It is indeed a great day when an African American can ascend to the highest office in this land. I offer congratulations to President-Elect Obama for his well run campaign and his election victory.

That said, I can think of OTHER black candidates I would have preferred, on policy and experience criteria. In fact, prior to the selection of Sarah Palin as McCain’s running mate, I had lobbied the McCain campaign to select the former Lt Governor of Maryland, Michael Steele - also an African-American!

However:

Unlike the “Bush Derangement Syndrome” treatment which the left gave President Bush thru both terms - opposing every word out of his mouth and undermining him at every turn - I will give Barack my full allegiance and encouragement. For the sake of the country, I wish him a successful presidency. However, as I believe a number of stated policies and proposals will be harmful to the country, I will speak in opposition to those initiatives.

I will applaud President-Elect Obama when he does what I believe to be the right thing. I will remain the loyal opposition where he moves in a direction to do what I believe is not. Some ask, “Will McCain supporters unite with Democrats and lead this country in a new direction?” The short answer is “That depends on WHAT the new direction IS!!”

I will offer Obama the respect due to the office of the presidency. I will not compromise my conservative principles for the sake of Kumbaya “unity”. People with opposing viewpoints can respectfully disagree on policy and programs. I believe strongly that this is appropriate, and is why the founders wisely established a system of checks and balances.

I certainly understand the elation and pride the African American community is presently experiencing. It remains to be seen whether Obama can govern effectively, and whether he will “change” the nation for the better or the worse.

Sadly, “change” is not a policy, a program or a plan. Change for its own sake is also not automatically positive. Whenever one speaks of change, it is wise to ask, “From what, to what?”

If the change Obama wishes to implement is to circumvent or weaken the founders’ intentional constitutional restrictions on Government, as Obama wished the Warren court would have gone further in doing (check out his own words from 2001: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iivL4c_3pck ) or if his agenda and initiatives are shaped by his socialistic background ( evidenced in my prior article: http://starboard.blogtownhall.com/2008/10/31/obamas_socialist_roots_run_deep.thtml), this would NOT be what I would consider to be “change” in a positive direction!

The ball is now exclusively in the Democrats and Obama’s court. How they play it will determine the future of the country for better or worse for years to come.

And we of the loyal opposition, conservatives in exile, will be watching, recording, remembering, and reporting.

Copyright © 2008 by Doug Edelman
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