President Obama's Quarterly Approval Ratings stand at 44.7%
We need to bring back some common sense to this nation.
This moment in modern American history is revolutionary. In 2008, a black man with a funny sounding name was elected President of these United States. He was elected by the people, not by a political party’s insiders or by a wealthy family or by having deep connections to the establishment. He was elected by people from across this nation who deeply believed that he could be the transforming President that could unite our nation after begin deeply divided for at least the past 30 years.
Everyone, especially Barack Obama, appreciated the challenges he faced in uniting our nation. The night of his election, he said, "In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long."
He spoke of pragmatism, of reality and of a desire for a better tomorrow. He brought together people of vastly different backgrounds to work for a common purpose. He motivated people to greatly change their lives for his election. He inspired people who have avoided the political process their whole lives to vote for the first time.
He ran on Hope and Change. He ran on bringing together the blue and red states. He ran on engaging the kids of this nation to be involved in the future of their home country. He ran at a time of great turmoil - Economic, Military, Moral, Environmental. The Onion said it best on November 5, 2008 - Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job
"WASHINGTON—African-American man Barack Obama, 47, was given the least-desirable job in the entire country Tuesday when he was elected president of the United States of America. In his new high-stress, low-reward position, Obama will be charged with such tasks as completely overhauling the nation's broken-down economy, repairing the crumbling infrastructure, and generally having to please more than 300 million Americans and cater to their every whim on a daily basis. As part of his duties, the black man will have to spend four to eight years cleaning up the messes other people left behind. The job comes with such intense scrutiny and so certain a guarantee of failure that only one other person even bothered applying for it. Said scholar and activist Mark L. Denton, "It just goes to show you that, in this country, a black man still can't catch a break.""
Sadly, within months, powerful interests infiltrated an active underbelly of American activists - some with innocent and noble interests - creating the current Tea Party movement with the goal of destroying this potentially transformative presidency. This strategy was clear from day one, though many quickly forgot the big picture and started arguing with idiots. Many supporters of President Obama become dishearten by this type of debate, by Health Care Reform or for whatever other reason. The most powerful political movement in America in a generation in the winter of 2008 was diluted to near nothingness today.
The spirit that was wiped out of a generation in the late 60s is being wiped out of America again. Lies and deception spread for the purpose of retaining the status quo is once again sweeping over the nation.
Why do so many fall for the same tricks again and again when we know we need to change? Why is it so difficult for American’s to call a spade a spade and remember a spade is a spade even when we move onto the clubs? Why do we let those of the past prevent us from moving into the future?
Common sense appears to be undetectable in today’s public discourse.
Now, let me make this clear. I am not in 100% agreement with President Barack Obama. He was elected at one of the darkest hours in American history. He has been in office for less than two years. He might not have been as "progressive" as some might have hoped, or has been more or less "radical" than others expected, these concerns should not mean he has lost our support - gotta give him time. He isn’t Clark Kent, but just as mortal as your or I. He cannot do everything as quickly and efficiently as we would wish for in our dreams. He only can do what he can do, and in my opinion, has been doing a rather good job, especially considering the challenges he has had to face.
If you are opposed to President Obama, all I ask is that you listen to what he and his administration are actually saying at the White House blog and website, as they lay out many of the issues plainly for everyone to understand. It is a great resource that is being under-utilized by the public. I might have despised our previous President, but I watched the press briefings regularly and listened to every speech I could. I wanted to be very informed. After all, information is power.
With that said, silencing of radicals is detrimental to our democracy. Excluding anyone from public discourse, mocking ones opinions without discussing the facts behind the motivation to mock, or completely ignoring opinions makes our nation far weaker than it needs to be. Many radicals do need to be exposed as dangerous, if they encourage violence or if they push lies as truth for profit, need to be exposed as well.
We as a society can progress past these charlatans. We all need to use our common sense, tuning out the divisive discourse and ignorant opinions that propagate far too commonly in America. Each of us needs to start making decisions for ourselves based on the facts and the big picture.
I have no interest in being a devil hunter, so focusing on the evil some have done in the past is rarely worthy of my time and efforts. Many want to travel down this path. I have been down it in the past and choose to focus on the good, not the evil.
I have no interest in telling you what you should believe. I will correct your misunderstandings or pointing our your illogical conclusions. We all have our own beliefs, and though we might disagree with each other’s conclusions, discussing the facts, the big picture, and how we arrived at our conclusion only helps increase everyone’s understanding of all perspectives. I want to bring some common sense to us all, be that in discussion, debate, providing information or providing a common sense opinion that has not been arrived at organically through debate and discussion.
As "I" would have said over 200 years ago, "We have it in our power to begin the world over again."
I am just one person attempting to create a rebellion in the heart of man. Let this time in history not be corrupted by those who set out to destroy it, but of a dawning of a new age where truth and common sense shine brighter than the sun at high-noon during a clear summer day.
I cannot lead this rebellion. You are the most important to its success. We all will lead this rebellion, though I will do my part to offer the needed common sense.
If you start using your own common sense after seeking out the truth, anything I say or post becomes irrelevant. You have already succeeded, yet you can still reach out to others. The power needs to be restored to the heart of mankind.
All new beginnings have a seed.
Let this be yours.
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