An election note; amendment to Weathermen
Posted on | November 5, 2008 |
On the Weathermen piece, the propositions to decriminalize prostitutes and begin the process of municipalizing the energy company failed. The bastards with money enough to waste and hatred enough to care defined marriage as union between a man and a woman. So, San Francisco is not as liberal as I maybe thought. Wealth has a grossly disproportionate influence and plans that would benefit a great majority got defeated yesterday.
. . . .
I do not have much to add to what is being said about Obama’s victory last night. I would only point out that the celebratory response to it was unparralleled in U.S. history as far as I know. The nation sighed in relief to see the end of the Bush era.
For KPFA 94.1, the radio station I report for, I was assigned to listen to and report on several newly elected members of Congress talk about the progressive agenda for this country. These representatives and senators had taken over formerly Republican seats. All of them won on platforms of progressive economic reform. They agreed on Health Care, Alternative Energy, Trade, Taxes, and the crisis. Their constituents are mad and want results. The congressmen seem responsive to this and even talked of ushering in a new progressive era.
They claim they will pressure Obama, who will also be accountable to his grassroot movement and massive turnout of voters, to take big, firm action in his first term.
. . . .
But, I do want to say a word about his speech. Two lines stick out to me from his speech. My body tingled as he said,
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
Knowing nothing but the hypocrisy, lies of murderous, totalitalitarian Bush years made me cynical about America, our democracy and the establishment. I still harbor a great deal of suspicion, and no speech, however eloquent will dispell some of the truths about this nation. Even so, I am not so jaded that the hope a progressive era, a green president, and a more diplomatic foreign policy will not excite me. There was no better candidate (that had a chance) than Obama.
The second moment that stuck out to me and made me trust him relates directly to my post “The contextualist intellectual.” He told Americans:
I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it’s been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
He will listen and he will be honest. Those two qualities alone will be a revolution from the Bush years. The New Yorker argues he is an academic listener and we know he is good at communicating. If he does those two things and moves the country in the right direction, I will join in his work. Wherever I end up working, whether in a bookstore collective or for the Bike Coalition or an NGO, I will work harder because for Obama’s promise and because of his inspriation.
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