Democratic National Convention

This isn't a us vs. them post. Politics as whole is just plain messed up. Picking a President probably has our founding father's rolling in their graves. My opinion is that a President really doesn't do much at all but they become the face of our nation. The President represents us. I have not listened to our current President in 8 years. His speech and mannerisms make me cringe. His beliefs and how he has put America to shame is unconscionable. Three things have really bothered me with the current administration 1) Post 9-11, we had the world at our finger tips, we could have made real strides in establishing dialogue with the Western World and Islam and what do we do with the good will? Bomb two Islamic countries...great diplomacy 2) Managing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina...this just showed the utter lack of compassion and leadership that this man had. It also showed just how out of touch this man was. A good leader can't do it all but he (she) certainly puts people with a clue into positions that they can excel in and 3) the Supreme Court mess. I've always respected the concept of a body of people that are beyond politics and who make decisions based on a body of concepts that have stood the test of time...unfortunately we now have a group that enjoys the limelight and the ability to flex muscles in our government.

So therefore, why Obama? Why not...a charismatic person, a man I wouldn't mind listening to, a person who can bring back some creditability to the office, a younger person for a new generation...the list can go on. Bottom line is America is in shambles. We are torn in two, making decisions based on emotions, and with the expectation that we deserve it all. We are living in a dream world unable or unwilling to make the hard decisions like the future of energy, future of American ingenuity, the growing immigrant and Islam issues, war in Southwest Asia, education, economics, and health care. These are all real issues yet half the country is worried about teaching evolution in our classrooms and thus allowing fear to justify our government in trampling the constitution. Doesn't anything bother us anymore? We package all of our problems in buzz words and fancy packaging (buy green!) yet are unable to really give up anything.

By the time we are adults and are allowed to make the decisions it is already over for us. The world we live in today is the decisions our parents made for us. My kids will live in a world based on the decisions I make. Electing Obama in November won't do a thing for me but maybe some of his decisions will make a difference for my children. Paying $4 for gas right now really isn't all that great but do we just dig up our nation to make a miniscule difference or do we invest time and money in making a solution that our kids will reap. Are we so selfish as a nation that we don't even care anymore? Money for the future? What good might it be if our nation rots from within and the greed destroys it all. Why is the lifecycle of happiness so short today. Just because information speeds by doesn't mean that we can take the time to make the hard decision for tomorrow.

Obama can't change the course of this nation but he can certainly help it in another direction by providing at least the concept that change is possible. Good leadership brings out the best in people because you feel like it is expected of you. You want to make a change, you trust your leader that he his doing everything possible to make things better for you. A true leader demands more of you and you aren't offended. Does the current adminstration demand anything from you? Demand accountability, demand respect, and demand a better future for our kids.