Article: Real Threats Facing America

$The Old Codger points out \$

The entire world is watching the US 2008 Election Dog and Pony Show with a great deal of interest, fear and trepadation. Being on the outside looking in, the show is indeed able to cause a significant amount of consternation. If the World Could Vote in this election, Barrack Obama would be the clear winner, with 87% of the votes from 200 countries. In America however, McCain is claiming that he will be the winner in a very close election. Obama, significantly more pragmatic, is cautioning everyone about claiming victory on the Democratic side.

The polls are confusing. Some say the race is too close to call. Others say that Obama is going to win by a landslide. Some notable conservatives are also claiming a win for Obama, with some of them even endorsing Obama.

The far right wing Bible Thumpers and Evangelical Christians are predicting doom if Obama wins. These predictions can be mildly disconcerting to the individual campaigns, but also devastating to the country as a whole. Rational and logical thinking people typically write these two groups off as being “nuts,” but there are many who do not. Along this line of thinking, it is amazing that so many people who ordinarily would write off the far right religious groups as “nuts” have largely embraced Sarah Palin, who is an avowed Evangelical Christian.

No one really knows how many people in America harbor separatist views. It is known however, that separatists subscribe to some of the beliefs of the religious far right. Separatists are also typically heavily armed and freely talk about revolution. At a gun show in Reno, Nevada, this past weekend, people holding separatist views were out in force, buying up tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition and assault rifles. Some were relying on clear conspiracy theory information they found on the Internet at the Fourth Millenium web site.

The country today is more divided than it has been in recent history. No matter who gets elected, be it McCain or Obama, the divide will continue. McCain’s demonstrated ability to unite people is largely limited to fear mongering about terrorists. Obama’s full ability to unite people is largely untested. He has been able to win over independents largely due to the economy and some people's fears of Palin. How he will win over the right, once elected, remains to be seen. The McCain campaign promoting the theory and agenda that Obama is a socialist will make it much more difficult for him.

If Obama is elected, expect the religious right to stir the radical conservatives up continually. Whether the country will see a replay of Ruby Ridge is total speculation, but it is possible. If Proposition 8 in California is defeated, that will give the radicals even more cause and reason to further the revolution talk. Proposition 8 is an initiative that would change the California Constitution to define a marriage as being between a man and woman, thus overturning a recent State Supreme Court decision allowing gays to marry.

If McCain wins, the same cries that were heard in 2000 when Bush was elected will be heard again. The difference is that they will be much louder, and minorities in particular will feel slighted to say the least. No doubt many will take to the streets, especially in closely contested States and areas. Things could turn ugly.

History has shown throughout the ages when there is a substantial economic crisis such as America is in now, the potential for riots and civil unrest is much greater than in normal times. People tend to show a great deal of animosity towards change, to put it mildly. This can happen regardless of who is elected. Ultimately, no matter what happens, the mess we're in can logically be blamed on the economy, and hence, by association, the Bush administration.

Another real threat, often discounted, is Sarah Palin. If McCain is elected, there is at least a 50% possibility that she could become president by default. That could be devastating for an already fragile country and world. The majority of people today concede that she is not ready to become president, no matter what the learning curve might be. Some posit that she is more dangerous than George W. Bush, who has already been relegated to the scrap pile as being the worst, and most dangerous president in US history.

Palin is giving all indications that she is resigned to the fact that Obama is going to win the election. True to a previous prediction (Let’s Try to Forget About Palin), Palin is proving that she does not play well with other children in the sandbox. According to Politico, she is already blaming her handlers for controlling her and not letting her call the shots. She is publicly at odds with McCain and the campaign on numerous issues. Palin wants to be in total control of everything. Another term for it is “control freak.”

Should Obama win, Palin will return to Alaska, but it is doubtful that she will slip into obscurity. Now that she has tasted the national limelight, she will return with a vengeance for the 2012 elections. Unless Obama would be extremely successful with dealing with the economy and world issues, she would stand a good chance at this point of unseating him. If the conservatives feel or believe that Obama has totally ruined the country, they will forget about her shortcomings, and strongly support her simply because she does have an engaging personality that can appeal to conservatives.

For America to survive, it is going to have to come together, and dispense with the ideological differences that currently exist. Whichever candidate moves into the White House, the message to the country needs to be one of moderation. The extremes must be eschewed for finding common ground among all people not only in America, but throughout the world. The alternative, and the possibility of the threats facing America becoming reality, could easily spell the demise of the country as it was once known.

The Old Codger has left the room.