I recently received an email from a friend who expresses her support for Obama's campaign for presidency. I appreciated her political energy and gained her permission to publish it here to reach a different slice of cyber space. I am still an undecided voter and open to conversation. As you may recall, we recently jaunted up to New Hampshire to see McCain speak. I would love to see ALL the candidates. Sadly I missed the debates this past Saturday as we had theater tickets. I did read all the coverage on Sunday. In short, write me. Tell me who you are voting for and why. Inform me. Persuade me. Word of mouth is a powerful tool.
Below is the letter, the second in my series of guest writers. (You can be the third!)
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In an e-mail to friends and family, DJ wrote:
Hey, peeps,
Refill your coffee mugs, void your bladders, and settle into a cushy chair, because I'm about to gush at length, and you are a captive audience.
I'm en fuego for Obama in '08, as I think each of you knows from my spazzing about him over the past few months. (I just had an odd dream last night in which Barack and his lovely wife Michelle were house guests at my mother's house and had to sleep head to toe on a sectional sofa because we didn't have a guest bedroom; you will be relieved to learn that they were considerate guests and rose before the rest of the house to fold up their bed clothing so that the household would have full use of the sofa during the day; if that doesn't say Should Be Leader of the Free World, I don't know what does. But, then again, I've never studied policy. . . .)
Anyhoo, back on track for a minute, my hubby has been following Barack Obama's federal political career with great interest for years now. I remember where I was standing (the kitchen, near our sensible Consumer Reports--rated, bottom-of-the-line Sear's oven) when he first said to me, "Honey, keep your eye on this Obama guy. He's going places." Because of my Caro Sposo's excellent judgment, we've been following Barry's upward progress since the first half of this decade and were thrilled when early last year El Obama threw his hat in the ring for president. We've been his staunch supporters from the beginning.
After seeing Barry's inspiring first-place finish in the Iowa caucuses on Thursday night, I was moved to the height of armchair philosophy and ordered Obama in '08 t-shirts at CafePress.com for our little household. And then Chris Matthews (or Keith Olbermann or someone) made an off-hand comment about The Youngins Not Doing Anything to Effect Political Revolution Other Than Wearing Snarky T-Shirts. I felt the sting of the rebuke and got online and joined the 'Bama'bandwagon officially. And so, I write you, my intelligent, passionate, idealistic, exquisitely practical family and friends.
I know it seems early to make a decision about presidential candidates. This is a DEADLY serious issue (just ask our be-camouflaged buddies hanging out in Iraq), and of course I support your taking the time appropriate to weigh the issues at hand. But I urge you to begin looking closely at the candidates (on both sides) now and to especially consider what Barack Obama's candidacy has to offer.
From the beginning, Barack Obama has marshaled his intelligence, poise, and power to stand up for the disenfranchised. After graduating from Harvard Law School, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, inspired by the policies of Harold Washington, Chicago's first African American mayor, who vowed to be "fairer than fair" to all of his constituents who had suffered for decades under the imbalanced administration of the Daly dynasty.
As a state representative, Obama cooperated with Republicans and Democrats to craft legislation on health-care, ethics, welfare, and death-penalty reform.
Since his election as Illinois state senator in 2005, Obama has championed environmental, border-security and immigration, and lobby reform and has worked to deescalate the war in Iraq and improve health care for children.
His presidential platform promises
1. universal health care by the end of his first term in the Oval Office,
2. greater transparency in governmental decision making (a welcome relief from the Bush administration, frankly),
3. increased funding for child education (with an emphasis on math and sciences, which I think is critical for our nation's long-term security),
4. tax-code reformation (repealing taxes for the poorest retired and increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1 percent), and
5. environmental reform (targeting big-business polluters and national oil dependence).
Unlike other politicians, from 2002, the beginning, Obama has opposed the war in Iraq, accurately predicting that entering into a conflict without adequate troop numbers or strong international support would only heighten the tensions in the Middle East and imperil American security. In the face of the war, entering into its fifth year (can you believe it?), Obama would phase out deployment of troops from Iraq and pursue aggressive diplomacy with Syria and Iran, coupled with harsh sanctions. He believes the United States of America should not arrogantly seek to bully the international community into submission but should rather regain military, diplomatic, and moral leadership through example. Putting his money where his mouth is, Obama has removed personal financial holdings from Sudan-related stock and from companies that do business with Iran.
I believe in this guy. I believe that his administration will effect great change in our nation. I believe that he can unify the bitterly divided. I believe that he represents some of the best of the United States of America. I want him crafting policy. I want him as a world leader.
If you are interested in throwing your support behind Barack Obama as my little family has, check out http://www.barackobama.com/, and join the revolution.
And I also think you ought to consider any number of super-cute t-shirts from CafePress.com, which are also snarky while on-message.
Pax and philia,
DJ the Rabid
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Read DJ's blog at: http://justprettydeep.blogspot.com/
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