10 December 2007

Last Chance to Impact Primary

 

By March 4, 2008, the date of Ohio's primary, 34 states will have already chosen their presidential candidates. If you are an Ohio registered voter, your vote is essentially meaningless. If you send $50 to the Obama campaign today, it will have much, much more value than your vote in March.

Do you want a campaign this fall between Hillary and Giuliani? To me that would be a nightmare. It feels like every presidential election in my lifetime has carried the culture war of the pre-60's vs. the hippies. Of course that is a huge generalization, but can't we just get past this kind of thinking?

Obama is the first presidential candidate that has a reasonable chance of winning that I have been inspired by. I remember seeing him on Charlie Rose in 2002 or 2003. I started the interview very skeptical. But his mind seemed so nimble. He was not speaking for political purposes, he was speaking his true mind, as he figured things out for himself. He spoke about his doubts about invading Iraq. When the show ended, I remember thinking, that this kind of guy can't survive in politics. He was too honest. But here he is, with a real chance of making it all the way.

Our country is in ragged shape these days. It appears that recession is looming. The foreclosure rate is ravaging the lower middle class and destroying the housing market (which has been the backbone of the economy for many years). The GOP has a seige mentality on everything from Islam to Mexican immigrants, and we have 150,000 troops in Iraq for almost 5 years!

In 1987, I took my first ever trip outside the US. As I recall there were fireworks on TV celebrating 200 years of the constitution that July 4th. I was in a very small town in Spain, and I remember hearing through halting English, from many people how much they admired USA and how the Statue of Liberty was a true symbol for them. Today, if I were to return to that town, I am certain the talk would all be about secret detentions, torture memos and Gitmo. And when we saw Barack at the Westin a few months ago, and he talked sincerely about closing that illegal prison system and honoring the Geneva Conventions, the audience applauded the loudest of all.

It is so important that this country restore its dignity and it's ideals.

If you agree, click on the Obama link in my sidebar and give a donation.
 
(Photos cribbed from the Atlantic, I think.)

6 comments:

Beach said...

I was listening to WLW the other day as they were "discussing" politics. Specifically Eric Deters was saying that Romney won't get elected because he is a Mormon. He would then ask if anyone could imagine having more than one wife. It was incredibly offensive.

Eventually a caller asked if Obama
"had Muslim in his family" like it was a disease. Deters said he thought so but didn't know for sure. It was incredibly offensive.

Deters clearly knew the line of what was libelous, and wouldn't cross it himself, but gladly let the callers connect the dots for him.

This type of action from Republicans has pushed me away permanently. Since Hillary is unelectable (will lose IL, MI, OH, and WI), it is Obama-time!

CityKin said...

Deters knows that the GOP is in tatters. Despite that, they could win against Hillary. She is one thing that unites the opposition.

But Obama's message leaves the GOP fragmented. I am amazed that Obama has kept on message and positive this entire campaign. I think a new day is coming.

Anonymous said...

The candidates on the right are far stronger than anything the Dems are offering this time around. That's pretty sad, considering the current administration's record. But it's proof that it is not the GOP in tatters, but the donkeys. Hillary is terrible, Obama can't win anywhere except the big cities. Candidates on the right have a message that hits home more with the heart of America; the left has lost its way from catering to a multitude of minor "politically correct" voices, the ACLU, and an undeniable, GOP-like desire (read: greed) for power.

CityKin said...

Obama is polling better and better in rural and suburban areas, so I think you are very wrong here.


You don't think Bill and Hillary have greed for power? That they have less than some one like McCain?

What you call catering to minorities, I call protecting the rights poor and oppressed.

I don't beleive that the current GOP speaks to America, as I don't beleive America is about huge deficits, spending our children's inheritance on an unending war, extraordinary renditions for the purpose of torture, and Natavist demonization of immigrants.

It is the GOP that has lost their way.

Anonymous said...

You'll have to excuse my cynicism, but Obama sounds a lot like a redo of the 2000 'Uniter Not Divider' approach. Eight years later, I'd not vote for that strategy again.

Anonymous said...

Obama might have a chance at winning the nomination for his party, but he hasn't got a prayer in the general election.

Your vote is not a wasted vote; I really dislike it when people say that (example: "A vote for Ron Paul is a vote for Hillary!"). You should vote for who you believe in, and if Obama is your man, then so be it. Vote for him.

Demonization of immigrants? So you believe in the 'DREAM Act'? Tancredo might be over-the-top for some people, but his powerful words about how we are united as a country by a single language are genuine -- and although you might not agree, alot of people in this country do.

Protecting the rights of the poor and oppressed? That would be the middle class at this point.

Do you honestly believe that the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are good for this country? If so, press "1" to continue in English...