An American Election – The world waits

by Frank E da Silva Fri, Nov 2, 2012

“But I am convinced that the enactment this year of tax reduction and tax reform overshadows all other domestic problems in this Congress. For we cannot for long lead the cause of peace and freedom, if we ever cease to set the pace here at home.”{{more}}

As America gets set to elect who will be its president for the next four years, the rest of the world watches, some with their minds made up as to who they would like it to be; while there are others who are yet “undecided: who are these strange beings?” No doubt Adrian Fraser, of whom someone once wrote about his own undecidedness in Vincentian politics, “… By the time Adrian made up his mind the election would be over,” is not one of those “strange people” and neither am I. If I ever had any support for Mr Obama, it would have gone out the window when Obama verbalized his support for something known as “gay rights” and marriage as not between a woman and a man, but a union between anything. Last week, he went even further by voicing his support for what the Bible (Lev 20:13/Rom 1:27) calls “an abomination” giving specific support to same sex marriage on the ballot paper of four states in next week’s election.

I do not think one has to be a Bible reader to find such behaviour reprehensible, so what does it say of those who call themselves Believers who would give power to any individual who would push this revolting conduct on a nation – supporting Obamanation. One wonders how many Vincentians would support any Vincentian politician who dared to say they would push such legislation. One of the things that never ceases to amaze is how Vincentians – regardless of their own political affiliation at home – are supporters of the US democrat party. And that support is even worse now that there is a so-called black president with whom they have only skin colour in common. Unlike most of us, there were no slaves in Obama’s past; he grew in Hawaii with a white grandmother where you will be hard-pressed to find another black: yet they pretend.

Martin King’s niece

Here is an extract of Obama’s impact as it appeared in the UK Guardian: Maryland voters are being asked via referendum to uphold a same-sex marriage law passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor. The bill promises that religious leaders will not have to perform the ceremonies if they are opposed to them. Earlier polls had support for the legislature’s actions only leading by single-digits. What happened to provide this sudden jolt in support? Minority, specifically black, voters have grown in their support of same-sex marriage since President Obama announced his backing for gay marriage in May: it seems to be a rare example where the president’s bully pulpit has actually worked.

I wonder, would black folk support this measure if it came from a white president? I am reminded of John F Kennedy’s admonition to Catholics not to vote for him simply because he was a Catholic. “You would be wasting your franchise” he told them. It reminds me too of some in SVG who tell you their vote was personal for a friend. But all American blacks have not let skin colour blind them to what is objectionable. A group of black ministers were livid at Obama’s first announcement and had this to say:

The Rev. Bryant Wright, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, called Obama’s statements “a calculated, politically expedient decision that completely ignores the biblical foundation of marriage,” (May 5, 2012).

“During the 2008 elections, 70 percent of African-Americans voted to ban same-sex marriage in California while they also voted for Barack Obama for president,” Dr. Alveda King, niece of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. October 10. Her group says it will raise $1m in hopes of getting twenty-five percent of blacks to vote against Obama.

And some racists (they are white) chimed in.

Bob Vander Plaats, the head of The Family Leader, said that the move will stoke a part of the religious base even more against Obama. “They were already fired up to get rid of Obama. This will only make them more on fire to get rid of Obama. And if I’m Romney today, I’m smiling.”

“President Obama has, in my view, shaken his fist at the same God who created and defined marriage. It grieves me that our president would now affirm same-sex marriage, though I believe it grieves God even more,” Franklyn Graham, grandson of Billy Graham.

KKK and Democrats

“But Frank you were never a supporter of Obama, why?” Growing up in the sixties all one heard was about the goodness of the Democrats, particularly John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Somehow that the KKK were all Democrats was hardly featured – George Wallace was just the Alabama segregationist – never a Democrat. That the late Martin Luther King was a Republican was a well kept secret. So I arrived in the US in 1975 leaning Democrat. I discovered soon that the Democrats of Kennedy who said, “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country,” had ceased. It was now a party whose objective was to create a permanent dependency class – a welfare state. When Jimmy Carter became president, he first sought to change that. His party, which controlled both houses of Congress, would have no part of it. That was the last time I supported any Democrat.

I got a job for $85 per week; I had one party saying I should be left with my money, while another wanted to tax me more and more so that they could encourage more and more, to become “Dependent on DC” (2001 book by Charlotte A. Twight). In an article which appeared here just before the 2008 election, Ronald Sanders stated that the Caribbean has always benefited more under Republican administrations [this year he seems to be hedging his bet]. The Republicans refused to do Chiquita’s bidding – going to the WTO. Clinton and Ron Brown from Harlem did. The hated George Bush granted us a reprieve to 2006 of the WTO ruling. Clinton and Larry Summers wanted to kill our offshore, but a Republican, Phil Graham, told them they were attempting to interfere in our “right as sovereign country” by trying to dictate tax policies. Obama’s first move was to join with his socialist (Dr Fraser) friends across the pond to finally kill it. Ronald Sanders in last week’s column grudgingly conceded that Romney might grant us a respite.

Tax cuts

I could go on, but space will not permit. I leave you though with a further quote from President Kennedy, January 1963 – his Democrats in Congress granted him his wish after he was assassinated. Reagan repeated it in 1980: “… If we are to prevail in the long run, we must expand the long-run strength of our economy. We must move along the path to a higher rate of growth and full employment…To achieve these greater gains, one step, above all, is essential—the enactment this year of a substantial reduction and revision in Federal income taxes.

For it is increasingly clear—to those in Government, business, and labour who are responsible for our economy’s success—that our obsolete tax system exerts too heavy a drag on private purchasing power, profits, and employment… It distorts the use of resources. It invites recurrent recessions, depresses our Federal revenues, and causes chronic budget deficits.”

Politicians in SVG ought to listen. (For a copy of material reference contact me: bfruit@aol.com).