Obama Era Thoughts

This last week has been a very interesting one, filled with excitement, anticipation, uncertainty, and change. I'm talking about the inauguration of our newest president, Barack Obama. Before I get into my thoughts about Obama, let me explain my political evolution.

I grew up in a conservative, republican environment. Everything about Bountiful, UT screams blind, unwavering, vanilla conservatism. When I returned home from serving my LDS mission in Rome, I sort of fell into the Hannity trap. I listened to that stuff, digested it, and called that my political beliefs. It wasn't until college that I began to seriously examine my political views. It was then that I realized that the party system sucks. I hate the fact that, politically, there is an "absolute truth" that can only be owned by one party (the repubs are wrong, and all truth is owned by the dems, and vice versa). So I decided to do the sensible thing, vote my own beliefs. Sometimes this means I am more liberal, and sometimes I am more conservative. No parties, just beliefs.

That being said, I am excited to have Obama as my President! This President signifies a change of the old system. McCain to me, while he may have been a good President, embodies the same political thinking that has been plaguing the federal system for decades; old, rich white guys who have no idea what is really going on in the country, and their only concern is for gaining political power over the opposing party. Obama is a break from this mode of thinking, and I think the country is better for it. This is a guy who worked for years on the community level and understands what is affecting the common man and woman. Though highly educated, he has the perspective that so many in Washington lack.

We should all give Obama a chance, regardless of party affiliation. Eight years ago, a governor from Texas was voted in, and he was given a chance. To automatically discount a guy before he has been given an opportunity to succeed (read: that idiot Hannity) is un-American, and goes against everything that this country was founded upon. In addition, we should all hope that in 4 or 8 years, he will be considered one of the greatest American Presidents. Nationally and individually we will all be better off for it.