Just had a few things on my mind today so I thought I'd share. Obviously a big week. As far as President Elect Obama, I want to say how amazing his speech was. It wasn't the most inspired thing I've ever heard, but the sentiment was perfect. He really tried to express the tone of Kennedy's, "Ask not what you can do for your contry...," speech. A lot of pundits, especially republicans, are saying that Obama promised the world on a silver platter and now he is going to disappoint everyone. But I think that he has been very clear all along. It will take time and it will take work. I thought his tone was focused and clear and inspiring in the sense that people who voted for him didn't just get excited about voting, or the candidate or change, but about politics. He inspired people to get involved and care about what's happening. I think that's why people voted for him and that's why he is going to be a great president. The Revue always looks to the West Wing to prove his point and so I think I will too:
"Bartlet: Here’s an answer to your question that I don’t think you’re going to like. The current crop of 18-25 year olds is the most politically apathetic generation in American history. In 1972, half of that age group voted. In the last election, 32%. Your generation is considerably less likely than any previous one to write or call public officials, attend rallies, or work on political campaigns. A man once said this, "decisions are made by those who show up." So are we failing you, or are you failing us? It's a little of both."
Another thing I was concerned about the night before the election was the appointment of judges. I never really thought about why I should vote for one judge over another and the more I thought about it the more confused I got. I was deciding between a current (republican) Michigan Supreme court judge and his democratic opponent. I looked at their views and their opinions and then had the thought that they shouldn't matter. Political preference should not play any role at all for a judge. They should actually have no tendencies one way or another. The role of a judge is to enforce the law, not to interpret it as they see fit. They are not law makers. They can't decide one way because they feel a certain way on the issue. They must be unbiased in order to maintain any sense of fairness. Anyways, I kind of went back and forth for a bit because obviously I'd like people to interpret the law the way I think, but who are we to do that. It's a slippery slope that I'd really never even thought of before.
One more political point I want to talk about is the fact that Democrats almost had complete power in government. As left and liberal as I am, I don't think I ever want to see one party gain complete control over government. There has to be fairness for checks and balances to work properly. To have a filibuster proof government is absurd. I may agree with democrats on a lot of things, but certainly not everything. If not for unrealistic and terrible foreign policy ideas and many silly domestic ideas, I'm actually much more of a Green Party person. I think republicans represent almost half the country. To completely disregard them is not just unfair but it's wrong. I'm glad there is still some order in congress and Dems to not have all the power.
On that same note, I also sincerely believe that America should be divided into two. This election seemed so divisive. It seemed people either voted for Obama or thought he was a terrorist. I honestly think the south should secede. They can have their guns and pollution and anti-gay, anti-minority sentiment and we'll have our tree hugging, universal health care, stem-cell research, progressive taxed people who care about more things than money and abortion. I truly believe the country would be in a better place. You want a different lifestyle go down south. I've never seen so much hate and ridiculous ignorance than when they would show people in the south who honestly believed in their hearts that Obama was a terrorist and was going to take over America with the teachings of Islam. Those people deserve their own place to live.
Anyways, I was actually gonna talk about a few other things but this is already long enough. Suffice to say that I can't wait for the coming years and what this country is going to do. It's an exciting time and just because the elections over doesn't mean it's too late to get involved. It really hasn't even begun yet. As always, go big or go home...
-M, p, z & shredder
oh ps - my favorite part of the speech was about 6:15 into this clip. It's when everyone else is walking off stage and Obama is standing there waving to the people, and maybe it was the awesome superman-esque music in the background, but you can't help but get pumped and see it in his eyes that he's gonna be great.
2 comments:
"My great-grandfather’s great-grandfather was Dr. Josiah Bartlet, who was the New Hampshire delegate to the second Continental Congress, the one that sat in session in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776 and announced to the world that we were no longer subjects of King George III, but rather a self-governing people. We hold these truths to be self-evident, they said, that all men are created equal. Strange as it may seem, that was the first time in history that anyone had bothered to write that down. Decisions are made by those who show up. Class dismissed. Thank you, everyone. God bless you. And God bless America."
I'm not obsessed. I'm just a fan and I care.
That, too, is a WW quote.
I love that show.
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