ratbastid

plat: I invite you to consider that passion is a necessary component of politics. Politics is way too dirty and ugly a game for anyone to play if they weren't passionate about it--and I don't mean a passion for politics itself (although, Karl Rove), but passion for the difference that can be made through true leadership.

The only thing that ever EVER changed the world was people who were passionate about that change. Think of MLK and his immediate supporters. Highly emotionally charged bunch, wouldn't you say? And they made (or at the very least least instigated) a profound change in American culture. You think Gandhi wasn't passionate? You think people being dispassionate and detached will get us anything other than more of what we've got right now?

Arrogant much? I wonder how many Obama supporters you've actually talked to, to base this opinion on? Or is it based on a three minute segment you saw on the news? Because we all know how reliable the news is.

I support Obama because of his tech policy, which is the only candidate's policy that's actually developed from 21st Century reality and looks to the future. I support him because of his education policy, which begins with actually FUNDING No Child Left Behind, and also includes initiatives to recruit, prepare, retain and reward educators. I support his intention to have us out of Iraq within 16 months while pressuring Iraqi leaders to reconcile, coupled with a historically unprecedented level of diplomatic outreach across the Middle East. He's the only candidate who can possibly turn around American's piss-poor image in the rest of the world. (Think McCain would be more approved of abroad than Bush? Or that even Clinton would be? I don't think so.) I support his economic policy, which is about strengthening the middle class, improving trade relations (including revising NAFTA so it works), labor rights, domestic industrial stimulus, and reforming lending and bankruptcy.

All the policy details aside, I support him because he's the only candidate I can imagine bringing people together across party lines. He has a long history of bipartisanship--and he's worked in some of the most bitterly divided bodies in American history. His charisma, his ability to hear people and speak to what's important to them... I'm also happy with the way he's been able to draw the indifferent, the young, the disillusioned into the political process. I honestly believe that if there is ANY chance to unify America, it's Barack Obama. And yeah, the guy inspires and moves me.

That specific enough for you?

EDIT: MuadDib: Marowitz shows his shocking lack of research in the first paragraph by assuming that "Will I Am" is a pseudonym for Obama Supporters Industries, Inc. will.i.am is a brilliant R&B performer and producer, front man for the Black Eyed Peas. That Marowitz doesn't bother to find this out sets a sad tone for this piece. Then he Godwins himself in the third paragraph and then throughout the piece. I have a hard time getting with much of anything he says after that--his thesis is: inspiration BAD--because of the NASTY polemic the thing is couched in, INCLUDING the ludicrous and hypocritical appeals to emotion embedded throughout.

Look, folks: people get SCARED by others' inspiration. Change is scary. And the natural human reaction when you see other people inspired by something is cynicism. It's a very normal reaction, and it's also VERY conservative. The thing that sets the left apart is that we're willing to work through that cynicism because we see something possible on the other side of it. The right climbs up on top of their cynicism and makes it their platform, but on the left, we know there's something more, something bigger on the other side of it. A the VERY least, I urge you not to give in to your natural urge to shut down something inspiring that you don't have your own personal hands on.

Who the hell SAYS cool-headed objectivity is better than inspiration and emotion? As if absolute objectivity was even possible! I'll bet I could whip up some heated emotion from the objectivity camp, and I wouldn't even have to try too hard. And what objectivites don't notice is... it's an emotional reaction to inspiration that has them saying what they're saying.