Happy Independence Day, United States of America!
The realization that Barack Obama is changing the landscape of national politics is frightening to a lot of people. Though I despise Tucker Carlson, not as a person, but as an entity, he made a statement yesterday that brought Senator Obama’s candidacy into sharp relief. He said, “people usually vote against something, not for it.”
“The Change You Can Believe In” has people voting FOR Senator Obama. When he is compared, or his candidacy is compared, to John and Bobby Kennedy, it’s because people were voting FOR them, people were supporting their candidacies because they believed in the men. I’ve seen Senator Obama’s supporters called “Obamabots,” “Obamacons,” “idiots,” and worse. Those are the people that Tucker Carlson was talking about. They aren’t certain how to support their candidate, so they hope to convince others to vote against Senator Obama. They are frightened of change, so they are “voting” against it.
As an aside, Senator Clinton’s supporters are on both sides of Carlson’s divide. They believed in Senator Clinton’s candidacy. They BELIEVE in Senator Clinton’s candidacy. And so, since she has suspended her run for the White House, they are blaming Senator Obama for being the presumptive nominee. And many of them are forgetting what Senator Obama and Senator Clinton actually accomplished – they got people voting FOR them – and so they are willing to throw away what she did for the sake of pride. They are forgetting the change that came over them, and the power that change engendered. They are talking about “voting” against Senator Obama, rather than for someone who shares the ideals, goals, and in many respects, the policies, that Senator Clinton was running on and for.
Senator Obama has changed politics. I must say that this is the most I’ve been involved in a presidential election, and this is my fifth (since I have been of voting age). But I’m not alone. There are hundreds of thousands of people who are blogging, marching, registering, donating, signing, calling, traveling, petitioning, baking, introducing, posting, commenting, reading, watching, participating, uniting, and yes, VOTING! who either had given up on the process, or figured that their voice didn’t count.
Don’t be misled by those who say that there is nothing new. Change is happening. As we participate and work for the election of Senator Obama, we are becoming the change we want see in our country, and in the world.
Here’s something that impressed me about him:
http://thebruceblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/obamas-website-response-to-supporters-on-fisa/
I sort of like the term Obamunist. It fits the philosophy. Economic equity for all. Free education. Free health care. Take a trip to a place like Ukraine and ask them how that worked. I have. Not well. Hence, everywhere I went people wanted to know how to get into the United States.
To themikeyreport:
Equality for all…gee what an extremist point of view! Free education and health care?? They must be mad! With liberty and justice for all? They gotta be kidding!
Those darn liberals!