INAUGURATION

It’s hard to say for certain but I believe we’re living in a historic time. I would be remiss if I didn’t put pen to paper to record a few thoughts.

I should, however, preface anything I might offer up by saying that I did not vote in this year’s Presidential election. I did not involve myself in the process. I could not argue with anyone who would suggest that any political complaint I have isn’t worth the full 100 cents on the dollar since I did not since exercise my right to vote. That being said at the present time I don’t have a complaint, in fact far from it. I’m still an American and it is my right to have an opinion so I’ll have one.

Had I cast a vote it most certainly would have been for John McCain. I would not have voted for Barack Obama. It’s probable that if I had the opportunity to cast that vote today, like I should have three months ago, that I would still go for McCain. I have always supported conservative political ideals. Sometimes I think maybe I’m a crotchety 90 year old man in a 25 year old body. In hindsight it’s probable that a year from now, or three, or ten that I would still have cast a vote for McCain. But just maybe I wouldn’t.

To me in this past campaign McCain represented the known and Obama the unknown. He wasn’t easy to pin down. Maybe more for political strategy than anything else Obama didn’t offer up much in the way of specific policy ideas. As much as I could not get behind him in the days and months leading up to the election, I’ve seen something since November that I can hardly believe. I have seen genuine enthusiasm from the masses.

I would consider myself more cynical than most and I didn’t believe this sort of passion could exist in the way that I’ve seen it. Sure I’ve seen people excited about the Super Bowl and tickle me Elmo’s and American Idol and Brangelina, but I’ve never seen so much general enthusiasm for, as corny as it sounds, for America. People are excited about the potential for moving in the right direction. Who would I be to scoff at that?

Sure maybe some of this passion has something to do with the liberally inclined media getting behind a Democratic victor flocked by his attention hungry celebrity supporters. Probably also has some to do with the ouster of George W. Bush and his paltry approval rating. I think, however, behind it some genuine sentiment.

I watched on television today as people numbers in the millions showed up in Washington to an event with ticket admittance numbered in the thousands. They just wanted to be in the place where it was happening, to someday tell people they were there when.

My opinion has always been that the Chief Executive should be a prudent practitioner heavy on tax cuts and conservative policy before being a pied-piper able to rally the people. Maybe I’m wrong this time. Hell, I hope I’m wrong. In an instance where the economy and job market and overall prospects are so dim, maybe you need someone to tell you things will be better before they can be. It gives people hope. At the end of the day maybe that’s that most important thing.

It’s impossible to forecast where this is going and be able to say now or ever what ideology or doctrine is correct; who should lead and how. At the very least I do believe we are living in a historic time and I am curious to see where this is going, whether I be right or wrong.