I'm Voting For Obama

I'm voting for Barack Obama. I trust him. I remember seeing him years ago on a local public television show, Chicago Tonight. He would come on and speak with clarity and passion and temperance (an amazing combination) about issues of justice and openness in Chicago with historically disenfranchised voters. He has always been as he is. As he speaks now, I remember him speaking then when he was only a Harvard graduated lawyer working in the poorest neighborhoods of the city getting people registered and on the rolls to vote.

As an Illinoisan, I've been able to see his work as a Senator and before that working in the Illinois state house. He has been an elected official for a very long time working with all sorts of people getting things done. Illinois does have a huge urban population with Chicago and it's large number of suburbs. Beyond that are little towns and beyond that are thousands and thousands of acres of corn fields and soybean fields and coal mines. NOT urban areas. You know what? EVERYONE in Illinois loves Barack Obama. From Chicago, to Naperville, to Champaign to Kaskaskia, everyone has voted for this man because he is humane and understands the commonality within us all. Obama really, truly cares for people and sees where he can reach out and create good policy by working WITH people, not handing out mandates from on high.

Are there really any principled leaders out there? Are there leaders who feel intimately connected with the people of this country, are not cynical and are talented in ways that they can make good things happen for all of us? Can we find a person like that who is running for president? In the group of politicians running for the office of president, can we vote for anyone like that? Yes we can.

Can we as a nation, change some of the trends of greed, and corporate control that have grown so huge, gained such a momentum, that they are now running over all of us forcing U.S. policy domestically and internationally? Yes, we can. We can vote tomorrow and we can vote with our pocket books. Can we as individuals make choices in our lives that will help not only us, or our children, or our neighbors, or our businesses, but also our children's children and the future health of the earth? Yes, we can. We can have vision, and ability and regard for others and surround ourselves with good people and vote for people who will do the same. We can vote for people like Barack Obama.

Can we vote tomorrow in a way that can change the course of this country for the positive? Can we send a message to the world that we understand how we are all connected and that what the U.S. does sends a shock wave all over the earth? Can we vote for someone who understands how to communicate effectively even with people of differing opinions and is willing to meet with them? Yes we can. I'm voting for Barack Obama.

Si se puede.

Yes We Can.