Who You Callin' A Liberal?

One issue that I wanted to address throughout the campaign was this nonsensical assertion that somehow Barack Obama is the most liberal Senator in that branch of the legislature, (even more liberal than Bernie Sanders of Vermont, as stated by McCain). I did not want to address this issue because it is acutely similar to the charges of Obama being a Muslim; firstly, it’s not true and secondly, so what if he is?! Sanders being one and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin another who is without question more liberal than Obama, not to mention Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown, etc., etc. This assertion is made based upon the findings by a trumped up formula that coincidentally found John Kerry to be the most liberal senator in 2004. I believe that at his core, Obama is indeed a liberal/progressive, but due to his freshman status in the senate, his desire to run for president (and dare I say the color of his skin) it had been impressed upon him that he must shore up his moderate credentials in order to be more mainstream.

I strongly reject the notion that simply because we have elected an African-American to be our president all our egregious sins over the past eight (plus two hundred) years will be magically absolved. Let us not forget that this country had a chance to reject Bush and all that he and his stand for four years ago. We did not and what damage had been done in the first term might have been addressed and corrected by now. Ironically, the blatant mishandling of this country by the republicans created the perfect storm from which a black president could emerge-yet these are not necessarily the ideal circumstances for such an advancement to occur. Nevertheless, this is an extremely important event in American, if not World history. Seeing people around the globe celebrating this occasion evokes a great deal of pride as if they are commending us for finally doing something right instead of what is patently wrong. Of course the international elation likewise speaks measures apropos the president going out and the one coming in.