I am not sure if one person endorsing a presidential candidate means much to anyone. It probably doesn't influence people who don't like you, think you are a radical, have an axe to grind, or they think you are always wrong about things. Certainly even your friends wont agree with you many times. About all the people I know can agree on is that electing another republican war monger will kill this country's image for good. As I announce my pick for the Democrat I have to say that I think Bobbi might agree with me. My politically active son Justin might, but I haven't asked him. I am not sure what my daughter Noelle is thinking about this. I know a lot of my friends are pretty much split as are a lot of New Mexico Politicos.
I am endorsing Barrack Obama. I do so knowing that the organizational expertise of the Clinton campaign might be the spoiler for him. Although, the only visit to our door so far has been by a couple of nice Obama volunteers. If Hillary Clinton wins the nomination I will certainly do everything in my power to make sure she is the victor.
I am endorsing Obama for the simplest of reasons. I don't want to see two families controlling the United States for almost thirty continuous years. This is a democracy, not a plutocracy and we should remember that. These families get to feeling they are entitled to take over from other family members. That sense of entitlement scares me. This is a way of taking action. I am also not supporting Hillary because she voted to invade Iraq when deep down I suspect she knew better. That smacks of worrying more about ones image than the good of the country.
I also think that Obama is smart and is an agent of change. His election would send a great message to the world that America truly is a place where everyone has a shot at success. I think Obama is very likely to appoint great people to his administration and that they would bring a fresh approach to domestic and international affairs. I was disappointed in last nights debate on CNN when Obama started pandering to the religious fanatics.
I also don't think Obama will fall back on what the bush clan and Clintons have done. That is to blame either the right wing or left wing for all their problems.
3 comments:
Bravo, Jim. We need a little balance here.
Governor Richardson was up against some top-level competition, and didn't have the victory formula this season. But by staking out solid positions in his ebullient style, he came across as energetic, creative, knowledgeable, and reasonable.
Obama is doing a better job of projecting the serious possibility of change, within overarching, majority-held principles. At once optimistic and serious, he personifies a belief that morality, common sense, and a principled set of directions are the way to go.
Sometimes McCain does, but too often he seems more than willing to bypass avowed bedrock principles for political expediency. The torture turnaround, when he had Bush outnumbered, is one recent example.
As for Hillary, what "experience" is she really running on? The whole of the Clinton Administration? Health care, the one initiative she headed up? It's all pretty vague - though one piece got filled in last night: the Wal-Mart attorney/director.
Does she better understand the issues New Mexicans and other westerners face? Whether out of gender solidarity, playing it safe, or hustle on the part of the Clinton campaign, too many New Mexicans are climbing on board too soon. We're better off sizing up these suitors for awhile.
Meanwhile, everybody including the Governor has been saying Feb 3rd's "Super Tuesday" will decide the victors. Is this true?
Better that this national primary audition continue on both sides, for awhile. Quick endings may be nice for candidates, but we the governed will benefit from an extended tryout season. As candidates face an increasing number of situations, more is revealed and that helps sort things out.
Sometimes it seems like we need permission to think the world could be more as it should be.
The importance of the Iowa vote wasn't just that real change is important, but that it's possible. In one moment, everyone understood that the old boundaries won't hold for long. That's a great, healthy thing we need more of. Not just about race, but about the past and the future, finding our common ground and building working majorities around common values and interests. How do we think of ourselves, and what do we want as a country?
Let democracy flourish! Never shy away from more of it.
Obama, doesn't seem that new or fresh to me. My brother said one thing to me about him, which was enough for me to turn away. He's a smoker who supports the cause of ethonal because his home state grows corn.
First he doesn't live principles I agree with. Polluting the body and other people's air. Second he supports one of the most "wildly unsustainable" ideas out there. That quote also comes from my brother.
With "modern" farming techniques it takes 1/2 a gallon of fuel to produce a gallon of ethonal, which is 3/4 as efficient. So you're still wasting huge amounts of Gas, but you're destroying the Earth with the destructive "modern" farming techniques. You end up with 1/4 of a gallon more, but the price is sooooooooo heavy.
Dennis Kucinich is a vegan (meaning a real environmentalist). I hold firm to the belief that nobody who eats meat is a real environmentalist. He has already introduced legislation that would provide healthcare for all and even cut the current costs. He has also brought articles of impeachment for Dick Cheney to the congress.
We're lucky to have one man of principle running, and he IS electable if we elect him.
The next best choice is definitely Ron Paul. Although I don't agree with some of his principles, he is also a man of principle.
The rest look like career polticians to me including 'the young and inspirational' (read sarcasm) Obama.
Jim-I am a little disappointed with the Clinton, Edwards, Obama (in alphabetical order) choices we have left.
It is sad that Biden and Dodd dropped out. These senior statesmen had a lot to say whenever I could see their very limited coverage on C-Span. Some of Richardson's foreign policy speeches were awesome.
Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel were also interesting. Kucinich's impeachment bill is great and Gravel's filibuster to end the draft was brave. Together the whole slate was impressive.
But I was still hoping the Al Gore draft would go somewhere but there is less than a million people that have signed the petitions.
The Republicans are simply out of touch with the 80% of American society. Ron Paul is an interesting asset to the debates (of course of several topics he is so Libertarian he becomes dangerous to effective American governance).
Thanks for your courage to take a stance and offer your endorsement.
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