Bearings’ Presidential Endorsement: Barack Obama
By Jonathan H
![Barack Obama Speaking image by sskennel [cc, 2.0]](http://www.terrastories.com/bearings/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/barack-obama-speaking.jpg)
Bearings has always been an apolitical blog… but, as they say, no compendium of words can ever escape the reality of subjectivity. When I write with a particular stance on a subject, I can only hope that it’s very clear my opinion is being injected into a story. This arises quite often, despite how much I originally intended this blog to be neutral on all matters political, religious, and cultural. It’s important for this blog to act as a mere observer, and for you — dear readers — to form your own opinions, which I hope will undoubtedly be strong (just the pinings of a creative type who is a tad too self-absorbed).
The previous paragraph really means to say that I will follow through on my promise made on the “About Bearings” section; however, when I have a strong opinion on a subject, I will precede the piece with an editorial alert, like so:
It’s cute as a button — literally –and it tells you that you’re likely to read a driveling, ranting, manfestoish heap of dreck. This will put Fox News to shame, folks.
So, here’s drivel #1. Bearings has announced its endorsement. Surely, I don’t pretend to be nearly as important as Ted — or even Caroline — Kennedy. Surely, this endorsement may even be something for which the lucky recipient will not exactly be proud to advertise. But here it is.
Like so many Bearings readers, I watched the 2004 Democratic National Convention. I heard Barack Obama speak, and it reminded me of the great speeches of so many inspirational men and women who have come preceded this generation. I have supported him, with caution, from the very beginning of his presidential run.
Despite the fact that his accent has changed, seemingly to suit all of our subliminal affinities for MLK (I was relieved to hear it hadn’t for the South Carolina victory speech); despite the fact that he’s a smoker (thanks Fox for making that point so abundantly clear); and despite the fact that he has little experience, I still see his idealism and it’s like a sprig of mint in a — well — a mint julep.
Hillary is qualified, yes, but she’s been in politics too long to offer any new ideas. We need another JFK (is it just coincidence that some of our greatest presidents have been young?). And I hate to be blunt, but we really do need a Black president. I know I will receive reams of messages on how I shouldn’t base a presidential election around racial issues, but this is an issue that will change the dreams, outlook, and hope of a very large portion of America that has been disenfranchised and ‘de-facto’ segregated to this day.
The kicker for this lowly blog Editor was when I read his Technology Document [PDF] summarized in one of my regular reads, Ars Technica. In it, Obama proposed five basic steps he’ll take in the realm of technology. I have yet to see Hillary say anything salient and specific about technology, clean energy, or the Internet.
In the past, I have railed against the government control of radio during World War I, and the kickbacks made to Sugar Magnates in Colorado. I’ve talked about the vast underground silo complexes — which, seemed to me to be a perfect example of the massive waste of resources inherent in such sites. Despite all of my opinions on these places I realize that history would not have been the same without them. I also realize that threats once existed that I couldn’t even wrap my mind around in this post-industrial consumer comfort pillow we call modern American living.
Believing in conspiracies and a Machiavellian strategem in the government is easy to do — and I’m guilty of it more than once over. What Obama seems to be doing is stepping away from this pessimistic outlook to a more positive future with the potential for a “New Manhattan Project” of clean energy and a comprehensive litany of protections against infringement of freedom on the World Wide Web.
Bearings Wholeheartedly supports Barack Obama. If you are a registered Democrat, I hope you will consider putting a check next to his name in your state’s primary.
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I think we, and the rest of the world, have had enough Clinton’s and Bush’s to last a lifetime.
Jon,
Thanks for sharing your opinions. I haven?t yet settled on a candidate, so I appreciate that your endorsement is grounded in specific issues, rather than the media hype floating around these days.
Just one comment. I understand your point, when you say, “America needs a Black president”–yet, I feel we could just as easily say, ?America needs a female president.?
Blacks make up 12.9% of the US population, while women number roughly half, according to the CIA world factbook. We?re not a minority in number, yet just like blacks, women have been treated as second-class citizens for many hundreds of years. We still face prejudice, lower income brackets, harassment. I think having a woman president would help America, and provide an example for the world as well.
This is not to say that I?m supporting Hillary, because she?s a woman or for any other specific reason—so far, I?m candidate-agnostic. Just looking at voting records, Hillary and Obama are nearly identical, except that Hillary has a longer record. Her record includes votes and support for clean energy initiatives and the environment. Obama faces criticism about his lack of experience, which might explain why he has published more position papers, like the one you cite, than HC. It helps him differentiate his position, and showcase his ideas (and ideals).
Those are just my thoughts off the cuff, so feel free to counter. I’m interested in your thoughts here…
hoping to make up my mind before election day;)
amy
You are correct to say that America needs a female president for many of the same reasons I said that America needs a black President. I think, what I mean to say, is that Obama will set a better example for younger generations of Black Americans than Hillary ever could do for young women. This is my opinion.
Senator Clinton has a similar voting record, but in this new era, I don’t think voting for candidates based on their OLD voting record will help us find a President who will push forward NEW laws — things that haven’t even made the floor of Congress yet.
I also don’t think Hillary represents what a strong woman leader should be– but who am I to say? She voted for a war. She’s worked in the corporate realm while Barack spent his life helping the disadvantaged; and she failed to show her strength where it mattered most — she continued to stand by a husband who was not only unfaithful but lied about it (some may call that strength; I call it the absence of strength).
Some things that creep me out about Hillary include mysterious suicides during the Whitewater investigation and things that she’s quoted as having said outside of the public realm. On top of that, I don’t really believe in her stance on health care. I think it’s a dangerous idea that could lead to bigger government, bureaucracy, taxes.
She stated in a debate that she wouldn’t use diplomacy, one one one. Barack has stated that he would be the first to meet in person with leaders of the world. Hillary seems to support the status quo (“diplomacy just doesn’t work that way”) while Barack is willing to try new things.
Fifty years ago Kennedy made a personal call to Khrushchev and personally thwarted the Cuban missile crisis. Who is Hillary to say that “Diplomacy just doesn’t work that way”?
As you can see, I do have very strong opinions with this in particular. 🙂
> Obama will set a better example for younger generations of Black Americans than Hillary ever could do for young women. This is my opinion.
That is a good point.
>? she continued to stand by a husband who was not only unfaithful but lied about it (some may call that strength; I call it the absence of strength).
I don’t think it’s my place to judge that. Trust and love, to me, are about far more than a sex act, and who’s to say what went on behind closed doors. But on my opinions there, I’m probably in a very small minority. A bigger concern for me is that all of that history is going to cloud the public’s mind and the political rhetoric moving forward, and prevent parties from working together effectively. On that point, it seems Barack is that “fresh new face” that everyone can get behind.
>She voted for a war.
Barack has admitted he might have voted for war if he’d been in Congress at the time, though recently he’s changed that stance. He’s served in war, and last year was advocating entering Iran–which is one of the major reasons I have misgivings about him. Also, does he have an exit strategy? HC is the only candidate I’ve seen with one…of course, hers is like 2013, crazy far off.
>, I don?t really believe in her stance on health care. I think it?s a dangerous idea that could lead to bigger government, bureaucracy, taxes.
Yes, I’m beginning to agree. More research to do …
>As you can see, I do have very strong opinions with this in particular.
That is fine by me, I am happy to listen — with my own personal filters of course;)
Thanks for your input.
Now that we’re 8 months into his Presidency, and his approval ratings have fallen to their lowest level, AND he’s broken nearly every promise he made during the campaign; how’s he working out for you?
i agree with smokey behr. hopefully the next election will bring us better canidates.
Barack Obama for me is the most charismatic president to be ever elected. He also makes great decisions, for example in the ecomomic stimulus package to counter the effects of recession.
Barack Obama is not only a charismatic president but he is a very intelligent and smart person too. I congratulate him for winning a Nobel Peace Prize.
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