When I was visiting Ali in Cambridge I came across this graffiti on the way to the college (day) and on the way back to the train (night). I can’t decide whether or not graffiti is vandalism or an effective way of spreading a message.
The question America must ask itself when it reaches the poll is not whether they want to elect John McCain or Barack Obama as President. The real question is, what kind of people do they want supporting this country?
The kind of people that I want supporting this country are those that believe that education is important. Giving a child the gift of an education is one that leads to endless possibilities. Knowledge and intellectual agility are our nation’s number one natural resources.
I want them to believe that regulation is needed in industries that exhibit habits of valuing greed and individual gain over the American people. Examples of regulations that must continue are the ones that keep drinking water safe and keep financial institutions in check. Everything is about checks and balances.
Family first. The definition of family is up to every person, home, and culture. Everyone has a moral obligation to the family they bring into this world and raise.
Every person must understand the importance of investing in America. Systematic investments across the board in health care, energy, and infrastructure are needed to keep this country an attractive, thriving nation. A primary source of funding will come from taxes, therefore a fair tax model is needed.
I want people to demand safety on a global stage. Our troops have done a tremendous job at keeping us safe. Times are changing now. Diplomacy of the future will require having strong allies and good standing with citizens of the globe. We must know which situations require flexing our muscles. We must also know when conversation and persuasion can bear a much brighter outcome.
We fight battles in other countries and we also fight them at home. We must entrust our police officers, firefighters, and paramedics to keep us safe in our neighborhoods. Making sure each department is adequately funded and free from corruption is expected.
The most important quality is believing that change can happen. It is understanding that every person needs to contribute and make some sacrifices in order for our nation to thrive. There is one person I know who can challenge the nation to rise up and demand the best from every single American. We need some optimism right now and we need to believe we can be better.
On November 4th, I will be casting my vote for Barack Obama as our President. He will bring with him the millions of supporters in the country who will work hard and recast a solid foundation that this nation needs.
Our financial bubble, like all bubbles, has many complex strands feeding into it — called derivatives and credit-default swaps — but at heart, it is really very simple. We got away from the basics — from the fundamentals of prudent lending and borrowing, where the lender and borrower maintain some kind of personal responsibility for, and personal interest in, whether the person receiving the money can actually pay it back. Instead, we fell into what some people call Y.B.G. and I.B.G. lending: “you’ll be gone and I’ll be gone” before the bill comes due.
I only wish she had been asked: “Governor Palin, if paying taxes is not considered patriotic in your neighborhood, who is going to pay for the body armor that will protect your son in Iraq? Who is going to pay for the bailout you endorsed? If it isn’t from tax revenues, there are only two ways to pay for those big projects — printing more money or borrowing more money. Do you think borrowing money from China is more patriotic than raising it in taxes from Americans?” That is not putting America first. That is selling America first.
