Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Inauguration Day 2009

Today Barack Obama was sworn in as our 44th President. We all watched history in the making today and it will be a day we will all remember. I listened to the Inauguration while I was at work. His inauguration speech was excellent and I can see why so many Americans believe in him and find hope in his words. I find myself hoping. I pray for his success.

I do think he has the desire to pull our country together, time will tell. There are less than a handful of politicians I put my trust in, he's not one of them. Where many see the perfect candidate, I see a perfectly orchestrated political machine greatly helped by the media who are in love with him. I will be more than happy to eat my words if I end up being wrong :) I think it is the system I struggle with. I don't see our leaders being wise stewards of our tax dollars and don't like the self-interest decisions they often make. I just don't believe in the economic plans that are being laid out and the direction our country is going. The constant negative media seems to make it all worse. I believe I heard more comments about his wife's fashion sense than I do about the issues of our country. Don't you find it kind of odd that after 9/11 President Bush encouraged everyone to go shopping and many made fun of him? And yet right now, that is exactly what our economy needs. While I didn't always agree with President Bush, I was impressed with him over the past weeks as he prepared to pass the torch on to Obama. He did it with a lot of integrity. I really enjoyed watching the traditional ceremonies as the change of power took place. I will support our new president, but will also voice my concern when I don't agree. I love our country. I pray for our country and know how blessed we are to live here. Let me know your thoughts... it's good to talk & listen, even if we don't agree :)
-Brenda

9 comments:

Becky said...

It sounds like you borrowed a couple sentences from my blog...they must have been good ones! It was an historic day to remember.

Anonymous said...

I watched also yesterday. Found myself hoping. Our new president loves America and believes in its people. Let's see if we can't all work together to return America to its roots. United States of America... those words have magic, don't you think?

mom said...

Sorry. I don't share your optimism. Obama uses "Newspeak." He call handouts to people who didn't pay any taxes "tax cuts." He calls for "responsibility" and "sacrifice," but that is only for the shrinking number of productive people who are supporting this country with their tax dollars. Furthermore, he wants to force us to send more of our money overseas, to be distributed in Third World ratholes where most of it will gobbled up by corrupt leaders, and the rest will be handed out to people who will never change their culture enough to be self-supporting. The only real bill he introduced in the Senate was a bill requiring the US to donate a specific percentage of its Gross Domestic Product to foreign aid.

Atlas Shrugged yesterday.

susan said...

Seriously, "Mom", Referencing George Orwell's "1984" (newspeak) and Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged" in the same post is an impossible leap of opposites. It's like saying that Obama is a capitalist and a communist, it doesn't make sense. Perhaps he is neither, perhaps he is a balance between both.
Now, that would be refreshing and welcome.
On second thought, using both references in the same post was very ingenious.

mom said...

"Newspeak" was the name for the propaganda of the totalitarian government. They called things the opposite of what they were.

"Atlas shrugged" when the productive people (who metaphorically carried the world on their shoulders) got tired of being robbed by the unproductive. I can tell you, if Obama raises my taxes any more, I am going to "shrug," cut back on my productivity, and spend my time doing things that are worthwhile, but not taxable. I'll bet I'm not the only one who feels that way.

Both Orwell and Rand were writing about a time when freedom -- economic and political and personal -- would be destroyed by people with totalitarian impulses. They were both astute observers of human nature. They are not inconsistent.

Obama was voted in by people who want other people to pay their bills. The tyranny of the majority is no less a tyranny.

Obama was open about his intention to "spread the wealth." Problem is, that "wealth" belongs to the people who earned it, not to him.

And, he's not going to limit the redistribution of other people's income to America, either. He wants to take more taxpayer money and send it overseas, too.

susan said...

You are absolutely right, I did not mean to offend.

I was coming from the angle that Bush's administration over the last 8 years, has been compared, by the left, to Orwell's 1984. And recently I have heard the rightwing radio chatter of "Atlas Shrugged" tossed around, as a label for Obama. And thus my perceived juxtaposition.

One thing, you might agree on with me is the devastating role the media and press had in both books.

Thank you for your insight.
Cheers
Who is John Gait?

Birrell Family said...

Ahh! The wretched media. They truly are the ones with the power aren't they?

bulkleybunch said...

i am scared to comment! i might get in over my head. but i voted for obama and i absolutely don't expect a hand out from government. i'm a working mom juggling two jobs and hope my taxes go to worthwhile programs. i don't think 40 million dollars needed to be spent on orem high school but i have to trust in something. i hope and pray he becomes what our country needs. on inaugural day, i was proud of my country and proud that i voted for obama.

Birrell Family said...

All of your comments are welcome here!! I love each of you and all of your opinions :)