Thoughts On The Election

In a recent email exchange with a friend regarding politics, I managed to get down in writing some of the swirling thoughts I’ve had about the current election. I pass this along mostly because it’s more succinct than anything I’ve been able to come up with to this point, so I didn't want to lose it. I tend to make a lot of political decisions with my guts and emotions, so I can often flip-flop on some issues based on the situation. But, what is written here is not likely to change.

Here's my take. McCain seems like more of the same and Bush has made a mess of our country by, maybe worst of all, lowering our morale and our pride. What Obama has the power to do, above anything else, is restore some of that pride. He represents what should be a change for the better in the way we feel and think and act as Americans. He's so green and inexperienced that it may be the only thing he's able to pull off, but that is important enough for me to want to vote for him. McCain does not have that same cache. He has more experience in leadership, but I don't think he has the power to bring about the change in morale, or, if he does, it would take him a loooong time to achieve it. And, even if McCain could right the ship, most of us are so jaded by this point that it would be equally as long a time before we feel differently. Making important decisions like this based on emotion may not be the smartest way to proceed, but I think it’s the main problem. No one feels good. We want to feel better. Obama will be more successful at that then McCain will.

One thing I like about this election is that social issues are not in the forefront like Bush vs. Kerry (of course that's because it was largely Karl Rove's strategy and he's not around this time). We're finally talking about issues that matter like the war and healthcare and education, issues that actually affect us, not gay rights. Holding so firm to social agendas has put us where we are now and that isn't good.