Just Drop It, Get Over It, and Carry on

It is now six days after the election, and the loss by the Republicans still stings. A good number
of bloggers and commentators I respect are still stunned. There were reasonable expectations of
the Republicans taking control of the Senate and replacing President Obama with President Rom-
ney. Four years ago, there was no indication that Republicans would come this close. However,
strong Republican victories in the midterm elections of 2010 only stimulated a sense of hope.
But even six months ago, the prevailing narrative was that President Obama was safe in the
White House. Since the Republican National Convention there was a growing optimism that
the Republicans would do well this election cycle. There were a few vocal Republicans who
foresaw a landslide victory for Romney and the Republicans, especially in the Senate. But the
voices I trust the most spoke of a close race, perhaps one of the closest in decades, one that
could easily have gone either way.

But it was not to be the way I and many others had wished it to be. President Obama and the Democrats won a close election in terms of the popular vote and earned a decisive victory in
the Electoral College. They even strengthened their hold in the Senate. It is like I was watching
my favorite American football team playing in a championship game against an established team
that had an earned reputation for winning. It is a hard-fought game between my underdog team
and a team heavily favored to win. It comes down to the last minute of the game. Our hopes rise
as our team advances on the opponent's goal line. The other team leads by one point with just a
few seconds left. Our team kicks a three point field goal for the win, but it is blocked by a defen-
sive player from the other team. It was a very narrow margin of loss, yet it was a decisive win
by the other team. Their players are jubilant and celebrate their well-deserved victory. But the
players and supporters of my team feel great disappointment. Our team did well and played well
enough to win. Victory was in our grasp. We could see it. But how quickly it was gone. I and
many others feel the sting of defeat.

I have just a few comments to make about the election. I am deeply concerned about how easily charges of racism, greed, hate, religious fanaticism, and the waging of war against women and
the ninety nine percent spew forth from the mouths of Democrats. I would find it difficult to car-
ry on much-needed political conversation with someone who has been branded with one or more
of those charges. There has to be room for political dialogue without the fear of being accused of politically volatile charges. To many Democrats, Progressives and Liberals,  Republicans and
Conservatives such as myself are labelled as racist, greedy, hateful, and even evil; to most Re-
publicans and Conservatives, politicians on the other side are viewed as wrong and misled, but
not evil or bad.  Never has there been a sitting US president in modern times who has exercised
such a negative re-election campaign as President Obama. He had nothing else to run on. His
record is poor, and because of that, many Republicans were hopeful that the President would not
be re-elected. The negative campaign, however, was quite successful. It worked, and he was re-
elected to a second term. Some commentators suggest that the heavy negative messaging led to
voter suppression: indeed, it was a low turnout for election. People were put off by the negativ-
ity and stayed home rather than voting. I was relieved when I learned that the House of Repre-
sentatives had remained in Republican hands and did not go Democratic. It was an election that
favored incumbents of both parties. It preserved the status quo. Fortunately President Obama and
his fellow Democrats will not have the same control of the government that they enjoyed during
the first two years of President Obama's first term.

But enough of the election results. I am deeply disappointed at the outcome. I have vented my
feelings. Now it is time to just drop it, get over it, and carry on with life. I continue to pray for
President Obama, the Congress,  and the Supreme Court; for the state governors and the state legislators; and for Her Majesty the Queen, her counsellors, Members of Parliament, and Mem-
bers of the Scottish National Parliament. I pray for and support human government at all levels,
but I do not put my trust in them. I trust in the LORD God, King of Kings and LORD of Lords,
and ruler of all the nations. Human government fails us, but the LORD God never does. Since
the election I have felt a deep abiding calm and sense of peace. I have a pastoral calling to care
for the dear people of St Fergus Parish Church. I enjoy politics, but pastoral leadership is my cal-
ling and vocation.


Blessing to you and yours,