Thought - Politics

In a few days I will be voting to reelect President Obama.  Now, I've steered clear of all political discussions & arguments up to this point, and I don't intend to start one now.  The majority of people I know have already made up their minds one way or the other and no amount of propaganda is going to sway them.  However, on the off chance that an undecided voter is reading this blog, let me say that, as a moderate democrat, I see the President as the overwhelmingly obvious choice.

Let's do something that Washington can't and put parties aside.  If you like a small, capitalist government you're going to vote Republican.  If you like an involved, socialist government you're going to vote Democrat.  And if you're like most Americans, you're somewhere in the middle and you're going to vote on character, likability, demeanor, and viewpoint.  These things matter because, ultimately, the President is the face & voice of our nation.  He's not the lawmaker, that's Congress.  He's not the diplomat, that's the, well, diplomats.  He's the figurehead & spokesperson who's party has a miniscule amount of control over things.

Barack Obama is perhaps the exact individual we should want to represent us.  He's attractive, he's a color other than white, he's engaging, he seems trustworthy, and he sounds like he means what he says.  These things matter when people around the world hear our President speak.  We want the world to see America as a land made up of Obamas; not Bushes, not Clintons, and not Romneys.  In a global civilization, image matters.

Yes, you will be voting a party into the White House in November, but that party has very little say in very little.  Obama's main criticism is that he didn't get much done over these part four years.  One could argue that that isn't true and could quote improvements.  But that doesn't really matter.  What we should know is that no party can really do that much in any term because the other party will not let them.  It's the same every election, regardless of party.  It's the way our imperfect system works; the non-Presidential party must stop everything the President's party tries to create so that in four years they can seem like the new and dramatic idea that will change everything for the better.  This is exactly what the Republicans did to Obama, and it's exactly what the Democrats will do to Romney if he wins.  It's stupid, but it's true.

So we're back to the point; vote for a party if you want to, but understand that it doesn't much matter.  One party will push a bill, the other will reject it, and the President will remain the face of America, regardless of which policies are defeated.  Vote for a person, because that's what the President is.

I will be voting for Barack Obama.  I believe he is the person I would prefer representing me to countries around the world, some of which don't like us.  I voted for him four years ago for the same reason, even though I thought McCain was a great candidate.  Yes, I'm a democrat and I believe in that party's philosophies.  There would have to be an amazing reason for me to switch to a Republican candidate, and I don't see that happening.  But in this election, I can be positive that I'm voting for the right person on both levels; in support of my party and in support of the man I want to be my face to the world.  If you're undecided, please consider this at the polls.