'Bama Baby

Phoebe's a Democrat. At least until she tells me otherwise. What is parenting if not impressing our ideals and beliefs onto our children?

When she's old enough to argue with me about the state of the economy, I'll have to deal with the fact that her ideas and mine might not always sync. Until then, I feel compelled to have her know that I believe strongly that we're about to elect an incredible leader to the highest office in our country. I'm so over feeling embarrassed that my President can't form an English sentence, let alone make one decision that has benefited our country. The anti-intellectualism that has become popular in our country has not served us well. What is so wrong with wanting our leaders to be smart, well-traveled and literate? When did we start choosing leaders we want to have a beer with and not one that might have more important things to do with their time?

To me, one of the best reasons to vote for Obama is not just that he would change the way America sees the world, but it will change the way the world sees America. If this financial crisis doesn't convince people how inter-connected we are with the rest of the world, I don't know what will. Our problems are their problems. Our market crashes and theirs follows suit. Electing Barack Obama will give us a fresh start in the world. A chance to show that we want to move on from the past 8 years, that we are a peace-loving country and not one that starts wars to destabilize the world and enrich the richest among us. Obama spoke up about the Iraq war and said what many of us were thinking- that it was unjust and unwise and it would brankrupt us financially and morally. With him at the helm, we will once again denounce torture, end the war responsibly, and get back on a path where our Allies can once again support and stand by us. This is a moment in time where the world needs to be able to look to us again, to lead people out of the financial and military messes we are in. This is no time for more of the same. I had a lot of respect for John McCain before he got tugged so far to the right he can't see the center any more. His choice of Sarah Palin was nothing more than cynical strategy. Sadly, it has worked on many levels. She now has her place in history, I just hope it's as a footnote and not a headline.

With the election just a month away, tensions are rising in this country. Every one is on edge watching the stock market, wondering how they will pay their bills or stay in their homes. In just one month, we will have a new President. My wish is that Hope wins over Fear, that race can finally not be a factor and that people all over America will vote for the only man in the running who can change the broken record we've been listening to for the past 8 years.

Hopefully, by the time Phoebe is old enough to vote, this time of crisis will be a distant memory of a time when we lost our way, but found the path back into the world by electing an American who represented the very best of our country at a time when we needed it most.