I know. I'm from Massachusetts. I should be blogging about Superbowl. Go Patriots.But I'm admittedly more excited (and nervous!) about Super Tuesday. I've been following the news, learning about the candidates, and following the debates. I've come a long way politically. I used to be very conservative. I've often heard that most people get more liberal the older they get. I don't know if it's as simple as that. I've also been influenced by my graduate work, my colleagues, my friends, my values, and I'm especially influenced by our own family as we pursue, achieve, and enjoy our dreams.
I used to vote based on a single issue alone. On that issue, I still feel strongly about the moral implications, but I can better understand the foundation of the more liberal side of it and I can even get on board with it. I can even back that one up religiously.
I used to vote strictly by party. But I've figured out that that's just stupid. As is voting by issue.
I've matured politically. I look at the whole package. I look at who can truly be a leader. I look at who is best for our country given all that's going on with our country and the world.
I haven't been so inspired by a candidate in SO LONG as I am by Barack Obama. I am practically awestruck. It's electric. I am impressed by him as a person. I am stirred by him as an orator. I am convinced that he is the best leader for our nation.
And it's so exciting to feel so passionately about a candidate. Because for so long, I felt like I was trying to choose the best out of a buch of lame-o choices. I'm so thrilled that we actually have a real contest on our hands! See, Hillary annoys me and I disagree with her stance on the war and I'm just not pro-family dynasties in the White House. I don't think that's what our forefathers had in mind. I have nothing against having a woman president; in fact, I think it would be great! I even think she'd do a half decent job, truth be told. She did a better job than Obama in the recent debate. BUT, I don't think she's what we need now. I'm not amused by her refusal to admit a mistake. We've already got that in the White House and I frankly can't stomach much more. I'm tired of hearing her say that she's running on her own merits and then touting what her husband did as president. I'm just not "feeling it" from her (and yes, I've listened to her with an open mind). And I'm annoyed by her comment that it's time for the Iraqis to step up and clean up the mess in their country. Um, come again? Who has made that mess? And you just walk away and stick them with it? Oh, come now.
And then there's the Republicans. Ick. I'm a registered Republican (though I'm likely changing that for the Primaries) and I lean more Independent-Democrat the older I get. (I'm in good company--our dear President Hinckley is a proud democrat! I've always appreciated his valued, more liberal views and broader perspective. I've loved that about him as a leader). So, anyway, Romney? Not a chance. He's too slick. He's too much . . . too much of a politician. I don't want slick. I want inspiring. I want a leader. I want Obama. McCain? Sigh. I used to like McCain. But 100 years?? Is he kidding?? There's no way. I just can't get on board with that. I have strong feelings about war. Yes, I'm peace loving. I love this quote by Jimmy Carter:
War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.
But anyway, I just don't think he's what our country needs. I actually shudder at the thought of him being the frontrunner. Though it could be good. For Democrats that is. I think whether it's Mitt Romney or John McCain, a Democrat will defeat him. And I think either Hillary or Obama is better than either of the 2 Republican frontrunners. But of the two of them, oh please let it be Obama! It may be a no-brainer that the Patriots will win tomorrow, but Tuesday is going to be a nailbiter. An exciting one, at least.
It's been so long since we've had a true leader. Someone who has vision. Someone who brings the country together across party lines. Someone who can change things. Someone who can bring us back to the world stage as friends instead of enemies. Someone who isn't afraid to admit that maybe, just maybe he *could* be wrong and has the brains and persona to surround himself with a wise Cabinet, one that as he says, who is willing to let him know when he is wrong. He doesn't want a bunch of yes-men and women. THAT is a true leader. And oh, it's about time.
Many in our generation haven't experienced a JFK-type leader. We've only read about that. Or seen movies. Or heard stories. I think of everyone running, Obama is that kind of a charismatic person, that kind of an inspiring leader, that kind of a contemporary, open-minded, revolutionary president.
I'm bummed that our state's Primaries are so much later in the game. For those voting on Super Tuesday, do us proud. "Our Moment is Now!" Obama '08!
7 comments:
i like obama too but i strongly disagree that hillary would be better than either mccain or romney. strongly. i think SHE is too slick, too much of a politician. i DO NOT like hillary. i would vote for almost anyone over her. but i do agree about obama. he's a really good speaker too. plus he and hillary have started showing commercials in utah (weird, i know) and his are much better than hers. ha! (james faust was a democrat too, as were most of my polisci teachers at byu)
I'm a conservative(shocker I know) and for that reason am registered republican. But I've really had a hard time with the group this year.I've found myself constantly vascilating about the primaries. I've been disappointed by a lot of what has happened with Mcain and Romney(even though there have been times when I favored each of them) I liked Giuliani for a time too and found Thompson had some good points. Huckabee and Paul would be the laughing stock of foreign relations. However I would vote for any of them over Hillary. Can't stand that woman. I actually really like Obama for many of the reasons you said. However, I haven't ever gotten over the whole "voting for the issues" thing yet. Long story short I'm still on the fence.
oh and uh not so much of a no brainer on the Patriots after all.
Great posts, guys. I must be clairvoyant about the "one issue" thing--there's a whole interesting discussion about it here.
I'm emily's sister and I have a question. I agree that Obama is charismatic, a leader... but what has he DONE? I'm leaning towards him as well now that Romney's probably out and I despise hillary, but I worry about his experience. Does anybody out there know of anything he's actually accomplished? It seems a little scary to turn the government over to someone who's charimatic when we seem to be in a pretty precarious spot economically and internationally.
Hi Ellen! Good question.
Idealistically, he's a man of vision, class, and charisma. Those are qualities of those who dare to hope and dream. And those are the people who make things happen (as opposed to the pointdexters who put the dreams into motion with the logistics--and they certainly have their place; both are necessary).
I think having someone young and with less experience than the troubled Hillary (lawsuits follow the Clintons), the pseudo-Republican McCain (let's not forget that not long ago, he was contemplating switching parties!), or the slick, too-polished Mitt is a refreshing start. Mitt's got business experience and has been a governor. McCain has military experience and has been a senator. Hillary has been a senator and a first lady. Obama is a senator who has done much in his state to bring about bipartisan measures--he brings both parties together. I don't think any of them are dripping with experience (arguably Hillary or McCain more so), but I'm glad for that. What has Bush with all his "experience," gotten us? He has had so many failures in his life and got in on his family name, not his smarts. It's time for change.
The thing about Obama is he is smart enough and on-the-ball enough to do what he says he'll do and that is surround himself with intelligent, experienced people who aren't afraid to tell him when he's wrong. I LOVE that about him.
He is intelligent enough to ensure he has a stellar, well-staffed Cabinet. And he's not afraid to use them. Unlike our current puppet, er, President. So, really, choosing the best *leader* is key and a good leader is one who knows with whom to surround himself. The others and all of their "experience" also have a lot of "political favor" baggage--which usually means too many like-minded friends in important positions. Neh, I'd rather have someone fresh, young, innovative, and classy, albeit less experienced, since he has the leadership qualities I admire most. And that's the kind of leader, of all of them BAR NONE (I shudder at the thought of any of the others in a global consideration), that can get America back on the World Map as a respected member of world politics.
I strongly believe in thinking things through rationally and intelligently (and your question is a really good one). And then once you've thought anything through, making decisions should come from a gut feeling/the heart. For me, it's rather personal--I am truly inspired by him. And after careful consideration and research of all of them, my gut says Obama.
This cult of Obama drives me crazy. He's an empty suit! He READS good speeches (that other people wrote, see the lines he plagiarized from the Mass gov). If you get him in a debate without his teleprompter, he's lost. All that soaring rhetoric is completely EMPTY! He's not some kind of political Messiah, people.
That said, he will win the presidency because the average pop-culture consuming, non-thinking American likes the lure of empty promises over a guy who promises fiscal austerity.
I like McCain because he's right on 3 issues where the right-wingers are wrong. We need immigrants and sending them home would be an economic and social disaster, not to mention impossible. Second, torture is immoral and not even very useful. And third we can't have tax cuts without spending cuts!
As for getting more liberal as you get older, I believe you get more liberal as you move further East. We in the West are rugged individualists with no use for the nanny state. Except California!
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