Monday, May 28, 2012

Why vote for Obama? Let me count the whys – 4

David Seaton's News Links

Why vote for Obama? 
Why indeed.
Cutting to the chase: it is important that, barring incompetence passing that of his twice-elected predecessor, which is certainly not his case, the first African-American president in the history of the United States should not be defeated in his bid for a second term by someone who once led a gang to torment a homosexual. The United States doesn't need that stain added to its already spotted history.
During the Democratic primaries in 2008 presidential I thought it frivolous that an inexperienced freshman senator should offer himself for something as transcendental as being the first African-American president in the history of the United States. The idea of the first African-American president failing and thus probably becoming the last African-American president was simply too bitter to bear.  It seemed to me that only a figure of proven leadership qualities, vast experience and who was universally admired, such as Colin Powell, should take that historic burden on his shoulders.
But just as he spoiled almost everything else he touched, George W. Bush spoiled Colin Powell too. 
So Barack Obama is the first man of color to govern one of the world's most racist countries and after four years leading the United States during what may be the most difficult period since the Second World War, I think it is fair to say that to replace him now with someone of such dubious merit as Mitt Romney, would be simply tragic. DS

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Obama's curse was to run as a transcender in a nation that is hopelessly polarized. It was a brave and noble impulse but it hasn't served him well. Given the irremediable racism on the right, it couldn't. So, we're left with a choice between a flawed if noble man and a rich asshole. This in itself wouldn't be such a problem if Republicans weren't insane. But they are. And the idea that a party that has lurched so far to the right is now within close distance of capturing the federal government ought to frighten anyone who still cares about our common fate. I'm not absolutely sure it matters - I think we're already so far gone that it's unlikely we'll find a path back to sanity. Still, you act "as if" there will be a tomorrow, that recovery is possible if unlikely. That's it. Obama was never really meant to be our savior, except he's all that's standing between us and a certain abyss.

stunted said...

Colin Powell, who could have resigned at any moment of his choosing, spoiled Colin Powell. Enough of giving wide tolerant berth to the ubermenschen/maedchen of the planet as they lecture the untouchables about responsibility they themselves never shoulder.

I've read 4 reasons to not vote for Romney, none to vote for Obama. We're to swallow ANYONE BUT ROMNEY? The Supreme Court ? Wall Street and the banks let that horse out of the barn a long time ago. Whether the jockey wears red or blue, his mount will still be Plutocracy. Bullying? Not standing up for your appointees and acquaintances when they are bullied, dropping them like bad habits based on accusations grounded in fantasy is tantamount to bullying. Hiding behind states' rights vis a vis gays is a cowardly rehashing of Dixie's defense of Jim Crow and 1960's segregation. The paternal use of his daughters to back continued, gradual chipping away at a woman's right to control her body, thus her future, is as cowardly. Israel? Some Israeli and US jews not recognizing Obama as an indefatigable defender of the "jewish" state are lost in their willful delusion while his administration's shameless swallowing of everything Bibi shoves down its throat speaks for itself. He may as well be Netanyahu's BFF. The only thing he doesn't share with Mittens is the color of his skin. Obama's is already a failed presidency; he did not leave Irak--al Maliki would not let the soldiers stay without submitting to Iraqi justice for infractions and forced him to respect W's timetable; his drone attacks, now overseen by the architect of Obama's miracle "surge" in Afghanistan, Gen. Petraeus, may well assure another 9/11 style attack. Voting for him to avoid a black failure in the White House is not serious. Bipartisanship, as some Republican aide remarked, is Democrats enacting Republican legislation. Clinton weakened welfare, blaming the poor. Clinton repealed Glass-Steagall,citing financiers' need for unfettered creativity. Obama lashed at Detroit unions for their "Cadillac" healthcare plans in bailing out the industry. Stating this is not longing for nihilism; it is describing the current state of the America Americans are still willing to tolerate. Nihilism is what we already have. Teabaggers would take us deeper into it at a quicker clip; Democrats are the status quo. Indulging in the politics of fear, tribal politics (which is what Western anti-immigrant parties, Christian anti-Muslim fanaticism, Israeli zionism, radical Islamists etc. fester in) will not change that--more people in the street will, very slowly, but Americans are not there, yet. It may take a long time; it may never happen. Electing Obama rather than Romney will save nothing. Politicians dealing in reality I fear was in an era we may not see again in my lifetime, at least.

From Michiko Kakutani"s review of Robert A. Caro's "Passage of Power", NY Times, 29/04/12:
"Johnson used a crisis and his own political acumen to implement his agenda with stunning speed….Advisers had warned Johnson against antagonizing the Southerners who controlled Congress…but when one aide told him to his face that a president shouldn't spend his time and power on lost causes, Johnson was quick to reply, 'Well, what the hell's the presidency for?' ".

David Seaton's Newslinks said...

Stunted, "Anonymous" has written pretty much what would have been my reply.

The USA of today is not the USA of the 60s. Obama is indeed a frail reed, but he is all that stands between the world and a Bush with brains.

Dave said...

Furthermore, a reason not to vote for Obama - The first African American president is murdering poor brown people in remote parts of the world and personally ordering their hits.

Marcy said...

I will not vote for Obama. I have enough blood on my hands just by virtue of my US passport and paying US taxes. I think voting for the lesser of two evils is exactly what has reduced us to this pathetic choice.