Why I Support Barack Obama

I know, I know.  I've promised more math posts and failed to deliver.  The truth is, it takes quite a while to write a math blog post because I have to design all the diagrams and equations and convert them to the right format to upload.  So more math posts, I promise, I promise.  Eventually.

But as much as I like math, a much more weighty issue is rising to prominence:  We will elect a new president in about 9.5 months, and that person will take office in less than a year.  I've made no secret about my disdain for the current administration, and for George W. Bush, in particular.  I've also mentioned my admiration for Obama before.  But now I'm more convinced than ever that he is the right choice by far to be our next president.  I know my readership is not very high, and most people land here for my math pages.  But I think my reasons are good, and I would feel uneasy if I didn't do something here to tell you what those reasons are, especially with only a week to go before "superduper" Tuesday.  Please feel free to link to this post if you agree with me (or if you disagree, for that matter).  If you must steal my words without attribution, at least they might help elect the man.

1. This is the reason that I hear the least, but it's among the most important to me.  The president, in addition to being our leader, is our representative—the public face we show the world.  Our modern world is no longer one which appreciates a superpower throwing its rich, white, establishment weight around.  Europeans, South Americans, Middle Eastern countries, and sworn terrorist enemies resent that to varying degrees about us.  Electing a young, multi-ethnic president will present a much different face:  one that says, "We've come to realize that our strength comes from our diversity.  Our economic strength resides in the hard work of our immigrants (both willing and unwilling) in our present and our past, and we all have a stake in our success.  There's more to this country than you are accustomed to seeing."
2. Let's face it, the resentment I feel towards George Bush and the resentment a lot of Republicans feel towards Clinton (both of them, actually, but Hillary, in particular) are not helpful emotions in unifying this country to face the world's threats (terrorism, genocide, environmental degradation, shortages of natural resources like oil and water).  Obama is probably the least divisive candidate on either side.  He attracts very liberal Democrats (Like most of the Kennedys!  C'mon, that's gotta count for something!  They're saying:  "If you voted for John, or if you planned to vote for Robert, please vote for Obama.") and even conservative Republicans who are attracted to his integrity and his willingness to seek common ground.  He isn't perfect, of course, no candidate is.  But he offers the best hope of emerging from the D./R., RedState/BlueState, Fundamentalist/Secularist stalemate corner that our politics of division (thank you, Karl Rove and Lee Atwater) has painted us into.  Clinton is the opposite.  She's so divisive that Republicans will come out of the woodworks to vote against her in the general election.  And even if (somehow) she really were elected, it would just perpetuate the antagonism, and that has just got to stop.
3. It's a little clichéd, but true:  a president of color will surely send a strong signal that people of color (and, frankly, all people not born into White, male, Christian privilege) need no longer assume that this country won't let them succeed.  It won't be an end to racism, of course, far from it.  And I'm even a bit worried that conservatives will use an Obama presidency to claim that "Racism is over! We don't need affirmative action or any of that anymore, see!"  But despite that possibility, the benefits outweigh the risks.  At the very least, an Obama candidacy will emphasize the political importance of people of color, even if loses.
4. He's smart (extraordinarily so, I think) and confident about it.  This means that he won't, out of insecurity, appoint cronies and yesmen to important positions around him.  Bush didn't pick grown-ups (Gates, Petraeus) for important posts until late in his presidency, and Clinton has too many favors from her husband's administration to return to make wise, considered appointments.  I have confidence that Obama wouldn't hesitate even to name people he disagrees with to cabinet positions if he respects their accomplishments and thinks they'll do a good job.
5. He clearly inspires young people to be involved in politics.  The supposed apathy of genX and genY has worried older and "wiser" generations for a long time now.  But Obama is inspiring record numbers of young people to be involved and vote.  While the Baby Boomer generation might not be happy about losing power to a younger generation, the change has to happen sometime, and it should happen by inspiration, not by default.
6. I believe he has real integrity.  For one thing, he has tried to run a decent campaign.  Some tactics that could be considered underhanded are probably impossible to avoid, but I really believe he is committed to changing how political campaigns are designed.  For another, he talks about sacrifice and the need to for everyone to change—his speeches are inspiring without being all warmfuzzyfeelgood all the time.  For a third, he has real experience in the trenches of community organizing, which he undertook because he believed in it, not because he thought it would bring him the presidency (kindergarten aspirations, notwithstanding).

There.  Those are my reasons.  I hope someone is listening.

Comments

[Jen]

Thank you for summing it up into such nice neat points! I tend to ramble when I talk about the race, and this is much more succinct, while still substance-y.

[Jim]

You're the second person in as many days to devote a (relatively) lengthy write-up in favor of Obama. xkcd wrote one yesterday, and his main point was Obama's commitment to open government that the general populace can actually monitor (as well they should be able to).

I've been pretty burned out on politics for several years now (I even dedicated an entry to that particular rant the other day), so much so that I haven't really paid any attention to the campaign cycle this time around. But between xkcd and your own entry now, I've become much more interested in the elections this year and in this candidate in particular. I don't even know what party Obama hails from, and I don't really care. I'm a registered Republican but, in truth, I'm actually more along the lines of a non-partisan voter. The more I hear about Obama, the more favorable he appears to me. At this point, he has my vote.

[Vake]

Really, I can't disagree with anything you've written here. However, I find it interesting you don't mention what is at the crux of every election: policy. I disagree with Obama's policy on virtually every matter, from taxation to entitlement reform to healthcare. Obama is a typical big-government liberal; he things higher taxes and more government programs will solve the problem. Unfortunately, the Republicans have lost all credibility on the small-government issue, so I will likely be voting Libertarian.

[Matt B]

Since you are like a math genius, figure this out for me. Add up all the new entitlement programs your dude Obama is handing out (1.3 trillion at last count), extend those at least 50 years into the future, assume GDP growth of at least historical 2.2% and viola, the country is bankrupt in less than 20 years.
On a side note, have you read his book, 'Audacity to Hope'? The guy is a Marxist! He liked hanging out in college and smoking cigarettes and weed with Marxist leaning college professors.
On another side note, do you know he hangs with and associates with known terrorists? William Ayers, an ecoterrorist; and btw, Obama is the president of choice of Hamas.
On yet another side note, his skin color has nothing to do with his qualifications, nor do his genitalia.
And his pastor of 20 years is an outright American (spell white American) hating Socialist.

So if a man is to be known by the depth of his character and his character is reflective of the people he associates with and support him, well he must be an American Hating Socialist with Marxist leanings.

Not my guy for president.

[polymath]

Hmmmm, a lot of criticism there, and your tone is a little harsh, but I'll answer a few of them.

I'll be the first one to admit that as a nation we need to cut our spending in the long run. But president Bush has been fiscally terrible for the country, given his massive spending on the war and on the Medicare prescription drug benefit and on his tax cut for the wealthiest. Because let's face the facts: A tax cut has the same effect on the bottom line of the budget as more spending.

So if the government is going to be broke, at least let's try to level the playing field just a little bit so the rich don't just get richer while the poor are robbed of their opportunity.

Also, I beg to differ that Obama's race has nothing to do with his qualifications. If more Black people and otherwise marginalized people feel they have a representative in the White House, maybe it will be easier for everyone to have more trust that their hard work and personal responsibility will really help them get ahead. Surely you could see how that could alleviate some hopelessness and get more people involved in our democracy, which is, after all, the point of a democracy.

And I don't think you want to be opening the cans of worms about judging a president or a candidate by his associations. Bush, by his own admission, used to drink too much, relied on his rich family to avoid scrutiny of his sketchy (at best) military record, and has openly associated with his own racist clergy and political operatives (not that I'm defending Dr. Wright).

McCain was one of the Keating 5 whose involvement in the Savings and Loan scandal earned them a censure. While McCain was only minimally involved, I don't think his associations speak very well of him either...if that's the basis for judgment. But I don't really think it should be...McCain seems like an honorable-enough guy.

It may be true that Hamas feels like Obama may be the most likely candidate to achieve a lasting peace in the Middle East. But president Bush has done wonders for Al Qaeda's recruiting efforts.

I realize that your little "White Men Rule!" world feels like it's in trouble in the world today, but that's because the rest of the world is getting richer and more powerful (which was our idea!), and not because a Black man who can see the world from an international point of view might be president.

Obama's still my guy.

[Lutak]

Why I don't support Obama as a Democrat...

Because I think that Obama is arrogant...and that this will be his downfall amongst educated, well-rounded, mature and informed American voters:

http://www.chilkootmarketing.com/lookingforwisemen.htm

http://www.chilkootmarketing.com/obamafalseinspirator.htm

I also believe that websites like the one listed may ultimately determine why more and more Democrats will defect to John McCain's camp.

Unfortunately, there is little about Obama that a website like the one below says that can be refuted...that is, unless you've flunked Philosophy 101 in college,or never got to college in the first place.

Check it out: http://www.chilkootmarketing.com/index.htm

What can be done?

Sooner or later all of us will have to reckon with our conscience and higher intellectual powers and when this occures we will invariably be forced to choose between either 'principle' or the physical attributes of the other candidate.

Which candidate is traveling down the wrong road on critical issues?

Which do you think will win out, come November? '

'Higher principles' or the 'physical' attributes of a particular candidate?

Predictably, older voters will vote in favor of 'principle'... obviously, because they are more concerned about what happens after death and the legacy they will leave behind.

In contrast, the younger voters, since they have more time left in life to recant, are more likely to be reckless and procrastinate with any decision in favor of principle, and will likely vote in favor of 'idealism'...

...and these are the young and youthful voters that Obama appeals to and also why a lot of us older folks see Obama as 'the Pied Piper of the niave'.

However, (which is the next question that begs itself): 'When does Barack's own conscience begin to bother him?'

Personally, I think Obama needs to start thinking about what he can do to 'remake' his image if he wants to win this election.

I'm not sure that he'll want to be that person he's beginning to look like against John McCain...who today represents everything that America stands for.

BUT, if Obama thinks he can win going the way he's headed, then let him go for it.

But, as for me and many like me who sit on the fence until election time in November, we'll still be thinking about having to live with ourselves long after this election is over in November and maybe these are the thoughts that the new young voters haven't entertained yet...

...and, there's still a lot that can happen between now and November...

...and, this probably means that Obama faces a huge political swamp ahead...one that he has created for himself by being too impetuous on some very important issues...

...which has already gotten him into trouble with some of the very wise old parents of the younger generation.

- Jim Carder

[A disappointed American]

Mr. Polymath Author, I have one word for you... SUCKER!

Obama has shown NONE of the positive qualities you reference above. Skyrocketing unemployment, record government spending and waste, and breaking campaign promises are the hallmarks of the 1-term Obama administration.

After a little over a year it is apparent that Obama is PURPOSEFULLY trying to destroy the Constitution and the country. As a veteran teacher, I can honestly say that my students view Obama as the most divisive and hurtful President in history. My country is worse for having him elected, and I am sorry (for us all) that there were those of you who wanted SOOOO badly to believe that this narcissistic man was the transformational figure that he wanted you tho think he was.

...SUCKER.

[Forumzamani]

Thank you for the information

[Futbol Merkezi]

Thank you for the information

[sXe Injected]

thanks

[+18 Dizisi izle]

thanks man

[A disappointed Mike]

found your site on del.icio.us today and really liked it.. i bookmarked it and will be back to check it

[yemek tarifleri resimli]

thank you ;)

[full izle]

ound your site on del.icio.

[vibram five fingers]

We've come to realize that our strength comes from our diversity.

[vibram five fingers]

The supposed apathy of genX and genY has worried older and "wiser" generations for a long time now.

[TERA]

Hi Penny very helpful post! Keep working ,great job! Thank You.

[geciktirici spreyler]

geciktirici sprey

[stag geciktirici]

stag geciktirici sprey

[select lash]

select lash

[Fruta Planta]

Fruta Planta

[göğüs büyütücüler]

göğüs büyütücü