to die at this time, I think the McCain supporters and other conservatives should enlist a similar approach.  The good of the many outweighs the good of the few.  The “many” have spoken, and we lost.  Now, we must work together to make sure that the “good of the many” includes us all, Democrats and Republicans and Independents alike, and is in the best interests of all Americans.

The election is over, but the work is just beginning.  For us as Americans.  For our newly elected officials.  For our new President, Barack Obama.  Don’t roll over as gun owners.  Don’t roll over as citizens.  Now is the time we must become even more engaged.  Can we come together to be victorious as a nation, and together conquer the problems before us?  As Obama so eloquently put it last night, “Yes, we can!”

It will not be easy.  So, roll up your sleeves.  We have work to do.

Greg Quinn

Ed. Note: 

I disagree with my older brother on this. Every time conservatives are called upon to "work together" and find "common ground", we are compromising our principles. That is why conservatives had no player in the Presidential race who had a chance of winning. Compromising on taxes means that we pay more tax. Obama is a liar. None of us who pay taxes will see a lower tax rate. None of us. Compromising on guns means that we lose rights. Compromising on abortion means that more babies die. Compromising on fighting terrorists means that more Americans die. I am through compromising, and am standing my ground. The line has been drawn. Obama and his socialist followers can kiss my hairy ass.

Jeff