Diary Of A Mad Voter: Heath Haussamen
Time for Respect and Cooperation
In New Mexico, voters spoke particularly loudly for Democrats last week. But it isn't a mandate for Democrats, writes columnist Heath Haussamen. It's a mandate for bipartisanship.
By Heath Haussamen, 11-08-08
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We’ve known since the first rebuking of the GOP in the 2006 election that 2008 was going to be a Democratic year. We all knew the party of the right would lose some additional ground in the U.S. House and Senate. But, as the dust settles in New Mexico, it’s becoming clear that this was a complete slaughter.
Barack Obama won nearly 57 percent of the vote in a state that went to George Bush in 2004. Democrat Tom Udall took the retiring Republican Pete Domenici’s U.S. Senate seat with 61 percent of the vote. Democrats easily won all three U.S. House seats, picking up two that have been in GOP hands for decades.
A congressional delegation that currently includes three Republicans and two Democrats is going to be what the Dems call “true blue” in January.
The bloodbath didn’t end there. Republicans lost additional ground in the state House and Senate, which were already controlled by Democrats, with both chambers’ minority whips and even moderate Republicans among the casualties. With redistricting coming in 2011, it couldn’t have been any worse for Republicans in New Mexico.
The voters have spoken, but I don’t believe this was a mandate for the Democrats. It was a mandate for Obama’s promises of cooperation and bipartisanship, of treating each other with respect and dignity. It was a vote for the hope of a Washington that functions for the good of the American people.
Can Obama lead America to that reality, as he has promised? Time will tell. But, as Obama has said, getting there requires all Americans. It’s not something he can do by himself. It’s a challenge to all of us to work together so our nation can see better days.
John McCain has already stepped up to that challenge and put aside an incredibly nasty campaign of attacks that were sometimes based on lies. During his concession speech, McCain was a statesman and gentleman, saying he admired Obama’s ability to inspire millions of new voters, wishing him Godspeed and calling him “my president.”
Many of McCain’s supporters who were present for his speech didn’t display that same respect for the will of the American people. Many booed when McCain congratulated Obama and every time he spoke graciously about the president-elect or Joe Biden.
The first time it happened, McCain cut them off.
“Please,” he said, raising his arms in the air to silence the crowd. McCain repeatedly tried to stop the booing, but it didn’t work.
I fear that people like that won’t be willing to unite to solve our nation’s problems. I similarly worry about those to whom the power has been given: the Democrats who now control everything in Washington.
One-party control is dangerous. Though the Dems have been given an almost unthinkable majority, they need to recognize that the American people want the pendulum to rest in the middle. They want cooperation. They want Washington to solve the myriad of crises that threaten us today and loom on the horizon.
The New Mexico delegation must be a part of that. The Democratic freshmen will be led by veteran Sen. Jeff Bingaman, chairman of the energy committee and one who will work with Obama in the next few years to lead the way toward energy independence. Bingaman is a true statesman who treats political opponents with respect. The newbies would be wise to follow his lead, just as McCain’s supporters would be wise to follow the example the Arizona senator set on Tuesday night.
Editor’s note: Heath Haussamen’s weekly blogs are part of NewWest.Net/Politics’ “Diary of a Mad Voter” feature, a group blog, published in partnership with the Denver Post’s Politics West intended give a glimpse into the hearts and minds of several independent-minded voters and thinkers in the Rocky Mountain West in the ‘08 election cycle. For more columns check in with www.newwest.net/madvoter. And for more information on each of the bloggers, click here.
[End of article]Did you ever acknowledge "the decider" as your president?
I didn't and even as he leaves office, I would vote to indict his entire cabinet for human rights crimes.
I suspect that people of the opposite perspective will as well hesitate to embrace, Obama...
Economy
Obama's Stance on the Economy
Barack Obama has offered a detailed plan to get America’s economy back on track, by creating new jobs and easing the burden on hardworking Americans by offering middle-class tax cuts three times the size of McCain’s.
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McCain's Stance on the Economy
John McCain’s economic policy is the same as George Bush’s. It ignores middle class Americans, giving $200 billion in tax cuts to corporations, including $4 billion in tax breaks to Big Oil, while leaving over 100 million middle-class Americans with no relief. Economists say McCain’s plan will add $3.4 trillion to the national debt.
Education
Obama's Stance on Education
Barack Obama puts children first by investing in early childhood education, making sure our schools are adequately funded and led by high-quality teachers, and reforming No Child Left Behind.
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McCain's Stance on Education
John McCain supported George Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans instead of much-needed funding for our students, teachers, and failing local classrooms.
Energy & Environment
Obama's Stance on Energy
Barack Obama will invest in alternative fuels and renewable energy, including a plan to increase America’s energy efficiency and create 5 million new “green” jobs.
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McCain's Stance on Energy
John McCain has repeatedly opposed renewable and alternative energy proposals, has promised oil companies a new $4 billion tax break and hired a number of powerful oil lobbyists to run his campaign.
Ethics
Obama's Stance on Ethics
Barack Obama has been a leader on government transparency – refusing to take donations from lobbyists or PACs, improving disclosure and creating a database where the public can track federal contracts and earmarks.
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McCain's Stance on Ethics
John McCain has no less than 177 lobbyists working on his campaign, including many of his top advisors. McCain’s own campaign manager continued to receive money from Freddie Mac until August 2008.
Foreign Policy
Obama's Stance on Foreign Policy
Barack Obama will continue the long American tradition of smart diplomacy to keep the country safe while improving America’s standing in the world.
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McCain's Stance on Foreign Policy
John McCain will carry on George Bush’s policy of unilateral action that puts American troops in harm’s way without exhausting diplomatic options.
Health Care
Obama's Stance on Health Care
Barack Obama’s health care plan will provide accessible, affordable coverage for all, and it will reduce health care costs for families.
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McCain's Stance on Health Care
John McCain’s health plan would tax health benefits for the first time ever — imposing a trillion tax increase on working families and leaving millions without heath care.
Homeland Security
Obama's Stance on Homeland Security
Barack Obama supports increased security measures for our airports, ports, and land borders, part of a national plan to protect American’s infrastructure and keep our communities safe.
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McCain's Stance on Homeland Security
John McCain opposed increased screening of cargo entering the United States and opposed increased security for airport, port and boarder security.
Iraq
Obama's Stance on Iraq
Barack Obama will work with his military commanders to responsibly end the war in Iraq. Obama will refocus our resources on al Qaeda in Afghanistan and finish the fight with the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11.
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McCain's Stance on Iraq
John McCain has no plan to end the war in Iraq, and would keep spending $10 billion a month in Iraq while the Iraqi government sits on a huge surplus. McCain calls Iraq "the central front of the war on terror" even though Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorists who attacked us are getting stronger in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Seniors & Social Security
Obama's Stance on Seniors & Social Security
Barack Obama is committed to ensuring Social Security is protected and viable for this generation and the next. And Obama will eliminate income taxes for seniors making less than $50,000 -- benefiting more than 7 million seniors.
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McCain's Stance on Seniors & Social Security
John McCain supports President Bush’s plan to privatize Social Security and would gamble the Social Security Trust Fund in the stock market. McCain’s tax plan leaves 37 million seniors without much-needed relief.
Taxes
Obama's Stance on Taxes
Barack Obama provides a middle class tax cut for 95 percent of American workers. Middle class families will get three times the tax relief from Obama than they would from John McCain.
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McCain's Stance on Taxes
John McCain’s plan leaves 101 million American households with no tax relief, while giving $200 billion to corporations, including $4 billion tax cut to oil companies.
Veterans
Obama's Stance on Veterans Affairs
Barack Obama supports our troops – both in combat and at home. He voted to provide armored vehicles and body armor for our troops fighting abroad, and will fully fund veterans’ medical care and restore competence to VA planning to ensure our veterans have the resources they need when they return home.
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McCain's Stance on Veterans Affairs
John McCain has repeatedly voted against increases in veterans’ health care, against mental health and brain injury services for veterans, and will ration veterans’ health care to vets with combat injuries, reducing the resources available to our vets.
Women
Obama's Stance on Women's Issues
Barack Obama works for America’s women – supporting a woman’s right to choose, equal pay for equal work, expanding the childcare tax credit and paid sick leave for parents.
Learn More
McCain's Stance on Women's Issues
John McCain wants to overturn Roe v. Wade and his party’s platform opposes all abortions — even in cases of rape and incest. McCain also opposed the Equal Pay Act, and the landmark Violence Against Women Act.
Senator Obama has been able to develop innovative approaches to challenge the status quo and get results. Americans are tired of divisive ideological politics, which is why Senator Obama has reached out to Republicans to find areas of common ground. He has tried to break partisan logjams and take on seemingly intractable problems. During his tenure in Washington and in the Illinois State Senate, Barack Obama has accumulated a record of bipartisan success.
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Civil Rights
There is no more fundamental American right than the right to vote. Before the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, barriers such as literacy tests, poll taxes and property requirements disenfranchised many Americans, especially minorities. More than 40 years later, there are still numerous obstacles to ensuring that every citizen has the ability to vote.
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Defense
"Our country's greatest military asset is the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States. When we do send our men and women into harm's way, we must also clearly define the mission, prescribe concrete political and military objectives, seek out advice of our military commanders, evaluate the intelligence, plan accordingly, and ensure that our troops have the resources, support, and equipment they need to protect themselves and fulfill their mission." -Barack Obama, Chicago Foreign Affairs Council, April 23, 2007
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Disabilities
"We must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination .... policies must be developed, attitudes must be shaped, and buildings and organizations must be designed to ensure that everyone has a chance to get the education they need and live independently as full citizens in their communities."
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Faith
In June of 2006, Senator Obama delivered what was called the most important speech on religion and politics in 40 years. Speaking before an evangelical audience, Senator Obama candidly discussed his own religious conversion and doubts, and the need for a deeper, more substantive discussion about the role of faith in American life.
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Family
Strong families raise successful children and keep communities together. While Senator Obama does not believe that we can simply legislate healthy families, good parenting skills or economic success, he does believe we can eliminate roadblocks that parents face and provide tools to help them succeed. A husband and father of two, Senator Obama has promoted strong families in the Senate.
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Fiscal
"The cost of our debt is one of the fastest growing expenses in the federal budget. This rising debt is a hidden domestic enemy, robbing our cities and states of critical investments in infrastructure like bridges, ports, and levees; robbing our families and our children of critical investments in education and health care reform; robbing our seniors of the retirement and health security they have counted on ... If Washington were serious about honest tax relief in this country, we'd see an effort to reduce our national debt by returning to responsible fiscal policies." - Barack Obama, Speech in the U.S. Senate, March 13, 2006
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Immigration
Barack Obama has played a leading role in crafting comprehensive immigration reform. Obama believes the immigration issue has been exploited by politicians to divide the nation rather than find real solutions. This divisiveness has allowed the illegal immigration problem to worsen, with borders that are less secure than ever and an economy that depends on millions of workers living in the shadows.
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Poverty
There are 37 million poor Americans. Most poor Americans are in the workforce, yet still cannot afford to make ends meet. And too many poor Americans are single mothers who are raising children. Barack Obama has been a lifelong advocate for the poor -- as a young college graduate, he rejected the high salaries of corporate America and moved to the South Side of Chicago to work as a community organizer. As an organizer, Obama worked with churches, Chicago residents and local government to set up job training programs for the unemployed and after school programs for kids.
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Rural
"We are at that critical and urgent moment. If Washington continues policies that work against America's family farmers, our rural communities will fall further behind - and so will America. But if we reject the politics that has shut ordinary folks out, we can create a new story for rural America ... The dreams of rural Americans are familiar to all Americans - to make a good living, to raise a healthy and secure family, and to leave our children a future of opportunity. It's time for real leadership for rural America to extend that American dream. That's the dream of opportunity that I've spent my life fighting for. And that's what our rural agenda will do." - Barack Obama, Speech in Fairfax, IA, October 16, 2007
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Service
"Your own story and the American story are not separate - they are shared. And they will both be enriched if we stand up together, and answer a new call to service to meet the challenges of our new century ... I won't just ask for your vote as a candidate; I will ask for your service and your active citizenship when I am president of the United States. This will not be a call issued in one speech or program; this will be a cause of my presidency." - Barack Obama, Speech in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, December 5, 2007
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Technology
"Let us be the generation that reshapes our economy to compete in the digital age. Let's set high standards for our schools and give them the resources they need to succeed. Let's recruit a new army of teachers, and give them better pay and more support in exchange for more accountability. Let's make college more affordable, and let's invest in scientific research, and let's lay down broadband lines through the heart of inner cities and rural towns all across America."
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Urban Policy
Barack Obama has had a lifelong commitment to the people and neighborhoods of America?s cities. He understands that cities and metropolitan regions are key drivers of prosperity in the global economy and that opportunities for and contributions from all people and communities are critical to America?s long term success.
As president, Obama will implement a regional development agenda that utilizes and strengthens the considerable assets of our urban centers. These investments will bolster America's long-term competitiveness in a globalizing economy, and ensure long-term prosperity for all Americans.
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When you say this:
"Though the Dems have been given an almost unthinkable majority, they need to recognize that the American people want the pendulum to rest in the middle. They want cooperation."
You are correct that people want cooperation, but your allegation that the American people want the "pendulum" in the middle, is completely unsubstantiated by data (except the delusional rants of people like Karl Rove).
Thanks to the internet, you can look up polling that has been done since election day and find data showing that voters want Republicans to help enact a "progressive" agenda. You should try it sometime.
Here is an article about just such a poll:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iMUMOOvapK1RKXXvcp5SVyFO7xXg
And here is pdf file with all poll questions and results:
http://www.democracycorps.com/download.php?attachment=dcor110508fq1.pdf
Now the results (page 17-18) we see here indicate that Americans want out of Iraq, more regulation of the banking industry, and investment in alternative energy. I have never heard getting out of Iraq defined as a centrist viewpoint.
On page 21, 58% of respondents agree that Americans should be given a choice between private health insurance or enrolling in a "public" system. That is a pretty good plurality of Americans wanting government health care as an option.
In case you didn't know it, a "public" or government health system has been called "socialism", "communism", or extreme left-wing by the electoral losers on the far-right (Reagan was making commercials in the 1960's saying that Medicare for seniors would lead to Communism).
Never has public-run health care been considered a center of the "pendulum" idea. So sorry, your centrist thesis is not backed up by data currently available, but I bet you could get on Fox News to make your argument. they seem to be pushing that idea too.
The Voters Have Spoken! Together We Can Make A Change!
Posted by James Everitt on November 8, 2008 at 8:05am in ENERGY PARTY
Back to ENERGY PARTY Discussions http://push.pickensplan.com/group/energyparty/forum
The voters have spoken, but I don’t believe this was a mandate for the Democrats. It was a mandate for Obama’s promises of cooperation and bipartisanship, of treating each other with respect and dignity. It was a vote for the hope of a Washington that functions for the good of the American people.
Can Obama lead America to that reality, as he has promised? Time will tell. But, as Obama has said, getting there requires all Americans. It’s not something he can do by himself. It’s a challenge to all of us to work together so our nation can see better days.
Respectfully Yours,
James Everitt
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A CHANGE!
http://www.yourchoiceforchange08.org/index.php?d=SmFtZXMgRXZlcml0dA==
Link BLUEPRINT FOR CHANGE: A MESSAGE FROM BARACK AND JOE
Share http://push.pickensplan.com/profile/JamesEveritt
Attachments:
factsheet_energy_speech_080308.pdf, 152 KB
ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf, 483 KB
Almost everyone wants an end to partisan bickering. But Democrats didn't need to win elections to achieve that. They could have, and still can, simply capitulate to Republican proposals and not complain. That would end the bickering.
But is that why Obama won? Why Democrats in New Mexico swept the state's federal races, and seized control of the state government? To be in a position to end bickering by acceding to Republican polities?
Of course not.
The mandate was for policy change. The hope is for bipartisanship. The reality is that Democratic policies are better for the nation than are Republican policies. If Democratic policies can be adopted in a bitpartisan manner, that would be agreeable. But if adopting them requires a nasty fight, then Democrats must win the nasty fight. They were elected to change the substance of policy, not to make nice with style.