Placing My Eggs In A Basket

I have decided to support Barack Obama in his bid for the presidency. I have joined his website and started a blog there. Here is a copy of my first post.

(I know politics can be a polarizing issue - please know these are my views and I respect the right of everyone to have their own views. I welcome your views even if they diverge from mine - I love the chance to learn from others and to have my stances challenged.)

It isn't without some fear that I enter into the unknown (to me) world of the Democratic party. For all of the 19 years I have been a registered voter it has been as a Republican (and truth be told I haven't officially changed yet...but I have decided to). As that naive 18 year old I didn't bother to ask myself why I chose that party. It was the party of my parents, and on the "hot button" topics I fell down on the conservative side.

Back then I was willing to be a single issue voter - I was young and idealistic - and I didn't realize that voting on one issue alone was incredibly short sighted and hypocritical. So I voted for someone who was against abortion - but they were also against legislation that helped the poor. How could I be so concerned with only the unborn...to the exclusion of the living? Viewing the world through the eyes of a college freshman, I couldn't see the disparity in my thinking...or maybe I just didn't want to.

Looking back, I can see that the transformation has been slow and deliberate. Different circumstances coming together to open my eyes to issues at home and abroad that challenged my views. Relationships with real people who were being oppressed by the policies in place. Realizing that the "American Dream" was reserved for the few rather than the many. All of these things plus more helped to lift the veil from my eyes so I could see that I was now in the wrong place.

Compassion matters...and the whole compassionate conservative thing has never really taken flight. People matter...and I can no longer align myself with a political party that seems to value the wealthy above the poor and executive privilege above openness and honesty in leadership. Peace matters...and as the most powerful nation in the world we must have peace as a core value...it cannot be optional.

So why Barack Obama you may ask? Because when I looked at his Issues page ( Link ) I knew he was someone who I could believe in. I believe he will be honest...even when he has to do hard things. I believe he cares about America and it's people and I believe he will do what he can to help the marginalized, oppressed, and downtrodden. That's why Barack Obama gets my support...his policies and points of view have earned it.