The Tipping Point

There's little doubt in my mind that Hillary, Obama, Edwards, and even Kucinich have nearly identical views on everything from gay rights to foreign policy. Sure, Edwards may see special interests as more of a threat to authentic democracy than someone like Hillary, but deep down I'm sure she wouldn't totally disagree with him. The difference between the four Democratic candidates has more to do with how they perceive and present themselves than with their core values and beliefs. They're all brilliant, compassionate people, and with the help of a well chosen staff, any one of them would probably make a fine president.

The question for me is this: When faced with matters of life and death, oppression and freedom, democracy and free market capitalism, which candidate is most likely to act on what they feel is right, and which is least likely to act solely on what they think will be popular? Since each of the four candidates has essentially the same values, it boils down to a matter of integrity.

The answer, clearly, is Kucinich. He's a vegan for god's sake. Dennis is one ethically consistent dude, and he's cute to boot. His kids are in public school, he isn't rich, he always votes with his conscience, and he's just an all around good guy. He's like me, only older, smarter, shorter, and has a hot wife.

He's also totally unelectable. Not because he's too honest or not enough of a politician, but because his views aren't those of the majority of America. He's too much of a socialist. He's also too short to ever stand a chance against a republican in a general election. Sad but true.

Which is what brings me to Obama. The lead up to the Iraq war took place during my junior year of college. I'd wake up every morning and listen to NPR to hear how much closer the Bush administration was to declaring war without a UN resolution. I listened to the live broadcast of every single meeting of the Security Council in the run up to the war, hoping reason would eventually prevail. I organized and attended several demonstrations to oppose the congressional vote that give Bush the power to go to war, and several more after the vote was taken. I sent countless letters and made countless phone calls to voice my concern over going to war against the will of the UN. At the time, I really felt as though I'd done everything I could.

But it wasn't enough. Bush was able to start this war because members of congress were too spineless to ask tough questions and defy what they perceived to be public opinion. I don't believe for a second that Hillary or Edwards voted to give Bush the power to go to war because they felt it was the best way to make our nation safe. They didn't shirk their obligation to check the power of the executive branch because they thought it was in the best interests of this country or the Iraqi people. They didn't cast that vote with any vision of a better future for the United States or the American (let alone Iraqi) people.

They voted the way they did because they're fucking cowards. I don't care how they've voted since; when the future of this country was in their hands, they abdicated responsibility. Obama and Kucinich, on the other hand, took a highly unpopular stance in opposition to Bush and this war. They knew it was wrong wrong to give the president the power to start this war, and they voted accordingly. They voted with integrity when it mattered most even though they had little to gain and much to lose. More than any other, it's that vote that set the stage for the world in which we live today.

The last thing this country needs is a president who will bow to powerful interests or the fickle and reactionary whims of the American public. We need a president who cares deeply about the constitution and who values human rights. We need a president who doesn't compulsively react politically (I intend this link to be an example of Edwards' political response to Hillary's presumably genuine emotion), but acts first on what he/she believes is right. We need a president with the courage to do the right thing and, cheesy though it may sound, the courage to hope. Given the state of the things at the moment, hope is just about all we have left.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised by the surge that led to a victory for Obama in the Iowa caucuses last week. Until Obama's first place finish, I had very little hope that this country had any chance of going in a different direction. Sure, I was ready to vote for the guy. I'd even given $50 to his campaign. But my hopes have been dashed so many times over the past eight years that I just assumed we would continue spiraling downward, continue electing individuals with no more hope or vision than those before them. Obama doesn't just stand for hope and change, he has hope and the courage to fight for change.

Now that America has seen that there's reason to hope, I'll be surprised if anyone is able stop Obama. Hope is all we needed to see.