So a co-worker and I went to the Obama rally in Rhode Island. It was pretty crazy. We waited in line for two hours in the rain just to get in the gym and then we waited for another three hours before Barack spoke. It was like being at a rock concert. The place was packed and there were just as many people outside as inside. And yes someone fainted! People went absolutely crazy he really is a rock star. I wish that I could have heard him speak earlier because by this point in the campaign everyone has already heard his sound bites. Everything you have heard is true. He is a very inspiring and charismatic speaker. And now to the nitty gritty. I agree with some of his policies others I dont. I think his ideas on education and social security are good. I'm poor so i don't have a real problem with taxing the rich :) The thing that is most compelling about him is his philosophy and style towards government. He speaks about empowering the public to make the changes they want to see. You can see this in the way his rallies go. In the way he has inspired the grassroots movement to support him. You can see it in the way he has gotten so many people to volunteer for him. And you can see it in the way he has been able to raise money at a historic rate. He has the ability to get people to act. He speaks about wanting america to come together. There is nothing wrong with talking about hope. It is too bad the Clinton campaign has turned these strengths into a liability. Hope is what pushes people to see the world as it can be rather than what it is. Is that naive? it shouldnt be otherwise what are we doing on this world. The tides have turned a little as if speaking eloquently is somehow a weakness. This is part of what the president does. How many saturday night live skits have you seen where they make fun of some stupid thing President Bush has said. How many times do I have to hear Hillary Clinton screech "lets make it happen" Barack Obama is the type of leader that is compelling enough to touch not only americans but also the world scene. As far as the credentials and experience goes to be honest none of the three canidates left has ever answered the 3 am call. And I actually buy his argument that he showed good judgment voting against the Iraq war and a thoughtful person is who I want answering the phone. So like I said there are some of his policies that I like others I dont. He certainly has faults. But he inspires people and I think this is what we want in a leader.
8 comments:
Amen amen! He is just what we need right now. We need someone to pull us all together and remind us why our country is so great, and then work on real goals to return our country to its original greatness. Gobama!
I hope that, come November, we will all be partying like Barackstars.
I'm not sure how the most liberal senator in Washington is going to unite the country. Obama is a hard core leftist. His philosophy is based on limiting person freedom in favor of collectivism and the rule of the pointy headed elites over every day people. His positions on taxation and free trade are dangerous to our country's prosperity. His positions on foreign policy are dangerous to our safety. Freedom is what makes this country great, not big government.
His opposition to free trade is far more worrisome to the world than the war on Iraq and if enacted, will do incredible harm to the world economy and our standing in the world. See Fareed Zakaria's (certainly not a conservative) recent column in Newsweek.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/117841/
page/1
Riiiiiight. FAIR trade would be just horrible! People getting a fair price rather than being run into the ground by big companies who care only about their bottom line? Goodness, think of the children!
I live in the Barrack Motherland. Sometimes the Omania and smooth speeches are a little disconcerting because it seems to good to be true. and granted he is in politics so he wants to be in power, which is always questionable. But what are the other options?! a polarizing, slithering bitch or a senile warmonger. JUST THINK ABOUT IT!!! (jk)
Never mind the "fair trade" or free trade rhetoric. Obama was only talking about it to win Ohio. His economic advisor went to Canada and told them that it was just politicking and Obama's real policy views are inline with current agreements. Phew!
Politics as usual, I guess. At least the senile guy could probably tell you what GDP stands for.
http://friscalating-dusklight.
blogspot.com/2008/03/obamas-nafta-
problem.html
Thanks for the thoughts Micah. I really appreciate how articulate and honest they are. Glad to see the blog teeming with activity once more.
I've stayed pretty far from the political realm this time around which is unusual. I'm a bit disenfranchised with the whole spiel right now. I realize how much power government has to influence the world, but at the same time, I'm confronted with how little Jesus seemed to concern himself with it and instead was took a more "grassroots" approach to loving and caring for people, flipping the concept of power and reign on it's head.
Don't worry. I'm not to the point of refusing to participate in our "republic". The republicans naively believe that everyone will get taken care of if the government left us alone. This seems ignore basic orthodox theology (and human experience!) of the nature of mankind since the fall and only perpetuates societal division and suffering. At the same time, we give too much credit (and try to relieve our own responsibilities) to government when we rely on it to solve all of societies problems.
None-the-less, Barack's got my vote so far. But it's more of a "give to Caesar what is Caesar's" while I continue to try to love those around me as Jesus would regardless who's in the oval office.
Good call, Bobby. I also don't believe that the government has the best resources to take care of people, but if we don't have some kind of system in place I think those who need our help the most would be left with nothing. Clearly we humans don't have it figured out yet. We need to keep challenging the current system and trying new things.
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