Post-election time for us to come together
Published 3:23am Wednesday, November 3, 2010The votes have been cast. The ballots have been counted. Now it is time for America to come together.
The 2010 general election is over. It was arguably one of the most divisive and nasty elections in recent years where partisan bickering and negative campaigning ruled the day. Party lines were drawn as clearly as in any recent year.
And none of that means anything now.
Some of those who we called “candidates” cannot call themselves that any longer.
Now they are elected representatives of the American people. That brings a new responsibility and civic duty that we hope none take lightly.
Each of the men and women elected Tuesday night must put their personal agendas and political rhetoric aside and find a common ground with their fellow legislators or officeholders to address the issues that face our county, our state and our nation.
Continuing to hold on to campaign grudges and closed-minded viewpoints will only hinder progress.
Everyone must work together, finding compromise and cooperation in order for our country to continue to rebound from one of the worst recessions in history.
Our economic woes didn’t happen overnight and they won’t be corrected that way either.
The issues facing our great country will not be fixed by the Democrats. It will not be fixed by the Republicans. Virtually all of the significant problems facing our nation can only be fixed by united Americans.
Noesis; As a PS: Thank you for the two links. I enjoyed reading them. I did not know anything about the riots in France pertaining to raising the retirement age to 63. I must sympathize with the rioters although I do not concur with this method of protest. I was fortunate enough to retire at age 60 after forty two years of service with the Railroad, thanks to the efforts of the Democratic party. I was also under Socialized medicine my entire Railroad career. My family and I were required to have C&O Hospital Association approved Doctor’s and Hospitals, remember the old C&O Hospital in Huntington? also Clifton Forge, Va., after the hospital in Huntington closed it was Our Lady Of Bellefonte in Russell, Ky. My forty two years of membership in this hospital association has nothing but my highest admiration and respect. I feel that my family and I had the best medical care available at that time, all at no or minimal out of pocket cost. There is much to be said for Socialized Medicine and also by the way, the much maligned Democratic Party.
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Noesis; You can rest assured, the British will not depart from Socialized Medicine. The bottom line; they realize how fortunate they are to have it. I have friends with a home in England and also Ireland. They maintain England as their permanent residence in order to obtain their Health care there. Yes, they pay for it through taxes, but their taxes are not as expensive as our taxes and Medical costs combined. They are completely satisfied with the quality of medical care they receive and the cost incurred. They cannot understand why, we Americans do not have Socialized medicine. I have tried to enlighten them by informing them of the tremendous lobby and misinformation put out by Insurance and Pharmaceutical interests not to mention the Medical profession and their primary interest in profit.
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Noesis; I feel you are taking a narrow and biased point of view. The last figures published by the World Health Organization shows the United States ranking as 37th in overall quality of Health care.
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Mike; I prefer staying down the list!!! Whats a few numbers more or less. If I was in your shoes, I would cease any “serious consideration”. I notice you did not say outlaw Ky. Bourbon, just put a high tax on it. Interesting.
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World health organization? It is part of the UN, which in my opinion cannot be relied upon for factual evaluations of the world’s health care systems.
I have given this subject serious consideration; all the goverment has to do is require mcdonalds,rax,arbys,taco bell,pizza hut etc., to reduce their menu to rice,olive oil and wine. Also burn all tobacco fields, and outlaw beer and scotch, with a high tax on Ky Bourbon.
Problem solved, we would be at the top of the list.
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mikehaney; Your comment pertaining to the European countries “overloaded pension systems, lesser health care systems and national debt”. I feel is a rather broad statement lacking in depth and substance. I am not that well informed on their “pension systems” and “national debt”, but I have taken an interest in their Health Care System. All major countries in the world have Socialized Medicine with the exception of the United States and have been rather successful in this endeavor. I feel we have been mislead by the Insurance, Pharmaceutical and to a lessor extent, the Medical profession. The World Health Organization can furnish some enlightening information.
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Mick, the British would beg to differ with your assesment:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8108385/Why-we-are-healthier-than-Americans-but-die-earlier.html
Why we are healthier than Americans but die earlier
English people are far healthier when they retire than their American counterparts but die earlier because of our poorer healthcare, a major new study claims.
People in the US are twice as likely to contract diabetes and a third more likely to develop cancer than those among similar aged people in England.
But despite this, Americans, aged 65, can expect to live on average around three months longer than their equivalent retirees across the Atlantic.
The discrepancies suggests that while English people have healthier lifestyles than Americans, the latter’s health care system is better able to patch them up.
“Americans are so much sicker but they make up for it with much more aggressive and expensive health care,” said Jim Smith, senior economist and lead author at the US research think tank the Rand Corporation.
“We are spending twice as much as England on health and we are getting the benefit of the extra years of life.
“If English people spent the same amount I have no doubt people would live a lot longer. That is a choice they will have to make.”
…Mr Smith said: “If you get sick at older ages, you will die sooner in England than in the United States.
“It appears that at least in terms of survival at older ages with chronic disease, the medical system in the United States may be better than the system in England.” …
So Mick, even though we have poorer healthstyle because of our eating, lack of working out, smoking habits than England, we live longer than them…
England is even looking at going capitalistic with their health care system:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/12/radical-nhs-reform-plans
And seriously Mick, you haven’t heard of the violent riots over in France because they want to raise the retirement age up to 63?
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Noesis; WELCOME BACK!!!! Where have you been? I have missed your input, even considering I disagree with about fifty percent of it, conservative figure, pun intended. Mitch McConnell? Come on Noesis, you can do better than that, otherwise a fair post Bottom line, welcome back.
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Hey Mick, just completed major renovations on my house… that kept me busy most of the time… that and the fact trying to argue with people that can’t recognize simple facts was depressing… even now the spin is amazing… “well, that’s normal for the democrats to lose a few seats…” Some people just don’t have a clue…
And as far as what Mitch said, how is he going to ensure that Obambi is a one term president? Easy… put forth republican ideas that create real jobs. Something Obama hasn’t been able to do. Democrats fight the republican ideas, the voters will remove that problem in 2012.
Besides, is what Mitch said anything worse then when Obama said:
“‘We’re gonna punish our enemies and we’re gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us”
Sooooooo…. now anybody who disagrees with Obama on his issues are his ENEMY???
I can see Al-Queda and even the Taliban being the enemy… but now anybody who disagrees with him is now an enemy too? Does Mitch McConnell need to start worrying about the Predator drone flying above his car?
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The dems and Obama wasn’t listening. Now it’s the repubs turn.
Our job is to make sure they were being honest, and if not, go again until someone proves they are listening to the American people.
I would also guess that European countries are watching also with their overloaded pension systems, lesser health care systems and national debt.
I hope we can show them the way.
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Americans have been united in their attempts to solve the countries problems….constantly voting out incumbants for the past 10 years when they don’t listen to what Americans want accomplished! Unfortunately, it has made little difference, they continue to do as they wish after elected, ignoring the work they were elected to do. Boehner says they were elected to listen to what Americans want….Americans voted the number two item they wanted addressed as the trade agreements, (this was on the Republican website) but this was nowhere on their “pledge to America”. Great job of listening there Boehner! Obama yesterday referenced a trip to Asia he has coming up….says he plans to have discussions with them about opening up their markets to American products. Seems like I remember Bush saying virtually the same thing some years back…nothing changed then in respect to more fair trade, and I expect nothing will come of it this time either. The strategy of these two parties is simple…Divide and Conquer!
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And if he’s judged by the same measure as Obama, Kasich now has 18 months to fix every problem in Ohio. Good luck.
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All eyes will be on Boehner and Kasich.
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well the party of corporate greed is back in power. Might be good for my stocks.
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Congratulations to the republicans on a successful 2010 campaign. We all knew it was coming, with
the only question being to what degree. As one who, frankly, wasn’t with you in this election cycle
I will still look forward with an open mind. Republicans in DC, this is your audition. This is your
chance to impress and convince people like me that you should get serious consideration in future
elections.
As for the sentiment of this article, while I support it, I honestly have serious doubt we’ll see it come to
pass in our nation’s capital.
Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, said the #1 priority of the republicans in congress is to
make Obama a one-term president. If there’s any truth to that, we’re not going to see anyone working
together and the “party of no” mentality on display by the republicans over the last two years will be
reciprocated by the democrats. If McConnell and John Boehner deliver on the game they’ve been talking,
we’re looking at a future that’s all about filibusters, vetoes and gridlock. I hope they do better than that.
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Indie, You don’t think Obama’s number one priority is to get elected to a second term?
I happen to agree with McConnell, Obama has done enough damage in 2 years, The economy might have been the biggest factor in this historic election but there’s also this from CNN exit polling:
“Nearly 40 percent, an astoundingly high percentage for a midterm election, reported that they cast their ballot in protest of the president.”
Then throw in the fact that a majority of the voters were against the Health Care bill, cap and trade… it appears that being the “Party of No” worked…
The people aren’t buying what democrats are selling… If they wanted it, they would have voted for democrats to get rid of the obstructionist republicans.
It’s democrats who have to work with republicans. Tsunamis come in multiple waves… this was the first. If democrats don’t “get it” and start moving back to the center, 2012 will be another bloodbath.
Who was it that said… “Elections have consequences”?
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AMEN!
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Seems it is a good time for all to review and work together to make ohio and the nation a better place.
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