Dear Friends,
I'm sorry if I haven't kept in touch with you as well as I should have. Lisa and I are now putting down roots in Utah, and memories of military life are fading into the mists of time.
I'm writing to encourage you to consider voting for the Obama/Biden ticket next month. It surprises me to be saying this, and surprises me even more that I'm saying it with such heart-felt conviction. I've been a straight ticket Republican my entire life and tend to choose a conservative path by nature.
This year though, I believe the stakes are too high to ignore what has happened over the past several years. To my shame, I was one of a handful of people that helped put President Bush over the top in Florida in 2000 (military absentee ballot). I had hopes that, with the slim margin of victory, Pres. Bush would see the need for bipartisan cooperation to address the myriad of problems facing our nation. Unfortunately, that has not happened. President Bush has governed with embarrassing arrogance and ignorance. Our government is now so polarized that no common ground can be found to seek solutions on problems. It seems like politicians today are so concerned with proving their liberal or conservative credentials that they spend their time clinging to their blue or red standards rather than seek for cooperation and consensus. In the meantime, the laws that do get passed tend to favor corporations that can afford the multi-million dollar campaigns necessary to shepherd their interests through Congress.
This must stop!
While I believe Sen. McCain to be a good and honest man, I do not believe he has the vision or leadership to set the agenda for our nation. On the other hand, I have been deeply impressed with Sen. Obama since reading "The Audacity of Hope" two years ago. I didn't agree with everything he said, but I admired the way he approached problems. He is well versed in the historical background of issues, he understands and can explain all sides, he seeks out contrary opinions, and he identifies common ground that all can work toward. I see him as an intelligent, confidant leader who can set priorities and sell the vision of accomplishing great things to our nation. We need new ways to identify and solve problems…the big problems of health care, cohesive foreign policy, energy independence, consistent quality education for all American children and a sensible, sustainable economic policy. I believe Barack Obama can do it.
As an officer in the Air Force for nearly twenty years, I have seen first hand the slow erosion of respect for the United States from our overseas allies. This is regrettable. These countries want to look up to us, they want to be inspired, they want us to set the example of civilized behavior. But when stories of Guantanamo, and Abu Ghraib, and Iraq, and corporate greed, and political corruption are uncovered, their faith in America is undermined. While the Republican Party may not be responsible for every excess, they had a chance to reverse this erosion of world respect. But they didn't.
It's time for a change.
I feel that Obama's understanding of the Constitution and the principles of democracy that underpin our nation would help immensely in giving the United States greater credibility and respect from our allies. I also believe that he would approach international relations with an intelligence, sensitivity and firm diplomacy currently missing from our dialogues. Rather than beating our enemies over the head with the club of democracy, I can see Obama holding our democratic principals up for others to see them for what they are…sometimes flawed, sometimes messy, but ultimately truly inspired.
I encourage you to take this election seriously…which I am sure you are. There are plenty of petty distractions flying around the internet and on television, but you can read the policy plans of the candidates at www.JohnMcCain.com and www.BarackObama.com (click on highlighted "Issues").
If you believe the Republican Party has honorably discharged their governing responsibilities and deserve to be rewarded with another four years in the White House, then please vote for Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin.
I believe, however, that our country needs more inspired leadership…and needs it now. Senators Obama and Biden represent that hope for me. The problems we face as a country have ramifications that will echo through generations to come. We can't afford to dither and squabble. We need to act with conviction, decisiveness, and a sense of united effort in addressing the critical issues facing our nation.
I feel awkward being so intrusive, but thank you for your time and consideration.
Dan Thomas
