Here we are post our recent historic election of the first African-American President in our nation's history. My intention in this post is not to indicate which way I voted, due to the fact that I think each candidate and their respective running mates had pros and cons, and that most intelligent and experienced voters are usually selecting the lesser of two evils in whomever they select. However I think one thing is clear, the public is craving change. Voters that I talk to are largely apathetic. They have heard it all before, they have seen politicians talk one way to get their vote and then do their best to forget whom they are representing once in office. Many people told me that they were not going to vote at all. And although most Americans are in dire financial straits and media projections anticipated one of the highest voter turnouts in modern history, it turned out to really just be a typical election in terms of turnout. And although the numbers appear greatly stacked in the victor's favor due to the electoral college system, in the popular vote it was actually far closer than I think many expected.
I'm sure that you are as concerned as me. Every day the news appears to be getting worse and worse. They are talking about possibly bailing out the car companies now (who have been in trouble for years). Just another casualty in a long line of troubled industries (banks, housing, airline, trucking, fuel, etc.). Every day I hear of another large company closing or greatly reducing it's workforce. I live in California where Arnold Schwarzenegger is raising taxes through the roof on us, and the astonishing thing is people are voting for many of these increases. Unemployment is nearly 10% in my county and home prices have fallen in half over the last few years. We are in the epicenter of the home mortgage crisis with a massive number of foreclosures, which are projected to continue for at least another year. Our country now has a high school dropout rate of approx. 25%. Staggering. We spend more money on education than anyone else and our students are failing at appalling rates. Personal freedoms and privacy's are being removed, restricted or are in jeopardy. Religious freedom may someday become a thing of the past, with Churches relegated to glorified community organizations. I keep hearing how crime is supposedly going down, but it seems like every week now I hear horrific stories that we have now become so accustomed to hearing that nothing shocks us anymore. This great nation is a shadow of it's former self.
So I look to my television screen and see a man who appears to be interested in bringing us all change. I see throngs of people crying their eyes out and believing that he will surely save us from ourselves. I hope they are right. However I know the problems that we are entrenched in are far too deep for a great orator to rescue us from. Will there be substance to the change he promises? Will he bring us more than simply inspiring speeches? Lord knows we have had far too many years of politicians that could sweet talk us. Like the thrice-divorced woman who has repeatedly picked lousy men to wed, we have matured and know what we need in a President (man). We need real change. Regardless of political affiliation, please join me in prayer that it will come.
