Why is it the end of the summer and we dont have half of the administrations appointees in place?
Does the phrase "Recess Appointees" ring a bell?
All of these excuses will mean nothing in 2010 and 2012. The Health Care Scam to payoff big business with our money is unforgiveable and dispicable.
Why is the Obama administration so weak and cowardly?
As a former Chicago resident, this is embarrassing that the President uses Chicago to express how tough he is but gets nothing done.
How much do I have to donate for Obama to grow a pair and start cracking skulls?
Bipartisanship only works when youre running the show and are dominant over one's enemies.
Otherwise its just weakness.
Obama and the Future of US Foreign Policy: A Discussion
Democracy Now! Nov 06 2008
John Pilger: ..Michael Moore had it right when he said the other day, let’s hope that Obama breaks all his election promises, as politicians generally do, because all his election promises, in terms of foreign policy, are a continuation of business as usual. And even if there is a return to what used to be called a multilateral world, I think there has to be critical analysis of the return to the pretensions of America as a peacemaker around the world. We had to endure this, and I mean endure it during the Clinton years, and I don’t think that we, in the rest of the world, ought to have to endure it now through the Obama years, so that we have a continuation, if you like, of liberalism as a divisive, almost war-making ideology, being used to destroy liberalism as a reality, because that has gone on under so-called liberal presidents, from Kennedy to Clinton, Democratic presidents. And President-elect Obama suggests to us, in his promises, that he is going to continue that, bombing Pakistan and Afghanistan..Mahmood Mamdani: ..Will America recognize, as I believe South Africa has after the election of Mandela, that the election of Mandela was not change, but an opportunity to change? And whether that opportunity is realized and transformed into a program of social justice within the country and peace abroad will depend on the movement that pushes Obama and gives him the opportunity to respond to it..Ali Abunimah: ..we should be setting the standard very high, not accepting slight hints that in a few years’ time an Obama administration might accept a Palestinian state or might talk about one. The days for that are over. The situation is urgent, and we really need to see radical change. It’s not going to come from Rahm Emanuel and Dennis Ross and Martin Indyk; it’s only going to come from a groundswell demanding that the promises of change be kept..Tariq Ali: ..I mean, the British are already saying that sending in more troops isn’t going to help, because the war is lost. The United States intelligence agencies are already involved in panic discussions with the people they are fighting, the neo-Taliban, to try and persuade them to join the coalition, which they’re refusing to do as long as there are foreign troops there. So, escalating the war I don’t think is a serious option. And if he does it, it will be a very, very serious mistake, on the same level in scale as invading Iraq..Mahmood Mamdani: ..there’s a remarkable difference between the youth movement of the ’60s, which mainly organized outside the system, and the youth movement which has brought Obama to power, because this movement has organized within the system to reform the system. Obama keeps on saying that this movement must not go away, that change hasn’t come, that this is the beginning of change. Now, will the candidate be able to tame the movement, or will the movement be able to stamp itself to some extent in the coming days?
John Pilger: ..Michael Moore had it right when he said the other day, let’s hope that Obama breaks all his election promises, as politicians generally do, because all his election promises, in terms of foreign policy, are a continuation of business as usual. And even if there is a return to what used to be called a multilateral world, I think there has to be critical analysis of the return to the pretensions of America as a peacemaker around the world. We had to endure this, and I mean endure it during the Clinton years, and I don’t think that we, in the rest of the world, ought to have to endure it now through the Obama years, so that we have a continuation, if you like, of liberalism as a divisive, almost war-making ideology, being used to destroy liberalism as a reality, because that has gone on under so-called liberal presidents, from Kennedy to Clinton, Democratic presidents. And President-elect Obama suggests to us, in his promises, that he is going to continue that, bombing Pakistan and Afghanistan..
Mahmood Mamdani: ..Will America recognize, as I believe South Africa has after the election of Mandela, that the election of Mandela was not change, but an opportunity to change? And whether that opportunity is realized and transformed into a program of social justice within the country and peace abroad will depend on the movement that pushes Obama and gives him the opportunity to respond to it..
Ali Abunimah: ..we should be setting the standard very high, not accepting slight hints that in a few years’ time an Obama administration might accept a Palestinian state or might talk about one. The days for that are over. The situation is urgent, and we really need to see radical change. It’s not going to come from Rahm Emanuel and Dennis Ross and Martin Indyk; it’s only going to come from a groundswell demanding that the promises of change be kept..
Tariq Ali: ..I mean, the British are already saying that sending in more troops isn’t going to help, because the war is lost. The United States intelligence agencies are already involved in panic discussions with the people they are fighting, the neo-Taliban, to try and persuade them to join the coalition, which they’re refusing to do as long as there are foreign troops there. So, escalating the war I don’t think is a serious option. And if he does it, it will be a very, very serious mistake, on the same level in scale as invading Iraq..
Mahmood Mamdani: ..there’s a remarkable difference between the youth movement of the ’60s, which mainly organized outside the system, and the youth movement which has brought Obama to power, because this movement has organized within the system to reform the system. Obama keeps on saying that this movement must not go away, that change hasn’t come, that this is the beginning of change. Now, will the candidate be able to tame the movement, or will the movement be able to stamp itself to some extent in the coming days?
I'm getting awfully tired of everyone saying how "gutsy" or "accomplished" or whatever about Sarah Palin just to be either politically correct or to take a left-handed swipe at Barack Obama. Okay she got elected governor of the State of Alaska, but that isn't even as big an accomplishment as being elected MAYOR of San Jose!! There are some high schools in this country nearly as big as Wasilla. Should their student body presidents or principals be considered qualified to be President of the United States?
She is a religious fanatic who uses "God's will" and "His forgiveness" both as a motivator and an excuse. Neither of these have a place in American government - remember the Constitution!? Her city's policy to make rape victims pay for their rape kits is nigh on to the complete total lack of rights rape victims have in many Islamic fundamentalist countries.
She is a woman who would deny the rights of all other women. Yes, everyone, we can criticize her even though she is a woman. Please say so and say so loudly!!!
The pundits and the Republicans want to use Obama's so-called "flip-flop" on FISA to claim that he's just a typical politician. While he previously claimed that he would support a filibuster of any revision to FISA that provided retroactive immunity for telecoms, Obama recently said that he would vote for FISA if it contained the immunity and came to a vote.
Now, for the sake of argument, I will grant the dubious claim that Obama has changed positions. Let's assume that he has. Let's assume that Obama has "moved toward the center" as folks at Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars, Talk Left, Talking Points Memo, and other have recently claimed. And let's assume that Obama has opened the door for a flip-flop.
What does that say about the current state of affairs?
In my opinion, this is not Barack Obama's failure. If this FISA thing comes to a vote, and the telecoms get retroactive immunity, it won't be a result of Barack Obama's failure. It will be our failure.
It's our failure, because Barack Obama is just one man, just one vote. He's a junior senator from Illinois. And in the Senate, he's at the lower end of the totem pole.
Barack Obama is a political leader in American democracy. He's not a dictator. He's not a revolutionary. He's not a superhero. Barack Obama is a man who's running for president, and currently, he's the junior senator from Illinois.
How does democracy work? It works when we join together, speak with one voice, and demand the changes we seek. Democracy works when we build consensus. Democracy works when we bring new people into the process.
Democracy doesn't work when we filibuster. A filibuster can stop democracy in its tracks, but a filibuster can't make democracy work. One voice in the Senate can stop the wheels from turning for a little while, but it takes 41 Senators to stop a bill. And it takes 51 Senators to pass a bill. And it takes 60 Senators to overcome a presidential veto.
So, before you accuse Barack Obama of failing you, ask yourself this simple question: What have you done today to reach out to others? Barack Obama is just one man. We are the ones we have been waiting for.
There are no superheroes in American government. There are statesmen, but no superheroes.
As a strong supporter of Obama, I am compelled to express my disappointment with his position on the FISA issue. I have done a bit of reading on this (though less than some) and my impression on this issue is that political expediency is driving Obama's position rather than "doing the right thing".
Part of me shares the enthusiasm for Barack Obama. After all, how could someone calling themself a progressive not sense the importance of what it means to have an African-American so close to the presidency? But as his campaign has unfolded, and I heard that we are not red states or blue states for the 6th or 7th time, I realized I knew virtually nothing about him.But his record suggests that he is incapable of ushering in any kind of change I'd like to see. It is one of accommodation and concession to the very political powers that we need to reign in and oppose if we are to make truly lasting advances.THE WAR IN IRAQLet's start with his signature position against the Iraq war. Obama has sent mixed messages at best..CLASS ACTION REFORM:In 2005, Obama joined Republicans in passing a law dubiously called the Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA) that would shut down state courts as a venue to hear many class action lawsuits..CREDIT CARD INTEREST RATES:Obama has a way of ducking hard votes or explaining away his bad votes by trying to blame poorly-written statutes..LIMITING NON-ECONOMIC DAMAGES:While in the Illinois Senate, Obama voted to limit the recovery that victims of medical malpractice could obtain through the courts. Capping non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases means..MINING LAW OF 1872:In November 2007, Obama came out against a bill that would have reformed the notorious Mining Law of 1872. The current statute, signed into law by Ulysses Grant, allows mining companies to pay a nominal fee..REGULATING NUCLEAR INDUSTRY:The New York Times reported that, while campaigning in Iowa in December 2007, Obama boasted that he had passed a bill requiring nuclear plants to promptly report radioactive leaks…ENERGY POLICY:On energy policy, it turns out Obama is a big supporter of corn-based ethanol which is well known for being an energy-intensive crop to grow. It is estimated that seven barrels of oil are required to produce eight barrels of corn ethanol..SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE:Obama opposed single-payer bill HR676, sponsored by Congressmen Dennis Kucinich and John Conyers in 2006, although at least 75 members of Congress supported it…NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT:Regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement, Obama recently boasted, "I don't think NAFTA has been good for Americans, and I never have." Yet, Calvin Woodward reviewed Obama's record on NAFTA in a February 26, 2008 Associated Press article and found that comment to be misleading..SOME FINAL EXAMPLES:On March 2, 2007 Obama gave a speech at AIPAC, America's pro-Israeli government lobby, wherein he disavowed his previous support for the plight of the Palestinians…me.CONCLUSION:Once I started looking at the votes Obama actually cast, I began to hear his rhetoric differently. The principal conclusion I draw about "change" and Barack Obama is that Obama needs to change his voting habits and stop pandering to win votes. If he does this he might someday make a decent candidate who could earn my support. For now Obama has fallen into a dangerous pattern of capitulation that he cannot reconcile with his growing popularity as an agent of change.I remain impressed by the enthusiasm generated by Obama's style and skill as an orator. But I remain more loyal to my values, and I'm glad to say that I want no part in the Obama craze sweeping our country.
Senator Barack Obama is empowering and dynamic! His leadership is definitely going to bring CHANGE to America! He is evidently the man who will guide us in the right direction and help us make the most wanted change in our government. The Republican's best bet, Senator McCain, has been directly criticizing Senator Obama. But amidst all this negative criticisms against Senator Obama, he still clearly addresses without being sidetracked the important issues in this election - our ECONOMY!
Senator Obama is reaching out to all people, which shows that he is focused and tough on the real issues! It shows that he is very enthusiastic about our dream, the American Dream of a better government, the dream of a better life! He believes in DIPLOMACY, and he has proven himself over and over again. We know his record of courage and true leadership when he voted against the War in Iraq. The rest of our politicians sat there in silence and simply went along with the "mob mentality" in Congress. From the beginning, he opposed the war in Iraq... please don't let anybody forget that truth. He believes in DIPLOMACY! I, the once dispassionate and disinterested voter, believe in him because I AM FOR DIPLOMACY.
Dear David,I am a strong Obama supporter, even though I do not have the means to do it financially. I lobby my friends, co-workers. family members, all over the US to vote for Obama. I am Black, immigrant from Africa, and I have been supporting Barack Obama since 2004, after his speech at the convention. I was organizing for "Working America" at the time, and you cannot imagine the pride I had to see Barack up there. For the first time, in a long time, I felt recognized and validated as a human being, in this mighty, shining, bountiful, hopeful but yet very discriminating, and very polarized nation. For once, a person of color was being nationally recognized in politics, but not because they were civil rights advocates, or because they died for THE CAUSE (a worthy cause I might add), but because they touched, inspired, and reinvigorated that which is good, decent and hopeful in every person of goodwill in our party, and in this nation, regardless of creed, race, gender, orientation, age or wealth. Barack did not transcend race. He just sought to give race the importance it should always have had: visually inescapable, historically relevant, culturally and socially defining, but always, always, ultimately secondary to our common humanity. To me, Barack represents the possibility of hope for this country, and this planet, in these trying times. You will therefore understand that I have a much higher standard for him to meet. So here is some - I hope constructive - criticism. I have been extremely troubled at the recent seemingly evasive responses to the NAFTA-Canada situation, and the Tony Rezko trial. I mean this was to be expected eventually, and it seems as though the campaign, and my favorite candidate were completely unprepared to deal with this, and that worries me. Barack should have nipped these issues in the butt Monday at 12:01 AM. It is my belief that Barack has nothing to hide, because I doubt that he would have knowingly done anything illegal (maybe I am just naive). So I believe that he should just address it, take as many questions as it will take, even if he answers for 2 hours. That is the price of transparency. And what is this I am hearing about Barack shutting the press away? That is a bad move!! Always answer their questions. See, to us mere mortals, when politicians don't talk easily to the press (like Bush), it seems as though they are either hiding something (which I don't think is true here), or worse that they are scared of the press (which would be quite troubling). So please, please, please, let Barack be accessible by the press. Do not shy away from controversy. If we want to prove to... Hoosiers, for example, that we are able to talk to Ahmadinejad in a strong fashion, we cannot miss opportunities like participating in, and showing some tough love to Black people at the SOTBU convention. As Barack says himself, hope and achieving our dreams, are things we have to seriously, and constantly, struggle for. In addition to this, we - and I am part of this movement, so I will say we - cannot continue to let so many assertions and falsehoods about Barack go unchallenged, for long periods of time. And we cannot let lunatic spin about other candidates stay unchallenged either. SNL did not talk about the media's infatuation with, and total lack of scrutiny of John McCain. In any other venue but SNL, "Bitch is the new Black" would be border-line unconscionable. Farrakhan has been raised as an issue, but McCain is getting a free pass on John Hagee. And more importantly to my point, Hillary goes ahead, and praises John McCain's "experience", while dissing her fellow Democrat, and it goes unchallenged by our campaign!! Wolfson brings up Rezko, and no one is even talking about Vince Foster, Peter Paul, Whitewater, and we in the campaign are letting the notion that we are favored by the media unchallenged!!! NO, NO, NO!!! We cannot let that happen. This is way too close, and too important an election to let things like that slide. And why did we cave on the lapel thing? Why didn't we come back and have him give us a speech about the true meaning of patriotism? Is patriotism really to be measured by who wears a lapel? Are we seriously going to let that stand? We are the campaign of real change, people! Let's make America face a few realities! Let's tell them the truth about substantial patriotism. And let us make the point quite clearly that when we establish Barack's religion, we in no way intend to imply that a Muslim candidate would be unsuited for the Presidency. I have many Muslim friends who are getting really ticked off, as it seems to them that we are buying into their demonization. And also, let us revive the Jefferson-Jackson speech, and make it even sharper.And my final criticism, here, goes to you, David, and Mr Axelrod. I know you have the best intentions, you have worked very hard for us, and please don't take this personally. But if there is one strength Barack has is that he is always on message, he knows his message, he remains steady and humble, and he does not let the winds of victory, or the valleys of defeat sway him excessively. The tone of many of the emails to us - leaked on Talk radio, of course - have been increasingly... arrogant in tone, and not reflective of Barack's image. And this tone has seeped into the blog comments of my fellow Obama supporters, and they are starting to sound as negative, and as nonconstructive as Hillary or McCain fans. We need to turn things around!! And when you go on TV on Sunday, to talk about Rezko or other things with that ... Howard Wolfson guy, you need to be prepared. You need to coach your surrogates on the issues if necessary. That Texan Congressman was just unacceptable. We need to communicate even more efficiently.
We need to use all the tools that we have, including the Will'i'am videos, the "Viva Obama" song, in active campaigning. Come on people!! We need to get back into gear!!! These primaries are ours to win!!! And please, please, please, don't let us look intimidated by the press. Talk to them, be available to them, do go to Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert or both, don't shy away from a little self-deprecation, go on Air America radio. Or even better, prepare well, and go on Fox News, and on Rush Limbaugh, to show Democrats, Liberals, Independents, and moderate Republicans that there is nothing to be feared from the sad, Far-right hate machine. Even better, let Michelle go on The View, on Ellen, and more importantly on Morning Joe, and on Air America. Let us not lose any amount of faith whatsoever. Let's stay focused people. And let's stay ourselves: energized, humble, steady, but determined as hell!!! Come on people!!! Let's get to work, and let's go change the world!!!Charles.
"Barack Obama loves Che Guevara." Completely and utterly false. There was a flag being waved at one of his rallies by one member in the crowd, but Obama certainly was not waving it.
Obama "suggested bombing Pakistan." Brought up by both McCain and Bush. Completely and utterly false. What he actually said was this: "I understand that (Pakistan) President Musharraf has his own challenges. But let me make this clear. There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al-Qaida leadership meeting in 2005. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will."
Hillary Clinton says the difference between her and Barack Obama is "about 35 years of experience." False. She has 35 years of experience but Barack Obama has 18 all together. That's 17 years more and Obama is 14 years younger than she is.
Hillary Clinton brought this up. "On issue after issue that really were hard to explain or understand, you voted present . . . And anytime anyone raises that, there's always some kind of explanation." Half true. He did vote present 129 times, however, it is a common practice in the Illinois legislature. While he served there, the legislature was run by the GOP. Sometimes he voted present to protect Democrats in swing districts. If they saw Obama voting present, they might as well instead of "nay" which would spare them from election-time attacks from Republicans. In this way, evidence suggests the present votes were more of a strategic decision then a way of skirting away from difficult issues.
Hillary Clinton says: "Senator Obama has, in fact, never had a serious Republican challenger." This is true. He has been running in solidly democratic districts all his life. However, I'm sure fighting the Clinton machine is no cake walk.
"While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches." False. This, just as the Muslim school allegations, is completely untrue. It is in a chain e-mail which shows a Times photo of the three democratic candidates (Clinton, Obama, Richardson). It was taken during the national anthem and not the pledge. There is no evidence of slouching and the only reason they are not facing towards the flag is that they are all looking at the woman who is singing and a flag on the other side of the room.
Chain email: Barack Obama's church gave a lifetime achievement award to Louis Farrakhan. Mostly true. A related magazine did, not his church. Obama "remains silent" and "is never asked how he feels about his church honoring Farrakhan." This part of the e-mail is false. Obama has spoken out against Farrakhan's racism multiple times.
Hillary: "I was fighting against those (Republican) ideas when you were practicing law and representing your contributor, Rezko, in his slum landlord business in inner city Chicago." Barely true. It's a distortion of facts. Reporter Tim Novak reported that Obama was an associate attorney with the small Chicago law firm, Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland, that helped Rezmar and not-for-profit community groups secure more than $43-million in government funding to rehab 15 apartment buildings for the poor. So yes, Rezko was involved, but it is a distortion of the facts at best.
Bill: Obama said that "since 1992, the Republicans have had all the good ideas..." False. In fact, Hillary came closer to saying that then Obama did.
Hillary: "Barack (Obama) has one of his biggest supporters in terms of funding, the Exelon Corporation, which has spent millions of dollars trying to make Yucca Mountain the waste depository." Mostly true. Yes, the staff does support Obama, however both Obama and Clinton have called for the Yucca Mountain plan to be stopped.
Hillary: “You said you would vote against the Patriot Act, then you came to the Senate, you voted for it.” Half true. Obama fought for changes in the Act then voted for it.
Hillary: Barack Obama's health care plan "would leave 15-million Americans out.” 15 million is an OK guess, but it's not a fact. There is no way to physically prove how many Americans a plan would leave out as fact.
So when Obama showed up in Cville my first reaction was - sweet - time to tell that punk off. After the trash he talked about Virginia Tech http://www.reason.com/blog/show/119704.html I was really looking forward to laying in to him. Every politician has a foot in mouth moment, and that was pretty unforgettable - comparing verbal violence to physical violence and murder... sorry bro, negatory. Anyhow, so he stepped out of his limo on Market street right as I was walking by. Score.
"Mr. Obama - You show up to apologize for your Virginia Tech trash talk?" I snarled
While his aides were clearly freaked Mr. Obama stood there calmly and went about his business. A smart man knows not to get into a meaningless word battle on the street with an irate punk.
Mr. Obama has my vote for knowing when to keep cool. Any word out of his mouth, other than an apology (and we all know that's a no go in politics) would've been an opportunity for me to cut him down further. He cut his losses with reasonable dignity, and didn't make a jackass of himself.
Vote for Obama, he's a naturally cool guy. He's a man, and from my experience I would say a gentleman. Someone who can take criticism and keep rolling.
All the democratic front runners continued to vote for funding the Iraq war until the recent times but Obama has come under criticism from the Clinton campaign for being hypocritical regarding this issue..
Bill Clinton regarding Obama and Negative campaigning
Mother Jones article on the issue
"Perhaps as an opponent of the Iraq war, Obama could have been expected to vote against funds for the war once he reached the Senate. But he, like Clinton (who now opposes the war) and other Senate Democrats, have continually voted for funds, while attempting (albeit unsuccessfully) to attach conditions and timetables to that funding. Because Clinton cannot attack Obama on the policy--given that they have voted the same--she has accused him of being a hypocrite."
After Hillary's dismal third-place race in iowa, she and her team quickly headed to New Hampshire. No sooner had they landed, when her campaign press secretary, Jay Carson, and the campaign's chief strategist, Mark penn, began the damage limitation exercise by dissing Iowan people and belittling their importance.
Unloading to the Wall Street journal, Jay said, “Iowa is so small, it’s like a mayor’s race in a medium-sized city. It wouldn’t be wise to put too much emphasis on it.”
Republicans are rampant in Georgia of course, with this week's guest Matt Towery given space in my local paper to opine again on his occasional inclusion that we have too many debates too soon, contending that nobody's watching anyway, and claiming Obama in debate seems to be more involved with his own charisma than substantive issues. It can be read at www.theclaytontribune.com under Opinion. Since Towery's background includes Gingrich, it's no surprise, and my next step is to write Towery himself.
Though criticism of my candidate will continue, and this blog is for positive reinforcement, I think local papers' occasional inclusion of both parties opinion is as valuable to know as major papers known for political bents. Since Obama has been in Atlanta with large audiences already, as an Atlanta native I have better hope for this campaign than I would had he not bothered to come, and considered Georgia an automatic loss.
_________________________________________________________________________
Lisa Beyer
Precinct Deputy Captain in Las Vegas Precinct 6475
Why I Support Barack Obama for PresidentMYBO ProfileMYBO BlogMySpaceMySpace BlogFacebookLinkedIn ProfileSouthern Nevada for Obama TestimonialSouthern Nevada for Obama - A Grassroots Campaign Effort
Did you know...
On January 19, 2008, Nevada will be the 2nd state in the nation to caucus for a presidential nominee!
Democrats will meet at their designated sites at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2008NV Democratic Caucus FAQsClark County, NV Residents: Find Your Precinct Here
Obama has rightfully asked to raise the bar on political discourse. So, why didn't Obama privately ask Geffen to apologize? And if Geffen refuses to apologize, why is Obama not willing to call him out on it?
I look forward to contributing some cheers and other pure support, but as a true supporter, I also plan to contribute costructive criticism. I hope that the campaign staff and other supporters appreciate this. It's going to be a long and grueling campaign, and we all have to live and learn if we are going to succeed.
As a staunch supporter of Barack Obama AND a progressive intellectual (wow, how arrogant sounding), I will never turn away from constructive criticism of the candidate I am supporting. It would be foolish to not only know what the opposition and media are thinking, but also to not continually reevaluate my opinions of the candidate. Foolish consistencies are not only the hob-goblins of little minds, but also the stuff of partisan politics. If this campaign is meant to change the landscape of our political environment, then it is not in our best interest to forget to scrutinize the very person we support.
Here is a write-up I did on my real blog Frivolous Motion.
So What About Him, Anyway?I’m going to come right out and say that I strongly support Senator Obama, and hope he does run for president. Not only do I think that he can win, but I think that he should win. Moreover, I think that as Democrats (and Americans) we are doing ourselves a disservice by looking for a “viable” candidate instead of a great candidate. Why settle for someone “good enough” or “at least better than the other guys”? The very notion is defeatist and admits failure and lack of belief in the system (and, you know, the system might be flawed, but that doesn’t mean we should accept it as such, or reinforce its flaws by trying to work within them).Why Settle?Democracy is not about settling. It is about passion, belief, and true, well-considered compromise. There is a world of difference between settling for something that is just “okay” and working together to find a real solution. We settle too often, and work hard to infrequently. It’s easy to be cynical of Washington and believe that there’s little hope that things will ever be changed on an appreciable level. I want to think that they can be. And I also want to think that Barack Obama can help set this change in motion.Change Ain’t EasyI have read The Audacity of Hope (his most recent book), as well as pretty much every article about him that I can find, and what I am most struck by is that Barack Obama seems to realize that simply changing the faces of those who sit in the White House, or sit in Congress doesn’t really change anything. That the Democrats are equally capable of tyranny and unbending adherence to doctrine. That neither group has the answer exactly correct. That compromise, debate, and research is the only way to find real solutions. We’re too blinded by partisanship, by mantra, to see that we don’t have the perfect answer to all the world’s problems. Admitting the strengths of the opposing parties, and finding common ground on greater ideals about freedom, honesty, and equality is necessary if we want to keep this country strong in a good way.But People Are Saying...People have made a number of arguments why Barack Obama should not or will not win the party nomination. Some say he’s too young (at 45 he is older than JFK was, and will be nearly the same age Bill Clinton was when he became president in 1993). Some say he’s not done enough in Congress (like what? Vote? Introduce bills that he kinda came up with that get destroyed in committee? Talk in a filibuster? I don’t see how that is at all relevant. Plenty of past presidents never served in Congress. And if you think that Governorship is a helpful prerequisite, see our current Commander-in-Chief). Some people say he won’t win because he is black (Well, maybe that’s true, but it’s not a reason not to vote for or support him) or that he’s not black enough to carry the black vote (although here’s an interesting article disputing that claim. The basic thrust is that Obama can win without mobilizing extra black voters). Some say it’s because he admitted to using cocaine, or his name makes him sound like a terrorist, or he’s too smart, or he can’t beat Hillary’s insanely huge war chest. None of these make sense, and none of these are real reasons. They are people grasping for excuses to justify not voting for a candidate they actually think might be worthwhile.Anybody But Bush? Still?In 2004, the Democratic party line was “Anybody But Bush.” We can see how well that one turned out, with the lamely uninteresting and uninspiring John Kerry losing the election. That very thinking is behind the talk of Obama’s un-electibility. “We need to win, no matter what,” is what Democrats are saying, and it results in choosing the plainest of the plain, the most uncontroversial and mainstream candidate that no one really cares about but guess will be “fine.” If you want to support Hillary or John Edwards or any of the other folks, don’t do it because you think they would have the best chance at being elected. Do it because you think they will make the best President of the United States.Otherwise, you really should be voting for someone else. Playing the “Guess Who Is Electable” game is not just ineffective, it is irresponsible.I am supporting Barack Obama because I think he will make a great president. I would love to hear your reasons why I shouldn’t. Or why you think someone else would be better. It is a long time from the primaries, but there’s no reason not to start the dialogue now. Let's talk.
