the inevitable political post

[xparrot]

(I'm American, it had to come up sometime!) Just mailed in my absentee ballot today, so it's on my mind. Don't worry, you probably won't hear much more from me on the subject, but I had to get my piece in.

I'm not going to campaign much, I'm sure you all are getting that from enough sources. And if you're American and have already voted, or already have decided what your vote is, you can stop reading here. If you haven't decided, though, if you're still on the fence, or if someone you know is on the fence...I just want to say, please consider voting Obama.

I'm not asking you to give in to the hype or believe in the Obama message of hope. He's a politician, and it's only reasonable to be wary of his idealism. I'm not sure I believe it myself - I want to, very much, but even when I believe he's sincere (and I admit I do) I'm too much of a cynic to think he'll really be able to do all he'd like to.

But the world wants Obama. So many of my Japanese students, and my fellow English teachers from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, are watching this election like hawks. Every time they see me they ask me how it's going. The President of the USA is probably the most influential political position in the world; the decisions of the president affect not just Americans, but everyone. Obviously Japan has even closer ties than most nations, but everyone has a vested interest in this election, and as stressful as it is for Americans, it's almost as bad for everyone else who can only watch, unable to do anything. And pretty much all of them would be voting Obama if they could - if this were a worldwide election, it would be Obama's victory by a landslide. Bush is a pretty terrifying figure these last few years because of his stupidity and incompetency, no one knows who he might want to attack next, and McCain is mainly known abroad for following Bush's lead. And Palin's even scarier. While as Obama is intelligent and charismatic and well-spoken and not terrifying - his sincerity and hype has convinced much of the planet even if not all Americans, and so many non-Americans will feel differently about America if he's the man at the helm.

And we need that cred. We've got a global economy now, we're not alone against the planet. What other nations think of us matters, and the President is the face we present to the world. And Obama is the face I want representing me, a face that millions worldwide already trust and respect.

More than anything, I want Obama to win because for once, I want to be able to be abroad and tell people, "I'm American," and say it proudly, and not have to immediately append, "And I didn't vote for the president, honest, it's not my fault, I'm so sorry!"

Comments

[menuriko.livejournal.com]

Thank you!!! This is my thoughts exactly!

Hope to see you in a few days. E-mail?

[droolfangrrl.livejournal.com]

Hear! Hear!

[trystings.livejournal.com]

And if you're American and have already voted

I am and I did XD! I just want to share my happiness about Colin Powell endorsing Obama. *\o/*

[airairo.livejournal.com]

Well said.

This election has me extremely stressed. We're at what could be a real turning point for our country, if we let it. And I'm like you, I don't really think Obama can do all that he promises (it's probably not possible), but I do believe his sincerity, and I do believe that he can start to make these changes, and maybe begin to set us on the right track. These last 8 years have been rough.

And, man, I wish it were a global election! I know I've talked to many people from other parts of the world, too, who wish they could vote. (Even the JE group I follow has a very interesting cover (http://pics.livejournal.com/alissa/pic/000a1fpb) for their most recent single. ._.)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee! (if only you could vote!)

Will email soon, but yes, we're here!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Only 2 more weeks! then we'll know!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

(hmm, are you Dutch-American, then?)

Oh GOD, Colin Powell's endorsement was fantastic. So well-said and well-thought and moving, and I am so, so glad that it was a Republican saying it, that there are still sane people reaching out on the Other Side of our great political party schism.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yes, and yes and yes...he's the right track, the right direction. In a lot of ways it's not really about Obama at all, it's about the symbol - the man, I don't know if I can believe in, because he's just a man. But the symbol, that I can believe in.

(And woah, yeah, interesting cover! As I said, the Japanese are at least as stressed as Americans right now about this - with good reason, we still control their military, after all! American foreign policy has a LOT of impact on Japan...they're got good reason to be biting their nails about this.)

[naye]

♥

Yeah, I wish there was more the rest of us could do about this, but - I'll be keeping my fingers crossed, come November. (Though whoever gets the job, I really, really don't envy them! Cleaning up this mess... gah.)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yeeeeah, it's not gonna be a fun job. But I just hope the cleaning up does start, rather than making more messes...

[lifevolutionary.livejournal.com]

I'm English and yeah, your completely right. I'm sitting here with my fingers crossed hoping like hell that Obama will win and wishing there was something the rest of us could do.

xXx

[tipper-green.livejournal.com]

*Wild applause*

Very well said. It's funny, living where I live, one of the "bluest" states in the country--even the radio announcers are begging people to vote Obama, just in case. I vaguely wished I lived in Michigan or Florida, so I could swing the vote in those states. My fingers are crossed for all of us.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

I have a lot of international friends, and man, I feel for all of you - the American president really should not be this important to the world, but it is. If it makes you feel any better, we really wish you had some say, too!

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Heh, yeah...that's the thing about voting with our incredibly broken democratic system - as a Massachusetts resident it's not like my vote's gonna count in the presidential election anyway, it's more the principle of the thing (well, that, and Proposition 1...my dad being a state employee, my parents rather strongly encouraged us to vote on that...!)

[lifevolutionary.livejournal.com]

It kinda does in the sense that, the more people I know of that are voting for him, the better I feel *g*
xXx

[jakrar.livejournal.com]

Already voted by mail for Obama; I have no great confidence that he'll actually win, but I'm desperately clinging to hope. McCain and Palin scare me to death!

[stitcher2ficcer.livejournal.com]

Your vote will count in Pepperell! Since we are a Republican holdout in a mostly Democratic state, there are far too many McCain signs around here and not enough Obama ones. So depressing. Glad you got your ballots in time to mail them back by the deadline.

[3rdof4.livejournal.com]

Yep, I agree with all that you have said. This election is the first in a long time that I have dared to hope for a man of integrity and sincerity. Like you, I know it will be just a beginning, but we need something to bring us hope! I lived my first 25 years in Massachusetts, then lived in 7 more states, currently I am in South Carolina, every state has it's different viewpoints. This election will be HUGE for the world!

[nerowill.livejournal.com]

I lived abroad in 2004 and it was so galling that I had to explain over and over again how we could have reelected Bush when I sure as heck had done my best to prevent it... Hopefully you won't face a similar problem. :)

[tipper-green.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! Say no to Number 1!! I'm all over that, my friend. (My dad works for the state as well--in the University. No way I'm cutting one cent of his salary).

[angellec.livejournal.com]

I am completely with you on this. We desperately need Obama to win because if the idiot makes it just shoot us cause we are done,also as a resident of Pennsylvania which is usually republican state I do see a lot of Obama signs, which is encouraging.

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Hee, my dad's a UMass employee, too! So, yeah, No.1 better get No'ed...

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

McCain doesn't terrify me - at least not the way Bush does - except that he's old and sick and if he falls Palin takes the reins, and Palin is maybe even scarier than Bush...

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

(ah, a fellow Massachusettian! wicked! ^^) All the states, all the citizens, yeah, we all see it a bit differently...but hope, yeah. This is the first presidential election that I'm actually voting for a candidate, not just against someone else...

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Yup, I've been living abroad almost 3 years now, and spend a lot of time explaining that it's not my fault...! Will be so nice not to have to apologize for my nation.