Thoughts on the Election of 2008

First of all, congratulations to President-Elect Barack Obama.

I won’t even pretend to imagine the significance and impact of Obama’s election to my African American friends and all those who never thought they’d see the election of an African American to the highest political office in world. It is a great testimony to the progress of America and especially to the color blindness of young Americans who, if they do consider race, lean more toward supporting minorities than fearing or resisting the progress of fellow Americans who are different than they are. I sincerely am happy for our nation in the sense that the election of Barack Obama proves that indeed any one can become President of the United States no matter their race or background, and that, in and of itself, is a good thing – and I am proud to live in a country where the People choose their leader and the transfer of power, even in a fiercely fought election, is peaceful. America continues to be the grandest experiment in human history.

Indeed, Obama was unstopable in this election. While I never gave up hope, and did my little part to support Senator McCain, I felt in my gut that Obama’s election was inevitable. His combination of his political skill, the nations appetite for “change” and the fear brought on by the financial crisis came together to bring about not only a historic election because of his race, but an incredible rise to power of a very unknown man whose many weakness were largely considered irrelvant by a nation blinded by a message they wanted to hear. The reasons Obama won are varied. On one hand, I think race was a huge factor. For a some what positive reason: America was eager to ease its collective conscience by electing a black president. On the negative side, Obama out-spent McCain and that was possible in large part due to him breaking his promise to accept public funds, but I’m not sure that really made the difference. There are many reasons and explanations, but I think at the end Obama won for ONE REASON: His Message of Change. That message was more important than the facts. The concept of “Change” was more important than even the details of what kind of change he would bring. Our nation wanted change at any cost. No one knows what they cost will be, or whether it will be a welcome cost or not.

For all the things that concern me about Obama, what he did best was set himself up as the American Hero – the Right Man at the Right Time. He was eloquent. His sweeping themes and wonderful sounding generalities were music to American ears. Unfortunately, he was never specific, but ironically, even when he was, no one cared. When he slipped and alluded to “spreading the wealth” people didn’t care. When he admitted he wants energy costs to “skyrocket” people didn’t care. When his associations and mentors were shown to be radical and even anti-American, people didn’t care. They liked the Message of Change without little consideration of what that “change” would be. It’s actually quite puzzling or impressive depending on how you look at it.

What I like about Barack Obama is his claim to be open to new ideas and to working with both parties to find solutions. I will pray it is true. I live in his home state of Illinois which is riddled with coruption. Our last goverenor is in jail, and our current one appears to be headed toward being in the next cell over. Obama has never even spoken against Illinois coruption, let alone done anything about it. He has never gone “across the aisle” to accomplish anything, and voted “present” often when a bill was contraversial. He has no executive experience, and now has the highest executive office in the country. It’s really rather amazing. I have to admit, as a campaign “executive”, he got it done. But I do hope that he has painted himself into a corner where he has to live up to the retoric and perhaps he actually will do some of the things he has so eloquently promised. If he does, he’ll earn my respect as a leader. Right now, my respect is limited to what he accomplished for his race and his party. As President, there is much more to accomplish.

One of the things that concerns me about Obama is that no one seems to know this guy. Even Democratic political pundits are now saying they have no idea how he will lead. Will he lead as the most liberal President ever? (He was the most liberal senator.) Will he lead center-left since he has a democratic majority who will want to finally push its agenda. Or will he lead center-right, which is how he campaigned stealing many Repiblican themes – many of which he and his party were against before he was a presidential candidate. I find it amazing that even those who supported him, don’t know how he will lead. Yet they voted for him. Even Obama, in his own book, described himself as a “blank page” upon which people can write whatever they want to believe about him. You got to hand it to him, he is a master of being, not whatever he thinks people want to be, but being vague enough that you can think of him being whatever YOU want. Only time will tell what he actually does. You can’t vote “present” when you are President. He will have to take some stands.

Another thing I do like about him, is that he does seem to move slowly. Hopefully very slowly. But he has really painted himself as a centralist while his opponents have created a lot of fear around him. (and I think the fear is fair) I already think he is smart, if he is wise he will realize that his opponents are eager for some “I told you so” moments, and the best thing he can do for long term success is rob them of those moments, and live up to his retoric and promises to work together, to lower taxes, to reduce energy dependance, to win the war in Iraq, etc. If he does that, it will be good for America. If those were campaign talk and he leads as he used to vote (or not vote) and as his Democratic party used to vote, it will hurt our country.

Obama revealed a lot about America. His election shows just how badly our country wants change – and a lot of that desired change is change away from Christian ideals. How are we going to deal with that? In a godly way? I think this election, and how we deal with defeat, will tell a lot about us to a watching world.

Let’s be godly in how we handle the fears that Obama stirs up in Christians. Let’s be honest, when we’ve had Presidents we liked, it has never helped the cause of Christ as much as we hoped or thought it would. Lives are only changed when they encounter Jesus Christ, and that can happen in any country, in any political climate, and under any President. Amen?

SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN?

A lot of people “believe” in Obama… or believe in the “Change” he promises to bring. My biggest concern with Obama is not his belief babies born alive in a failed abortion should be killed or left to die. (and he does, don’t buy the rewriting of history going on). It isn’t his economic philosophies, though they are scary. It isn’t his anti-American statements and associations. (I think being President will cure him of his anti-American setiments.) It isn’t higher taxes, even though they are coming. (I won’t enjoy saying ‘I told you so’ but its inevitable now.)

My greatest concern is actually a secret hope. The concern is that too many people are looking to government to solve their personal issues so they will give too much power and control to the government that in turn will end up choking our economy and undermining our freedom even as it sincerely tries to help Americans. In the end, Democratic policies tend to hurt the very ones they are seeking to help by creating dependency, stiffling freedom, frustrating entrepreneurial spirit, burdening small business, and growing bureaucracy and with it taxes.

Why is this concern also a secret hope? Because I hope that more and more people (Christians included) will finally realize that our hope can’t be in government, it must be in God. Government can’t create the security it so often promises, God can. Govenment can’t create opportunity, God can. Govenment can’t solve the problems that ail our world, God can. Government can’t meet our needs, God can. Government can’t provide our financial needs, God can. Government can’t give us purpose, God can. Government can’t give us Hope, but God can.

And finally, no government or president can bring Real Change, or “Change you can Believe in” but God can.

While I still believe that Christians MUST stay engaged and ought to be the voice of Truth, morality and for the unborn, our energies most be primarily engaged in building the Kingdom, not our nation. Christians ought to vote – and I know many did. Now we must vote with our feet by going where God calls us to go. Vote with are hands by helping our neighbors. Vote with our mouths by sharing the Gospel. Vote with our wallets by financially supporting our church, missionaries and any ministry we can that is helping to reach the lost or further the Cause of Christ.

Best case scenario – Obama surprises those of us who opposed him, and things get better and the resulting econompic growth will help churches and the Great Commission.

Worst case scenario – things get worse, but as a result more people turn to God. After all, the Church has always grown more during times of distress and persecution.

Anything in the middle – keep your main focus on your walk with God, your family, being a light for Truth in our world, and praying for our nation.

Obama will soon be walking into the White House. As Christians we will need to stay engaged to seek to protect our freedom and help keep America a place where God is honored and glorified and where “In God we Trust” still rings true.

But more important is who sits in the ‘Oval Office’ our our heart and our homes.

Does OUR LIFE reflect, “In God We Trust?” Does our life honor God, honor life, and reflect the Truth we claim to believe in?

Let’s pray for our nation and pray for President Obama. He certainly needs it.

May God Bless America… but may we bless God in how we live for Him.


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8 Comments:

  1. Good morning Karl ! 2:14 AM

    I just read your blog and found it very helpful and I will make copies for my children (adults) and husband to make sure they read your thoughts. Just a little while I posted a video which might intrest you.
    Well I better go to bed before it gets light.

  2. Wow, well said. Thanks for really making me think and it’s only 6:30 am. You really made me think about what I need to be doing more as a Christian in these times and I love the part where you wrote that, as a country, we rely too much on government and not enough on God. Thanks. Have fun at Disneyland today. Wish I could be there to see Lukey’s face. Give him a hug from me and Mickey a hug from me too. You have to get a picture of him kissing Mickey’s nose. I have one of the kids like that from around Lukey’s age and it’s so cute.

  3. Karl,
    You have a gift for writing my friend, I only wish I had your gift.
    I agree with you that we will have to pray harder, live bolder, stand stronger and speak louder.
    It saddens me that where people should have listened, questioned and cared they didn’t. They ignored many facts. It scares me that our nation elected a man who would never have passed the secret service backrground checks to protect a President and now he is going to be the President.
    Well, God is not suprised by the results and I will rest in him today and everyday for the next 4 years.
    Have a blessed day!

  4. Karl,

    I do appreciate your sincere desire to see Obama pull through and see that it is possible for his election to be something positive. I don’t agree, though, that people voted for him because of change at any cost; they voted for him because of the kind of change he represents. I know many Christians who prayed, wrestled, looked at issues and came to different conclusions than you did about who they voted for (me included). We all interpret “the facts” through different lenses.

    The amazing thing about it all is that above it all, like you said, is that as Christians, our hope is in Christ and not in who is elected President or Prime Minister or whatever wherever. And as part of the body of Christ, we can disagree on how we advance the Kingdom of God and how to deal with moral issues in the public arena. My sincere hope, though, is that Christians will rise above it all appreciate the differences and move forward as we strive to be a positive force in the world we live in. I do join you in calling us to neither mourn nor gloat but to see God as sovereign and move forward.

  5. RE: “they voted for him because of the kind of change he represents.” Interesting that NO ONE seems to know what kind of change he represents. No one. Not even his biggest supporters can tell you what his “change” will be. Every one is playing the “what will Obama actually do” guessing game now. It’s pretty amazing that those who voted for him don’t really know what he’ll do. I’m not sure he does – or I’m afraid he DOES know, and has not been willing to really say. All you get are vague generalities, most of which I agree with. It was very deceptive. At least with McCain you knew what you were getting. Whether you agreed or not, is fine, but there was no sneaky agenda or hidden intentions. With Obama no one knows, not even his biggest supporters. All they know is “change” and unknown change is a very scary thing. But we’ll see. What he does may not end up being as scary as having no idea what he intends to do. All the more reason to pray!

    But you nailed it right here, “I do join you in calling us to neither mourn nor gloat but to see God as sovereign
    and move forward.” AMEN.

  6. Well said, Karl. I intend to link this to my blog, if that’s okay.
    Three thoughts hit me this morning:
    1. Praise the Lord that we live in a country where there is a peaceful transfer of power, the right to vote, and the opportunity to serve no matter your background.
    2. My obligation is to honor and pray for my new President. I may disagree with some of his beliefs (and I can do that because of the country in which I live!), but he is my President and that, de facto, gives him my support as a Christian and an America.
    3. I would hope that the Christian community, the political conservatives, and the Republicans speak of and regard the new President with far more respect than the liberals and Democrats did with President Bush. It was tragic to hear the hate-filled diatribes night after night by the politicians, celebrities, and sportscasters turned news commentators (you know who you are, sir!). Let’s raise the bar of respectful dialogue and debate during the next 4 years.
    God bless our new President and God bless the United States of America.

    P.S. I’d rather be at Disneyland right now :-)

  7. Hey Karl,

    good stuff. check out my blog for my thoughts if you get a chance.

  8. Karl,

    This BLOG was outstanding in all respects.

    You nailed it BIG TIME.

    Thanks for sharing your ideas and helping the rest of us see the light.

    GOD BLESS THIS GREAT COUNTRY and may God Bless our new President.

    John N

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