Political Drivel on blogs, Obama, and primaries...

Today I had an interesting experience. Some one told me on my blog that I was mindless. Gotta love the virtual living room. Lots of space there to put up your muddy shoes, and speak a foul mind if the notion takes you.

I have to admit, I still find it amusing that I am not speaking solely to the 4 or 5 people that I know read my blog. And really, when I posted about my new found interest in the political happenings of the Democratic Primary, I expected it to go completely unnoticed. I was really writing for myself. But I have now been called out, so to speak, so here I am, to answer to my previous post.

I logged into my mail today to find this in the comments of "On Hillary, Obama, and Presidential Things":

Posted by Anonymous: "I have yet to hear Barack Hussein Obama say anything of any substance. You have been inducted into the cult of Obama...mindlessly following and worshipping him as though you have no will of your own."

Oh the horror! How could I have not known! I always wondered where my will had gone. And I am so obviously in need of something to worship, my life being devoid of meaning these days. I only have my incredible husband (infuriating and breathtaking all at the same time) and my children, who lead me to new discoveries about life, the universe and everything daily (also infuriating and breathtaking all at the same time... I doth detect a pattern). I must have needed a cult! And so conveniently, there was Barack Obama, so utterly unimportant to my daily life and well being. Yes, that must have been what happened.

Snort

Okay, enough sarcasm. I went back and re-read my post. And considering that I was really talking to myself, and the 4 or 5 loyal readers that stumble onto my blog on occasion, it was really good! So I tell myself. It was also a little vague as to exactly why I think that Obama is not only a charismatic leader, but has it in him to be an inspirational and EFFECTIVE leader.

First of all, he is, without a doubt, charismatic. He inspires loyalty. He inspires hope. He makes people WANT to believe him. This is a talent that every politician in the world wishes they could drink for breakfast every day, and if McCain and Hillary were so blessed as to have this, you had better believe they would be using it to pave their front walk in gold. Then we would all follow the yellow brick road to the White House, and reap what mindless following sows. This is exactly what happened when Reagon was elected. The only thing that he actually succeeded in doing that had any lasting benefit for the United States is that he engaged in the ultimate game of one-up-manship that eventually put the USSR into bankruptcy and ended the cold war. Good on ya, mate! But considering the dismal failure to help the USA in any other capacity, and that he nearly bankrupted us as well, I refuse to vote for another Reagon. So, charisma aside, what is Obama made of?

Genetically? He's a little mix-up boy. A 50/50 bar, that is both white and black, all at once. Personally, I love this. My babies are little mix-up babies, 50/50 bars that are both hispanic and white, all at once. I refuse to not be counted here as their mother, and I think that Barack and his mother (were she still living) would not like the way that he is only black in the eyes of the media. He is what he is. A bridge, across nations and ethnicities. I think that the world can use a lot more of that.

He is a thinker and a believer - raised agnostic, he found God and a church that allowed him to think, did not compromise his ability to reason, and which could help him achieve his goals. Brilliant.

He has been "there". He grew up poor in Hawaii and Indonesia. He lived a middle class life when he moved in with his grandparents. He came from a broken family - his father left him when he was only 2. His mother's second marriage didn't last either. He lost his mother to cancer. He has been discriminated against, likely his whole life. He grew up feeling like he didn't belong. He admittedly used drugs. He walked a path that few find their way back from. But he did. And when he came out of that dark tunnel, he found himself an idealist, building on old fashioned values - faith, integrity, and honor. And he decided that being an idealist did not limit him to hoping and dreaming, but that he could do something about it.

He is an organizer, and an agent for change at the community level. He has worked with people in need for over 20 years, worked not just at putting band-aids on fatally flawed systems, but at making real changes that help real people. He is not afraid of making an unpopular stand. He is a first in my experience - a politician who is not concerned with how to be elected/re-elected, but with what he believes is right. I have more respect for that than just about anything else.

He fights for things I believe in. Health Care/Insurance that is affordable for an average working family. Child Welfare. Sane placement of troops, and using diplomacy before force. Ending dependence on foreign energy sources. (This might end all of the insane wars all by itself...).

Finally, he gets things done. He has been in the US Senate for 4 years, and in that time has passed a significant amount of legislation, addressing global topics, and making bold strikes at fixing what needs fixing in a flawed and overburdened law book. He has authored/co-authored more legislation that HIllary Clinton. He has passed more legislation than Hillary Clinton. He gets bi-partisan support on his proposals. She is the sole author of many of hers. I think that makes it pretty obvious who has the ability to get it done in the White House. HIllary Clinton wants to be the first woman President. Barack Obama wants to change the world. I know which is more important to me.

Should you want more information - if you care at all - here's a little light reading.

I Refuse to buy into the Obama Hype

Barack Obama, Wikipedia

"Change We Can Believe In: Meet Barack"

Barack Obama, U.S. Senator for Illinois Website