Yes, Barack Obama is charismatic. Yes, people are flocking to his standard, discussing him with excitement. Young Americans are swooning over him. But because he draws people in with such fervor, we are to discount him? Remember... years ago, William Jefferson Clinton ran as “The “Man from Hope”.
I have to say, if 20 something’s in America are discussing politics with
hope in their hearts, and joy in their eyes, instead of American Idol contestants – I am damn proud.
If 30 something’s become engaged and for the first time, and donate money because they feel their $50 may change our world, instead of doing their patriotic shopping duty - I am thrilled.
To reduce him to style and ignore the substance does this nation no favors - the substance - combined with the style - is what I feel really
does have transformational possibility.
Judge Him by His LawsBy Charles PetersFriday, January 4, 2008; Page A21
People who complain that Barack Obama lacks experience must be unaware of his legislative achievements. One reason these accomplishments are unfamiliar is that the media have not devoted enough attention to Obama's bills and the effort required to pass them, ignoring impressive, hard evidence of his character and ability.
When he took on the issue of taping confessions – largely unpopular with the Republican majority,
This seemed likely to stop the beatings, but the bill itself aroused immediate opposition. There were Republicans who were automatically tough on crime and Democrats who feared being thought soft on crime. There were death penalty abolitionists, some of whom worried that Obama's bill, by preventing the execution of innocents, would deprive them of their best argument. Vigorous opposition came from the police, too many of whom had become accustomed to using muscle to "solve" crimes. And the incoming governor, Rod Blagojevich, announced that he was against it.
<snip>
By showing officers that he shared many of their concerns, even going so far as to help pass other legislation they wanted, he was able to quiet the fears of many.
<snip>
Taken together, these accomplishments demonstrate that Obama has what Dillard, the Republican state senator, calls a "unique" ability "to deal with extremely complex issues, to reach across the aisle and to deal with diverse people." In other words, Obama's campaign claim that he can persuade us to rise above what divides us is not just rhetoric.
Barack Obama could be a very wealthy man. He could have chosen a path much easier for himself, and Illinois would be the poorer for it.
His life speaks to this – it is not rhetoric or fanatical ramblings.
After graduating from Columbia, Obama went to work with churches that organized job training and other programs for residents of a massive housing project in Chicago. He persuaded the city to provide summer jobs, remove asbestos, repair toilets, pipes and ceilings. He went door to door, offering help for three years, then went to Harvard Law School.
Obama returned to Chicago to lead Project Vote, which signed up about 150,000 new African-American voters. He also joined a big law firm.
<snip>
Since Obama entered the U.S. Senate in 2004, he has joined Republican Richard Lugar in writing a law that funds the destruction or securing of loose nuclear and conventional weapons (shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, for example) throughout the world. He also introduced the first bill, that soon became law, to fund and address pandemic flu preparedness.
<snip>
Obama's accomplishments show greater efficiency and clarity of purpose, forming productive alliances, making the most of his comparatively short career.
People talk about his charisma, but give me that skill and focus, trained on a four-year term, and we could see unprecedented results.
He did something really special for, not only transparency in Washington, bloggers and political junkies, the
Obama-Coburn bill allows internet search of government spending. This was accomplished with a Republican.
"By helping to lift the veil of secrecy in Washington, this database will help make us better legislators, reporters better journalists, and voters more active citizens," Obama said. "It's both unusual and encouraging to see interest groups and bloggers on the left and the right come together to achieve results. This powerful grassroots alliance shows that at the end of the day, Americans want to see Congress work together to get something done and not continue to engage in the partisan gridlock that so often brings Capitol Hill to a grinding halt."
Just
look at what the man worked at in the Illinois Senate.
Barack Obama passed 200 of the bills he wrote. The majority of these dealt with Healthcare and Poverty. Do we have more pressing domestic issues right now?
Substance + Style = My vote, my money, my adoration, if necessary.
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