I am a self-proclaimed cynic when it comes to politics, which makes it surprising that I have been so excited about the candidacy of Barack Obama and the potential democratic nomination. In fact, when I learned Obama was coming to Louisville on Monday, May 12th (on my day off) I was excited to be able to go with my high school friend, Adrian, who lives and teaches there.
The doors opened at 5:00pm, and already by the time I got there at 4:30pm the line was wrapped around two sides of the building. Once through the long wait and security checks, we found a spot about 15 yards from the front of the podium and waited. We ended up standing for about three and a half hours in all.
For many, it was indeed a rally. There was no lack of signs, shirts, buttons and other visible markers to identify the crowd as being pro-Barack. By the time Barack Obama came out, the audience had worked themselves into quite a frenzy. (There were even a couple people who had to be attended to by paramedics in the midst of it all.)
But for me, though I am a supporter, I wanted to check it out with my own eyes. For one, I wanted to be a part of this monumental historical moment, with all of its enormity. I want to be able to tell my grandkids I was there, present in the midst of it. I believe 2008 will be indelibly etched into America's history because of Barack Obama. The thought of it makes me proud and excited for our country.
Secondly, I wanted to be more than an observer of history, I wanted to hear him and think through some of the issues together with him. I wanted to be further engaged in the dialogue... to think about what his campaign means and what he really hopes to accomplish through the office of the President of the United States.
A few things I've pondered since that night:
1. I am still in many ways a Republican... I like the thought of smaller government and believe there are some moral issues that ought to be protected (or at least seriously considered) by our legislatures, including abortion, cloning, expanded gambling, gay marriage, etc. However, most Republicans don't seem to actually wrestle with the issues; they take rigid stances that align with the party platform. I am also a little ambiguous about my feelings concerning socialist policies sometimes supported by the Democrats. I believe in as free a market as possible (I recommend the Econtalk podcast, hosted by Russ Roberts of the Library of Economics and Liberty), but I have also witnessed socialized medicine at work (while my wife and I lived in England). So though my concerns linger in regards to several issues and policies supported by the Democratic party, I will not let myself be defined by only one issue and let it determine the legitimacy of a candidate.
More than that, I'm willing to admit that maybe I'm wrong about some things. I used to think that people should be allowed to own guns with few restrictions (a traditional Republican stance). I don't think so anymore. I now favor as strict a gun control as you can possibly pass. Once again, simply look at the results of crime in England because of its gun policies. I'm okay accepting that I may not be an expert on foreign policy, social security, economics or even how to legislate morality in our country. It may just be that another way would work better.
2. I'm still a cynic, though. I'm going to doubt a lot of the suggestions and ideas for change that are thrown around by each of the candidates. I'm glad Obama rejected McCain's suggestion of a federal gas tax three-month holiday, but I'm not convinced he will be able to "take on" the oil industry without a ton of problems. In fact, I'm probably more cynical about some of Obama's ideas because they rely more heavily on the good faith of the American people. I would love to believe otherwise, but it seems like more and more people are interested in taking advantage of the government for their own self interests instead of working for the overall good. For example, it's obvious to me that the gas tax break is wrong in so many ways, but I don't put it past Americans to think it's a great idea because they think it will help them (even if only a little bit for a brief time).
One of the most promising aspects of his campaign is that it has set the goal of being free from lobbyists and special interest groups by not taking their money. There is so much hope in just the prospect that maybe his administration would actually be free from the big money corporations that would try to control and his set agendas through their financial backing and lobbying. He seems to actually be listening to those who have never before had a voice in politics.
3. Since he does put so much faith in the American people, he has a real hope for fostering community service. It seems to be his vision to see us take care of one another and the communities we live in. Here's a video I took of his plan to help fund further education, with the deal that students would then give back through community services, like working in a veteran's home, homeless shelter or join the peace corp. "We invest in you; you invest in America."
4. Finally, I appreciate that Obama made the comment not to blame one person or one administration. I am not a Bush-hater, and it really bothers me when people attack George W. Bush so severely and try to blame all the problems of America on him and his administration. Of coarse there are things he could have and should have done better, but he simply cannot be as bad as it seems everyone wants to make him out to be. There's no doubt Obama is now wanting to reach out to Republicans and Independents to help him get elected in November, but it is important for me that the focus not be only what Bush has done wrong but also to put the responsibility for making it better back on us--the people.
When we are unified and working together, we can make America better.
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3 comments:
thanks for your thoughts on Obama and politics. very insightful, definitely got me thinking.
While I am not convinced John McCain is the answer, I can not support Barack Obama. He seems like a very nice man who genuinely cares, but I disagree with him on too many issues.
Tim, as a Christian and a minister, how do you feel comfortable supporting someone who is so far on the left?
I'm sorry to say I don't know who it is I'm responding to in the previous comment, but I understand that for many Christians it is problematic to vote for a liberal democrat. (By the way, though it's not always easy to separate the two, these are my personal opinions and not anything I am trying to promote within my church or my ministry.)
In every presidential election I have voted Republican (Dole '96, Bush '00 & '04) and believed it was my moral and religious duty. Mostly due to the issue of abortion, including the prospect of appointing supreme court justices, that I felt it was important. Though I still think this is one of the most important issues we face, I'm not convinced Republicans are offering a real solution. From the rhetoric I hear, it seems to be all about reversing Roe v. Wade and making abortion illegal. The problem is that no one seems to be talking about what would have to happen to make this feasible. What happens to all these unwanted children? No one is working now to pass legislation that would provide for better access to OB/GYN care that would be necessary. No one seems to be making plans for improving foster care and adoption programs. What about all the children in foster care that already nobody is willing to adopt? It's hard to imagine what it would become. And what about women who can't afford to raise-- or even bear-- a child? Is the government willing to step up and make sure they can afford to? Does this mean there will be more contraception given out to try to avoid unwanted pregnancies? How are we going to make sure that abortion doesn't get pushed to the fringes where the procedure is much less safe? Much like the illegal immigrant situation, I expect abortion would continue in places where people would turn blind eyes. And we won't be able to keep people from getting pregnant; I'm sure you'd admit that we can't expect people who are not Christian to act morally (especially since so many of us struggle with it ourselves). So even with laws in place, people will continue to have unprotected, casual sex that result in unwanted pregnancies. Making it illegal would result in even more single-parent homes which lead to more problems. My dream is for a world where every mother-to-be is in proximity to loving Christians who will invest their lives into the life of that woman and child in order to make it possible for her to bring it to birth, e.g. making sure she has a ride to doctor appointments, paying for and picking up her pre-natal prescriptions, giving her a place to live if she needs it, tutoring her to help her keep up in school, leading her to caring adoptive families, affirming her value no matter the circumstances of the conception, making sure she has a vision for a hopeful future, standing up for her in the face of others' criticisms, and on and on. I'm skeptical enough to realize some people already use childbirth to take advantage of a broken welfare system, but I'd rather Christians' love and care be taken advantage of than for some to resort to abortion because they don't see any other hope. I just don't believe making abortion illegal will fix anything. It's the church's job to wipe out abortion, but it won't happen through political wrangling, much less by making sure a Republican gets elected president.
This is not to say that it shouldn't be on our legislative plate, either. It is a problem the extent that Obama is willing to take abortion. The prospect of "morning-after pills" and late-term abortions are very troubling, and I don't have a good response to that. I hope that Christians and other politicians will have a voice in those discussions. But abortion isn't the only moral issue, either. Abortion is important precisely because it values human life, especially the most vulnerable and unprotected lives. I feel this is precisely what is at stake in issues concerning poverty, civil rights, healthcare, gun control, campaign financing, and volunteerism... all of which Barack Obama has a lot to say.
Though I'm not convinced all his ideas are the best ones or will even work at all, he seems to be paying attention to voiceless and marginalized among us. Obviously he talks about the poor and those discriminated against, but even seemingly unrelated issues say that life is valuable. Strict gun control will lead to fewer fatalities, eliminating the death penalty (which I'm personally still undecided on) doesn't take even prisoners' lives for granted, universal healthcare gives hope that even the life of the poor is worth treating, (though it has been very complicated and not without criticism) the steps Obama has taken to minimize the influence of lobbyists and special interest groups says volumes to me that he cares that the unwealthy and uninfluential can trust his decision-making isn't "for sale," and probably for me the most hopeful issue is Obama's desire to promote volunteerism. The more that US citizens personally give of themselves back to their communities--especially to the hurting and marginalized-- the stronger I think our country will be. Here's a quote from his Iowa speech, "Your own story and the American story are not separate-- they are shared... I won't just ask for your vote as a candidate; I will ask for your service and your active citizenship when I am president of the United States. This will not be a call issued in one speech or program; this will be a cause of my presidency." All of these are moral issues (and hence spiritual issues), and I'm hopeful that Obama is on the right track... at least in the respect of emphasizing them as important for his campaign.
Personally, my sense is that Barack Obama's campaign gives me hope... hope that our country can do a better job of taking care of one another, especially those on the fringes. And maybe Christians can step up and take the lead in it. I certainly don't expect everyone to agree with me, but hope this makes some sense to you.
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