Republics, Democracies and Empires

[midnightranter]

First off, I love good responses that provoke good thoughts and how_i_lie provided one. Also, these are the danger of not getting enough sleep before writing, you leave stuff out. Like the entire paragraph talking about why it's really hope versus despair and why Americans, given choices, will vote real hope versus real despair and why we'll vote unity over

Comments

[midnightranter]

Well, that's kind of the American view as well. "I don't like him, but he said one more thing that I like than the other guy". It's the classic result of a two party system. Americans just occasionally have what can only be called a Leo McGarry style idealism: "Because I'm tired of it! Year after year after year after year, having to choose between the lesser of 'who cares?!' Of trying to get myself excited about a candidate who can speak in complete sentences! Of setting the bar so low I can hardly look at it. They say a good man can't get elected President. I don't believe that, do you?. . .This is the time of Jed Bartlet, old friend. You're going to open your mouth and lift houses off the ground. Whole houses, clear off the ground..."

We WANT a candidate or president who embodies bold ideals and idealism but we keep settling for "what we can get". Although I do agree with this and the other comment that it's good the media are starting to take a closer look at him. He's gotten things done as a community organizer, in passing legislation in ethics reform and policing loose nuclear weapons and it's high time we talk about it. As much as I want Obama to come out of this all as strong as possible, I don't care if Hillary stays in the race or not, unless she gets REALLY underhanded. Americans get, often at the same time, boldly idealistic and viciously practical. We're a nation of immigrants who either sought new lives for lack of good lives in our home countries or because we were gambling we could do better here. And that really sums up our craziness about politics.