A New Day?

If someone would have bet me that I would come out of the GOP Convention being impressed by John McCain, I would have told you that you were crazy.

Nevertheless, I will say that having been to the convention I came out impressed with McCain.

Yes his acceptance speech had some areas which concern me. Namely the increased federal government role in education, as the federal government should have no role.

I also fear that Republicans have fought who initially attacked us on 9/11. We need to make Afganistan a bigger priority. I would have loved to hear McCain in his speech say, "I will pursue Osama Bin Laden to the gates of hell, and I will personally see that he gets there."

Nevertheless, the choice of Palin and the repudiation of Republican leadership over the past eight years is encouraging.

I am encouraged that Palin fought corruption in her state party.

I am encouraged that McCain apologized for the past eight years. I for one am getting sick of Republicans blaming Clinton for everything. Yes Clinton was a rotten president, but we have been in power for eight years and controlled the Congress and White House for six of those. We have no one to blame but ourselves.

I am encouraged that McCain talked about cutting government spending. Republicans have taken on a Rockefelian approach to government. Let's see if we can outspend the Democrats. This is not what Republicans stand for.

I am encouraged by the platform. Yes there are sections with which I disagree, but the party took strong stances on abortion and immigration.

I am encouraged that the Republican Party is fighting once again. I still have the bruises from Bush I and the Dole campaigns.

Now it will be interesting to see if the rhetoric continues and if the rhetoric comes to pass once elected.

This could be a new day for the party and that is encouraging.