a post that you'll likely skim

a long-awaited political rant from ammon:

Let's be clear: I am not an Obamaniac. I do not agree with every word that escapes his mouth. I also do not support every social or fiscal program promoted by the Democratic party. Nevertheless, I believe Obama is the best candidate for President.

I think the problem with political dialogue is that it polarizes people. There's almost nothing more divisive. Yet, if you listen closely, people actually want the same things. People want freedom, they want prosperity, they want the city garbage trucks to pick up the trash each week, they want world peace, they want to maintain a belief in American "exceptionalism," they don't want to destroy every piece of green on this earth. People are reasonable. But once you start mentioning abortion or national security or taxes, people stop qualifying their statements. Suddenly everything is dichotomous.

I could count on my fingers all the things that I know to be absolutely true. So many of the issues we talk about are not so black and white. We live in a world of gray—not red and blue. One thing that Obama and I agree on is that people should stop talking about what divides us, and start talking about what unites us.

I was asked recently to describe one good thing about Obama. Here are several.

Leadership. One thing that the President of the U.S. should signify is leadership. Many people are concerned that the "wrong" president could somehow change the face of the country. The grand reality, and the beauty of our inefficient system of government, is that the president cannot unilaterally fulfill all promises of his campaign. The power of the purse still lies with Congress, and the fate of the Constitution still lies with the Nine. So, although Obama's campaign of change is good politics, the real power of change (or the idea of change) is the power it has to unite people. The United States is a hodge-podge of culture, belief, and race. Who better to unite the American people than the quintessential postmodern man?

Connection. McCain, I am sure, loves his country. And Obama, I know, has his flaws. But one thing (I think) we can agree on, is that McCain represents a sunset generation. McCain's constituency is the elderly (and also the white, and the rich, and the complacent). And lucky for him, that group has consistently performed well in the polls. But that group is also on the fade-out. They've made their money, left their careers, and made their mark. The group I'm concerned about is the generation that's graduating college, or buying their first house, or starting their family, buying insurance, beginning a career. . . . Obama's constituency is generation now. We need someone who is connected to the common man, not the common plan. We need an ambassador for millennial America.

Communication. The Fathers of our Constitution knew how to put words together. Madison, Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton. These were politicians with a message, and the tools to promote that message. The President of the United States should be able to make a great speech. He should be able to move people with words, and communicate an idea to rally the American people. After all, the President is the spokesman of the nation. Obama has the gift of oration, whether you like him or not. And so did a slew of past presidents. But the latest offerings of the GOP have me wondering if our speech is devolving.

Eco-response. We are stewards of the Earth. And we are largely failing in that role. It's fascinating how the GOP suddenly became interested in the "green movement" when it became a lucrative industry. There are other reasons –healthy reasons—to end Global Warming, to recycle, to save forests, and to promote clean energy. It's called improving your existence on the only known life-supporting planet in the universe. Obama understands that concept, and he has consistently supported methods of sustainability throughout his campaign. Won't it be nice when we can tell the next generation how bad the pollution used to be, or how much oil we used to consume, or how many forests we used to rape.

Diplomacy. I'll be clear: the Iraq War was a mistake. That's all I have to say about that. Hence, I would appreciate a president who uses tact instead of tanks, negotiation instead of annihilation. McCain's knee-jerk reaction to overseas conflict seems to be "send out the troops!" It's the same rash obstinacy that characterizes Bush and Palin, and tends to precede bad policy. We need a cool head in the White House, not a cowboy-maverick. Obama is cerebral. He is subtle. And he believes in the power of diplomacy before hostility.

I could continue this debate . . . but I'm tired. And you are also likely tired (if you've made it this far). I think we can agree on at least one thing: this country is great. Also: discourse is healthy. But so is compromise. Peace.