Equality of Responsibility in the Age of Obama

Obama did an amazing thing when he was elected President. He removed a final barrier that held back a people for generations upon generations. I’m talking about the American people. Now, I don’t want my conservative friends to think I went and switched sides. This isn’t about Obama’s policies, just that there was an ideal that was reached, and, now we can begin to process it as a nation. A black President of the United States of America marked the culmination of decades of civil rights protests. Any American can say that they have an equal shot at the prize. This is the point that we can begin to grow beyond affirmative action.

We are fortunate to find ourselves in the opportunity of having reached “Equality of Responsibility”. It is my term for the national consciousness that happened with this election. We are now charged equally with the responsibility of governing our country. With this charge comes an opportunity to educate the masses on the role of civics in our lives. To elect a president is one thing. To help govern a country is something completely different. That is the threshold that we are at. We have to charge those that helped bring us to this new era to become equally responsible in their accountability for governance. This opportunity for a shared experience is where conservatives can make our mark. Personal beliefs of how or why he was elected aside, it was a great moment in history.

Many of my black friends voted for Obama because of color. They either didn’t know his message, or, didn’t care. I know, because, I asked them. Many felt there was a chance to rally around a man that represented the final shackle of slavery being buried. The last great battle in the war for equality in civil right was won on election night. As the luster of the moment finally begins to wane, people will begin to listen to the message. It is already happening. They will and are seeing the results. They will make their own decisions, and, we must seize upon this opportunity to educate.

The stigma of race differences has held America in a choke hold for too long. When Obama shattered that last glass ceiling, he provided a chance to level the playing field once and for all. Discrimination and reverse discrimination, both the same exact thing, can begin to heal in its wound that has divided our nation for far too long. It won’t happen overnight. It will takes more generations before it is complete, but, it will happen. We just can’t allow it to influence elections. We just can’t afford to allow elections to be decided over skin color.

I believe that everyone is a conservative, deep down where the pocket book matters. I came up with a test that I sent out on twitter:

~This is a test to see if you are conservative or liberal, It is only a test… Gimme $5.

~If you would like to send me $5, you are a liberal. I accept payment at Paypal…

~If you did not send me $5, you are a conservative, and, don’t want to waste your money.

Granted, it was as loaded question, and wouldn’t hold light under the scrutiny of scientific observation, but, it expressed my sentiments. No one wants to waste money. Every one of us realizes how important each dollar that we have is. Waste in government is unacceptable, and, we can make that one of our strongest selling points. True conservatives won’t waste, but, we have to hold the holders of office accountable. True change in government will come with imposition of congressional pay and term limits. Civic duty is a responsibility, and, shouldn’t be a career. Alas, that is for another blog.

This fiscal responsibility will be a topic that we can challenge the left on. Americans are already taking to the streets, and, we’re only a few trillion into the wasting. As the tap of money continues to spew forth, more and more of the taxpayers will revolt. It will be hard to stomach, but, the only way we are going to get through this is by tightening our belts and working hard to get out. It is the only way anyone gets out of debt.

Obama will receive many second chances from the people that he entranced. It should be expected. I excused Bush’s occasional gaffes, because, I liked him. Meanwhile, my left-leaning friends went nuts and proclaimed Karl Rove the Anti-Christ. I didn’t care when they were going into convulsive fits. I often relished in seeing them writhe and spit. The same is going on right now. It makes for a communication barrier. There was no way I was going to listen to anyone that completely freaked out when the subject came up, however, I did have many good discussions with people that kept their game face and challenged me to think and defend my values.

That is the opportunity that presents itself to us now. Those of us that are true conservatives realize that we will never fix the future of the American economy without paring down Federal Government control and spending to minimize its intrusion into our lives and pocketbooks. The American people cannot afford it. The Revolutionary War was fought over it. We won’t put up with it.

Few people want to care for those deadbeat friends and family that refuse to care for themselves. Even with the best of reasons and worst sob-stories, someone under any of our watches would have to contribute back in some way. The case for national welfare hits harder at home when individuals begin to pay more. It’s coming. Don’t you worry. It will get worse, I’m afraid, before it gets better. When the cost of living compared to take-home pay gets higher and higher, they will begin to take notice. Many will rally around socialism. It’s ok. Just know that they are lying to you when they say they WANT to pay more. No one wants to pay more. They will just be the ones that want the handout.

The sobering fact is that we flat out cannot afford a national welfare of the levels that we are approaching. Some states are better off and some are worse off. I’m lucky to live in the State of Texas. We didn’t get the housing bubble. Unemployment is low, and, we don’t have a state income tax. If you do end up on unemployment and welfare, the state holds you responsible for getting off of it or you lose it. Recipients are held to such exacting numbers of hours of job hunting out in the real world and in the resource center that it is easier to just get a job than have to deal with it. It is a concept that should be considered nation wide for all doles and bailouts.

Different states have different answers. Texas is doing something right. We’re succeeding, and, we’re a “red state”. Why is it that the “blue states” are the ones that are in such fiscal turmoil? I think it is due to the number of handouts coupled with waste. Give someone $5 and they are bound to ask again and again.

This is our chance to begin to challenge our liberal friends to defend their positions. There will come a point when blaming Bush will no longer be a viable excuse. It won’t be soon, but, it’s coming. We just have to be patient, stand our ground, and, use logic. Use the diminishing spending power to point out what true conservatism means, and, show them why we have the values we have been holding on to, out here in the heartland. Show them why we believe so strongly about national defense, and, why we take great pride in “hanging on to our guns and bibles”.

Personally, I learned lots of lessons about wasting money before I finally caught on. My wife says I’m cheap. I prefer frugal. Either way, neither of us goes out and blows through money. We consider purchases through dialog all the time. Every dollar is considered before it is spent. Perhaps the eyes of America won’t be open until we waste every dollar that will ever be made. I’m hoping for not. I’m hoping that we are able to convince those that helped create this opportunity to help solve it.

That is where my own equality in responsibility kicks in. I am doing what I can to talk to people, trade ideas, and, connect. It’s the only way conservatives will win. The left has so many giveaways going on that education is our only real chance. Let them know that there is a better way to live than off the government dole. I wish yelling and screaming at people worked. I’d go yell my head off at everyone I could, but, I know that keeping an even head is the only way that I will make any difference.

So, that is what I am doing. I talk to people. I’ve come across many that agree. Some have disagreed and I appreciate their discourse. It makes me question my values. It opens my eyes to other sides and opinions. I like hearing them.

Me personally, I would go to war to defend Obama’s right to run this country as our President. I have great reverence for the seat that the President takes, no matter who, no matter what. We are Americans. We stand as one when our backs are against the wall. We may get back to squabbling when the battle is over, but that’s our business. Not theirs. Don’t come to our house and try to start a fight, we’re family. No one kicks our @$$, but, us.

THAT is what our enemies are underestimating.

~ by Danny on April 29, 2009.