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Alissa (Iowa City, IA)

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My political musings, rants, observations and other whatnot.

Defiant Hope

By Alissa - Feb 14th, 2008 at 3:53 pm EST

Also listed in: 5 groups

“I never work better than when I am inspired by anger; for when I am angry, I can write, pray, and preach well, for then my whole temperament is quickened, my understanding sharpened, and all mundane vexations and temptations depart.” ~ Martin Luther For a couple of years now, I live my life within the framework of faith as defiant hope. It is my humble observation that this campaign is not only infused with defiant hope, but embodies it as well. Hope alone is a desire coupled with an expectation of obtainment, or to expect with confidence. To defy is to challenge to do something considered impossible. Defiance is not anger, though can be spurred by anger. Defiance causes you to focus your energy into activity. Your soul cries out, “You will not define me! I will not be confined by definitions or demographics. You do not determine who I am or what I believe or who I respect.” Defiant hope, therefore, is to challenge what is deemed impossible with expected confidence that one will succeed. And this is the very heart and soul of the Obama campaign. This defiant hope is the driving force and catalyst to the “fierce urgency of now.” Defiance is our realization that we are more than we are given credit, than the status quo can see. Hope is the sensation that it can actually be achieved. This is the defiant hope of the little girl in the barbershop who told Michelle Obama that Barack’s presidency means she can imagine anything for herself, for she knows she is greater and more capable than the world has told her. Consider for a moment, your reaction to Obama and his message – the heart swelling with passion and pride, your mind suddenly imagining the world as it could be, a dream of something different and the bursting sense that you could actually be part of history. This is hope. Consider, also, the clenched knot in your gut, the burning sense that you must do something, to speak out. Consider your frustration and anger at the distorted attacks leveled against him. An unnamed sensation stirs in your gut, and you know you cannot be idle. So you pick up the phone, you knock on a door, you buy a bumper sticker, you donate to the campaign, or you speak with a coworker or family member without regard to the potential faux pas of discussing politics. This, my friends, is defiance. To describe the momentum and activity of this grassroots movement goes far beyond a few well-turned words in a speech. Those who would dismiss us as a “cult” on the one side and those who consider us “activists” on the other realize not the power of Barack Obama, for he instills in us not simply defiance and activity against the status quo and not simply hope, dreams of what could be. Both accusations sense part of the message, but not its whole. The one side perceives our hope-mongering ways, with the misconception that somehow we are fueled by dreams alone. The other reacts to the defiance, the grassroots activity usually only undertaken by activists. But they do not yet perceive the defiant hope. His message and person is turning us all into activists for a common purpose and common goals, because we feel, deep to our core, that we must do something and by doing something, we can create what we imagine. The inspiration of Barack Obama is that we believe our activity is enacting our dreams. “Yes we can” is not simply the rallying cry of the passive, nor simply a catchy slogan for dreamers. It is a direct response to the “chorus of cynics” who insist on parsing phrases, delineating demographics and invalidating inspiration. “Change” is not our ideal, but what is happening because every day more people recognize the dawning of defiant hope in their souls and they act. This is no mere bandwagon, for we are no hangers-on, no coattail riders. We pull this wagon, with blood, sweat, time and tears. WITH HOPE IN OUR VEINS AND FIRE IN OUR HEARTS, THEY WILL NOT STEM THE TIDE! OBAMA ’08!

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The Clinton Campaign Manual?

By Alissa - Jan 23rd, 2008 at 5:41 pm EST

Also listed in: 5 groups

Sounds scarily like what they're actually trying to do.

http://www.choice101.com/15-con-artist-basic-rules.html

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a great article, for those who think Obama's an "empty suit"

By Alissa - Jan 23rd, 2008 at 1:37 am EST

Also listed in: 5 groups

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/22/191351/318/22/441358

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...sad sad day

By Alissa - Jan 22nd, 2008 at 5:41 pm EST

Also listed in: 4 groups

So this is totally unrelated to anything Obama, but I needed to tell someone.

Heath Ledger died today and I am totally shocked and sad. He was only 28 -- and was in some of my favorite movies from college -- 10 Things I Hate About You, Knight's Tale, etc. There are lots of good memories for me that surround some of his movies. I am very very sad. :(

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the Clinton blogs -- an experiment

By Alissa - Jan 22nd, 2008 at 4:04 pm EST

Also listed in: 5 groups

I've heard various rumors and accusations that the Clinton campaign polices the HillaryClinton.com blogs very seriously -- they ban any comments that are critical or negative of her. Which doesn't surprise me in the least, (just reading through the current blog posts, especially about the debate last night, solidified my instincts) but prompted me to attempt a post. I logged in, and here are the blog rules you have to agree to follow:

I have read and agree to the following guidelines:

What you can do: You can share your views with other members of the community and engage in respectful dialogue about the issues.
What you cannot do: You cannot post hate speech, profanity, abusive language, personal attacks, comments that are disruptive to the community, sexually explicit material, depictions of graphic violence, threats, comments that could be construed as threats, comments intended to incite violence, personal contact information, copyrighted material, or material that otherwise violates either the law or provisions of our Terms of Service.
Comment policy: All comments are reviewed before being publicly posted on the blog. Moderators will strictly enforce the above guidelines. Comments that violate these guidelines will be deleted. We reserve the right to ban members who violate these guidelines. There may be a time delay between the submission of a comment and its appearance on the blog.

Fairly garden variety guidelines, but the vague quality of "personal attacks" and "comments that are disruptive to the community" bother me. Broad application much? The fact that any comment is delayed is also a concern. So far I haven't made the cut, and I posted nearly 20 minutes ago now. I doubt I will pass their strict screening criteria. *rolls eyes* The Obama campaign only monitors for extreme language and offensiveness, and naysayers make their way onto the boards just like the rest of us, and they'll receive either passionate response or annoyed silence. Supporters are free to voice concerns and fears -- and although other bloggers may react to that, none of the posts are deleted -- it's free form. Read: Clinton's blogs are nothing more than "ooo, look at me, everyone loves me unconditionally" sanitized dribble. Oh, I have no doubt that these positive posts are from well-meaning, heart-felt voters, but anyone who strips out all negatives from their website is not only being dishonest with the people, but dishonest with themselves.

You'll have to bear with me, because the internet obviously hates me today and I had pasted the text of my post so you could see how fairly benign, if questioning it was, about Hillary -- but somehow it got lost. Here's a close reconstruction:

From the above link (fact check):
[Senator Obama then attacked Senator Clinton on her vote for the bankruptcy bill:

Believe it or not, Senator Clinton said again last night that even though she voted for the bill, she was glad it didn’t pass...I know you can get away with this in Washington, but most of us know that if you don’t want to see a bill pass, there’s a pretty easy option available – you can vote against the bill

Obama is distorting Hillary's comments. As she explained yesterday – and at the last debate -- Hillary said she was "happy" the bill "didn't become law" because "she regretted voting for it"]

No offense, but as an intelligent, well-read young woman these seem to be exactly the same. Senator Obama may have neglected the "she regretted voting for it part" but it is clear that if she is happy it didn't pass than somewhere along the line Senator Clinton changed her mind (ie Obama need not repeat she regretted the decision. His point is worthy and the implied question still unanswered: Why did you vote for the bankruptcy bill in the first place, Senator Clinton?

Also, leaving off an implied phrase is different than leaving off the "if and only if we could start the system from scratch" of Senator Obama's proposed single payer plan. All over the debate analysis blogs (cnn, abc, nbc, huffington post and others), Democrats are denouncing Senator Clinton in droves -- with the consensus that they will not vote for her should she win the nomination.

Please run a clean campaign. If such double-standards continue, I will have to join their ranks.

There's no proof in that post that I'm anything other than a concerned Clinton supporter. And it's not a lie -- I've never gone so far as to say that I'd 100% not vote for Hillary if she won the nomination, but I'm getting there. Thirty minutes and counting. Another post made it on, but not mine (again, go go hillary all the way) but I have no idea how long it was sitting in the queue to be screened. If I do succeed, I'll let you know.

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No laughing matter

By Alissa - Jan 17th, 2008 at 1:15 pm EST

Also listed in: 5 groups

Luckily, nobody laughed. But this Greeley businessman has some nerve, to crack such a joke in a public place. http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=84664http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=84664

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Letter to Senator Feingold of WI

By Alissa - Jan 16th, 2008 at 5:47 pm EST

Also listed in: 5 groups

I just emailed this letter to Senator Russ Feingold (D), of Wisconsin, who has yet to endorse a candidate.

Dear Senator Feingold,

My name is Alissa Reeves, and I am a 25 year old dairy farmer's daughter from Grant County. I am a full-hearted supporter of your work in the Senate and am so immensely grateful to have someone of your caliber and integrity working for our state.

I come to you today with a great sense of conviction and enthusiasm, to encourage you from the depths of my being to endorse Senator Barack Obama in his run for the presidency. I believe, with 100% conviction, that this man should be the next President of the United States.

I do not make this request lightly or impulsively. When I was in grad school in Chicago from 2004-2006, I told several colleagues and peers that if Senators Feingold and Obama both chose to run for President in 2008, I would be hard pressed to choose between them. Such is my respect and belief in both of you.

I never thought of myself as someone who would become part of campaign -- one of those who works the phone bank or goes door to door. But with Barack Obama, everything has changed. I am currently in Colorado, I am volunteering with the Barack Obama campaign. The Denver Volunteer Headquarters Open House was standing room only, packed with supporters from corner to corner with a line of folks out the door waiting to squeeze in. Stories of the same are flooding in from around the country.

I intend to vote for Senator Obama by absentee ballot in our own primary election on February 19th.

I fully believe that under his leadership we can revitalize our country's faith in the diplomatic process, renew our diplomacy and standing around the world, and reach for a better tomorrow. Our environment, our people, our country needs Barack Obama now.

I hope you will not only hear and understand but FEEL the infectious passion generated by the hundreds of thousands of hardworking, dedicated and inspired citizens in this growing movement. YES WE CAN, Senator Feingold, and I hope you will join us.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Alissa

PS -- GO PACKERS! :)

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volunteer!

By Alissa - Jan 10th, 2008 at 10:10 pm EST

Although I can't caucus here because I'm not a registered Coloradoan, I can volunteer with the best of them. I went to the Denver Volunteer HQ Open House and signed up for three shifts of working the phone banks -- and I'll keep volunteering as they need me/time permitting. wOOt! I'm part of the campaign! YES WE CAN!

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Initial Blurb

By Alissa - Jan 9th, 2008 at 6:54 pm EST

Also listed in: Lutherans for Obama | Women for Obama

I find myself caught up in the wave of hope and enthusiasm rippling out from all directions from this man, this leader, this PRESIDENT, Barack Obama. There is a long road still to haul, but I do believe he is our best candidate and -- to risk sounding cliche and bandwagony -- our best hope. Massachusetts was disappointing, there is no getting around that, but on the other hand it strengthens the resolve of so many fence-sitters like myself. We're not sitting the fence between candidates, necessarily -- my vote was long ago fated for Obama if he ran for president -- but between action and inaction, between observer and doer, between passive agreement and passionate support.

As for the other candidates -- it unnerves me to see how much support is thrown behind Hillary Clinton. There is something about her that I just have never liked. This is not the temporary irksomeness of an opponent, but a deeply felt sense of dis-ease. I don't trust that woman as far as I can throw her. She is no Bill. She does not feel as slimy as say, Chesire-cat grin Romney, but she does seem too polished -- I get the sense that she says what will get her where she wants to go, but not necessarily with sincerity. When did we citizens become so forgiving of negative ad campaigns, personal attacks, and status quo politics -- or forgiving enough to dismiss it with some almost-tears? Bush Clinton Bush Clinton?? REALLY, that's what people want? *shakes her head in disbelief*

Rally the people, bust out the buttons, we've got some campaigning to do!

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