The birth of Obama-nation
Political views are all about individual perspective and so let me start of by letting you know who Karthik is, politically speaking. To synthesize, I am very left of centre on social issues and slightly left of centre on economic issues. Before you point out that my political leanings are completely incongruent with my day job, which is to work in consumer finance, let me just point it out myself. :)
Since I was always a leftist, I was pre-disposed to be an Obamaphile. However, Obama has inspired me in a way that no human being in my life has inspired me. My expectations of Obama are sky-high and I am cautiously hopeful that he will live up to them.
For me, Obama is many things. He is an underdog of monstrous proportions – an African American who first overcame the Clinton establishment and then did the unthinkable – win the White House. He is a man of vision – who believes in peace, diplomacy, values, equality and is also pragmatic and a uniter. Moreover, his power of oratory and stunning presence make him electric in my eyes. I am convinced that such a man has the potential to be great – not just a great politician but a great man for generations to come. The kind of greatness to put him in the same league as Lincoln, Gandhi and Mandela. I know that he is inexperienced – that his real contributions to the world are scarce. But I forgive him that, because of what he promises…. because of my staunch belief that if you are a visionary, a powerful communicator and a person of principles, you can be the change that you want to see in the world.
So, why am I only cautiously hopeful? Why just the soft endorsement? Well, if I am really honest with myself, I am scared that it is all too good to be true. When I read about Reverend Wright I was disappointed by his lack of judgment. But, if I try hard enough, I can suppress the cynicism by telling myself that that was a younger Obama, and he is no longer the same man.
What is truly the hardest thing for me to stomach though, is something which has been an election non-issue - it is the fact that earlier this year, Obama refused public financing. That when it came down to it – when it came to choosing between political expediency and his principles, he sold out. That he went against everything he stood for. That he went against his word. He became the establishment that he abhorred. That he became one of them.
I tell myself that he was playing a bigger game. That he made a compromise because of what he was committed to. I want him to tell me that as well. And I really, really, really want to believe him.
Since I was always a leftist, I was pre-disposed to be an Obamaphile. However, Obama has inspired me in a way that no human being in my life has inspired me. My expectations of Obama are sky-high and I am cautiously hopeful that he will live up to them.
For me, Obama is many things. He is an underdog of monstrous proportions – an African American who first overcame the Clinton establishment and then did the unthinkable – win the White House. He is a man of vision – who believes in peace, diplomacy, values, equality and is also pragmatic and a uniter. Moreover, his power of oratory and stunning presence make him electric in my eyes. I am convinced that such a man has the potential to be great – not just a great politician but a great man for generations to come. The kind of greatness to put him in the same league as Lincoln, Gandhi and Mandela. I know that he is inexperienced – that his real contributions to the world are scarce. But I forgive him that, because of what he promises…. because of my staunch belief that if you are a visionary, a powerful communicator and a person of principles, you can be the change that you want to see in the world.
So, why am I only cautiously hopeful? Why just the soft endorsement? Well, if I am really honest with myself, I am scared that it is all too good to be true. When I read about Reverend Wright I was disappointed by his lack of judgment. But, if I try hard enough, I can suppress the cynicism by telling myself that that was a younger Obama, and he is no longer the same man.
What is truly the hardest thing for me to stomach though, is something which has been an election non-issue - it is the fact that earlier this year, Obama refused public financing. That when it came down to it – when it came to choosing between political expediency and his principles, he sold out. That he went against everything he stood for. That he went against his word. He became the establishment that he abhorred. That he became one of them.
I tell myself that he was playing a bigger game. That he made a compromise because of what he was committed to. I want him to tell me that as well. And I really, really, really want to believe him.
posted by Karthik at 1:51 PM
1 Comments:
Karthik,
Nice blog! I am curious what you mean by left of center on economic issues.
> Do you believe free trade is a good thing or a bad thing. Should the world/America/India have less or more of it. If less, how do you rationalize it with left leaning social views when several thousand Indian farmers commit suicide in desperation each year leaving their families in wretched awfullness (and millions more suffer similar fate) all of which can be linked in large part with the ravages of a closed global/American farm market.
> Do you believe in free enterprise or government picking winners in industries. If the latter, do you believe a few beuraucrats can make better decisions (old Soviet model) than millions on individuals?
> Better oversight in itself is not left of center. All models deman better oversight. Do you believe in more regulation (as opposed to better oversight). Did SarbOx, the most onerous regulation do anything to stop the meltdown? Or indeed was it lack of regulations (as opposed to sleeping on the switch which is a bi-partisan crime) that caused the wall street mess. If the former, what regulations?
> Do you believe in more taxes for the "rich" and "copmpanies"? What about studies that show higher taxes actually lead to lower overall revenue in the long run and fewer jobs as they act as disincentives. Or numerous studies in teh US show that states with low tax rates have done much better economically for all citizens that states with higher tax rates (Texas Vs Michigan as an obvious example). Do youbelieve teh "pie" that is to be shared pre-exists or is created by productive work (and disincentives to production creates smaller pies and smaller portions [even if a larger %] for everyone)
> Do you believe in the power of unions. Do you support the card check law which allows union leaders to confront employees one on one as opposed to a democratic secret ballot. Why would that (besides being undemocratic)not eventually drive all industries down the Big 3 route of bankruptcy. Why do unions spend more money (several hundred million dollars) on political campaigns and not on member welfare?
I ask these as a way to provoke the question about whether you indeed are left of center on economic issues or take that as a feel godo position.
Cheers,
Bharath
PS: did I tip my hat about which way I lean on economic issues?
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