Congradulations to Barack Obama and the U.S. I like everyone, am glad to see that the United States has overcome race as a barrier to the White House. I'm glad that they have elected a leader who is capable of rational thought. Mr. Obama seems like a reasonable person and that alone is a great step forward for the United States and the world. Still now that the cheering has died down, we have to be realistic about what has happened. While the US took a big step forward on human rights by electing an African-American President they took a big step backward on human rights by passing ballot initiatives against same sex marriage in California, Arizona and Florida. It must almost be remembered that while this was a landslide in terms of the electoral college, in terms of the popular vote 46.3% of Americans voted for McCain.
While I would like to 'Welcome the U.S. Back' it is unclear to me that they are, in fact, back. It still strikes me that it was the economic cost, not the cost in civilian lives or human rights that turned the U.S. against the War in Iraq. Obama has said that he will pull the U.S. out of Iraq (and I don't think Iraqis will care why), but he wants to ramp up the war in Afghanistan.
It also remains to be seen exactly what the U.S. will allow Obama to do? I remember in 1992 everyone thought that Bill Clinton would make the U.S. a more progressive country, but when he started to test policies the U.S. public turned against him.
So will Obama really get out of Iraq? Will he find a way to peace and rebuilding in Afghanistan? Will he bring in health care reform in the states? Will Americans let him when they realize it will cost money? Will he move the U.S. in a more environmentally sustainable direction? I'm hopeful that Obama will govern well, make rational decisions and move the U.S. in a more progressive direction, but I'm not convinced that he will be able to do that or that the US public will let him. Already the airwaves are full of pundits urging Obama to "govern from the center" - and the 'center' in the US is pretty far to the right.
2 comments:
It would be nice to think America found its heart. In light of the marriage question results I suspect however that Americans were just furious with Bush and believed Bush responsible for declining prosperity. Collectively acting like an irate spoiled brat they tossed Bush and his ilk.
And whereas Obama says he will pull troops from Iraq (Bravo), he shouldn't have to. Bush should be doing that now. What part of the electors' message did Bush not understand?
The same sex marriage question is about individual rights.
Had Americans in three states acknowledged that all love is beautiful and that individual rights cannot be meddled with by the state, I would accept that Obama's election heralds a more tolerant America.
Sadly, t'aint so. :-(
And popular centrist punditry be gone. Obama has a chance for greatness. He could govern from a compassionate tolerance that respects the rights of the individual and lets people benefit from their own achievements with fair taxation and global integration.
Obama could turn guns and bombs into scrap metal for plow disks and harrows and make free implements for irrigation and agriculture in the Sub Sahara or nearby. If Obama will be great, he will start the revolution and move America away from the sword and back to the kind of intellectual stimulation that invents better medicines, microchips and an alternative to burning fossil fuels.
Shyte. I better not get going! LOL
(Keep on keeping on, Justin!!!)
Tried to post the entire blog on Facebook. Hope it worked.
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