Positivity: Barack Obama

Okay, let's say that there is something I can't rant about that has happened while I was on blog-hiatus: Barack Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee, and I'm pretty stoked about that. I know, my endorsement isn't, like, Oprah-huge or Al Gore-huge, mostly because I am an anonymous person on the Internet, but hey: it's still support. And of course, because I have a totally small audience of like, nobody, I totally waited until after the primaries and, well, yeah, I waited until after Gore. So as not to stir things up. I know I have very little influence, but, you know, butterfly's wings--hurricane halfway around the globe. You never know what kind of pull you have until you tug.*

But there we have the positive, inclusive, "We Can Do It" message that Barack Obama has brought to this year's campaign. We can. Yes, we. We can be the change we want to see in the world.



I think he inspires people because he talks about what we can do. He makes people want to be involved. He talks about solutions, and his campaign has been a great bottom-up structure that has changed how we'll be looking at political campaigns in the future. It has amassed tremendous grassroots support, tons of volunteers, lots of small, first-time donations, and huge blog-support. But it isn't just a campaigning philosophy. You can hear that same language about empowering people in how he talks about the actual act of governing. That speaks to me; I appreciate individual freedom and personal responsibility both entering into how we look at our relationship to government. He impresses me on this score.



This is not to say that I have him confused for a superhero--just that I am definitely impressed by the leadership skills he has already displayed in running a great primary campaign, and also that I admire his thoughtful approach in developing the ideas he brings to the table. I also think he might have "X-ray vision" in the political sense, in that he sees clearly and thinks long-range--I like that. He was right about Iraq, I think he is going to be right in what he hopes to do with respect to foreign policy. I like that he also talks about transparency in government, accountability, and reversing the decisions of this current administration which are of dubious legality. This is, to me, a seriously important matter, because I deeply believe that the reputation of our country is at stake. I want someone who I feel is honest and will do the right thing in charge. I care about issues of social and economic justice, and he also addresses these with the eloquence that comes from thoughtful consideration and empathy.




I think a lot of people feel the same way, and they thirst for change because they haven't gotten the satisfaction of knowing justice was being done. They want someone who cares. They want someone who will listen. And they want someone who will lead this country--all of us. A real uniter.




I really do like this guy, and I'd like to see him, and his smart, attractive-looking family, in the White House.









*(Yes, I am being sarcastically self-deprecating. No, I'm not especially deluded. But yes, I am still pretty stoked.)