"Yes, Haven, most of us enjoy preaching, and I've got such a bully pulpit!" - Theodore Roosevelt
We Americans have seen a lot of things change so far in this new century. And for most of them, we've quietly, or not so quietly accepted them: limits to liberty in the name of security, limits to opportunity in the name of patriotism, to life in the name of an unjust and unneeded war. Life, Liberty, and the opportunity for the pursuit of happiness. We've heard these things before in our nations history, They were part of the foundation, as Thomas Jefferson so eloquently wrote in the Declaration of Independence. Yet today, you would be told that we have to do these things. That there's no other way. That we must sacrifice our liberties, but 'only just a few', for the greater good of our nation.
"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" - attrib. Benjamin Franklin
We, as a nation, have lost our way. We are not all lost, and we are not beyond hope. But when you look at the span of history, you can see where empires crest and fall. we have the opportunity to see this happening to our own American ideals, where we face the pressures of a changing world and economy. We have a perspective that is unique in history for its clarity and depth of understanding, if we just choose to see it. We need, and there has never been a greater need, for someone who can look at the past, but not be tied to it, to see where we are and who we are, and can help us all together be who we want to be.
We need to refocus on the things that made America great, and can be greater still. But of all these things, Americas best resource is in its people, and in the spirit of hard work and dedication and positive attitude that have always been the epitome of what it is to be an American. We have to move beyond this crippling battle of polarity, of politics and race and belief that tries to divide and tear down rather than unite and build up. We need a voice who will speak the better part of our own American nature so that we, as Americans, can all work together to do our own part to put this country where it deserves to be, leading the world to a better future not by removing governments and installing our own but by inspiring people around the world to see that when a human being is given the chance and the opportunity to do great things that there's nothing that they can't do.
We have a person, a man of intellect and conviction , who has served his nation but can still remember what it is to be on your own, who has shown a record of bringing people together for the common good, who has the skill and talent to use the bully pulpit of the presidency, which has the ability to bring a nation together in a way that no other person can do, to unite Democrats and Republicans, folks of every race, color and creed together to set out what we all want, for our nation to be the best that it can possibly be to all of its citizens and to be example that sets the standard to the rest of the world through our success.
That person is, with no doubt in my mind, Barack Obama.
Will Obama slug through the individual battles like Bill Clinton did? No, he's not a micro-manger. He's a delegator of policy, and as such will be dependent on a quality staff. But this is true even of micro-managers. Focusing on the bigger picture and maintaining oversight is really what the presidency should be about. The president is the chief representative of the people. It's hard to remember that in today's environment, but perhaps we can reset the system and regain some of that original intent from our founding fathers ideals.
I like Hillary Clinton. I like John McCain. I can appreciate their stances on the issues and for once I'm glad to see that we will have some degree of order and civility come back to the White House. But we've got a real opportunity here to do the exceptional thing, the move that makes a real change. I think we, as Americans, should embrace that opportunity for real progress and optimism and remember what it's like to have hope again.
That is why I believe that Barack Obama should be President.
