The Daily Detour

Where did our Great Unifier go?

It didn't take very long in the 2-year marathon presidential campaign for now-President Obama to project himself as the Great Unifier, that last great hope for America. No longer would we embrace the divisive politics of the past, he assured us. Instead, we can now embrace the unity of the future. That was the change so many Americans have hoped for. But it has only taken two weeks for that campaign promise to go the way of so many promises before it.

As this latest battle surrounding the stimulus package reveals, Obama has set aside the attempts at unifing and has embraced a much more combative tone, publicly chastizing those who disagree with his view of the stimulus package. It seems to me that when you unabashedly harangue the oppposition for their different perspective on something, that hardly invites those who see things differently to want to set aside differences and embrace your version of reality. This kind of partisan, combative tone doesn't seem to be the approach that a true unifier would take. (But, hey, maybe that's just me? :) I would concur with Indiana's own Rep. Mike Pence, who, as FOX News reported earlier today, issued a written statement saying he was "disappointed" that Obama seemed to have "so quickly abandoned his call for bipartisanship and has resorted to tough political rhetoric" to pass the bill. If brow-beating the opposition is Obama's approach to unifying the country, he will find it may backfire on him in the long run.

The trouble is that is leaves anyone who holds a different view than Obama in quite a difficult spot. On the one hand, attempts at bipartisanship within the new definition of "compromise" and working together actually means, according to Obama's approach, "It's my way or the highway." Thus, "compromise" by members of the opposition party means abandoning their own beliefs. Or, those who have legitimate arguments against passing the largest spending bill in U.S. history are portrayed as standing in the way of "progress" and saving an ailing economy. Never mind the fact that Obama's solution to saving the economy is not the only possible alternative (and many economists are predicting) will actually do more to dramatically hurt our economy in the long run (by increasing inflation, among other things).

I find it also quite ironic that in Obama's biting attack on Republicans (and other opponents to the stimulus bill), he is quick to dismiss the argument that passage of this behemoth spending plan will dramatically increase the budget deficit. He responded to this argument saying,

We're not going to get relief by turning back to the very same policies that in eight years doubled the national debt and threw our economy into a tailspin...I found this deficit when I showed up...I found this national debt, doubled, wrapped in a big bow waiting for me as I stepped into the Oval Office.

To be sure, Obama is exactly right in his assessment of that particular aspect of George Bush's presidency. As The Indianapolis Star's Andrea Neal described in this insightful, honest, opinion piece from just after the election, the road to socialism did not start with Obama. President Bush did much to water the seeds of out-of-control spending during his eight years at the helm. But that being said, just because our president may have inherited out-of-control spending does not provide sound rationale for taking government spending into a completely new stratosphere. The justification that, "because I inherited a huge national debt means I can grow the debt that much larger" doesn't seem to hold water, as many average Americans intuitively understand.

In a very candid assessment in today's Washington Post, Charles Krauthammer warns against the fierce urgency of pork. And as he points out, the bloom seems to have come off the rose where Obama's transformation from Great Unifier to "politics as susual" is concerned. He summarizes it this way:

After Obama's miraculous 2008 presidential campaign, it was clear that at some point the magical mystery tour would have to end. The nation would rub its eyes and begin to emerge from its reverie. The hallucinatory Obama would give way to the mere mortal. The great ethical transformations promised would be seen as a fairy tale that all presidents tell -- and that this president told better than anyone.

I thought the awakening would take six months. It took two and a half weeks. 

Indeed, this has been a tumultuous two weeks. I can only imagine what the next 206 weeks of Obama's presidency will bring us. And from my particular perspective, I actually fear where these next 4 years will take this country. 

UPDATE: According to recent reports, the Senate version of the stimulus spending bill has secured the support of two Republicans (possibly three Republicans, depending on a possible additional vote from Sen. Olympia Snow, R-Maine) to give the remaining 58 Democratic Senators a veto-proof majority, thus, ensuring its eventual passage. We'll see what the final vote actually is on the bill, but if it translates as predicted, then this stimulus package will have passed the House with no Republicans voting for it, and will have passed the Senate with only two very moderate Republicans (Arlen Specter, R-Penn and Susan Collins, R-Maine). No matter which way you slice it, that hardly lives up to Obama's promised goal of increased bipartisanship in Washington.

Major transition today

Well, we knew today was coming. I knew today was coming. There was no avoiding it, but it still proved more difficult than I had anticipated.

Today was the day that Jean went back to work. (Oh, and there was the Inauguration, too. More on that later. :) And today was the day I went back to being Mr. Mom for at least two days a week. Only this time it's with four little munchkins. What a transition! This morning Andrew was lying next to me in our bed while Jean was getting ready to go back to work after her 3-month maternity hiatus. He said, "Maybe this day we should take some flowers to Mommy." Who needs any more prompting than that? So after picking up Caleb and Andrew from school, we all headed down to take some lillies to Momma at work (and to use our trip as an excuse to let all of ladies at Jean's work see Emma for the first time and to let them in on our cute little Casanova :). Mission accomplished!

I say all this to say that it's been a little difficult to keep up with the Inaugural festivities while I adjust to this very significant transition in our normal weekly routine. (We all miss Mommy already! :P) When you're under that kind of pressure, there is nothing more important going on in your world. My apologies for the delay in providing some reaction to the inauguration today.

But, alas, there are other important things happening today--this historic Inauguration ceremony ushering in not only the first African-American president, but more importantly, a new era. And it remains to be seen just what era will evolve from this pomp and circumstance. Nearly two years ago, this laborious journey began. But that was the easy part. Now  comes the actual job of being the leader of the free world, a job I wouldn't wish on anyone.

As I was monitoring the coverage of the events of today, it was evident that there was an understandable euphoria permeating the crowd of 2 million+ who crowded the Washington mall. As expected, however, the liberal talking heads who pervaded the coverage throughout the day (and all of the Hollywood celebrities they interviewed) presumptively assumed that the whole country is equally euphoric about Obama as president (a feeling that those who didn't support George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 can presumably relate to), but there will be plenty of time to highlight the idealogical differences that many people (at least 58 million voters) have with President Obama's governing philosophy.

Today is a day of celebration. As many people have commented, today stands as a grand reminder of this great country's ability to facilitate a transfer of power that does not involve violent takeovers or assassinations. It is a testament to the durability and exceptional nature of our democratic Republic. Something we so often take for granted.

I can't begin to imagine what this day means for the scores of African-Americans who bear a legacy very much unlike my own. I will never understand just how deeply this day touches them. But I can understand the theme that resonated among so many African-Americans who were interviewed throughout the day. Namely, from children to parents to grandparents the message was one of hope, not as much on a national level (though there was that), but more so on a personal level. No longer are African-Americans left to wonder if they can actually achieve their dreams. The improbable journey of Barack Obama, showed them, their children, and their grandchildren, that indeed anything is possible. And if nothing else comes from his presidency, that realization will have made this a worthwhile journey.

If you missed President Obama's inaugural speech, you can read/hear the full speech here. For other observations about the event, I'll simply direct you to TyKef's Blog, whose initial impressions reflect my own, as well as, some of the comments I received here at The Daily Detour from some of our readers. The following came from one of our readers across the pond:

firstly congratulations on your new president. I am wondering how the leftist, liberal democrats were appreciating the number of references to God in Obama's speech. I found his appeal to your forefathers and what they endured to build your fledgling new democracy quite inspiring but what he is forgetting is that most but not all of your founding fathers had a christian perspective on life and it was that which created the unity that was necessary to endure those hardships. I think he will find it hard to forge that unity in modern America with such a diversity of worldviews. Anyway no doubt there will be something on your blog tomorrow so I look forward to what you have to say.

And one of our readers closer to home mirrored many of my own thoughts and picked up on the exact part of Obama's speech which especially stood out to me ("all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness"). The email begins,

Much like the last charismatic, democratic President, this new president certainly has the ability to marshal his faithful. There is an awful lot to like about our new president especially when he is behind a microphone. The true test will be when his feet are put to the fire and he has to truly make decisions and hold fast to the promises he made on the campaign trail and this one in his speech today:

“The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end.”

One of my enduring questions through this entire process is, will he have the ability to actually end programs?

But this was the one that particularly caught my attention:

“..the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness…”

Not to rain on the man’s parade, but only time will tell if he truly means “all”, or only those we “choose” truly deserve a chance.

A new day dawns, a new era is upon us.  It was certainly time for a change, let’s just hope that at least some of it is good.

I would echo that sentiment, the hope that the promised change translates into positive impact on our country. Time will tell, but in the meantime, we can all come together to acknowledge the gravity and symbolism of this day. And as one of our guest writers here at TDD reminded us on the day after Obama's election in November, it is imperative we Christians follow the biblical mandate to pray for our leaders, and first among them, now President Barack Obama.

UPDATE: Here's how the Political Machine graded the inauguration festivities. Surprise to many, President Bush was closer to the top than the bottom. :)

UPDATE: In trying to read between the lines of Obama's inaugural address and understand what he actually meant by what he said, Cal Thomas raises some very interesting thoughts.

The Clinton years redux?

Today I got a brief email message from one of our TDD readers which made this simple, yet perceptive observation: "have you noticed how many clinton connections are being tapped for Obama's cabinet?"

I thought I was the only armchair political pundit to pick up on that. :) But then again, that's the kind of "Change we Can Believe In", right?

I must confess these cabinet picks do not represent the fresh winds of change that Obama was projecting during his campaign. Maybe I missed the memo.

UPDATE: It seems Hillary may actually be ineligible for the Secretary of State position. Anyone willing to make a gentleman's wager that the Obama administration (and the Clintons) will figure out a way around the legal restrictions.

UPDATE: From today's Indianapolis Star editorial cartoon, it looks like Gary Varvel got the memo.

Palin-bashing seems to be in vogue

Anyone else want in? It didn't take long this past week for the finger-pointing to begin. And many of the fingers were pointed at Sarah Palin (Wait, is that a new trend?) The media continues its onslaught and now has apparently harnessed the support of certain anonymous McCain campaign operatives (although we yet to see or hear who exactly these people are).

Regardless of one's feelings about Palin, I thought these two posts raised some interesting points. First of all, Matt Lewis put forward an interesting theory regarding the true identity of Palin's attackers. He contends that the attacks are not actually coming from true McCain loyalists, because to go after Palin would be to undermine the judgment of the very candidate they were attempting to promote to the electorate. Instead, they are coming from GOP strategists who are already lining up behind their candidate for the 2012 presidential race, under the assumption that Palin will also be running for president then. (By the way, there has been much talk about that, which is so premature as to hardly warrant our attention. She may be the best candidate in 2012, or it's quite possible that others in the GOP will make better candidates. There is plenty of time for speculation about that in the years ahead.)

Secondly, even though there are some on the GOP side who dislike Palin, Townhall's Amanda Carpenter shares the latest statistics from Rasmussen Reports, which paint a picture to the contrary. In fact, among Republicans, Sarah Palin garners a staggering 91% favorable rating.

There are those who think that Palin was the weight that sunk McCain's presidential ship, that she did more harm than good to his campaign. I couldn't disagree more. In fact, for whatever votes she may have cost him among the Independents and moderates, she more than made up for it by reenergizing the conservative base of the Republican party. Don't think so? Consider this: When's the last time this past week or even during the entire general election that you heard someone say, "Man, I can't wait for Joe Biden to become vice president?" They haven't, and for understandable reason. Senator Biden doesn't get everyone fired up, Obama did. On the contrary, it was Palin, not necessarily McCain, that unleashed the enthusiasm of the Grand Old Party.

You can be sure that she'll be back. The only question is, in what capacity?

UPDATE: Here's Michelle Malkin's take on the ongoing Sarah-smears.

A guest post at TDD

Since Tuesday I received a number of communications from many of our TDD readers after this election as people begin to process the implications of a new president. This one, from Emily over in OH, included some compelling points. So, with her permission, I give it to you for your thoughtful consideration.

Well, here we are.  Nov. 5th and it didn't go our way.  However I noticed the sun came up today, it was beautiful here in OH.  My 3 beautiful children woke up happy and healthy.  My baby daughter said "ma ma" for the first time today.  It was a great day for me!  I also found myself relieved the whole thing is over, no fliers in the mail, no commercials on TV or the radio.  No more "I'm 'whoever' and I approved this message."   No more stress or worry about who will win what and where.  After nearly 2 years, it is finally over and even though the outcome is not what I hoped for, I'm thankful.

Over the last 8 years I have grown very tired of how it seems so many people opposed to Bush's policies were so quick to blame him for everything.  On some of these issues the criticism is deserved.  He has heard from me via letters and emails about the things that I have disagreed with him on, as do all who have been elected to represent me in government whether I voted for them or not.  Yes, Bush has not been a perfect president.  However, the hatefulness spewed at him over these last years has been unwarranted.  It seems if someone who didn't like him got stuck in traffic on their way home from work they'd immediately blame Bush.  He would take a position on an issue that Clinton had held 10 years earlier, but because it was Bush, it was wrong.  If both parties messed something up, who got the blame?  Bush.  It never ended.  I've heard it referred to as Bush derangement syndrome.  And sadly I even heard people in the media and elsewhere making fun of his daughters on more than one occasion.  No matter how you feel about a person in office, their children should remain off limits at all times unless they too are running for office.

So now, those of us who do not agree with President-elect Obama on the issues have a choice.  Will we stoop to this level of hatred, blame, and dislike when he does something we do not like ?  Will we behave in the same way? It will happen.  Probably sooner later President Obama will do something we are opposed to. We live in a wonderful country where we are allowed to disagree with our leaders and say so.  How will you handle it?  I think it is time [to] rise above it.  When we disagree, let us do so respectfully, remembering our stance stems from the love of this great country, not a dislike of our leaders. This man is our president and for that alone he warrants some respect.  He is also the first African-American president, something we can be proud of, no matter how much we disagree on the issues we face today.  

I'm not suggesting we forget our values or principles. In fact I want to encourage informed conservatives to speak up when you disagree or see your values being ignored or even trampled.   I'm all for fighting for my beliefs and getting out there to support the causes I believe in, but I don't want to suffer from Obama derangement syndrome. I don't want to be like so many I've seen these last years of the Bush administration and live a bitter life for the next 4-8 years. I don't think this is worth being bitter about.   I want to go on with my life no matter who is in office, knowing that my hope comes from my Lord, and that it is He who is in control.  I'm ready to respectfully engage in debate and speak up when I must.  But I'm not ready for the partisan bitterness that has held so many in our country for the last 8 years to take hold of me.  How about you?

Also, if you are a person of faith, I encourage you to begin praying for Barack Obama, his wife, and his girls.  This is something we are called to do.  No matter who you are, this is the hardest job in the world and he needs prayer support as does his family.  Also I know that true hope and true change only come from God, perhaps through our prayers, Mr. Obama's heart will turn more toward God and we will see this reflected in his policies...with God, there is always HOPE!

Well said, Emily. A good perspective as we move forward. Thank you for your contribution. And once again, thanks to all of you, who through your regular comments, contribute to creating a blog worthy reading and (I hope) a TDD community worth being a part of.

A new day in America

Friends, I've recovered from my election-induced stupor and today The Daily Detour rallies to ride again. First of all, in the spirit of goodwill, let me offer a sincere congratulations to Obama & Co. for a very convincing victory on Tuesday night. Among other things, their campaign organization and money-raising proportions were unmatched in the history of the U.S. And I must concede that my attempt to rally the dispirited Republican faithful to the cause with my TDD presidential prediction was outweighed by the voice of the people. (Of course, we would be giving RA the official TDD prize for his prediction, "Obama by 6-8%. More importantly; 351 in the electoral college" except that he was off by two electoral votes. The actual final tally, according to the most recent results, was 349 electoral votes for Obama and a 7% margin of victory in the popular vote. RA, you were so close to that complimentary TDD sweatshirt. Next time try to be a little more specific. :) So be it. While I personally was hoping for a different result, it is the the peaceful transfer of power through the ballot box which makes the United States the greatest country in the world.

And now for a little post-election reflection: On Wednesday morning I was driving down to do some more lumberjacking at my mom and dad's place and happened to catch the opening monologue of WIBC's Greg Garrison, the local talk radio commentator here in Indy. I resonated with much of his generous assessment. One cannot overstate the historic nature of this election, particularly for the African-American community. I don't pretend to understand the experience of African-Americans, the wounds they have suffered and the obstacles they must overcome. The immortal words of Martin Luther King Jr., "We shall overcome," were incredibly realized Tuesday night. From that historical perspective, this is indeed a new day for America.

Watching Obama's acceptance speech late Tuesday night at Grant Park in Chicago, I was mindful again of the truly intoxicating aura of Obama's persona. Against the historical backdrop of the evening's events, the throngs were clearly moved by his soaring rhetoric. And he reminded the nation again of the power of his oratory. I just hope as we move forward that the euphoria of the moment does not erode our collective ability to critically evaluate President-elect Obama's underlying substance.

One final thought, especially for those of us Christians (and conservatives) who woke up Wednesday morning to a different result than we had hoped for. Today is not the time for second-guessing or recrimination. There will be plenty of time for conservatives, Republicans and others to in their own "Dr. Phil" introspective moment. (And I'll be bringing more of my own evaluation to the blog soon enough.) But for now, we must pursue the right course of action.

While we may not always agree with the politics or the governing philosophy of our leaders, we are called by God to respect and pray for them (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-2). And that is something to which we must not simply give well-intentioned lip service. In weeks and months ahead there will be plenty of time to evaluate the coming changes promised by this administration, but in the meantime, it is imperative that we maintain a proper perspective. (In fact, I'll be sharing one such perspective that was passed along to me here at TDD.) And we must intentionally do what Jean and I did before closing our eyes on Tuesday night--pray, for our country and its leaders. Given the state of our nation today, our prayers are needed now more than ever.

UPDATE: Gary Varvel's cartoon captures the historic moment.

The Daily Detour has come to end...

At least that's what it feels like now that the presidential campaign is over. I mean, what else is there to blog about? I'm going through political junkie withdrawal. I'm getting the shakes to the point that I can't type. :)

Never fear, my friends, the TDD party rolls on. In fact, stay tuned for some official TDD political analysis after I've gotten through my election hangover.

Beyond that, now that we have a new president-elect, there is an immeasurable amount of fodder for the blog. Not to mention all of the other blog-worthy issues that have been overlooked in the heat of this election.

So, stay tuned, and as always, thanks for stopping by...

Finally...it's over!

Who would have thought nearly two years ago that we would finally arrive at the end of this grueling marathon called the '08 Presidential Election?

It proves beyond any doubt that, yes, there is a God! :) 

"Barack Obama will be the next president of the United States."

This was the statement made on WIBC, one of the local talk radio stations here in Indy, at about 9:21 p.m. EST as I was driving to Starbucks to drowned my sorrows in a great big white chocolate misto. They made this statement after it was projected by ABC News that the battleground state of OH went for Obama. It appears by all accounts that the hill McCain was attempting to climb is increasingly becoming a mountain.

In the days and weeks ahead, there will be an avalanche of national examination about the various nuances of this election, but for now I would resonate with one of the pundits on ABC who pointed out that in places like OH there has been a concerted reaction against what he called "the damaged brand of Republicanism". I couldn't agree more. Not only is the election of someone like Barack Obama a referendum on the Republicans (as it should be), but more significantly, it is really a referendum on the United States itself. (More on that later...)

They haven't made it official yet, but it appears inevitable. So, who knows, I may be getting more sleep tonight than I thought. :) See you all tomorrow as we wake up to a very new America.

And now we wait

Well, it's 6:00 p.m. and the polls here in Indiana are officially closed. As the polls close in waves heading west, we now buckle down, warm up a fresh pot of coffee and settle in to see just how this whole election turns out. Being the political junkies that Jean and I are, it could be a long night of short sleep (which is why Jean is taking a nap right now in preparation for the wild and crazy election party here at the Crane homestead--wild and crazy is what you get with 4 kids under 5 running around!)

It promises to be a very interesting night. The election returns will begin to come in and the political pundits are warming up their vocal chords for analysis from every conceivable angle. So, let the spin begin...