An Election for the Ages
Why it's important
Editor's Note: Thomas's commentary is in blue and
Marcie's is in purple.
Being bloggers, we deal with
a great many issues daily. Well, almost daily. And one issue that
stands out for us is the election that will come around this November.
It's more than important to us. A lot of people have wondered
why we've placed such an emphasis on this election. Truth be told,
given this nation's position in history right now, we're surprised
that more people aren't paying closer attention to what's going
on this year. See, this election will have lasting repercussions
on America in the days and years to come. This election won't
just decide who is president next year. It will determine the
course of this nation tomorrow, the next day, and for decades
to come.
First and foremost comes the issue of the
war on terror. It started, as we all know, right after we were
attacked on 9/11. We went into Afghanistan, deposed the Taliban,
and put al-Qaeda on the defensive. Prior to this, al-Qaeda had
been on offense against us. Throughout the 1990s they had launched
attacks in Yemen, Riyadh, Kenya, Tanzania, bombed Khobar Towers,
and tried to bring down the World Trade Center towers in 1993.
It culminated in 2000 with the bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen
right before their now-infamous attack on America in 2001. We
scattered them with our invasion of Afghanistan, and eventually
engaged them in Iraq. While many people -- mostly those on the
Left -- believe the invasion of Iraq was not justified or warranted,
Saddam Hussein's ties to terrorism made it a necessity. America
being on offense in this war has, thus far, has made us safer
than most people realize. Offense on the battlefield, and offense
in the surveillance of our enemy, has ensured that no further
attacks have been carried out on our soil. If we change direction
with the next president, as Senator Obama has insisted, it will
only invite our enemy to attack us without the fear of any sort
of serious retaliation.
Without fear of retribution or reciprocity,
al Qaeda will attack us with impunity. Our positions around the
globe will become targets, as will any civilians that happen to
be working or vacationing abroad. It wasn't just military interests
that were prime targets for al Qaeda in the 1990s. They shifted
gears from engaging military powers to attacking civilian centers.
In fact, since our war started we have seen numerous attempts
foiled by intelligence and law enforcement. In London, a plot
to blow up jetliners with liquid explosives was foiled. In Canada,
an attack on the Canadian parliament and their intelligence service
headquarters was stopped. But not all of the attacks were halted.
In 2004 Madrid was targeted by al Qaeda affiliates, and the attack
changed the course of the election there. London suffered a deadly
suicide bombing in 2005 when their transportation system was targeted.
In 2007, a thwarted car bomb attack in London was connected to
the attack on Glasgow International Airport by three al Qaeda-inspired
and radicalized doctors. And while we haven't been attacked since
11 September, a change in leadership -- a change in vision --
could bring the fight to our shores as it was brought to Europe's.
It's important we stay on the offensive, keeping our enemies off-balance,
and forcing them to constantly change their methods and movements.
If anyone thinks this is the only reason
why this election is important, please think again. The war is
not our only issue in this election. Right now we are going through
what Thomas calls an economic hiccup. The housing boom finally
burst, oil prices are soaring through the roof, and the stock
market is in a state of flux. Our economy is still growing, but
it is at a rate much slower than what it was previously. Under
President Bush, the market soared to over 14,000 points, only
to take a nose-dive to where it is right now, hovering around
12,000 points. We need a president with a strong vision for our
economic future, and that includes abstaining from raising taxes.
such a move right now, in this economic climate, could very well
plunge this nation into a recession. Most economists are now in
agreement that we are not in a recession, but we were heading
in that direction, and it was not helped when the housing bubble
popped. Our economy is still growing albeit at a much slower rate
than before. But the vision outlined by Senator Obama, which calls
for higher taxes, and the growth of the federal budget -- namely
in further entitlement programs -- will not help us in the least.
It could, quite possibly, lead us not only into a recession, but
also into the beginnings of a depression.
A recent decision by the California State
Supreme Court which mandated gay marriage -- trumping the voters
who enacted a law making the practice illegal in 2000 -- has thrust
the issue of the courts and judges back to the forefront of the
presidential election. Senator Obama wants judges who will have
enough "empathy" and "feeling" for "what
ordinary Americans are going through." In other words, he
stands for social justice. While many of his followers (read:
lemmings) will nod their head in agreement, that's a strange position
for a supposed Constitutional Law lecturer to be espousing. Senator
McCain, on the other hand, has stated he would appoint judges
who uphold the rule of law which, as we all know, is the proper
role of jurists. We have laws on the books, and the highest law
in the land that tells people what they can and can't do, as well
as, enumerating what they are entitled to. The judges that Senator
Obama would appoint would set this nation back decades. Remember
that jurists selected to sit on the Supreme Court are there for
life; there are no term limits for them. The next President will
have at least one or two appointments in their first term, and
possibly as many as four or even five appointments in the next
eight years. Since the Roberts era of the High Court has commenced,
many issues that had been screwed up by previous courts have been
corrected; that is, they have gone back to the rule of law rather
than personal policy preferences. Changing this now will put the
Supreme Court back in the business of social justice, and further
eroding our rights.
It is likely that Senator
Obama will be facing off against Senator McCain in the general
election, and the former cannot be allowed to win. If he does
it is almost certain that he will wreck the economy, surrender
on this war, and appoint social justice minded jurists to the
federal bench. This election will affect us tomorrow, the next
day, and the next. The lasting impression the next president will
leave will affect us for many years to come. Given the position
we are in at this moment in history making a mistake in this election
will be costly. While we can respect conservatives for not being
thrilled with John McCain we cannot believe they would stay at
home and allow Barack Obama (or Hillary Clinton if she should
be nominated instead) to be elected. Such a move would condemn
this nation to a future that is far from bright and shining. Making
such a decision could very well sentence us to mirror the plight
of Europe. We severed ties to the old country two hundred thirty-two
years ago because we did not want to be like them. Electing either
Democrat will place us on the path to the sort of socialism that
is rampant in Europe.
He is a scholar of history, especially American
history, and the United States Constitution. She has finished
her undergrad studies, graduating with a BA in English and history
and will move onto law school this fall where she will specialize
in Constitutional Law. Together, Thomas and Marcie form the vanguard
of conservative opinion at Hamilton,
Madison, and Jay -- a blogging site devoted to advancing the
conservative cause by challenging the liberal lies and deceit
spread by the media, and espoused by the Left in general. Both
are expert debaters, and have beaten many liberals into submission
with their collective wit, and unmatched knowledge. The pair is
married, and resides in Arizona
|
