Politics: Why Obama?

My blog-friend Nicki asked her readers to post why they are voting for the candidate they are. She posted a follow up to that after casting her ballot that was so thorough and well written, I must encourage you all to read it here.

I did however, end up writing an email to a friend of mine which essentially stated why I was excited to support Obama. Here is the letter:


Hi G-,

I respect you and value your opinions. Nothing you've said offends me and I appreciate the clarifications. I've thought about your email a lot since I read it yesterday. I want to write a well thought out, non offensive response. I doubt this will be as great as I'd like and I apologize in advance for my lack of pith or if anything comes across poorly.

The reason I support Obama is not because he and I share all views. In fact, according to a match up site I did, I am only a 64% match with Obama's platform (10% with McCain). What Obama does so well and that I find absolutely critical for a President is surround himself with the best and brightest, research the subject thoroughly and try to find the best solution. He does not only go with his party, he tries to see all sides and do what is best. For example, I am an environmentalist, total tree hugger here. When Obama said during his acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination that his plan for energy independence included off-shore drilling, clean coal and increasing nuclear energy, I literally gasped. Horror of horrors! But I understand his point. We have to do something NOW AND build a future that plans to not have drilling, coal and nuclear as the only means of providing energy in this country. I get it. Don't necessarily like it but I understand.

On taxes, I disagree with your stance. I don't think American companies or wealthy individuals suffer from their tax burden. If they did, they would move as you've said but they don't. They find other ways. Wealthy people stay wealthy even if their tax rate goes up. They are not rich, they know how to hold onto their wealth and no tax plan will take wealth away from them. People who find a way to make money but do not educate themselves on how to shield it from taxes and other things that try to take it away will not become wealthy and may feel bitter about the taxes they pay. I don't feel badly for them. Companies may have a higher tax rate but get other incentives at the local and federal levels which partly negate their tax burden. Taxes that must be paid by companies get passed on to consumers. The company does not suffer. I am not an expert on tax policies and their impacts on the economy but I trust Obama to surround himself with experts in this field to enact proper tax policies. I would like to mention, that this year's Nobel Prize in Economics was given to Paul Krugman for his "analysis of trade patterns and where economic activity takes place" (taken from this BBC news article). He is an expert in economics and he rails against Bush's economic policies. Additionally the list of economists who have endorsed Obama is impressive. Other than Krugman, there are 5 other Nobel laureates endorsing him. Here is a list of all Obama endorsements.

As for Rev Wright, I understand how unnerving it is to see his hate filled rhetoric and I can understand the negative impact that would have on one's view of Obama by such a long association. I encourage you to watch the PBS show [Frontline: The Choice 2008] for some of their insights into that situation. From my perspective, I don't hold it against Obama. I will give Rev Wright the benefit of the doubt that he does not get in front of his parishioners every Sunday to say what a crappy place the US is. I will venture to guess that if he has that large of a following and for so long his messages are usually uplifting and encourage those in attendance to do good in this world, to be the hand of God. I understand that blacks face struggles in society that I do not and I know that a black minister has to address those struggles in a way that a white minister to his white parishioners would not. Do I agree with his comments? Of course not. Was he out of line? Maybe. I didn't hear the whole sermon to know. But Obama probably did and if the overall message was good with some really awful comments made to stress a point, well, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

As for change, I no longer think that McCain would even attempt to deliver the change this country desperately needs. He used to be a free thinker but he has changed in that regard. Maybe it's just his desire to get into the White House and he will move back to his old "maverick" ways. However, his choice of Palin makes me really question that. She is like Cheney and even more scary to me. I know that you like her so I'm sorry if I'm offending you. She is completely unprepared for the office she is running for (she doesn't even know the actual role of VP based on her response in the VP debate) and even more woefully unprepared to lead our country should McCain not complete a term (based on actuarial tables there is a 1 in 6 or 7 chance that he will not and that does NOT take into account his actual health which has cancer in the mix). I am always fascinated to learn of others who really support her since I just absolutely cannot understand it based on all I've seen and learned of her. Maybe you can educate me on her strengths and positive leadership traits.

I think endorsements for Obama from the likes of Warren Buffett and Colin Powell also say a lot. The wikipedia list of endorsements for Obama is impressive (excluding the Senators and Congressmen since those are just expected and almost always along party lines). I am especially impressed by the scientists endorsing him - I'm very into science and rational fact-based research. McCain's wikipedia entry does not have the economic or scientific endorsements like Obama's. I am also impressed with the number of Republicans in general supporting Obama. Here's another site if you haven't already been that may be of interest: www.republicansforobama.org

I absolutely agree with you that Americans have become greedy, lazy, stupid and/or feel entitled. It absolutely makes me sick. I am totally with you that people need to work to improve their situations and nothing in life entitles them to anything but paying taxes and dying. I was actually pleasantly surprised to hear Obama tell people during his acceptance speech and several times since then many things along these lines. From his acceptance speech (if you haven't seen it, you really, really should).

"What is that American promise? It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have obligations to treat each other with dignity and respect... ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves: protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools, and new roads, and science, and technology... Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can't replace parents, that government can't turn off the television and make a child do her homework, that fathers must take more responsibility to provide love and guidance to their children. Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility, that's the essence of America's promise."

I believe that Obama will do the things he says - he will invest in clean energy technologies that will bring high earning jobs back to our country. I believe that he will improve our relationships with countries around the world. I believe he will get us out of Iraq in a responsible, efficient manner. I believe he will actually engage our military to find Osama Bin Laden and cripple if not destroy Al Qaeda. I believe that he will responsibly increase tax revenue and reduce wasteful spending. I believe he will work with all members of the house and senate - democrats, republicans, independents - to bring about the changes we need.

These are just my opinions though. I know I'm not in the majority on most of my views but I am so excited to vote for a person who will consider all views before making decisions.

Erin