Florida grows up, votes right

Congratulation is due to the Pensacola News Journal for having the courage to endorse Barack Obama in this bastion of conservatism.

With Warren Buffet, Colin Powell and many other highly respected Americans endorsing Obama, how could this newspaper do otherwise? Overseas, Obama is cheered as a better world is now expected. To Obama, all villages matter. The American middle class has taken a beating in the last eight years.

All states in the Northeast voted Obama, including Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and northward. All Great Lakes and Pacific Coast states did likewise. The old slave states mostly voted John McCain — still fighting the Civil War in a way. Florida did the right thing; it has grown up.

I shall disown all relatives voting Republican. They come from a branch of the family that also supported the British in our Revolutionary War. Is there a hereditary behavioral problem here?

— Fred H. Parker
Pensacola

Mad president

Well, the mad Marxist and his minions will get their four years. Why do I call the president-elect mad? One of the definitions of insanity or madness is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. Marxism, socialism and communism don't work. They have been proved not to work. They can appear to stand for a while, propped up by the tyrant's guns when the people have none.

I constantly hear about our "democracy," even from people who should know better. Pure democracy is the tyranny of the majority over the minority. A republic (which is what we have) with a constitution protects the God-given rights of all, including the minorities. Without that protection, tyranny will result. Our Founding Fathers knew this. We seem to have forgotten it.

Our Constitution protects the rights of all people, but I have heard our newly elected one say he wants to change the Constitution. What gives him the authority to do so? The Thirteenth Amendment rightly abolished slavery. What makes that more important than the Second Amendment? The arrogance of the left knows no bounds. If one can be infringed, they all can.

— Don Dippel Sr.
Pensacola

God's decision

Rebekah Allen's Nov. 7 article stated "(Gov. Sarah) Palin's strong social conservative views resonated with the Christian right in the Panhandle, local pastors said."

When will Northwest Floridians relinquish this influence, become independent thinkers and progress with the majority in our country to vote on major issues affecting all Americans? Our country is in a horrible domestic and international state due to failed Bush policies. Evangelicals need to understand that this election was about much more than their needs.

While Palin boosted part of the Republican base, she was a poor choice and clearly not qualified to be vice president. As governor of Alaska she violated ethics codes, she is not educated on even basics of national politics, and she blatantly lied about the opposition. Is this your future Republican Christian role model?

It was encouraging to see Florida turn from red to blue in this election. I hope that Panhandle Republicans will one day, unselfishly, cast their votes based on what is best for all Americans instead of their own evangelical desires.

God's decision on this election did result in what's best for our country, and that did not include Palin.

— Carol Hughes
Pensacola