It's not news to anyone, but there is less than a month to go before the presidential elections. The polls have been looking a bit better for Obama lately, but there is still plenty of time for undecided voters to decide they are scared of the real world and want to live in Palinland.
The real world is really scary right now. Americans have lost a trillion dollars in the past month. People are losing their jobs. We're mired in wars and other seriously fucked up situations throughout the world. But I'm extremely hopeful that enough voters will realize that voting for Obama is our best chance of improving the country and not choose to bury their heads deeper into the sand.
It's very tempting to talk about leaving America if McCain/Palin wins on November 4. It is really hard to live in a place where the priorities and values of the marjority are so out of sync with your own, which is why people talked about heading to Canada when Bush was reelected and why it's tempting to consider that again.
Todd and I went to a local political event over the weekend, though, where we heard from several city and state politicians (Scott Stringer, Gale Brewer, Charles Rangel, and more). Maybe because the speakers were working on a local level, something about the event made me more energized by the idea of fight than flight for the first time in a while.
I am extrememly hopeful that Obama wins on the 4th. I hope that all of you vote for him, and I hope that all of you talk to your friends and family about why he's the right choice. I'm going to Bristol, PA the next two Saturdays to canvass and hope to find time to phone bank and do other work over the next four weeks as well. I hope you'll all find ways to participate, too. This election is too important to ignore.
Win or lose, though (please, please let it be win!), I think I want to start doing more in my own community. Part of what is so hard right now is how out of control everything feels. I hope that by participating more, I'll at least know that I'm doing all I can to help create the world I want to live in.
With NYC Council Member Gale Brewer
Congressman Charles Rangel
In front of the local spirits store's (almost) life-sized Obama cut out
The photo that will turn up in the tabloids if I ever run for president myself
3 comments:
Good job on getting more involved with the campaign and your community!
I wish I could canvass this cycle, but my new work has me here all the time, so weekends are precious. If my experience last cycle was any indication, you will feel great having done it.
BUT, for every day you canvass, I'm donating $50 to the Obama campaign. How's that?
Awesome!! I'm so proud of you and admire what you're doing. I canvassed for Kerry in the 2004 election in Michigan, and it was a rewarding experience. Even though we lost the election, it was a small comfort that MI went blue at the 11th hour (though I did kind of wish we'd headed to Ohio instead). My schedule this fall prevents me from doing anything helpful, but reading this entry has solidified my decision to donate more money to the campaign - through Books for Barack.
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