The Election of Barack Obama

Its been awhile since I was impressed with America to be honest. I'd generally lost confidence my country's general intelligence since the election of and subsequent re-election of George W. Bush. The President America "felt comfortable that they could have a beer with" had run up the debt, and probably lied us into a war and still gotten re-elected. After his re-election, he presided over one of the worst failures of national government during Katrina, continued to run up the debt during the war, increased government wiretapping of its own citizens without court orders when the law specifically told him not to do so, tortured people and even exported the practice, and speaking of exporting, continued to support an economic policy that exported American jobs! This is to say nothing of the energy crisis he did nothing about and probably wouldn't have done anything serious regarding the issue if he had four more years, nor the energy crisis. Not to mention the economy, but to be fair, that's not entirely his fault.

Enter the 2008 election season. John McCain, despite his former independence in the 2000 race, was a mirror image of Bush with perhaps some slight differences on torture. He knew little about the economy, both because he said so and because there was nothing in his background to state he understood it. However, to say John McCain is just another Bush is a bit inaccurate. He actually appears to have some interest in an intellectual argument, although I still feel it is lacking in many areas. And he did serve in the military, unlike Bush. However, his military service (and torture during that service) appears to have hardened his mind so much against people that attack America that he also falls into the trap of simply calling them "evil" and can find no way of defeating their ideas other than simply killing them (and bestowing "freedom" upon the people they want to influence). In fact, he may pursue policies even more violent and insane than Bush's simply because he has experienced it first hand. In this respect, depending on your point of view, you could consider McCain worse than Bush in these troubling times.

Then there was Barack. A man that obviously enjoyed debate, and was indisputably and intellectual. During the campaign he proved himself to be very cool in crisis, and a very careful speaker. At the Saddleback forum, where McCain said of evil that America simply needs to "defeat it!". Barack espoused that we should be careful of evil abroad and evils committed in America. During the convention, the differences were even starker. Seemingly according to the Republicans America could do no wrong, and that this man who'd associated with people who'd criticized America was somehow anti-American. A near rage against any type of intellectualism besides trailer-park "seek and kill terrorists" and "lower my taxes!" would've shone through the entire convention had it not been out shined by the near totality of white-skinned people present at the convention. Meanwhile, the Democratic convention was the complete opposite. Vast diversity, a "rainbow coalition", if you will, of the people was a clear staple. Many of the speeches, while against Bush and conservative ideas, had logical themes within them that were easy to follow without being half drunk.

So on the night of the election, I was somewhat worried about the Republican's foot stomping on terrorism and the apparent evils of thinking about something before you act on it. But I needn't be worried, Barack won easily. The election was a rout of the idiocy that had governed the nation for the past 8 years, and with his cabinet, Obama is proving that his is a very competent leader for the 21st century that lovees debate and loves to weigh the opinions of all sides. Indeed, I am glad America finally saw the light. Churchill's quote (I think it's his quote at least...) still rings true. "America will only do the right thing after exausting every other possible option".










Oh yeah...and the Republicans will never get minority votes until they admit America can do somethings wrong. There's not enough self deprecation of America in the party. Its kind of a fundamental problem that's keeping them from getting any minority besides asians.