With one week left in this historic campaign, I felt that it was time for me to create the quintessential list of reasons to vote for Senator Barack Obama. For all the discontent and desire for change and frustration you may be feeling, there's still a decision to make when you step into that booth. This is merely a cheat-sheet to help express how you're feeling. I hope that my readers will pass this list along to their friends, because my reasons are not the only ones out there. I hope to hear why you, my loyal EDC readers, are going to pull that lever. What causes you to make your decision? Here are my reasons:
1. America deserves a leader with charisma, a leader that can inspire us to action in the face of so many great challenges that await our nation in the 21st century.
2. America deserves a leader who treats Americans like adults - who believes that political game-playing will never be as effective as rationally and eloquently explaining your position and detailing how America can overcome its challenges.
3. Wasn't 8 years enough?
4. Sixty years from now, when we sit by our (possibly atomic) fireplaces and explain American history to our grandchildren, let's be able to say the phrase, "Ted Kennedy lived to see the day when all Americans would have healthcare coverage."
6. McCain's answer at the Saddleback Megachurch forum to which Supreme Court justices he would have not nominated: "Justice Ginsburg, Justice Breyer, Justice Souter and Justice Stevens."
7. McCain's vision of the perfect Supreme Court: Roberts-Alito-Thomas-Scalia-Kennedy-Thomas-Alito-Scalia-Thomas.
8. Roe v. Wade
9. It's time to end our addiction to oil
10. The best way to end our addiction to oil is not to drill for more oil.
11. $150 billion invested in green technologies over the next 10 years.
12. 5 million new green jobs.
13. A President who realizes that service to your country can be more than just being in the military - sounds like a good thing, right?
14. We deserve a White House (and a ruling party) that doesn't differentiate between pro-American, real parts of the country and anti-American, fake parts. Well, maybe except for the proud state of Wehatetheconstitutionstan.
15. Joe Biden understands the conflict in Iraq, understands the need to balance civil liberties with respect for the law, knows how to work the DC legislative process, and is ready to serve as President, should anything happen (God forbid).
16. President McCain means at least a decent chance that America will wake up to find itself ruled by President Palin.
17. A bipartisan commission found that Governor Palin used the powers of her office to settle a personal score. With the Bush Administration, the Vice-President would just shoot people in the face. Palin might actually tell other people to do it for her.
18. After months of using "the experience argument," McCain picked a running mate who was the mayor of 5,000 people just two years ago.
19. Two years ago, Barack Obama was a United States Senator.
20. Six years ago, Barack Obama was an Illinois State Senator, representing a district larger than Alaska.
21. Shooting animals from helicopters is wrong. Period.
22. The selection of a running mate with no foreign policy experience, very little domestic policy experience, and no understanding of national political debate demonstrates that John McCain has no respect for the American people, and believed that Hillary Clinton supporters could be duped into believing that Sarah Palin was just one of them.
23. Divided government over the last two years has sucked. I want Washington to actually start accomplishing things for the American people.
24. The first presidential debate.
25. I want to beat these people.
26. Because, like Aaron Sorkin, I want to take back the word "elite."
27. As demonstrated by his stunt-tastic decision to "suspend his campaign," John McCain cares considerably more about political appearances than real policy results.
28. As demonstrated by his ability to win over several crucial swing votes in the U.S. House of Representatives in order to pass the bailout bill on its second try, Barack Obama demonstrated that he both is able to and wants to get things done.
29. I am sick of hearing the word "socialism" thrown around by Republicans like a football. A Republican administration just became the most socialist regime in American history, so you can stop pinning that tail on the donkeys.
30. Alan Greenspan believes that John McCain's tax cuts are stupid.
31. The vice-presidential debate.
32. We are not a nation of whiners. It's time for us to rise up and be a nation of winners once more. I also don't want a President who thinks that we're just whining when something goes wrong.
33. In the midst of the greatest financial crisis of our lifetime, I'd prefer to not have a president who "don't know much about the economy."
34. Community organizers deserve respect, because they work hard for low wages to try to improve the lives of the disenfranchised and the underprivileged.
35. When he got his law degree, Barack Obama could have gotten a high-paying job on Wall Street. Instead, he went back to Chicago and helped disenfranchised workers.
36. John McCain already has nine houses; I merely want to give the Obamas their second.
37. The second presidential debate.
38. I'd like a little bit of international diplomacy, please. With a side of respect.
39. Colin Powell says you should.
40. Barack Obama will follow Osama bin Laden to the cave where he lives.
41. Hillary Clinton says you should.
42. Senator Casey (D-PA): "John McCain calls himself a maverick, but he votes with George Bush more than 90% of the time. That's not a maverick, that's a sidekick."
43. Governor Paterson (D-NY): "If [McCain is] the answer, then the question must be ridiculous."
44. You can make less than $5 million in one year, and still be rich. It'd be nice to have a president who gets that.
45. Senator Obama is extremely popular with our crucial allies overseas.
46. The third presidential debate.
47. The Prime Minister of Iraq agrees with Obama's plan for withdrawal.
48. Iraq.
49. From now on, let's just invade countries that actually threaten our national security, or if it's a humanitarian crisis where military force is required.
50. Afghanistan.
51. "Bomb-bomb-bomb, bomb-bomb Iran?"
52. Sending cigarettes to hostile foreign nations is not appropriate diplomacy.
53. "John Bush is his own man." - Tom Ridge
54. Czechoslovakia doesn't exist anymore.
55. Computers do exist.
56. Let's be honest, regardless of your political affiliation, Inauguration Day will be really amazing with the first African-American President of the United States being sworn in, and then giving the brilliant speech that we all know is coming.
57. I want a President who deserves better than having sewage plants named after him.
58. Temper, temper.
59. This seal is nicer than our current one.
60. I want to see these three women cry.
61. Did I mention that eight is enough?
62. When the President needs advice, and he picks up the phone, I want the call to go to Al Gore, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, or Ted Kennedy.
63. I don't want that call to go to Karl Rove, Rudy Giuliani, George Bush, or Mitt Romney.
64. Working families deserve a tax cut. Enormous oil corporations do not.
65. The Rededication of the Lincoln Memorial is coming up next year. Come on, it's obvious which candidate should be speaking there.
66. I'd like to spend the next four years with my president calling me "my fellow Americans," not "my friends." I'm not his friend and I don't want to be.
67. Senator Obama is the only candidate in this race with a degree in constitutional law.
68. Growing up raised by a single mother on the south side of Chicago, Senator Obama has a personal understanding of both the underprivileged and privileged sides of our society, and how to balance their interests.
69. Senator Obama is the only person in this race to offer a legitimate proposal on how to deal with rising education costs.
70. Senator McCAin says that he "shares a common philosophy" with George W. Bush.
71. With a large Democratic majority in both the House and Senate, a Democratic president could actually pass significant legislation, and could immediately start working to dig us out of this hole.
72. The priorities of an Obama Administration? Financial regulation reform, tax reform, energy reform, and healthcare reform. I'd take those accomplishments for a four-year term any day.
Yeah, it's just an arbitrary number.
What are your reasons? Please comment below.
Real post to follow tonight! I'll actually be looking at a branch of government besides the executive - NOT TO BE MISSED!!!
2 comments:
Your Palin as President link is messed up.
Numbers 8, 67, and (of course) 69 resonate with me.
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