The heat of election season is on full blast. Those of us that get enveloped in the passion and intensity of an election often say that "this one is the most important" and urge the people we love to vote one way or another. The truth is that every election is the most important because we learn from the past and evolve. Sen. Paul Wellstone (a former teacher and Senator from Minnesota who died in a plane crash about a week before election day in 2002) once said, " Our politics are our deepest form of expression: they mirror our past experiences and reflect our dreams and aspirations for the future."
With each election, we become a more perfect union, not a perfect nation. You only have to look at the last two centuries for proof: abolition, women's suffrage, environmental protection, labor laws, public education, civil rights, and many other advances are proof of how far we've come.
That's not to say that we don't make mistakes because we do. It's ridiculous to me that we cannot have a constructive conversation about health care in this country. Some elected officials get drunk off of our trust (a.k.a. power) and make foolish decisions that betray that trust. However, our nation is too important to give up on. While it's good to learn from mistakes and take criticism, it is unacceptable to be a cynic and claim that progress is not possible. As a democracy, politics is for the people. Politics is to take action to make our lives a little bit better. It may be slow and it may be frustrating at times, but it works.
Of course, I realize that how you define "progress" is different for everyone, and everyone knows I am an unapologetic liberal. To me, the conservative movement has become too narrow and one-sided. If you deviate from the conservative mold, you are used as a token or ridiculed as an extremist.
I applaud more traditional conservatives that want to return the Republican party to it's roots but with an eye toward the future and an inclusive discourse. However, I cannot support the current leadership in the Republican party. Sen. John McCain has emphasized his independence, but at the same time, is so ashamed of his independence that he has recast himself into the narrow conservative mold and changed his public views on many issues. McCain and his vetting committee have chosen a running mate that appears to fit the conservative mold, and Gov. Palin's "no-nonsense reputation" is really just more of the same "I'm right, you're wrong" self-righteousness that only hurts our society in the long run.
For my money, I support a candidate that is open to having tough conversations with many perspectives at the table and to making a judgment call to benefit the public and not just his cronies. The Democrats have their problems, and I disagree with a number of party leaders. However, a message of hope and inclusion is worth more and does more for the future than a perpetuation of the the status quo.
For those of you who didn't see Sen. Obama's acceptance speech last week, it's worth checking out. For those of you who did see the speech and want to see it again, here it is:
With each election, we become a more perfect union, not a perfect nation. You only have to look at the last two centuries for proof: abolition, women's suffrage, environmental protection, labor laws, public education, civil rights, and many other advances are proof of how far we've come.
That's not to say that we don't make mistakes because we do. It's ridiculous to me that we cannot have a constructive conversation about health care in this country. Some elected officials get drunk off of our trust (a.k.a. power) and make foolish decisions that betray that trust. However, our nation is too important to give up on. While it's good to learn from mistakes and take criticism, it is unacceptable to be a cynic and claim that progress is not possible. As a democracy, politics is for the people. Politics is to take action to make our lives a little bit better. It may be slow and it may be frustrating at times, but it works.
Of course, I realize that how you define "progress" is different for everyone, and everyone knows I am an unapologetic liberal. To me, the conservative movement has become too narrow and one-sided. If you deviate from the conservative mold, you are used as a token or ridiculed as an extremist.
I applaud more traditional conservatives that want to return the Republican party to it's roots but with an eye toward the future and an inclusive discourse. However, I cannot support the current leadership in the Republican party. Sen. John McCain has emphasized his independence, but at the same time, is so ashamed of his independence that he has recast himself into the narrow conservative mold and changed his public views on many issues. McCain and his vetting committee have chosen a running mate that appears to fit the conservative mold, and Gov. Palin's "no-nonsense reputation" is really just more of the same "I'm right, you're wrong" self-righteousness that only hurts our society in the long run.
For my money, I support a candidate that is open to having tough conversations with many perspectives at the table and to making a judgment call to benefit the public and not just his cronies. The Democrats have their problems, and I disagree with a number of party leaders. However, a message of hope and inclusion is worth more and does more for the future than a perpetuation of the the status quo.
For those of you who didn't see Sen. Obama's acceptance speech last week, it's worth checking out. For those of you who did see the speech and want to see it again, here it is:
Thanks for reading and don't forget to vote on November4th!
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