I'm Voting for Obama

I took a great big giant leap away from politics after the Clinton impeachment fiasco. Prior to that I'd been as politically engaged as a young person could be. I'd also been a true believer. It's a cliché that I use far too often but there is no harder fall than the fall of a true believer. Clinton's rolling over for Don't Ask Don't Tell, DOMA and other issues caused minor cracks in my faith in him but lying under oath to the grand jury was what pushed me over the edge and away from politics. Simply put, I cared too much to get my heart broken in the political arena again and again and again so I disengaged. I've voted, I've had the occasional political discussion here and there but by and large I've remained politically disengaged. No candidate touched me or inspired me. No candidate made me believe that he or she could change things for the better or hell, could even get elected in the political climate of the day. Part of this was my fault though, I wasn't open to inspiration. I wasn't open to hope. It was a conscious decision on my part to stay on the outside of the political process other than my own personal vote.

I'm changing that now. After much thinking on the matter I've finally decided that I'll be voting for Barack Obama. Truthfully I figured I'd be voting for Obama by default. Meaning I'm not voting for Hillary Clinton so in the primary I'd be voting for Obama. I'm not voting for any of the Republican candidates so if Obama is the Democratic nominee I'd be voting for Obama. But of late I've been doing much more thinking about the campaign, the candidates and my relationship to politics. On a political level I've decided that I honestly think Obama is the best candidate for the job for a host of reasons. Not the least of which is that I think at this moment in time it would be better for the world, not just the United States to have this man of color leading our nation than a white woman or a white man. Is it wrong of me to say that? I don't know but it's my honest belief. For who knows how long the Middle East is the constant game changer in world politics and I think that even as a relative novice to world politics Obama can do more good in that part of the world than Hillary Clinton or John McCain could do. Does it suck that I think the Middle East, as a collective, will respond more positively toward Obama than it would toward Clinton purely on the basis of gender? Hell yeah it sucks, but that's the world we're living in. And it is the world, not just the United States, we're living in. Wanting to do good for both the United States and the world is a good thing I think.

Beyond the political though there is the personal and in the moments when I allow my guard to slip I realize that Obama makes me feel hopeful. I haven't felt hopeful about anyone or anything in politics in a very long time. I'm not naive enough to think that any politician can follow through on all of his or her promises. I'm not naive enough to think that being president really means you can do anything you want. I do think a president can be a leader. I think a president can set the tone for the country (I know George Bush sure did). I think a president can lead and guide the nation towards change and progress even if he or she can't implement that change all by his or herself. Do I agree with every one of Obama's positions? No. Do I think he has the ability to do some good in this country at large and for my life personally? Yes and that's more important to me than any single issue.

Some people I've discussed this with say that Obama doesn't have enough political experience and capital to get things done as well as Clinton would. To that I say that I'm happy to have an inspiring statesman, which I consider Obama to be, rather than an entrenched politician.

politician |ˌpäləˈti sh ən|
noun
a person who is professionally involved in politics, esp. as a holder of or a candidate for an elected office.
• a person who acts in a manipulative and devious way, typically to gain advancement within an organization.

statesman |ˈstātsmən|
noun ( pl. -men)
a skilled, experienced, and respected political leader or figure.

Changes in Kentucky's political climate (read: the hating of the gays) have us discussing the real possibility of not staying in Kentucky as long as we'd planned. If you know me at all then you know how this breaks my heart. With that in mind I'm taking any little bit of hope I can get and I'm clinging to it. Obama gives me hope.

I hope that the feeling of inspiration and hope I have about an Obama presidency trickles down to others as well. I hope young people can look at him and be optimistic that you don't have to be a white man to make it in this country. I hope people who are different in any myriad of ways look at him and can be a bit more proud of the differences and the diversity we have in this country.

So when I cast my vote for Obama it won't be by default. It won't be because he's not the other person. It will because of he is who is. It will be because he inspires hope in me. It will be because he's the person I want to be the next President of the United States of America.

Poster image courtesy of obey industries