Skepticism

So I just read through Obama's news conference from lastnight. I must say... I was quite skeptical of Obama. I guess that stems from his extreme views when he was Illinois governor, and from the fact that it's been quite a few years since I've seen a worthy individual running for office.

But I am impressed. I say, those who are being so critical over his current proposed budget are the very close minded people that he has mentioned time and again. Even the reporters who are asking biased questions... they, too, are the individuals, or are looking out for the individuals, who exemplify the type of person he spoke of. One who only looks at the immediate gain, who is always out for "number one" and who will put down any plan that may tempoarily stifle his pocket without looking at the long-term gain. I see way too many people complaining about the current ecomonomy, and panicking about the future, but still holding on to the shallow values of immediate self-gain. If these are the values that you hold, I can assure you that the current state of economy is NOTHING compared with what is to come if these values are not let go.

I am also impressed with his persistence. I know that he stated that persistence is very important to him, and he is not lieing. Even looking at just this one last press conference, he reiterated his main points several times, even in the face of silly, repetitive, meaningless questions. I like that he is insistent with his proposed plan, and with his world values. Thinking "green" should not just be a trend. We do need to decrease our dependency on foreign oils, and look toward the future and our necessity for other energy solutions. Our government has much too often put off the needed research, or put down the necessary funding, for alternative energy solutions. For example, putting "green" cars by the wayside back in the... 80's?... This must have only been done with pressure from lobbyists, and in consideration of the mark it would have put on the auto industry. But as is seen with every major capitalist organization, and as is the plague of our American society, the leaders of the corporations only looked as far as their own retirements. I bet the auto industry leaders are now kicking themselves - or I should say the children of the previous leaders who are now running the competition - when considering the progress that could have been so long ago, and how absolutely imperitive that progress is now.

Furthermore, he actually cares about the importance of strong education for the country's young people, and how it affects the global market. Other countries are flying past us when it comes to intelligence, engineering, and obviously the job market. It's about time that we have caught up. And maybe if we can get our system to provide quality education, the inner-violence among our own citizens would be cut back. Violence stems from ignorance, and from poverty of one's character. I'm not talking about just economic poverty, I'm talking about the degredation of one's character. It's no question that our American society has long been on a down-hill slope with the appreciation of the arts. As far as painters, writers, musicians, real architects, etc... these people are not appreciated the way they would be if they were born and raised in other countries. They are often looked at as "slackers" because they did not aspire to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, or CEO's. And I am of the strong opinion that cutting the arts in our educational system has extremely detrimental consequences. Without the offering of arts, those whose mental capacity is not geared toward business or the health sciences look for outlets elsewhere, or find themselves disappointed with the environment provides. I've always looked at those that are so sunken into a life of drugs, violence, and cheap thrills, and plainly stated, "Find a hobby. Develop some skills. Take that amazing eye you have for measuring out dope, or that claimed '3rd eye' present when you get your next high, and channel it to something that is actually productive." Don't get me wrong, now. I am not in any way anti-drug. But I am anti-addiction, and I think that any individual who has committed their life to a cheap thrill like drug use probably did so out of frustration, and could turn it around if he/she had an outlet. And this outlet, I believe, could very easily be found when one is young and is fighting his/her way through the dreaded high school experience. With no music education, no art education, slacking foreign-language studies... where do children whose "right-brain" dominates turn?

Now I'm ranting.

Either way... there was no real point to this blog other than I felt a need to express my approval of Obama's opinions and actions. And while I am still slightly skeptical of what is to come, I am proud to finally support a President who cares more about the long-run and about the real people of this country than about his own pocketbook and the big-wigs in NY and Washington. And I am proud to support one who can finish a sentence logically and correctly!