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Congratulations President Obama
I'm seated here now on my couch, watching the victory on television. It is a historic moment. A moment historic not because an African American has been elected to the highest office in the United States, but more because it's a moment the citizens of the US cast aside the typical apathy on election days. The day that everyone gave a $%%$...not just a small percentage.
Many know this victory for me personally is a happy moment that I've been waiting for since the 21st century began. Many know I've never been a fan of President Bush, be it for his fiscal policies, foreign policy, and especially the war in Iraq. My personal experience in the eight years Bush has been in office has been that of a struggle. A struggle with the feeling that my own government was working against me. It's the same story for many colleagues of mine. Stories of job loss, months to years of unemployment, and government policies that helped more those at the top than everyone…despite that the prosperity never "trickled down" to my income class.
I felt abandoned. I felt that I was trapped in a country where I didn't make enough money to count. I even stood ready at some points to give up my citizenship and move to another country in search of that dream of prosperity.
When I first heard the name Barack Obama, it was in the 2004 election. At the time I watched President Bush brainwash the country in words of fear about terrorism, this young politician ran against the rather radical Alan Keyes. I liked Obama's charismatic tone, his straightforward "no bullshit" manner of speaking, and his ideas on how government should be run. I was even more astounded when he was invited to speak at the Democratic National Convention.
Despite that Bush beat John Kerry for the presidency, Obama did beat Keyes to be my Senator from Illinois. I figured his career would be as a Senator for a good amount of time, then eventually retire or move on to some non-government career. I remember when the teasings came out about him possibly running for President. Even then I wasn't a believer.
When he did announce his run for the Democratic nomination, I still wasn't a full believer. I liked the idea, but I had a feeling America would be still too hardcore about a WASP male as the Commander-In-Chief. I felt that Hilary Clinton would easily beat him. I also wondered about his lack of experience, but in many ways, I liked that he had not been in the political machine for so long that he wasn't another corrupted politician like so many of our elected officials are.
As McCain secured the Republican ballot, Hilary and Barack duked it out hard for the Democratic ballot. It was one moment early on, when the Government was about to hand out a summer break on gasoline taxes, that Obama caught my attention and my respect. McCain supported it, Clinton supported it…Obama instead did what I had been wishing a politician would do for so many years. He called them all out on their bullshit. He pointed out how this tax was just a band aid on a bigger problem. He pointed out how McCain's and Clinton's support was mostly just a quick means to appease the voters without really working to fix the problem.
So why did I vote for Obama? Was it to break the WASP male mold? Was it because he's from Chicago? Was it because he's a Democrat? No. I voted for Obama because he seemed to be the ONLY candidate in so many years that decided to stop bullshitting me and instead speak the truth to me. To stand there and literally say that he is not going to play the old games, and even proved his words with actions. He worked to keep the special interests and the lobbyists out of his campaign. To be able to walk into the Oval Office without any "special favors" that have to be fulfilled.
I voted for Obama because he came up with a real plan for things in the US, and didn't keep it a secret with a "we have a plan" comment in a speech. He posted it all online for any of us to read and critique. He especially decided to take economic policy to a level where those who enjoy the benefits from the Government now have to give something back. The idea that a business can prosper in the US, but get tax breaks and other benefits if they employ and invest more into the US, rather than other countries. Some might want to say this is very much an "anti-globalization" idea, but one has to bear in mind that globalization only works if all the countries involved help one another, rather than compete. That's just how I see it and why the US lost so many jobs and opportunities in the Bush regime.
I believe government is supposed to be there for its people. Not be there to push Democracy in other countries. I believe the US economy isn't solely the task of the business community, mostly because as we've seen many of this community's interests go beyond the US. I believe it's the government's job to build opportunity for the people. Opportunity for business to prosper if they invest in the US, and yet to struggle if they choose not to. Ford Motors is a prime example of a business that deserves so much from the US because of how much it employs the US compared to other manufacturers.
I voted for Obama because I like his idea of talking to foreign governments, even those that are considered "possible enemies" rather than believing that we should simply embargo and push influence to force them to "play our way" before talking. Cuba and Iran are prime examples of so much potential if we just stop the "cowboy" thinking when it comes to foreign policy. Europe is another great opportunity, especially if one day the US and Europe can form an economic union the way the countries in Europe have done.
It's also no secret that I was against the Iraq war the moment President Bush made mentions of going after Saddam Hussein. I support our troops and believe they received very poor treatment domestically. They are working men and women with families, not just robots to send to fight. I hated seeing them march off to Iraq when Afghanistan was so much more a priority in the war on terrorism. I hated hearing when they were killed, dismembered, or worse kept from their families, while those families had to struggle to survive on little financial support. A friend of mine comes to mind especially in this.
I liked that Obama stood as a real "maverick" and voted against the war, despite how many out there wanted to call anti-Iraq War folk "unpatriotic". We see now that his intelligence in this matter came out correctly, as we still question why we really went into Iraq, since no WMDs or Al Quaida ties have been found.
I see 2009 coming, and feel positive again about my government. I feel like for once my government is truly going to be working for me. Face it, we hire them through elections, we pay them with our taxes, if they're not working for us...then they aren't doing their job.
I have the hopes inside me that Obama will keep the special interests out, call out other politicians on the bullshit when it comes up, and does some radical things to build a golden age in the US where the middle class can have a real chance to build prosperity, rather than get $600 checks to go shopping. I want to see businesses be rewarded for employing Americans, and investing in the country, rather than make record profits by shipping jobs overseas and receiving tax breaks without giving something back.
I want to see a country where we move forward, rather than backward. Where we build bridges to other lands and cultures, rather than hit them with ultimatums before talking. I want to see us build transportation that runs on renewable fuels, rather than continuing the old logic of gasoline and oil. I want to see some of that war money go into our schools, so teachers can make a real living and be rewarded for the hard job they have. So children will be inspired to grow, rather than feel they're lives are set as hopeless. I want to see college graduates come out with loads of opportunities to work, rather than wonder when they'll get a break.
I know President Obama can't do it all. I know that there will be plans he's written that might not get passed...but I also know that to have hope is a far better strength for the US than to fall into the "I have to look out for myself" mentality so rampant here. To see the United Stated be unified again, to see some endings to the "Red VS Blue" conflict. Barack Obama has my faith, and my support. I hope the rest of the country shares in this logic.
Congratulations and God bless you Barack. Make us proud.
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posted by Alex Moschopoulos on Tuesday, November 04 2008 |
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livo |
Excellent Blog!!! |