2008-02-05 
 

why i'll vote for obama

I used to think I'd be pretty happy with just about anyone who isn't part of this current administration. There's also the fact that no matter who gets it, the problems our country faces right now are so big that pretty much anyone elected will most likely be crucified within a year or two for not being able to fix everything and tie it up in a shiny red, white and blue bow.

I've been pretty undecided between Obama and Clinton. They both have points in their favor and I've wavered between them over the past few months; sometimes leaning toward the message of change and hope that Obama preaches and sometimes thinking that Hillary is much more aware of the reality of the presidency and might get more done. I do believe that successful politics are usually a matter of ugly compromise, something that Hillary might protest against, but has proven adept at in the past.

It all came down to the telephone.

This morning Jack Nicholson called and urged me to vote for Hillary. Funny that...and rather clever. I detest the automated phone calls that have become so prevalent prior to any election these days, but that one made me smile. Sure, I immediately hung up on Mr. Crankypants, but that was part of the joy of the call. Who wouldn't get a thrill hanging up on Jack?

Then, less than 45 minutes later, Bill called. (as in Mr. Hillary) I once again hung up, though not with the same thrill as hanging up on Jack. After all, Mr. Bill is a successful politician and I've just stated my opinion on that: very happy that someone else is willing to lie down with the snakes, but not necessarily someone I want to listen to over my morning coffee.

The phone rang again and Bill's prerecorded message started up for a second time. Hang up....and then a third. He wouldn't listen to me as I asked him to shut up and it struck me as the main problem with most politicians. They don't actually listen to what the public wants, just spout on about what they think the public should want and try to capture us with the one issue we're supposed to care about.

The one thing that Barack keeps going on about is that we're not a nation of either This or That, to be easily carved up into politically-friendly bite size pieces. Instead we're a nation of people who've forgotten that we need to embrace our differences as well as our similarities in order to succeed. I remember a demographic study I sat through back in my Marketing days, shortly after the last election. It had a map showing the country in varying shades of purple instead of solid red and blue states. We're really not as different as the media tries to make out. Sure, I'm the last person to claim there aren't divisive issues that separate some groups from others, but people voting for a candidate because of a single issue is part of what got our country into the mess it's in today. (that and an archaic electoral system, but that's another rant for another day)

So, annoying phone call or not, Bill and Jack made me think about where I want to be standing when the chips are down. Call me a sucker, an idealist or both, but I'm going out today and voting for Obama. I'm going to believe that someday we all can decide to get along and make this country great again. Not by giving up our differences, but by accepting them and moving forward towards a common goal.

Labels: dose of mikey, politics, rant

* posted by me at 9:57 AM

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