Countdown to retirement: 38 days

38 Million View Obama’s Speech; Highest-Rated Convention In History

I've mostly kept politics off this blog (except a sidebar button or rant here and there). But I have to say it. This country is in big trouble and has been going in the wrong direction for 8 years. The Bush administration has done so much damage to our rights and our responsibilities as global citizens, not to mention the environment and the economy. And McPain is not the kind of "change" we need (read: NO change).

I'm not fond of the U.S. electoral system; I think it's badly broken and needs a complete overhaul. But it's what we have to work with right now, and our best hope is to get Obama - Biden elected, to get someone with vision and intelligence in the White House, someone who will listen and negotiate. We do not need more of the same war mongering (remember McCain joking about "Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran?"), denial about environmental and energy crises; we don't need another insane resident in the White House! And McCain's running mate is so grossly unqualified to be in a position of such power, I can't even grasp the concept.

One of my favorite quotes this last year during the initial campaign was from a Larry King interview with Jon Stewart:

Larry King: Are Americans ready for a woman or a black president?
Jon Stewart: This is such a non-question. Did anyone ask us in 2000 if Americans were ready for a moron?

I do think Bush is incompetent which makes him dangerous; I also think many members of his administration have had some truly evil intentions and they were able to get away with so much because of Bush's incompetence. The debacle of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, one of the worst foreign policy mistakes in US history; torture (yes we DO torture and IT MUST STOP); illegal rendition, illegal wiretapping, Katrina, near economic collapse -- need I continue? What is most stunning to me is how they have managed to get away with all of this with so little outcry. A compliant media is partially responsible, but so are all of us.

I thought the 2004 election was the most pivotal in our history, and as devastating as that outcome has been to this country (and the rest of the world), this one has the potential, with another Bush-type administration, to do irreparable damage. I do not think Obama has all the solutions. I do think he brings a new story and some hope to the country, which we desperately need.

Now, since this is in part a book blog, here's a great way to buy books and support Obama!
Books 4 Barack.