I was in Barnes and Nobles this evening after work when I heard a couple of teenagers talking about Barack Obama novels. I happened to catch the eye of one of them and smiled. I didn't think anything about it until I left the store and went out into the mall a few minutes later and passed those same kids. One gave me the thumbs up and said, "Yes we can! Hope for America!"
"That's right!" I said, smiling and returning the thumbs up.
I love little moments like that. I was exhausted from a long day at work, but I kept smiling because I just felt like it.
Only 11 more days to go!
Showing posts with label Barack Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barack Obama. Show all posts
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Is Bush Going to Set the White House Drapes on Fire as He Leaves Too?
I adore Rachel Maddow's show on MSNBC. I enjoy all segments of the show, but am going to speak to the "Lame Duck Watch" portion here for a moment. This is where Rachel highlights some (disastrous) new proposal or regulation that the Bush administration is trying to push through before he (finally) leaves office, probably all of which are in direct opposition to what Obama wants to do. Here are some highlights:
* a new rule that would allow health care workers to refuse procedures due to moral objections, including, unsurprisingly, abortions, and possibly dispensing birth control. (Imagine not being able to get your birth control prescription filled because some jerk in the pharmacy had a problem with it).
* Offering parts of the Utah wilderness for oil and gas drilling.
* Negotiating a deal that would keep the troops in Iraq for three more years (if approved by the IRAQ parliament, NOT our Congress)
* relaxing regulations covering endangered species and changing how pollution levels are measured
* giving state and local agencies more spying power
* many more nefarious things
JANUARY 20 CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH.
When his administration isn't working to bring down this country further in the time they have left, what exactly are W and company doing? Are they trying to address the economic crisis, maybe? Not so much, from the sound of it. Mostly, they are trying to recast Bush's image in a more positive light.
They should probably wait a few years for that. Like maybe 50, or 100.
I think the Obamas should do some kind of cleansing ritual when they move into the White House. The toxic energy W is leaving in his wake isn't healthy for anyone else to be around.
* a new rule that would allow health care workers to refuse procedures due to moral objections, including, unsurprisingly, abortions, and possibly dispensing birth control. (Imagine not being able to get your birth control prescription filled because some jerk in the pharmacy had a problem with it).
* Offering parts of the Utah wilderness for oil and gas drilling.
* Negotiating a deal that would keep the troops in Iraq for three more years (if approved by the IRAQ parliament, NOT our Congress)
* relaxing regulations covering endangered species and changing how pollution levels are measured
* giving state and local agencies more spying power
* many more nefarious things
JANUARY 20 CANNOT COME SOON ENOUGH.
When his administration isn't working to bring down this country further in the time they have left, what exactly are W and company doing? Are they trying to address the economic crisis, maybe? Not so much, from the sound of it. Mostly, they are trying to recast Bush's image in a more positive light.
They should probably wait a few years for that. Like maybe 50, or 100.
I think the Obamas should do some kind of cleansing ritual when they move into the White House. The toxic energy W is leaving in his wake isn't healthy for anyone else to be around.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State--Yay!
I'm so excited that Hillary Clinton will be our next Secretary of State! I actually wanted Hillary to get the nomination for president, though I always liked Obama as well. Part of the reason I initially chose Hillary over Obama was that I simply didn't know as much about him (and, okay, I wanted a woman president, though breaking the color barrier is equally important). Now that I'm as familiar with him as any political junkie can be, I'm really happy about him being president (especially considering the alternative, but I would be excited anyway). Still, I really like Hillary, and it's awesome that she will have such a prominent role in Obama's administration. She'll do a great job, and the Clintons are well thought of overseas.
Instead of counting the days until Christmas, I am counting the days until January 20.
Instead of counting the days until Christmas, I am counting the days until January 20.
Monday, November 10, 2008
What Would Obama Do? Eight Years of Slacker Hell
I have developed a disturbing tendency in the last few weeks. Lately when I am confronted with a difficult situation, I find myself wondering how Obama would handle it. The answer is usually something like confronting a problem directly as opposed to studious avoidance, thinking something through before acting, or (gasp!) working harder.
This new tendency unsettles me greatly as it is unprecedented. I sure as hell wasn't asking myself what Bush would do in a difficult (or any) situation, though I suppose that could be a good reverse guide. That is, if you aren't sure what to do about something, ask yourself what Bush would do, and then do just the opposite. Politicians in general haven't been people I considered worthy of emulation, even ones I liked, until now.
Those of us who were deriving a certain portion of our self-esteem from feeling superior to the president are going to have to figure something else out.
It's rather comforting to know that I am not the only one asking myself What Would Obama Do (WWOD). Julia Moulden at Huffington Post writes about how to Unleash Your Inner Obama.
As for myself, I think that's wonderful, but am feeling somewhat less energetic after weeks of obsessively following the election, and like Lisa Earle McLeod over at Huffington Post, am feeling in the need of a detox.
I can't imagine what it would take to actually run a campaign if I'm tired from just following it.
Maybe I will head over to change.gov, President-Elect Barack Obama's new website, where they are inviting people to share their stories and ideas. I could suggest that the country institute afternoon siestas. Probably won't fly, but maybe worth a shot.
On the other hand, thinking of the fact that in 71 days, Obama is going to be our president does give me a burst of energy. Woohoo!
This new tendency unsettles me greatly as it is unprecedented. I sure as hell wasn't asking myself what Bush would do in a difficult (or any) situation, though I suppose that could be a good reverse guide. That is, if you aren't sure what to do about something, ask yourself what Bush would do, and then do just the opposite. Politicians in general haven't been people I considered worthy of emulation, even ones I liked, until now.
Those of us who were deriving a certain portion of our self-esteem from feeling superior to the president are going to have to figure something else out.
It's rather comforting to know that I am not the only one asking myself What Would Obama Do (WWOD). Julia Moulden at Huffington Post writes about how to Unleash Your Inner Obama.
As for myself, I think that's wonderful, but am feeling somewhat less energetic after weeks of obsessively following the election, and like Lisa Earle McLeod over at Huffington Post, am feeling in the need of a detox.
I can't imagine what it would take to actually run a campaign if I'm tired from just following it.
Maybe I will head over to change.gov, President-Elect Barack Obama's new website, where they are inviting people to share their stories and ideas. I could suggest that the country institute afternoon siestas. Probably won't fly, but maybe worth a shot.
On the other hand, thinking of the fact that in 71 days, Obama is going to be our president does give me a burst of energy. Woohoo!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Post-Election Reflections
Last night Jon Stewart was talking about how in New York City people had actually been looking him in the eye and smiling that day and how it was freaking him out. Since I don't live in the Seattle area (the part of Washington that makes it a blue state), the reaction to Obama's win here was more mixed. The people I surround myself with by choice were all happy, but a couple of the women at work were actually talking about how it should be a day of mourning. Their mood was so diametrically opposed to what I was feeling that it was quite jarring.
Now, let's see. These women work in low-paying clerical jobs in a school. I could see plenty of things wrong with them supporting McCain, even though of course it was their choice to do so, demented or not. But they kept going on about it, and I couldn't really just walk away because I had to be doing something in the front office for the moment, and I finally just said, "We are all so much better off with Obama!"
Quite possibly I was better off not saying anything. It's not like he needs the votes anymore. Maybe I should have just offered to help the one who wanted to move to Canada pack up her things. I don't think I convinced them, at least partly because I didn't get much chance before the phones started ringing and everyone got sidetracked. I'm always a little concerned about the status differential in situations like that. Not a power differential, as I am not in a position of authority over them, but a status differential. Not that they necessarily seemed to care about who it was who was disagreeing with them.
But anyway. Obama will do such an awesome job that they will come around, and if they don't, it's not my problem. (Maybe it's Canada's?) Seriously, though, I think it's the kind of thing where people who aren't convinced need to see how things will be. If they are ever going to be convinced (which may or may not happen), seeing for themselves will work much better than anything anyone could say.
This was just a small blight on an otherwise happy day though. I heard from a couple of people whose political opinions I'd not heard before, though maybe I could have guessed. A counselor told me how he'd helped put up signs in the community for Obama and Gregoire (another great win--this time our governor, who only beat Rossi by 129 votes four years ago, decisively beat Rossi and he's FINALLY accepted it and said he will not run again, for which around 53% of the state's population breathes a collective sigh of relief). We talked about the people dancing in Kenya and how awesome it all was.
Also, when I went to my tutoring job (which I got in an effort to help me pay off massive debt from graduate school), the little girl's babysitter was gussied up in a DNC T-shirt from this year and an Obama pin. We talked for a little bit about how great it was that Obama won.
It frustrates me that a lot of the divisions that are still out there seem to be based on low information or misinformation. But I think Obama will be a much more unifying president than McCain would have been (and certainly more so than Palin-God forbid--would have been). Some people are going to be upset now, and it might be awhile before they see how much better things can be.
As for our standing in the world, it's great to be an American again.
Does anyone besides me think that McCain's dissing of Letterman--even though he made up for it later--may have had something to do with Indiana's turning blue this year?
For anyone who--like me--has trouble deciding what to do now that we can be done obsessing about the election, 23/6 has a great article here on things you can do with your time now. I could always do the mountains of work that I have, but I'd REALLY rather not.
Never has two and a half months seemed so far away. In the words of the great David Letterman, "Does anyone mind if [Obama] starts a little early?"
Now, let's see. These women work in low-paying clerical jobs in a school. I could see plenty of things wrong with them supporting McCain, even though of course it was their choice to do so, demented or not. But they kept going on about it, and I couldn't really just walk away because I had to be doing something in the front office for the moment, and I finally just said, "We are all so much better off with Obama!"
Quite possibly I was better off not saying anything. It's not like he needs the votes anymore. Maybe I should have just offered to help the one who wanted to move to Canada pack up her things. I don't think I convinced them, at least partly because I didn't get much chance before the phones started ringing and everyone got sidetracked. I'm always a little concerned about the status differential in situations like that. Not a power differential, as I am not in a position of authority over them, but a status differential. Not that they necessarily seemed to care about who it was who was disagreeing with them.
But anyway. Obama will do such an awesome job that they will come around, and if they don't, it's not my problem. (Maybe it's Canada's?) Seriously, though, I think it's the kind of thing where people who aren't convinced need to see how things will be. If they are ever going to be convinced (which may or may not happen), seeing for themselves will work much better than anything anyone could say.
This was just a small blight on an otherwise happy day though. I heard from a couple of people whose political opinions I'd not heard before, though maybe I could have guessed. A counselor told me how he'd helped put up signs in the community for Obama and Gregoire (another great win--this time our governor, who only beat Rossi by 129 votes four years ago, decisively beat Rossi and he's FINALLY accepted it and said he will not run again, for which around 53% of the state's population breathes a collective sigh of relief). We talked about the people dancing in Kenya and how awesome it all was.
Also, when I went to my tutoring job (which I got in an effort to help me pay off massive debt from graduate school), the little girl's babysitter was gussied up in a DNC T-shirt from this year and an Obama pin. We talked for a little bit about how great it was that Obama won.
It frustrates me that a lot of the divisions that are still out there seem to be based on low information or misinformation. But I think Obama will be a much more unifying president than McCain would have been (and certainly more so than Palin-God forbid--would have been). Some people are going to be upset now, and it might be awhile before they see how much better things can be.
As for our standing in the world, it's great to be an American again.
Does anyone besides me think that McCain's dissing of Letterman--even though he made up for it later--may have had something to do with Indiana's turning blue this year?
For anyone who--like me--has trouble deciding what to do now that we can be done obsessing about the election, 23/6 has a great article here on things you can do with your time now. I could always do the mountains of work that I have, but I'd REALLY rather not.
Never has two and a half months seemed so far away. In the words of the great David Letterman, "Does anyone mind if [Obama] starts a little early?"
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
President-Elect Barack Obama
What an awesome day! Living in Washington State, I knew that Obama had won a couple minutes after eight in the evening. Well, actually, I knew before that even, because after they called Ohio for Obama, there was really no way for McCain to win. I loved how the whole West Coast turned blue about two seconds after the polls had closed. I had not expected things to be so "easy", despite how good things were looking in the polls. I was expecting to be up late, more states being too close to call, legal challenges, fistfights at CNN--okay, maybe not that last one. I guess after the last two presidential elections it just didn't seem possible that this one could go so relatively smoothly, though that's not to say there weren't issues with voting problems and all that.
John McCain made such a classy concession speech, though some members of the crowd weren't classy. Obama's speech was awesome and inspiring. I wish his grandmother could have lived to see him win. His campaign has been so amazing. Whenever I was worried about something (election tampering, people not understanding this or that, low-information voters defecting to the other side because of Palin, Bill Ayers, whatever), the campaign always had it covered. Of course the external event of the economy cratering helped the Democrats in general, but still, the campaign had an amazing ground game. If Obama's administration is as effective as his campaign, things will be really great. YES WE CAN!
John McCain made such a classy concession speech, though some members of the crowd weren't classy. Obama's speech was awesome and inspiring. I wish his grandmother could have lived to see him win. His campaign has been so amazing. Whenever I was worried about something (election tampering, people not understanding this or that, low-information voters defecting to the other side because of Palin, Bill Ayers, whatever), the campaign always had it covered. Of course the external event of the economy cratering helped the Democrats in general, but still, the campaign had an amazing ground game. If Obama's administration is as effective as his campaign, things will be really great. YES WE CAN!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thoughts on the Election
1. Go Vote! If you haven't already voted and your state allows it, vote early. I mailed in my ballot casting my vote for Obama several days ago. I also voted to reelect Gregoire as governor for Washington State, George Fearing to replace Doc Hastings as my US Congressman, and Carol Moser for Washington State 8th District Representative, Position 1. And a bunch of other stuff, most of it not that interesting.
2. David Frum, a former Bush speechwriter, warns "This could look like an ideological as well as a party victory if we're not careful. It could be 1980 in reverse." (Source: The Sunday Telegraph, 10-26-08)
Woohoo! 1980 in reverse! I have been waiting for this since I was ten years old. Balance will be restored to the universe.
3. Not that I am getting complacent. I will not relax until Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. If McCain somehow pulls off an upset, I will never relax again. If the latter were the case, my immediate plans would be to get a passport and pack for my move to Australia. Does anyone know how long cats have to be in quarantine if you are flying with them to Australia?
4. Has any other relatively recent election been compared to so many other elections? The 2008 US Presidential Election has been compared to (in chronological order) 1932, 1964, 1976, 1980 (with the political parties reversed), 1992 (another great year, especially the three-way debates), and of course the inevitable comparisons to 2000 and 2004. I'm sure that other elections have prompted other comparisons, but probably not this many.
5. What has been the most fun for me is watching all the prominent Republicans jump ship and come out in support of Obama and/or criticizing Palin. Here is a partial list--Colin Powell, Christopher Buckley, George Will, Scott McClellan, Ken Adelman, Matthew Dowd. David Brooks called Gov. Palin "a fatal cancer to the Republican Party." Like I said, fun, fun, fun. Unless you imagine McCain/Palin actually winning, McCain dying, and Palin taking over.
6. We are not a center-right nation! Certain idiots in the MSM (that's mainstream media for the uninitiated) keep saying that, but it's not true, especially of younger voters. Some people may still shy away from the word "liberal", but if you question Americans on such issues on health care, education, what role the government should play in getting our economy back on track, and social issues such as abortion rights and banning gay marriage, center-left is probably closer to being accurate. If you still think this is a center-right nation, you're either too old or out of touch. Maybe both. Much like McCain. Not that he is in any way a centrist (right or left) anymore. McCain 2000 might have done much better in 2008.
7. Go vote! Help make history.
2. David Frum, a former Bush speechwriter, warns "This could look like an ideological as well as a party victory if we're not careful. It could be 1980 in reverse." (Source: The Sunday Telegraph, 10-26-08)
Woohoo! 1980 in reverse! I have been waiting for this since I was ten years old. Balance will be restored to the universe.
3. Not that I am getting complacent. I will not relax until Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. If McCain somehow pulls off an upset, I will never relax again. If the latter were the case, my immediate plans would be to get a passport and pack for my move to Australia. Does anyone know how long cats have to be in quarantine if you are flying with them to Australia?
4. Has any other relatively recent election been compared to so many other elections? The 2008 US Presidential Election has been compared to (in chronological order) 1932, 1964, 1976, 1980 (with the political parties reversed), 1992 (another great year, especially the three-way debates), and of course the inevitable comparisons to 2000 and 2004. I'm sure that other elections have prompted other comparisons, but probably not this many.
5. What has been the most fun for me is watching all the prominent Republicans jump ship and come out in support of Obama and/or criticizing Palin. Here is a partial list--Colin Powell, Christopher Buckley, George Will, Scott McClellan, Ken Adelman, Matthew Dowd. David Brooks called Gov. Palin "a fatal cancer to the Republican Party." Like I said, fun, fun, fun. Unless you imagine McCain/Palin actually winning, McCain dying, and Palin taking over.
6. We are not a center-right nation! Certain idiots in the MSM (that's mainstream media for the uninitiated) keep saying that, but it's not true, especially of younger voters. Some people may still shy away from the word "liberal", but if you question Americans on such issues on health care, education, what role the government should play in getting our economy back on track, and social issues such as abortion rights and banning gay marriage, center-left is probably closer to being accurate. If you still think this is a center-right nation, you're either too old or out of touch. Maybe both. Much like McCain. Not that he is in any way a centrist (right or left) anymore. McCain 2000 might have done much better in 2008.
7. Go vote! Help make history.
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