Today we’re going to have a guest blogger. While I’m not very eloquent when it comes to my political views, and I generally don’t air my dirty laundry, my husband is–surprisingly enough, since I’m the writer–and he has written an essay on why he, though he is a black man, not going to vote for Barack Obama, the history breaking first black nominee for president. Please enjoy and leave lots of comments about my husband’s elegant ideas and how for some, those who call themselves Republicans, this essay rings true.
Why I like Sen. Obama, but will not be voting for him.
By: Marquis L. Wynne
I am a conservative. In Oklahoma. That really isn’t all that unusual except for one simple fact: I also happen to be black. In most major elections, Republicans only receive, by most estimates, approximately 15% of the “Black vote.” This means for every one black man or woman that votes for a Republican, nine others will vote for the Democrat. But these number do not take into account one major factor this election year: Barack Obama. Sen. Obama is, without question, one of the most important historical figures in our nearly 300 year history. He was the first black editor of the Harvard Law Review, is currently the ONLY black man or woman in the US Senate, and most importantly, is the first minority candidate to ever win a major party nomination and have a legitimate shot at the White House. He is the young, idealistic, energetic maverick that even has many black GOP members thinking of supporting him.
Now, I’m not going to go “Obama bashing” or say idiotic things like, “Obama is an unpatriotic, anti-American, socialistic Muslim who is best buddies with France and Iran.” Personally, I like the guy. At my church’s Wednesday night youth group, I see so many young black kids who want to be rappers or NBA stars. They don’t want to do well in school, and believe that they will never go to a place like Harvard. When I see Barack Obama, I see someone who can inspire these kids to achieve more than that; a new black society, formed out of young black men and women who strive to take the highest level of political and economic power. How can I say all this and still NOT vote for him?
The answer is that in my belief, he is just too liberal. The National Journal, in fact, named him the “Most Liberal” senator on the hill. So here are my points.
1. National Debt: His policies such as $50 billion in tax rebates, $18 billion in additional Early Education funds and a universal healthcare program that will require a MINIMUM 10-15% SPENDING INCREASE, frankly scares the crap out of me. He also has a plan for an $80 billion lower and middle class tax cut. Now, if I am reading this right, he would spend nearly $200 billion more at a bare minimum while taking in $80 billion less. This is economically unacceptable. Now, I won’t bash Obama too hard on the national debt. I am personally disgusted with my party under the Bush administration for its absolute abandonment of sound economic policy, but the train has to stop here. Our country can NOT afford to sell itself to countries like China to pay for its “great ideas”.
2. The War on Terror: I have been a soldier for 8 years and more; I grew up as an “Army brat” so the war is something that hits very close to home for me. In fact, I have lost two very good friends to the war. That being said, I believe that our country can NOT afford to leave Iraq without a clear political stabilization in that country. Politically, leaving Iraq would have the same results as the withdrawal from Vietnam. Iraqi insurgents, sponsored by Iranian forces as well as other Muslim extremist, would quickly overthrow the extremely unstable Iraqi government and greatly destabilize the Middle East. We can NOT afford this. The price of gas aside, which would most likely raise to $10-15 a gallon under these circumstances, we would very quickly be sucked into another world war. Imagine having to go back an fight a veteran force that has been fighting for the last 1000 years, that has dug into the terrain, can pop out of nowhere without any warning, and outnumbers your forces by four to one, not to mention that they are nuclear capable. I hate that fact that 4,000 American have lost their lives, but the harsh reality is that 4,000 dead is better that 4 million dead, most of which would be kids who are now in elementary school. We simply can not let this happen.
3. The Long Term Effects: Most people simply do not understand the long term effects of a president. Through his judicial selections, foreign policies, and military powers, an American president can have lasting effects on the country long after he has left office for example: Bill Clinton’s inattentiveness to the massive threat of Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, and Muslim extremism after multiple US embassy attacks, the USS Cole bombing, and the first WTC attack, or George W. Bush’s careless use of military authority without proper planning or oversight that has led to the disastrous war in Iraq. Now, I do not know if Sen. Obama will make such mistakes and I don’t know if I would do any better. What I do know is that I, as a conservative, would never want to see more judges like Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the US court system. I also know that I do not want to see the ultra-leftist, borderline Marxist policies of Nancy Pelosi’s Democratic party signed into law by ANY left-leaning president. The social and economic ramifications of a liberal-controlled federal government would cripple America for years to come. I can not bring myself to do that.
There are many blacks who would disagree with me and I have to say I understand. Most older men and women in black society would never have dream a day like this would ever come in their lifetimes. The election of a black president would be seen by many as a turning point for not only blacks, but all minorities. But, it is my view that racial politics must end. To vote for a man SOLELY on the basis of his race is wrong and paints us as nothing more than the close-minded, ignorant, bigoted fools that black society has fought against for centuries. If after researching you still believe Barack Obama is the best candidate, GREAT!!! If he wins, I will be happy to welcome the first black president of the United States; however, on November 4th, I will respectfully not be voting for Barack Obama.
I too am a black man, and I have to say that for the first time since Obamamania began, I have heard through this blog, someone state rationally why they would not vote for Obama.
All the opposition that is spewed out over the radio air waves is sickening, and I truly believe it is racially motivated. Oh yes, the radio hosts will make some references like the ones in your comments, but never before have I seen such hatred for a candidate who for the most part is as qualified as any other. Sure, disagree with him; don’t vote for him. But the extraordinary efforts that I have seen directed towards discrediting Obama have the stench of something far more than prefering another candidate’s policies. But at least you rationall state your view. I like that. I’d now like to state mine.
That having been said – believe it or not – I will not be voting at all in this election. Nor have I ever voted. Well, let me correct that – I voted once, for all times. I am a Christian, and have made my choice for ruler a long time ago.
Perhaps you think that that is a radical view. But my guess is that the overwhelming majority of people reading this will claim to be Christian, and as such, should be fully supporting the ‘Kingdom’that Christ told us to pray for in order for God’s will to be ‘done on earth, as in heaven.’So many of us pray that prayer – over and over again. But do we stop to recognize that Jesus, although eminently qualified, never accepted earthly rulership (although the masses attempted to make him King often). In fact, the bible denounces man made governments, describes them prophetically as ‘beasts’in the book of Daniel – and moreover, prophecies their total destruction as longtime opposers of God in the book of Revelation.
Finally, where did the idea of selecting a ruler, or leader for ourselves come from? As you know, in the Garden of Eden Adam & Eve had everything they could wish for: perfect health, abundance of food, no crime, poverty or sorrow of any sort, and complete dominion over the planet. The only thing they did not have was the right to vote. They were a united people under one ruler, God. It wasn’t until Satan told Eve (in effect) that God’s way of ruling was not right, and that he was hholding back from her, the right to choose what was good and bad for herself, that the question of rulership came into play. So in making her choice, Eve, and subsequently Adam, unknowingly chose a new ruler, Satan. They thought they were making the decisions, but the reality was that when they rejected God’s rulership, they in effect placed themselves under satan (though thinking that they were calling the shots). It’s a lot like rulership, or government today if you ask me.
So, in my estimation, based on what I read in the scriptures, this concept of dividing ourselves into groups and selecting leaders over ourselves was not part of God’s purpose for mankind. And yet we do it with religious fervor. Hence, God has devised a plan to put a new government into place, one with his son Jesus at the helm. So decades ago I voted for that government, and I try to abide by it’s laws. As a citizen of this particular country, I obey the laws, respect the officials and try to contribute to my community in any way I can; but I have adopted the position of Christian neutrality concerning earthly government. So, like Christ and his early followers, I do not oppose the government, or any who support it, but I do not participate in it. I leave that up to those who support the idea of man made rulership. This is not to insult anyone – but rather to make one think about their participation in a process and concept that had it’s roots established a long time ago, by an enemy of God – and a process that has failed miserably since it’s inception thousands of years ago.