2 posts tagged “vote”

If you are still undecided or just want some last minute reassurances about the candidates or the propositions, go to the Eleveneers Rock the Vote site for more information.

BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD. VOTE!

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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