disheartened

i watched in awe the masses greet our new President yesterday and seriously wondered to myself if palm branches were being splayed out for him to walk upon...i mean that very tongue-in-cheek, but am also of the opinion when you elevate somebody onto such a lofty pedestal, won't it be the more painful if he tumbles?

don't get me wrong, i voted for the man (yes, i did). i have been following him for a number of years, and when he was a (much younger) senator, i saw a speech he had made and thought "this is someone to watch." and so i did. and so i voted.

[i apologize to my Republican friends, but having Sarah Palin on the ticket didn't instill the confidence in me i had hoped McCain's running mate would...i was holding out, hope against hope, that he would have chosen someone i could have stood behind in case something unfortunate occurred and the Vice President had to step up to the plate. sadly, she was the deal-breaker for me.]

so much happened during the Bush era that was reproachable. so much so that the vote in november was cast for what millions desire: someone to believe in; someone to bring about change. i am hoping that there will be more honesty and accountabililty and while i am seriously pro-life, i had a difficult time when i heard there really were "no weapons of mass destruction"...or that people were being tormented and tortured and that our upper-level officials knew about it and did nothing. does that level the playing field when pitted against the atrocities of abortion? some (myself included) would say no, and i sincerely recognize the need to speak for the unborn; however, i also recognize the need to speak for the living.

my last word while i stand on the soapbox: there was apparently millions of dollars spent on this inauguration. that twists my stomach, quite frankly, in view of the economy and the unemployment. what would have impressed me, far more than seeing Bono sing or hearing Stevie Wonder perform, is if Obama had taken a more conservative stance, as per two of his predecessors:

"President Roosevelt held his 1945 inaugural at the White House, making a short speech and serving guests cold chicken salad and plain pound cake," the two lawmakers wrote in a letter. "During World War I, President Wilson did not have any parties at his 1917 inaugural, saying that such festivities would be undignified."

a simple fare and getting down to business in the following day or two, once he and his family were acclimated to their new surroundings, would have made a tremendous mark on me, thereby solidifying my vote in a sound man.

i guess i'll have to wait an additional week to see how things get done.

[you can read the article in its entirety here.]