To All The Obama Haters...
You're wasting the opportunity of a lifetime.
No, I haven't swallowed the hope pill. I have no illusions about the Obama administration, the Democratic party or electoral politics. But whatever pill *you've* swallowed must have been awfully bitter, because it's sure left you with an ugly look on your face.
I'll agree from the start, Obama won't deliver the change we want. He's an establishment candidate who's risen up within the ranks of the machine. It's not enough that he's better than the alternative- the hope he's sold millions will sooner or later be dashed.
But wait. Look at that last sentence. Maybe you've missed the crucial word: millions.
The essence of political change is mobilization, and Americans are mobilized now like they haven't been for a generation. Right now, thanks to Obama, they're fired up. They feel involved, like they have a personal stake in the process. They want change, and they're willing to pitch in to make it happen.
Full Story: Dysnomia
The comment from Trevor Blake is important.
I agree with Nick Pell's 10 reasons not to drink the hope kool-aid (here's another one: his staffing choices, which began with the selection of arch-drug warrior, war monger, and Democratic Party insider Joe Biden as VP), and wound up registering a "protest vote" for Cynthia McKinney here in Oregon on election day. That said, I think there are plenty of reasons to be happy that Obama won, and if the polls were closer in my state I certainly would have voted for Obama.
In addition to the large scale mobilization of progressively-minded people (Trevor's warnings duly noted), here are some reasons to be hopeful:
Democrats, historically, do a better job with the economy
Democrats, in recent history, have gotten fewer people killed in armed conflicts
Bonus unrelated links:
The new currency war (an article on alternative currencies)
Lone No More: a look at alternative gun culture
Labels: Obama
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