I am not a political pundit and have never claimed to be. I am a wannabe jock who has been blessed to make a career at playing games.
It is something that I sometimes can't believe that I get to do on a daily basis. I am a kid at heart and my job has allowed me to remain one.
However, this past political season has made me enjoy the game of politics. Much like following the NFL, MLB, or NBA season, I found myself glued to the television watching our Presidential race.
Along the way, I like to think we as a country have found what my generation has been looking for my entire life. It is something that I don't think our country has had for almost 50 years.
I love the '60s. They had at it all.
Great iconic figures nearly every where you looked. Causes that rallied the country around and against each other, and political figures that changed the course of history for our country.
As a child of the '70s and '80s, I always felt cheated and almost like I grew up in the wrong time in our country. We had no Beatles, Elvis, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison, or even a Cat Stevens. We had no polarizing causes like the draft, Vietnam War, or Roe vs. Wade. Politically or scoially, we had no Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, or JFK.
It was as if I grew up in a time where we were waiting for someone to come and lead us in the right direction. We had a few political leaders that did seem as if they had the right stuff in Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
However, they both had major flaws with Reagan's involvement with the Iran-Contra Affair and Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. Both Bush's certainly didn't have or give the country what it needed.
Growing up with a Republican father, I always identified with the conservative point of view. I was born into it and it was all I knew. However, working in a field that is dominated by liberals has opened my eyes to their cause. This has left me wondering what side of the fence do I stand on, politically speaking.
The only way I know how to answer this question is by looking at how my life was affected when each party was in control. What I found is that my adult life really wasn't any different whether a Bush or Clinton was in the office.
Any struggles that I may have suffered during my life have been self-afflicted. No one living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue can be blamed for my poor choices that I have made. Would be nice if I could, but it would not be true.
I know I am a financial mess. I don't mind knowing I am a mess. I don't mind being a mess. What I mind, is people expecting the government to take care of my mess. I guess that is the Republican in me.
So, when this last political season began I fell victim of watching every primary or caucus, every debate and every interview any of the candidates may have been involved in. I couldn't help myself and was especially transfixed by the race between Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama.
If either won, it would be historical for obvious reasons. However, there is something about Obama that drew me to him.
He had a presence about him that made me think that my generation finally had its historical icon. I am not naive to think that Mr. Obama is going to fix our current economic crisis over night, or eliminate the problems of the Middle East, and he isn't going to stop terrorism.
There isn't one person who can do all that on his own. What I want is Obama to truly lead the Republicans and Democrats to work together to conquer those issues.
I want Obama to bring our country back from one that is divided down race lines and one separated by economical differences between the haves' and have nots'. But not by doing it for us, but rather, by leading us and motivating us to do it on our own individually as a country united.
Every time he talks, I feel like I am hearing another JFK telling the country, "Ask not what your country can do for you... ask what you can do for your country."
You won the election Mr. Obama, so now it is your turn. Take us and bring us back to a country that we can be proud of again. Lead us there and we will follow.
It is something that I sometimes can't believe that I get to do on a daily basis. I am a kid at heart and my job has allowed me to remain one.
However, this past political season has made me enjoy the game of politics. Much like following the NFL, MLB, or NBA season, I found myself glued to the television watching our Presidential race.
Along the way, I like to think we as a country have found what my generation has been looking for my entire life. It is something that I don't think our country has had for almost 50 years.
I love the '60s. They had at it all.
Great iconic figures nearly every where you looked. Causes that rallied the country around and against each other, and political figures that changed the course of history for our country.
As a child of the '70s and '80s, I always felt cheated and almost like I grew up in the wrong time in our country. We had no Beatles, Elvis, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison, or even a Cat Stevens. We had no polarizing causes like the draft, Vietnam War, or Roe vs. Wade. Politically or scoially, we had no Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, or JFK.
It was as if I grew up in a time where we were waiting for someone to come and lead us in the right direction. We had a few political leaders that did seem as if they had the right stuff in Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
However, they both had major flaws with Reagan's involvement with the Iran-Contra Affair and Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. Both Bush's certainly didn't have or give the country what it needed.
Growing up with a Republican father, I always identified with the conservative point of view. I was born into it and it was all I knew. However, working in a field that is dominated by liberals has opened my eyes to their cause. This has left me wondering what side of the fence do I stand on, politically speaking.
The only way I know how to answer this question is by looking at how my life was affected when each party was in control. What I found is that my adult life really wasn't any different whether a Bush or Clinton was in the office.
Any struggles that I may have suffered during my life have been self-afflicted. No one living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue can be blamed for my poor choices that I have made. Would be nice if I could, but it would not be true.
I know I am a financial mess. I don't mind knowing I am a mess. I don't mind being a mess. What I mind, is people expecting the government to take care of my mess. I guess that is the Republican in me.
So, when this last political season began I fell victim of watching every primary or caucus, every debate and every interview any of the candidates may have been involved in. I couldn't help myself and was especially transfixed by the race between Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama.
If either won, it would be historical for obvious reasons. However, there is something about Obama that drew me to him.
He had a presence about him that made me think that my generation finally had its historical icon. I am not naive to think that Mr. Obama is going to fix our current economic crisis over night, or eliminate the problems of the Middle East, and he isn't going to stop terrorism.
There isn't one person who can do all that on his own. What I want is Obama to truly lead the Republicans and Democrats to work together to conquer those issues.
I want Obama to bring our country back from one that is divided down race lines and one separated by economical differences between the haves' and have nots'. But not by doing it for us, but rather, by leading us and motivating us to do it on our own individually as a country united.
Every time he talks, I feel like I am hearing another JFK telling the country, "Ask not what your country can do for you... ask what you can do for your country."
You won the election Mr. Obama, so now it is your turn. Take us and bring us back to a country that we can be proud of again. Lead us there and we will follow.
Posts
That's what I'm hoping for too, a leader for all not for some.
ReplyDeleteWell said, but why do you have to identify on one side or the other? Being from the same generation, but having lived my entire life in the San Francisco Bay Area I can say that AIDS and LGBT rights are the biggest political issue of my generation - here anyway.
ReplyDeleteMy oldest son is 29...but I think we do have some great song writers...John Mayer for one...your words remind me of one of his songs...
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the world to change!
I am a liberal who doesn't seem to be mellowing!
I was initially for Hillary because of her age and gender while all of my 20's children were for Obama! I support him...I feel like he can be a leader for all!
I hear what you are saying about growing up in the 70's; I feel like I got screwed out of the drama and intensity of the 60's, too.
ReplyDeleteI do not think Obama is the messiah and expecting him to perform miracles will end in a disappointment. However, I do agree there is something about him that I first identified at the Democratic National Convention Speech he did 4 years ago.
He has the charisma. Let's hope he also has the talent to do the job or find support when he needs it.
I hope he does a great job as well...won't we all be better.
ReplyDeleteI fall more on the republican side and I did not vote for Obama.
It does bother me that people think the government (or Obama) will be sending out checks. We are responsible for our own messes!!
We must certainly are responsible for our own messes. Would be highly disappointed if there is a bailout for all.
ReplyDeleteThe whole world is watching & hoping for those same things. Hope for the future, & healing from past wounds, & misdeeds.
ReplyDeleteamen!
ReplyDeletewe all need to band together to get out of this mess, and I think obama has the characteristics to be a good leader as he understands that it's a community effort!!
thanks for dropping in at the mouse. I hope you tuned into hbo's (free) broadcast tonight of the musical extravaganza on the washington mall...wow...it was powerful!
I couldn't of said it better myself!
ReplyDeleteI like you was glued to the tv during the campaign and in the end did decide to vote for Obama.
We are in desperate need of a change..I pray that he's the man for the job!
Obama sure has his work cut out for him. It won't be easy, but I do hope changes are coming and that we can all come together. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteWow. Stepping into the political arena and publicly choosing a side is very brave of you. Something, I myself, would not do. But then again, from what I've seen, if I did I would be labeled a bigot or hate monger for disagreeing with the man. Not because those labels are true, simply because I disagreed. I must have missed something while I was glued to my TV set right along with you...all I saw was an inexperienced Senator with long standing ties to a hate-filled minister, an unrepentant terrorist and a history of drug use. While I recognize that he wasn't a terrorist and was not the one spewing hate in church, sometimes we are judged by the company we keep. Think of your children Coach, how would you like it if this list described their friends? Wouldn't you worry? I do agree that we should all take charge and responsibility for our own lives, situations and finances, but I don't believe the majority of people who voted for Obama intend to do that. They all appear to be waiting for their checks. But then again, this is why I write about travels, not politics. I hope he proves me wrong.
ReplyDeleteI, too, agree with lovelyprism in my views of Obama. However, I don't think you have done anything wrong by picking a side on a political view. We just disagree. That is what is great about our country.
ReplyDeleteThat IS what's great about our country! Among other things. I am very patriotic, I love to travel, but would never choose to live anywhere else. I hope I haven't offended anyone with my post though. Coach was concerned maybe he had offended me with his views, I assure you, he most certainly did not! As BCS is BS said... we just disagree. Nice work Coach, you've got people thinking and talking amongst themselves.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I too grew up in a Republican family, but have consistently been "riding the fence". Although none of us can be sure yet what this Presidency will bring, I am grateful that Barack Obama has offered us hope above all. Hope is what drives us to believe that things can be better. What a comforting thought...
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I didn't vote for Obama, but the best thing that could happen is for me to be proven wrong in my choice. I would honestly be thrilled if, in 4 years I can look back and say to myself "I wish I had been one of the people that voted for Obama." I pray that happens.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. It is fun to see who "pops" in. I can't wait to take the time to look around (but alas little ones need food!) Your children are lovely (from one parent to another) stop by again....
ReplyDeleteBrilliantly written. I tend to side with the conservatives on most issues, but after being a public school teacher in Texas for several years, my views have switched over to the liberal side when it comes to education. Funny, huh?
ReplyDeleteThe ending gave me chills. I think we all have high hopes that this is the beginning of a new era that we can be proud of. I especially liked the part about your own personal life and how regardless what political party was in power, it didn't change your actions. I'm grateful for the government, but also wish fervently that more people would take responsibility for their own actions. :)
ReplyDeleteThere was an interview on night time news tonight in the UK with a Bishop from Detroit, and what the interviewer noticed was that their conversation was not about race but about economics. and how Obama is uniting the country in a way never dreamed of.And that everyone is worried about money that is what they will focus on.... worked for me as a hypothosis.
ReplyDeleteHi thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving me a note, I enjoyed what you have said in this post and can certainly relate, even as a "foreigner" My biggest fear is that there is too much expectation on Mr. Obama, I hope he can withstand the pressure. But saying that I think there are millions of people around the world wishing him well so fingers crossed. Whereabouts in So. Cal? I used to live in El Cajon (San Diego).
ReplyDeleteHe is charismatic, that is for sure. I do so hope he keeps to his promises and makes the world a better place. Am looking forward to the big day tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post, Coachdad, and remember, the Coach (Obama) can only do so much. The game is played by the team on the field, i.e. us.
ReplyDeleteYou wrote: "You won the election Mr. Obama, so now it is your turn. Take us and bring us back to a country that we can be proud of again. Lead us there and we will follow."
I think he is leading us by getting us red and blue talking.
During the election Mr. Obama said again and again that the election was not about him: it was about opening the door of hope instead of fear in America.
If America is going to become a better place, it will be as a result of the hundreds of millions of acts we, as Americans, do together to restore our environment, our society, and our economy.
A good starting point would be for "red" and "blue" America to resume talking to one another with respect, common purpose, and with the assumption of positive intent.
Good job here. Nicely written and passionately articulated. I hope you are right of course, as you know.
ReplyDeleteKeep it up, and I'll keep following your work.
__The Oldest Bro
L.B.J. was the better president though - I believe Obama has more substance than Kennedy. My opinion.
ReplyDeleteI had to mention this in a post over at Sneaky Daddy because it was, in my opinion insightful. Of course, I did go a little bit the other way in what I eventually got around to writing about.
ReplyDeleteVery nice points made though.
I've never been particularly political until recently. I think living on the other side of the world, away from my own homeland, has given me a unique perspective on the entire presidential election. I too was drawn in by Pres Obama and there is something in him that I trust. I am very curious to see where he can take America and hopefully in the next four years there can be enough improvement in the country to make moving home again a good choice. For now I continue to watch from thousands of miles away, holding my breath for the future.
ReplyDeleteI can't say we would agree politically as I did not support Obama, but I absolutely agree with you that it's not the government's responsibility to bail out everyone. We have to be willing to let people and businesses fail. We are capitalists, not socialists. If I bought a house I couldn't afford, it's not up to the government to make up for that mistake. It's something called personal responsibility. Lest anyone think I'm not compassionate, I am! I have been there! And when my husband lost his job and we lost our house, etc. we knew we were in for hard times, but we got back on our feet (and I'm all for temporary government aid such as unemployment, food stamps, etc.) in time. Anyhow, just my two cents worth. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeletePS - Your girls are beautiful.
ReplyDelete