In voting for Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, I made my decision
based neither on a lesser-of-evils theorem or any delusion that we
bask in the presence of some kind of Messianic being. None of the
candidates are evil. I disagree with most of the McCain policies
(especially since weirdly turning neoconservative after building a
name as a moderate), Sarah Palin is the most vapid candidate this
country has ever seen on a national ticket, and they've run the kind
of campaign that makes Bob Shrum look like Marc Hanna, but neither are
evil. Therefore, the first canard may be discarded. As for the
second canard, I don't take Messianic beings of any name seriously.
Barack Obama will not save the world or provide us with a brand new
utopia. But, what he can (and, with both houses of Congress for at
least two years, will) do is make the changes that have driven my
vote.
The man who first drew my interest into politics was Harry Browne, the
Libertarian candidate in 1996 and 2000. From then until 2004 my
largely undivided attention was given to the ideals of libertarianism.
They still are, really, but far too often I've come to lament the
pie-in-the-sky theoretical outlook that accompanies it. Since 2004, I
have pared down some of my libertarian stances. I do not see any
point in coddling large business and extremely wealthy people at the
expense of everybody else. There should be a modicum of regulations.
We watch and provide rules for our children, the young lives that we
invest in. I see no reason why we should leave the companies that we
invest in and provide for to hide in shadows.
The wealthiest should also not be the only beneficiaries of the tax
policy. Yes, in an ideal utopia there would be no taxation at all.
But we do not now, nor will we ever, live in an ideal utopia. After
working in factories for several years I can no longer take seriously
the claims that softening the tax burden on the middle/working-class
would be punishing the success of the big business folks. If a
working person puts in too much overtime at their job, they suddenly
find themselves working amost entirely for the government. We already
punish the hard work and the success of the vast majority of
Americans. That is not libertarian, that is not conservative.
Coddling is not conservtism. Giving a larger tax cut to a larger
number of people (as Obama is doing vs. McCain) has a bit of a
libertarian/conservative tinge to it. If nothing else, it's the only
policy of the two (and, no, I'm not considering Bob Barr to be a
libertarian or a qualified candidate) that I and my wallet can
appreciate.
Another leftover libertarian ideal is the civil liberties and freedoms
of people. I desire the ability for everybody to live their life as
they choose so long as it does not impede on the similar ability of
anybody else. Here was my biggest concern with voting for Obama. His
pathetic FISA vote. For a couple of weeks I was leaning towards
writing in Warren G Harding for a posthumous second term. My hope is
that domestic spying and the garbage of its ilk will deteriote under
Democratic power, my wish is that Obama would have ignored his cadre
of weasly advisors and made the correct vote in the first place, but
it happened and it is a stain. But, in politics, as in any other
facet of our lives, it is important not to wreck ourselves on the
jagged shores of perfectionism. So, I am able to stomach an ample
amount of bad in exchange for the proposition of actual good. In my
opinion, the greatest threat to American civil liberties, as well as
one of the most embarassing facets of the country, is our federal drug
policy. Obama was one of only a few candidates of either party that
spoke of turning towards a more sensible drug policy during the
marathon nominating process (Ron Paul and Bill Richardson being the
others). He is the only candidate left. A change to the drug laws in
this country will free up tens of billions of dollars in tax money and
thousands of otherwise innocent, wholly non-violent, truly
non-criminals. There are far too many problems in this nation to
focus so much attention on a bad habit at worst, benevolent medicine
at best. It is absolutely inexcusable that a college student can be
denied federal student loans/grants/work study for a marijuana
conviction, no matter the size, while there is no similar handicap
placed upon students convicted of assault, rape, or murder.
Of the two candidates, Obama wins on foreign policy by a mile. John
McCain has been dead wrong on the war on Iraq from the beginning.
This includes the Surge. The Surge was inended to provide security
AND political stability. Security is tenuous but granting McCain that
he's still at a 50% percent. Well below failing. Obama has been
correct in his opposition. We cant spend trillions of dollars on
follies in other lands. We cant maim a generation out of hubris. We
cant ignore our real threats and past assailants. I support Obama's
agenda of renewing our focus on al Qaeda, Afghanistan/Pakistan, and
actual terrorists that actually attacked the United States. I have
found it necessary to vote for a candidate who has shown a willingness
to follow the footsteps of leaders such as John Adams, Franklin
Roosevelt, and George Kennan, to place his attention and ability where
it needs to be rather than on incredibly expensive and self-defeating
red herrings
I had a slight dread during the late spring and summer. A fear was
beginning to take hold that Obama could pan out like Jimmy Carter.
The general election campaign has completely eased that. The
re-assembly of the the Democratic Party after defeating Hillary
Clinton, the calm and confidence during a major economic dip, a
consistent handling of some of the dirtiest pool being played by the
politicians and idealogues that oppose him, and the winning
performances in all three debates have all proven the mettle, the
talent, and the temperment of a successful leader even during a time
of great turmoil. And it was nice to see the day after I sent in my
ballot that Cici Goldwater, granddaughter of an Arizona senator I'd
have pickled my left ball in a bottle of bourbon to have had the
chance to vote for, had endorsed Barack Obama.
