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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