Why Conservatives Should Be Thankful That the Rest of Us Elected President Obama

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Last updated on November 25th, 2012 at 09:43 am

There are myriad ways to express a feeling of acknowledgment of a benefit one has received or will receive that varies from person to person. During the past four years, a certain segment of the population has found nothing to be thankful for as Americans, and have, in fact, gone to great lengths to make the rest of the country suffer the effects of their ingratitude. It is sad that the Republican Party and their adherents made it their life’s purpose to create an atmosphere of hate out of their abhorrence of an African American man the people elected President. It is understandable that hate and anger make it nearly impossible to be thankful, but conservatives should be thankful the rest of the population elected a President not inclined to deliberately cause suffering for 98% of the American people, including them.

The recent election drew a sharp contrast between conservative hate and the rest of the nation because not all Americans who are thankful they have a decent job, safe home, an education, healthcare, and a secure retirement voted for the man who believes every American should have those basic human rights. All Americans should have a great deal of gratitude for living in this country, but unfortunately, millions of Americans have substantially less, and for the past four years Republicans have sought to increase their numbers. However, Republicans’ corporate masters are the masterminds, and beneficiaries, of the plot to transform America into a land of peasants serving a few-hundred wealthy families and Romney represented their threat to America and the idea that every citizen deserved the right to succeed. His loss gives 98% of Americans reason to be thankful this Thanksgiving.

It was mildly disturbing that nearly half the population bought the notion that 98% of the population exists to enrich the wealthy and their corporations, but it became stunning over the past few years. Most Americans are thankful their government provides consumer protections and the mechanism for upward mobility by helping elevate the entire country, but Republicans have deliberately obstructed every effort to help all Americans prosper and sought to strip protections from their corporate masters. Americans can be thankful Romney lost the election because his plan for America was severe austerity, massive tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations, and repealing consumer protection and financial reform laws.

One has to wonder why 47% of voters would have been thankful if Romney and Ryan won the election and imposed harsh austerity on the people and ended Medicare, and drastically cut Medicaid, food stamps, education, police and fire fighters, and restrict 30 million Americans from access to affordable health care insurance. It is painful, frankly, and a sad commentary that nearly half this nation is so steeped in hate that they supported candidates they knew would increase their fellow citizens suffering and yet, the rest of the nation supported politicians who would help all the people. What made America the exceptional land of opportunity it once was, was when government taxed the rich, invested in jobs, and people were grateful the entire country was prospering. It was a time to be thankful.

One of Americans’ problems is they forget about Republicans’ push for wider economic inequality and increased poverty after an election while their good fortune endures. Today when families gather and enjoy a feast and express their undying gratitude for their bounty, it is doubtful many are thinking about the poor, elderly, or homeless veterans who, for want of a decent job and secure retirement, have very little to be thankful for, or that Republicans want to increase their despair. It is a hideous abomination and an outrage on humanity that in the richest country in the history of the world, even one citizen is hungry, without a good job, an education, a home, healthcare, and a secure retirement. There are millions of American who have everything to be thankful for, and that is as it should be, but hopefully they look forward to, and work for, the day when every American has everything to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving.

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Rmuse

Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.

Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn't look good.

Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.