Looking back, it doesn't seem that long ago when we were wondering how anyone was going to overcome Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination, and whether Republicans were going to select Mitt Romney or Rudy Giuliani. Two years and a billion dollars later, the moment of truth is here.
This has been an historic election for many reasons. Clinton deserves credit for coming soooooo close to being the first woman nominated by a (major) party. The man who defeated her has run an incredible campaign and is a beacon of hope to millions of people from all colors and creeds. McCain came back from the brink of failure to lead his party, and then selected only the second woman to run for VP. I am sure that book publishers will be busy in the coming months with all the stories that need to be told.
Every election, we face a choice about how we want to proceed; philosophically, economically, militarily...selecting a leader says more about where our country is headed than we can ever illustrate through the written or spoken word. How we identify ourselves, and how we are identified by others, is a reflection of the person we elect to the highest office in our country (and possibly the world).
We are extremely fortunate to live in the United States. This is a country of immigrants who have opportunities that may not be available in any other nation. Despite our origins, or political beliefs, or sexual orientation, or the color of our skin...whether rich or poor, young or old, male or female, we all have an equal voice in the say of who represents and leads us.
The key theme for this election is change. With everything that has been said and done, the call for action is greater than it has ever been. No matter who ends up winning, the demand by the citizenry should be just as demanding. No longer will we be satisfied with broken words and empty promises; it is up to us to make sure that our new leadership breaks through the morass of politics-as-usual. The decisions that will be made and the direction that we move should not be dictated by partisan ideology.
President Bush came to Washington as a compassionate conservative, vowing to reach across the aisle. Despite the historic high in polls just after September 11, his actions and approval rating has dropped to historic lows. Before him, President Clinton (no matter whether you think his actions warranted impeachment) put our country through an ethical, moral and constitutional crisis.
Let's be realistic...our next President will have a mighty task to counteract almost two decades of leadership that has let us down. Perhaps it is telling that the two men who are running are both promising historic change. Whether it is large or small, the country wants to go in a new direction. For me, it is similar to the situation when Reagan won. Inflation, gas crisis, hostages in Iran - the country wanted a new beginning and wound up with a revolution.
Over the past few months, my girls and I have been doing something interesting. On our drive home after picking them up at school, we have been counting Obama and McCain signs along South Main Street. Not only have the daily calculations been a barometer of local support, they have presented the opportunity for me to discuss the election and candidates.
One day my oldest daughter stated that she was supporting Obama, and my youngest said she was for McCain. When I asked why, I was told by my oldest that Obama was cool, while my younger daughter said that she picked McCain because her sister chose Obama (and there was no way she could agree with her sister). I said I did not want to hear from either of them until they did a little research and could give me a concrete reason why they are supporting their candidate.
My children have impressed me. Not only did they start reading the newspaper and watch the news with a purpose in mind, they now initiate the questions and want to learn more. They understand the importance of being tolerant if you disagree with someone's politics, and how stating your case intelligently and with passion can sometimes convince others to look at things from your point of view.
I picked my younger daughter up from school late this afternoon and as we were driving she asked if we could stop at Republican headquarters so she could get a t-shirt and button to wear tomorrow. Wanting to soften a potential letdown she may face in the days ahead, I warned her that it was not looking good for McCain and that he would probably lose. She said not to say that to her, and then just stared out the side window.
Pretty soon she was softly crying. When I finally got her to calm down to tell me why, her answer made me so proud. She was upset because kids at school were going for Obama because he was "cool - not for any reason but because they think he's cool, and that's just wrong." It really made me think about this election and who I was going to vote for.
I have struggled with who I am going to vote for. Let me be totally honest - I have gone back and forth many, many times. I have signs from both candidates on the back of my office door, staring at me daily, because I have not been able to make a final decision. I talk about this with the people I work with, my friends, my family...I watch everything I can, I read as much as possible, and I still cannot decide.
I ate lunch at my desk today because I was going through 'candidate calculators' to see who I was closer to on the issues, and no matter how many I went through, I saw no consensus. I was closer to Obama on several, but just as close to McCain on others. No matter the weighting I gave to any of them, it didn't help. Through this election, I have discovered more about myself, and believe that my views are center-right, although there are a couple of issues that would shock my very conservative father.
I had some free time this evening to sit back and figure out what is in my head and heart. When Obama won the Iowa caucus and gave his victory speech, and then secured the nomination and talked to the nation, and then gave his speech at the convention, I always got chills. Not only was it the history of the moment that gave me pause, or the theater...the words, imagery and aspirations can overwhelm and then move you.
Obama has been a transformational figure; he has done things this year that no one thought possible, and perhaps should not have been possible. His success is a testament not only to his character and idealism, but also a product of his ability to inspire others and move them to act. The organization and execution of his campaign will be studied and modeled for decades to come.
Some of the criticisms of Obama have baffled me. I do not believe that Obama is Muslim, but even if he was it should not matter. If Obama sat in a church and listened to a preacher spout hate, it doesn't mean he believes the same thing. If Obama once associated with someone who was classified as a domestic terrorist, it doesn't mean that we are going to be in danger of terrorists on every street corner.
Obama has disappointed me a little. After being elected to the Senate in 2006, he said that he was not going to run for President in 2008 and wanted to complete his first term in office. Shortly after the '06 election, a Chicago Tribune article theorized that Obama was going to enter the '08 race and gave their reasons why. The comments section (keep in mind that these were the people who just elected him) were against the idea, stating that he would not be ready and should not be going back on his word.
Fast forward to this election. Hopeful that Obama really wanted to embrace change, I took Obama at his word that he was going to be different and accept public financing, going as far as promising he would discuss this with the Republican nominee to make sure they would follow. It turns out that the ability to raise (and spend) record amounts of money can quickly change principles.
Despite all this, I have no doubt that Obama could make a good President. I like the fact that he would have more tax cuts for me. I like that he wants to talk to countries before taking military action. I think that his plans to change the culture in Washington (and across the country) are really needed.
This is a moment that calls for a new type of leader, and the enthusiasm and support he has from the American public, the media, as well as the international community make him the ideal choice. With the problems we have faced over the past 16 years, we need to change. Even if nothing much happens, just the appearance of change would make a huge difference to the world. Perception equals reality, and the positives that come as a result of this have the potential to turn a negative into a positive.
With all that said, I am going to vote for John McCain and Sarah Palin. With everything being (almost) equal, I need to go with my gut, and I have been trying to decide on the issues that helped me make my decision.
Security
Being a war hero does not automatically give someone the ability to be a great commander, but knowing the challenges our military faces, having dealt with those issues when he was younger, and having the conviction to make a decision about the surge (and courage to stand up for a very unpopular decision) give me the confidence that McCain will be able to better deal with any future crisis.
Similar to how Kennedy was tested as a new, young President, Joe Biden pointed out that his running mate would probably face the same challenge. Obama is no Kennedy - having far less experience in Congress and not having served in the military. I know that the Patriot Act and other actions taken since 9/11 have been unpopular - but we have not had a repeat of domestic terrorism and there have been several publicized instances of these new controls stopping things before they became a problem.
For our economy to fully recover and to stabilize international energy sources as we start to work toward alternative fuels, we cannot face another 9/11. It is going to be important for McCain to show the world that he is not content to just continue the Bush doctrine. McCain needs to make sure that Congress implements the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission (which McCain played an integral part).
Immigration must be addressed, and McCain's plan (unpopular during the primary season - but he stood firm in the face of criticism from his party) addresses not only border concerns, but offers a path to citizenship. The plan had support of Hispanics, and it can be argued that it was this voting block that helped him make his primary comeback.
Taxes
We have all heard about 'Joe the Plumber' and redistribution of wealth. But it took me to go on-line and actually go through the plans from McCain and Obama. It was surprising to me that with my income and family status, I would get more back under McCain. McCain would also ban Internet and cell phone taxes; for everything we are going to do with across these two communication portals over the next ten years, no taxes only spurs the growth of the technologies and applications.
Remember the Obama promise that nobody under $250k would pay any additional taxes? Over the past two weeks, that number has dropped to $200k (Obama's infomercial) and then $150k (a speech given by Biden). Between this number changing, and the attitude of taking more money from the wealthy to give to others, I have a few reservations. The stock market will not react kindly to an Obama win, and business will be threatened with an increase in tax and regulations. Things have not been going well recently, but do we need the market any less stable or businesses laying off workers or closing their doors?
My family is one that lives paycheck to paycheck. My wife and I have had those nights where you lay awake and wonder how you are going to make it through the month. Despite all the problems that we face (and millions of others like us in the same situation), we don't feel like we have the right to ask for more from others. In the past, it has bothered me a little bit that the people who make millions (and billions) are expected to contribute more just because they are successful. If someone sacrifices throughout their life, and because of hard work and dedication they become wealthy, should they be forced to pay a higher percentage than others, or is a flatter tax rate fairer?
Mitch Albom wrote an article about a woman and son who went to bid on a foreclosed house up for auction. After winning it, they noticed a woman gently crying. It was the woman whose house was just sold. In a extremely generous gesture, the woman and son gave the house back to her, and are letting her slowly pay the money back. Isn't this better than an example where the woman and son would have this second home taken away and given to someone who didn't have one?
I am not against helping others. My family and I give back to the community when we can. If we cannot afford it monetarily, we try to volunteer more and more. I am trying to teach my kids that money and possessions are not everything - there is more to a successful life than what is accumulated. More than arguing whether Obama's plan is socialist or Marxist, it is the general attitude that someone HAS to give more. I would hope that wealthier individuals freely invest in business and technology or give back to the community. If I am fortunate to be in that position one day, that is the situation I would want to face.
McCain is not a perfect individual. McCain has confessed that he is weak on the economy, but he has the ability to surround himself with the best of economic advisors. His choice of Sarah Palin certainly raised some eyebrows, but despite her perceived weaknesses, she has energized a large segment of the population, has talked more about energy independence than any candidate I can remember, and just the fact that she is a Washington outsider might mean (hopefully) that she can bring a refreshing change to a city and political culture that is in need of a shake-up.
We live in uncertain times. Our economy is struggling - we are still in the midst of two wars - new forms of energy are needed so we can declare our independence in a new millennium. Other countries are taking the lead on trade, immigration threatens our already fragile infrastructure and global warming still shadows us over the horizon. We have heard little about who might be appointed, but possible openings on the Supreme Court may mean a monumental shift across a myriad of emotional issues and sacredly held rights.
We look to the President not only to solve our problems, but to help provide opportunities so we can become self-sufficient. We seek a person who has the strength to protect us, and the compassion to comfort and care for us. We need someone who has the wisdom to guide us through troubled waters, yet will let us know when it is time to sacrifice for the common good. We require an individual who is confident in his abilities when a decision needs to be made, and inspires us to look beyond ourselves and seek ways to make our country better.
FCPolitco endorses John McCain for President of the United States and Sarah Palin for Vice President of the United States.
-RSKnopfJr
Recent Comments