5 posts tagged “elections”

So excited I had to do this last night!

This is something I have thought about a lot in the last few weeks, and I want to share what I have learned with you. I am not asking you to do as I do - it is your vote, your decision. All I ask is for you to listen to my reasons, do more research if so inspired (I have included links for easy reference), and seriously consider Barack Obama as your choice.

First, what makes a good president?
This is not just an academic discussion but a critical question in our current situation, where the candidates' stands on the issues are more or less the same. After some reading and a lot of thinking, I boil it down to three essential qualities: vision, judgment and efficacy.

"Every successful president has had vision... a clear idea of where he [or she] wished to lead the nation in its quest for a better future" (Robert Dallek, presidential historian). A candidate's vision gives us an idea of how good of a communicator he/she is. It tells whether he/she is in tune with "the needs, anxieties, dreams of the people" (Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., writer specializing in the American presidency).

Experience is something that has been mentioned a lot. Experience is why I kept Hillary on my consideration list for a long time, because I valued it. But things really cleared up for me when I realized that experience, in and of itself, does not make a good leader. What truly matters is what we hope experience would bring–wisdom and foresight to make the right decisions, and the ability to get things done. In other words, judgment and efficacy. This distinction is critical because experience actually does not guarantee sound judgment and the ability to get the job done. Cheney and Rumsfeld are two shining examples of that.

1. Vision

I'm voting for Obama because he has clearly articulated a vision of a united America that is powerful and inspiring. As Caroline Kennedy puts it so eloquently, he is someone "who can lift our spirits, and make us believe again that our country needs every one of us to get involved."

In my decision process, I had a hard time solidifying what Hillary's vision is. After scrutinizing many of her ads and speeches, and getting some clarification from one of her campaign speakers, here's what I sum it up to: "Bush screwed up; I hear your pain and frustration, and I will be a strong president who will make things right."

Hillary's vision does a good job addressing the needs and anxieties we feel. But it fails to speak to the dreams and hopes we have for a brighter future. What's more, Obama recognizes that the problems we face are of a such a magnitude and complexity that it requires our collective effort and power to overcome. That's why his vision centers around his ability to mobilize and organize, rather than his personal brilliance and strength. And he's right.

2. Judgment

I'm voting for Obama because he has demonstrated sound judgment in times of crisis. He spoke out against the war on Iraq at a time when it was an unpopular point of view. He had the foresight to warn against a "U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences in the heart of the Muslim world." Hillary, despite her vast experience and intelligence, judged wrongly and gave Bush the authority to go to war.

I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt when it comes to her mistaken belief that Saddam Hussein had rebuilt weapons of mass destruction. This can be blamed on bad intelligence. But in her decision to authorize the war, she echoed Bush's unfounded accusation that Hussein gave "aid, comfort and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members" (Hillary Clinton, October 10, 2002). This accusation "was unsupported by the conclusions of the N.I.E. [National Intelligence Estimate] and other secret intelligence reports that were available to senators before the vote." (New York Times, "Hillary's War," June 3, 2007)

This distinction between Obama and Hillary is critical. Leadership requires good judgment in times of crisis. Leadership requires the ability to withstand the political pressures of the moment, stand up for our country's long-term interest, and the power to turn around public opinion. I have a lot of respect for Hillary's brilliance and willingness to dive into issues and do her homework. But she has demonstrated extremely poor judgment when she failed (or refused) to see through Bush's faulty reasons for going to war in Iraq.

3. Efficacy

I'm voting for Obama because he not only has a compelling vision, but a proven track record that shows he can get things done.

"Obama's accomplishments are more substantial and varied than Clinton suggests. And he has a longer record in elected office than she does, as a second-term New York senator. Obama was a community organizer and led a voter-registration effort in Chicago that added tens of thousands of people to the rolls. He was a civil rights attorney and taught at one of the nation's premier universities. He helped pass complicated measures in the Illinois legislature on the death penalty, racial profiling, health care and more. In Washington, he has worked with Republicans on nuclear proliferation, government waste and global warming, amassing a record that speaks to a fast start while lacking the heft of years of service." (Time, "Obama's Varied Record," January 16, 2008)

One of Hillary's strongest selling point is that her experience will help her get to work right away, on day one. This is where I concede that she may be stronger than Obama. But only slightly. When I look at Obama's track record, I do not doubt that he will get things done quickly and effectively, if a few minutes behind her!

A couple of "lucky strike extras"

I want to point out a few other things that Obama brings as a president that, even if not utterly essential, are valuable because of the unique demands of our times.

Foreign policy. As president, Obama will greatly improve America's standing in the international world. His record on the Iraq war will bring him credibility. Also look at his face, "a brown-skinned man whose father was an African, who grew up in Indonesia and Hawaii, who attended a majority-Muslim school as a boy." And hear his name–Barack Hussein Obama. He would be America's "most effective weapon against the demonization of America that fuels Islamist ideology." (The Atlantic Monthly, "Why Obama Matters," December 2007)

True, Hillary brings Clinton, which can also be seen as a plus for foreign policy. Or is it? In his eight years in office, he failed to negotiate peace in the Middle East. I doubt the current president will do so either, despite having experienced advisors who date back to the previous Bush presidency, some even to Reagan. Perhaps it is time to try something new.

Decency and honesty. I put this as a "lucky strike extra" because, in the Machiavellian political environment we've been in for too long, many see this as naive and unrealistic. I was utterly disappointed when I found out about Clinton's last-minute direct mail pieces in New Hampshire that attacked Obama's record on women's right to choose. (He is pro-choice.) I was disturbed by her radio ads in South Carolina that totally misconstrued what Obama said about Reagan, making it seem like he praised Reagan's ideas. Despite all their nasty exchanges, Obama never resorted to such dirty tactics. After eight years of the Bush spin-machine, it will be refreshing to have a president that aims to keep the conversation decent and honest.

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Just a jotting pad for thoughts/questions as I peruse the candidates' proposals.  Tonight, I read up on both Obama and Clinton's specific plans for government reform.  Jan 17 addition: McCain.

Obama
Qs

• Where does he get his funds, if he's not taking $ from lobbyists & political action committees?
• Says that nearly all contracts >$25K to be competitively awarded – what's the exception?  How will he make sure there'll be no abuse of exceptions?
  
• About sunlight before signing (public to comment on white house website 5 days before signing non-emergency bill) – how's that gonna work?  Will comments be public?  How will he acknowledge/respond to them?

Likes

• Strong transparency – lots of "let the people see" initiatives
• Not taking $ from lobbyists and political action committees
  
• Tech-forward in a specific, practical way – most of it about providing searchable databases on govt spending, earmarks, corp welfare, etc. – in tune with how I like to consume information
  

Unimpressed

• Most of the reform/transparency stuff is about providing information, making it public.  Great, but starts sounding old quick – other ideas please?
• Comes across maybe too tech-dependent for all his new ideas e.g. broadband fireside chats, white house website for collecting public ideas before signing non-emergency bills – again, all starts sounding like the same idea, and a little elitist. 
  

Clinton
Qs

• She says she'll restore competitive bidding "except in times of national crisis" – how's that defined?  How do you prevent abuse?  E.g. can't the current administration claim that they don't bid out contracts because we are in a time of national crisis?
• About the Corporate Subsidy Information Service (CSIS) – how public and transparent will its findings and reports be, and how timely?
  
• How about campaign finance reform?  Why isn't Clinton doing sth about this?  How much of her $$ is from lobbyists & political action committees?
  

Likes

• A broader spectrum of ideas e.g. the public service academy, voter machines & rights, cutting govt contractors over the next 10 years
• Her perspective on why to restore the Office of Technology Assessment – demonstrates her understanding of a fundamental flaw in (and a straightforward, actionable solution to) this administration's approach to decision-making, which is a lack of unbiased facts & #s

Unimpressed

• Not as strong an emphasis on transparency on funny money; while she's making contracting info public, she ain't pushing as hard as Obama on other fronts e.g. she's not saying anything about making available on the Internet things like earmarks, porkbarrel spending, lobbying reports, campaign finance filings, etc.
• While Obama also makes some exceptions in the competitive bidding stuff, Clinton's sounds really empty – and no different than the current administration's stand when she makes broad-stroke exceptions like "in times of national crisis"

McCain
Qs

• Need more specifics.  How does he plan to "shine the disinfecting light of public scrutiny on those who abuse the public purse"?
• How does he plan to stop officials and politicians from becoming "lobbyists for the special interests they have aided" after they leave?
  

Likes

• He has walked the walk regarding campaign finance changes.
• While I can't name all the specifics (and sadly they're not clearly outlined on his website!), my perception is that he has genuinely fought special interests and pork barrel spending in the past.
• While I do not agree with some of his policies, I believe him to be an upstanding man who believes in doing the right thing; he is not as motivated by self-interest and crony-ism as other Republicans.
  

Unimpressed

• His website is long on rhetoric and short on details.  True, you need to keep messages simple and easy to be a good communicator, but this is the web – after offering me the simple story, offer Hermiones like me a chance to dive into the details.  It smells fishy when you don't let me do that.
  

BTW, if you're interested in the details, here are links to both candidates specific plans on government reform.
Click here for Obama's Take Back Our Government plan.
Click here for Clinton's Real Plan/Government Reform Agenda.
Click here for McCain's Ethics Reform perspective.

Alright, my eyes are starting to glaze over reading the issues – will have to deal with the others another night.  Ciao!

After some initial reading and discussion with people I know, and quite a bit of thinking and internal debate, here's what rises to the top for me.

• "A deep connection with the needs, anxieties, dreams of the people," in the words of Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.
  
• I am seriously worried about the widening gap between the haves and have-nots.  There's something very wrong that, in the richest and most powerful country in the world, we can't afford to send our children to college or the doctor.  And I say that not just from an altruistic perspective.  Worries about money and life is very real to us.  Our current quality of life can be lost in a flash.  A lost job, unexpected health costs not covered by healthcare – if any of this were to happen us, we will have no cushion, and can quickly lose our home and fall into poverty.  A good job, opportunities to keep learning, a simple home, a healthy life, good schools – these are my dreams, and I want my President to understand how cherished and threatened these dreams feel to me.
• Vision, optimism and leadership.  He/she needs to have a compelling vision of what a better America looks like, and instill confidence in me that he/she can lead me there.
  
• For me, that vision needs to show how we can reforge our relationship with the rest of the world, especially in recognizing that providing economic opportunity and education is a critical tool in fighting terrorism.
• Strong organizer of people.  Someone who can recognize and recruit talented people, and put them to good use.
• It's critical that the President can forge a stellar team that will help him explore issues rigorously from all angles.  This means he needs to create an environment where divergent perspectives are not suppressed, but carefully listened to and taken into account.
• Intelligent, informed and rigorous, with a strong grasp of public policy and international relations.
  
• While I expect his/her team to do the background work and provide smart points of view to the President, he/she needs to be capable and willing to grasp the issues, ask hard questions, zero into the heart of the matter, mind the details, and make wise decisions.  At the least, he/she needs to know more than I do, and be able to pronounce the names of foreign leaders when addressing them in public!
  
• A pragmatist who understands "the art of the possible," who can work with many different groups of people and the complicated machinery of government(s) to make things happen. 
  
• While a solid moral compass, and consistency to ideals and vision are important – I actually think the President should be savvy about the changing moods and conditions at home and abroad, be smart about timing, and be flexible so he/she can identify the most fruitful path to achieve his vision.
• Good communicator.  He/she needs to inspire me, explain complicated policies, and when doing something not instinctively the desire of the public, be able to explain his/her actions convincingly. 
  
• I don't expect my President to rule by opinion polls – in fact, I expect him/her to be able to make difficult decisions that put the long-term well-being of the country first, even if they are not popular.  But I need him/her to make a strong case, and slowly turn people around.  To be an effective leader, the President needs to keep the good will and confidence of the people.  Being a good communicator is key to achieving that.
• Ethical, and able to put the interests of the common person and the environment above corporate interests.
• I'm realistic.  I accept that politicians are no angels.  I don't expect my President to be a saint.  But I do expect him/her to not flagrantly trample on our rights, and our environment, for the benefit of private corporations. 
  

Elections are coming up.  My first as an American citizen.  It is very exciting.  And daunting.  I want this to be thoughtful.  It is a very important decision, who will be our next leader, given this very precarious time for a very powerful country. 

As the first step in my decision process, I'm researching what makes for a great president.  I've gotten a lot of interesting perspectives from scholars and other so-called experts.  Now I want to know what real people think.

So here's my question to anyone who reads this: what are you looking for in your country's leader?  What qualities are you looking for?  How do you decide who you're voting for?