Obama '08!!!

I am so excited about Obama's announcement yesterday! Finally, someone who is capable of inspiring people to reach further, think bigger than themselves, and believe in a greater good. I find his message refreshing, in that it directly opposes the culture and politics of the "me society" in America. I think the current administration has been able to get away with their policy by playing into this type of thinking. The government can do whatever they want, as long as it doesn't affect me, here and now. Isn't it weird that even though we are fighting a war, essentially nothing has changed in the daily life we are living here? Why is there no call to save energy and resources; Where is Rosy the Riveter? Why isn't the average citizen called into action, because shouldn't we all be involved in protecting ourselves? The paternalism of the Bush leadership is just so infuriating and sadly ineffectual. Because in the end, even though we aren't giving up anything in the short term, the long term effects of this current policy- decreasing growth of funding for the sciences, education, etc will really shoot us in the ass.

So back to Obama, the cynic in me is just waiting for that fatal flaw to come out, but another voice is telling me that I am too young to be completely jaded just yet. For now, I'll just revel in the possibility of a new direction for our country that genuinely espouses the principles I hold dear: compassion and faith.