Obamamania
I don’t know if it’s the combination of a good Ben Harper CD and a well-written Economist article, but every time I read something about Obama I get goosepimply. I’ve never heard such an incredible speaker (I caught the New Hampshire caucus speeches before going home), but the greatest thing is that I believe what he’s saying. And that’s coming from me, who would usually be the first to tell you that pretty words and false promises get you nowhere.
I’ve done some reading about him since that caucus… I’ve wikipediad all the candidates. I’ve followed the United States section of The Economist as if it was always the most interesting part of the magazine (which it rarely is). I’ve imagined, and I’ve thought it over, and I like what I see.
Granted I’ve only heard one speech, but it was his loosing speech in New Hampshire, and it was shockingly powerful. He sounds so much like Martin Luther King, Jr., and images of Kennedy were floating through my head the whole time. That’s the most exciting part: I would have loved to have lived in the Kennedy era. After all, the first thing Kennedy did in office was form the Peace Corps! Other than that, he helped start the evolution that has made the United States what it is today. The political forums of the day changed rapidly in that time, along with economic, technological, and social aspects of the US. Kennedy himself embodied many of those ideas of the day, and I wish I could have seen it.
I’ve been saying it for a while, but I’ll say it again: I can’t help but feel like our nation might experience another intensive face-lift like that of the 60’s, although maybe milder. The situation is being set up, and people are getting tired of the crap. Pointless wars, a President that makes us all look like idiots, a President that makes us feel like idiots, a system of senseless bureaucracy that eats people whole… health care bureaucracy, Political pork-barrel bureaucracy, insurance bureaucracy... We need a leader who will face these issues and keep on top of things, and I can’t help but think Obama might be that man.
Also, we could use a revamp on the international aspect as well. Right now we might be the most irritating nation on the international stage. We might be in close competition with Russia in that aspect, but do we really want to compete with them like that again? Obama already has an international mentality. His father was Kenyan, his Grandfather a Muslim, and he grew up in Indonesia. It doesn’t get much more international than that!
Also, here’s a little known fact: Although Obama is going through the hustle bustle stupidness of campaigning season, he has still taken the time to try to help Kenya, his father’s birth place. If you don’t know, Kenya is in a real predicament right now. They had a election campaign a few months ago, and the old presidency probably should have been overthrown by the opposition. The two parties are split by tribe, and so the people of the opposition got so upset by this that they have taken to the streets against the leading party. 500 have died already and 200,000 plus have taken to the streets. Obama’s father was a Luo, the opposition tribe, but Obama isn’t putting his support in based upon this. He has called the Luo leader though and asked him to at least try to talk to Mr. Kibaki, the President, and evidence has shown that he did try to call him several times, even though Kibaki doesn’t seem interested.
Do you see what this means though?!?!?!? We, the United States, have a bad history of ignoring international problems. We always get so focused on ourselves and our minuscule internal problems that we don’t even see the real problems of the world. We have time and time again ignored genocide. The United States, the most powerful nation, the nation that leads the United Nations, NATO, and has an intense effect on other world powers… we constantly ignore everyone but ourselves. A well-known example: We could have gone into Rwanda and Uganda and helped stop the fighting months before it ended, possibly saving a whole race of people that are now all but wiped from the face of the earth. We could stop the genocide in Sudan in the Darfur region, but we’re choosing to ‘let Africans handle African problems.’ I bet if oil were involved we would help.
Political agendas aside, I still have a big problem with Hilary and the Clintons taking office again. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Clintons. I look back on their 8 years as a great time for the US… but let’s think about this: We chose Bush senior for 4 years, then Clinton for 8, then Bush Junior for 8… Do we really want to have what would probably end up being 28 years of Presidents within only 2 families??? We are still a young country, a country of precedents, and we can’t afford to set that precedent. It’s already bad enough that our country is only a 2 party system, and now we chance making that even worse by limiting it to a 2 family system!!!! Also, 28 years is a long time. That would mean that my generation would have completely grown up only knowing of 2 presidential families… As much as I love the Clintons, I think variety would help us better our country. Besides, we’re the USA! We’re supposed to relish in fresh ideas!!!! And the American Dream!!! If we elect Obama, we will be showing that it’s still possible to go from rags to riches in the Country of Dreams.
I know that I haven’t even touched on mentioning Obama or Hilary’s policy ideas, but that’s just marketing, and plus they aren’t so terribly different on those issues. Okay, they’re a little different, but I’m not getting into that now.
All emails on the issue are welcome. Also, I’m afraid I’m writing exactly what everyone already knows and doesn’t care to hear… if that’s the case, please let me know. I hope all of you are doing well.
Sarah
I’ve done some reading about him since that caucus… I’ve wikipediad all the candidates. I’ve followed the United States section of The Economist as if it was always the most interesting part of the magazine (which it rarely is). I’ve imagined, and I’ve thought it over, and I like what I see.
Granted I’ve only heard one speech, but it was his loosing speech in New Hampshire, and it was shockingly powerful. He sounds so much like Martin Luther King, Jr., and images of Kennedy were floating through my head the whole time. That’s the most exciting part: I would have loved to have lived in the Kennedy era. After all, the first thing Kennedy did in office was form the Peace Corps! Other than that, he helped start the evolution that has made the United States what it is today. The political forums of the day changed rapidly in that time, along with economic, technological, and social aspects of the US. Kennedy himself embodied many of those ideas of the day, and I wish I could have seen it.
I’ve been saying it for a while, but I’ll say it again: I can’t help but feel like our nation might experience another intensive face-lift like that of the 60’s, although maybe milder. The situation is being set up, and people are getting tired of the crap. Pointless wars, a President that makes us all look like idiots, a President that makes us feel like idiots, a system of senseless bureaucracy that eats people whole… health care bureaucracy, Political pork-barrel bureaucracy, insurance bureaucracy... We need a leader who will face these issues and keep on top of things, and I can’t help but think Obama might be that man.
Also, we could use a revamp on the international aspect as well. Right now we might be the most irritating nation on the international stage. We might be in close competition with Russia in that aspect, but do we really want to compete with them like that again? Obama already has an international mentality. His father was Kenyan, his Grandfather a Muslim, and he grew up in Indonesia. It doesn’t get much more international than that!
Also, here’s a little known fact: Although Obama is going through the hustle bustle stupidness of campaigning season, he has still taken the time to try to help Kenya, his father’s birth place. If you don’t know, Kenya is in a real predicament right now. They had a election campaign a few months ago, and the old presidency probably should have been overthrown by the opposition. The two parties are split by tribe, and so the people of the opposition got so upset by this that they have taken to the streets against the leading party. 500 have died already and 200,000 plus have taken to the streets. Obama’s father was a Luo, the opposition tribe, but Obama isn’t putting his support in based upon this. He has called the Luo leader though and asked him to at least try to talk to Mr. Kibaki, the President, and evidence has shown that he did try to call him several times, even though Kibaki doesn’t seem interested.
Do you see what this means though?!?!?!? We, the United States, have a bad history of ignoring international problems. We always get so focused on ourselves and our minuscule internal problems that we don’t even see the real problems of the world. We have time and time again ignored genocide. The United States, the most powerful nation, the nation that leads the United Nations, NATO, and has an intense effect on other world powers… we constantly ignore everyone but ourselves. A well-known example: We could have gone into Rwanda and Uganda and helped stop the fighting months before it ended, possibly saving a whole race of people that are now all but wiped from the face of the earth. We could stop the genocide in Sudan in the Darfur region, but we’re choosing to ‘let Africans handle African problems.’ I bet if oil were involved we would help.
Political agendas aside, I still have a big problem with Hilary and the Clintons taking office again. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Clintons. I look back on their 8 years as a great time for the US… but let’s think about this: We chose Bush senior for 4 years, then Clinton for 8, then Bush Junior for 8… Do we really want to have what would probably end up being 28 years of Presidents within only 2 families??? We are still a young country, a country of precedents, and we can’t afford to set that precedent. It’s already bad enough that our country is only a 2 party system, and now we chance making that even worse by limiting it to a 2 family system!!!! Also, 28 years is a long time. That would mean that my generation would have completely grown up only knowing of 2 presidential families… As much as I love the Clintons, I think variety would help us better our country. Besides, we’re the USA! We’re supposed to relish in fresh ideas!!!! And the American Dream!!! If we elect Obama, we will be showing that it’s still possible to go from rags to riches in the Country of Dreams.
I know that I haven’t even touched on mentioning Obama or Hilary’s policy ideas, but that’s just marketing, and plus they aren’t so terribly different on those issues. Okay, they’re a little different, but I’m not getting into that now.
All emails on the issue are welcome. Also, I’m afraid I’m writing exactly what everyone already knows and doesn’t care to hear… if that’s the case, please let me know. I hope all of you are doing well.
Sarah
posted by sarah at 2:45 PM
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