When I graduated from high school, I was selected as the most conservative senior, both politically as well as behaviorally. Conservatism has been reflected in my political outlook for as long as I can remember. I recall the presidential elections of 1960,'64, '68. During the '68 election I remember hearing Richard M. Nixon telling America that he would seek seek the equivalent of a negotiated peace in Vietnam. I mentioned to my father that he probably meant something similar to the "negotiated peace" that had occurred in Korea, around the time of my birth. Since he and General Eisenhower oversaw some of that war's conclusion it seemed likely that his perception of a correct outcome would involve some kind of stalemate and nothing like the complete victory the world recognized with the defeat of both Germany and Japan. It is interesting, to look back and know that I predicted the messy conclusion of "America's most unpopular war".
Needless to say, I have been conservative in my views for a long time and often deemed Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and even Dwight David Eisenhower as moderates. Because I have held these views and registered as either independent or Republican, all my voting life, I thought it curious when I received a fund raising letter from Barack Obama, asking me to contribute to his campaign.
I am certain that millions of these letters were received and prompted hundreds of thousands of positive responses from the recipients. The letter failed to move me in that direction, rather, it gave me an insight into what Barack really believes. This coupled with what he and others have said about his childhood prompted me to write this blog. It will ask questions that fail to be asked, even by conservative talk show hosts.
The letter reads as follows:
LAST FEBRUARY, IN THE DEPTHS OF WINTER, OUR CAMPAIGN TOOK THE FIRST STEPS OF OUR UNLIKELY JOURNEY TO CHANGE AMERICA.
THE SKEPTICS PREDICTED WE WOULDN'T GET FAR. THE CYNICS DISMISSED US AS A LOT OF HYPE AND A LITTLE TOO MUCH HOPE. AND BY THE FALL, THE PUNDITS IN WASHINGTON HAD ALL BUT COUNTED US OUT.
BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING HAPPENING I AMERICA. ONE PERSON AT A TIME, WE WERE BUILDING NOT SIMPLY A CAMPAIGN, BUT A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE--A MOVEMENT OF AMERICANS OF EVERY RACE, REGION AND POLITICAL PARTY.
CHARLES, I AM WRITING TO ASK YOU TO JOIN YOUR HOPES FOR OUR COUNTRY WITH THOSE OF MILLIONS OF OTHERS BY BECOMING A SUPPORTER OF OBAMA FOR AMERICA.
TOGETHER, WE CAN CHANGE THE WAY BUSINESS IS DONE IN WASHINGTON. WE CAN END THE UNDUE INFLUENCE OF SPECIAL INTERESTS, BRING DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE AND FINALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEMS FACING HARDWORKING FAMILIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG CAMPAIGN. AND WE'VE TRAVELED THIS ROAD WITH ONE OF THE MOST FORMIDABLE CANDIDATES TO EVER RUN FOR PRESIDENT. IN HER 35 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE, SENATOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON HAS NEVER GIVEN UP HER FIGHT FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SENATOR CLINTON HAS SHATTERED MYTHS AND BROKEN BARRIERS AND CHANGED THE AMERICA IN WHICH MY DAUGHTERS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS WILL COME OF AGE.
SOME SEE THE MILLIONS OF VOTES CAST FOR EACH OF US AS EVIDENCE THAT OUR PARTY IS DIVIDED. BUT I SEE IT AS PROOF THAT WE HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE ENERGIZED AND UNTIED IN OUR DESIRE TO TAKE THIS COUNTRY IN A NEW DIRECTION.
WE BELIEVE THAT AMERICA IS A PLACE, THE PLACE, WHERE YOU CAN MAKE IT IF YOU TRY, THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU START WITH, WHERE YOU COME FROM OR WHO YOUR PARENTS ARE, OPPORTUNITY CAN BE YOURS IF YOU ARE WILLING TO REACH FOR IT AND WORK FOR IT.
THIS IS THE AMERICA I KNOW: THE COUNTRY THAT GAVE MY GRANDFATHER A CHANCE TO GO TO COLLEGE ON THE G.I. BILL WHEN HE CAME HOME FROM WORLD WAR II--A COUNTRY THAT GAVE HIM AND MY GRANDMOTHER THE CHANCE TO BUY THEIR FIRST HOME WITH A GOVERNMENT LOAN.
THIS IS THE COUNTRY THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR MY MOTHER--A SINGLE PARENT WHO HAD TO GO ON FOOD STAMPS AT ONE POINT IN HER LIFE--TO SEND MY SISTER AND ME TO THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY ON SCHOLARSHIPS.
THIS IS THE COUNTRY THAT ALLOWED MY FATHER-IN-LAW--A CITY WORKER AT A WATER FILTRATION PLANT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO--TO PROVIDE FOR HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN ON ONE SALARY.
THIS IS A MAN WHO WAS DIAGNOSED AT AGE 30 WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, WHO RELIED ON A WALKER TO GET HIMSELF TO WORK. AND YET HE LABORED EVERYDAY, AND HE SENT MY WIFE AND HER BROTHER TO ONE OF THE BEST COLLEGES IN THE NATION.
IT WAS A JOB THAT DIDN'T JUST GIVE HIM A PAYCHECK, BUT A SENSE OF DIGNITY AND SELF-WORTH.
THIS IS THE COUNTRY I SEE WHEN I WALK THE STREETS OF CHICAGO AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER. AND THIS IS THE COUNTRY I'VE SEEN IN THE FACES OF CROWDS THAT STRETCH FAR INTO THE HORIZON OF OUR HEARTLAND--DEMOCRATS WHO ARE TIRED OF BEING DIVIDED, REPUBLICANS WHO NO LONGER RECOGNIZE THE PARTY THAT RUNS WASHINGTON, AND INDEPENDENTS WHO ARE HUNGRY FOR CHANGE.
ALL THESE AMERICANS AND MORE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS CAMPAIGN IS NOT ABOUT ANY SINGLE CANDIDATE. THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT YOU--THE AMERICAN PEOPLE--AND WHETHER WE WILL HAVE A PRESIDENT AND A PARTY THAT CAN LEAD US TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE.
AND WE KNOW THAT AT THIS DEFINING MOMENT IN HISTORY--A MOMENT WHEN WE ARE FACING 2 WARS, AN ECONOMY IN TURMOIL, A PLANT IN PERIL--WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GIVE JOHN MCCAIN THE CHANCE TO SERVE OUT GEORGE BUSH'S THIRD TERM.
SENATOR MCCAIN ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON NEARLY THREE DECADES AGO AS A VIETNAM WAR HERO AND EARNED THE ADMIRABLE REPUTATION FOR STRAIGHT TALK AND OCCASIONAL INDEPENDENCE FROM HIS PARTY.
BUT THIS YEAR'S REPUBLICAN PARTY WAS A CONTEST TO SEE WHICH CANDIDATE COULD OUT DO THE OTHER IN PROMISING TO CONTINUE GEORGE W. BUSH'S FAILED POLICIES ON THE WAR IN IRAQ, THE ECONOMY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH CARE--AND THAT'S A CONTEST THAT JOHN MCCAIN WON.
THE BUSH TAX CUTS FOR THE WEALTHIEST 2% OF AMERICAN THAT ONCE BOTHERED JOHN MCCAIN'S CONSCIENCE ARE NOW HIS ONLY ECONOMIC POLICY.
THE BUSH HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT ONLY HELPS THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY HEALTHY AND WEALTHY IS NOW JOHN MCCAIN'S ANSWER TO THE 47 MILLION AMERICANS WITHOUT INSURANCE AND THE MILLIONS MORE WHO CAN'T PAY THEIR MEDICAL BILLS.
THE BUSH'S IRAQ POLICY THAT ASKS EVERYTHING FROM OUR TROOPS AND NOTHING OF THE IRAQI POLITICIANS IS JOHN MCCAIN'S POLICY TOO. AND SO IS THE FEAR OF TOUGH AGREEING DIPLOMACY--A FEAR THAT HAS LEFT THIS COUNTRY MORE ISOLATED AND LESS SECURE THAN AT ANY TIME IN RECENT HISTORY.
I WILL LEAVE IT TO SENATOR MCCAIN TO EXPLAIN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHETHER HIS POLICIES AND POSITIONS REPRESENT LONG-HELD CONVICTIONS OR WASHINGTON CALCULATIONS, BUT THE ONE THING THEY DON'T REPRESENT IS CHANGE
CHANGE IS A TAX CODE THAT REWARDS WORK INSTEAD OF WEALTH. CHANGE IS A HEALTH CARE PLAN THAT GUARANTEES INSURANCE TO EVERY AMERICAN WHO WANTS IT, AND AND EDUCATION POLICY THAT GIVES EVERY CHILD A CHANCE AT SUCCESS.
CHANGE IS ENDING A WAR IN IRAQ THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED, AND FINISHING A WAR WITH AL-QAIDA IN AFGHANISTAN THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN IGNORED.
CHARLES, THAT'S WHAT CHANGE IS. AND THAT IS THE CHOICE IN THIS ELECTION.
IT'S MORE OF THE SAME VERSUS CHANGE. IT IS THE PAST VERSUS THE FUTURE. THIS CHOICE HAS CONFRONTED GENERATIONS BEFORE US. AND NOW IT IS OUR TURN TO CHOOSE.
WE KNOW WHAT'S COMING. WE'VE SEEN IT ALREADY, THE SAME NAMES AND LABELS THEY ALWAYS PIN ON EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T AGREE WITH ALL THEIR IDEAS--THE SAME EFFORTS TO DISTRACT US FROM THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUT LIVES BY POUNCING ON EVERY GAFFE AND ASSOCIATION AND FAKE CONTROVERSY IN THE HOPE THAT THE MEDIA WILL PLAY ALONG.
OUR OPPONENTS WILL ATTEMPT TO PLAY ON OUR FEARS AND EXPLOIT OUR DIFFERENCES TO TURN US AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR PURE POLITICAL GAIN--TO SLICE AND DICE THIS COUNTRY INTO RED STATES AND BLUE STATES, BLUE COLLAR AND WHITE COLLAR, WHITE AND BLACK AND BROWN.
THIS IS WHAT THEY WILL DO. THE QUESTIONS, THEN, IS NOT WHAT KIND OF CAMPAIGN THEY WILL RUN. ITS THE KIND OF CAMPAIGN WE WILL RUN. IT IS WHAT WE WILL DO TO MAKE THIS YEAR DIFFERENT.
CHARLES, I DIDN'T GET INTO THIS RACE THINKING THAT I COULD AVOID THIS KIND OF POLITICS, BUT I AM RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT BECAUSE THIS IS THE TIME TO END IT.
WE WILL END IT THIS TIME NOT BECAUSE I AM PERFECT. I THINK BY NOW THIS CAMPAIGN HAS REMINDED ALL OF US OF THAT. WE WILL END IT NOT BY DUPLICATING THE SAME TACTICS AS THE OTHER SIDE, BECAUSE THAT WILL JUST LEAD US DOWN THE SAME PATH OF POLARIZATION AND GRIDLOCK.
WE WILL END IT BY TELLING THE TRUTH--FORCEFULLY, REPEATEDLY AND CONFIDENTLY--AND BY TRUSTING THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL EMBRACE THE NEED FOR CHANGE.
THE OTHER SIDE CAN TAKE THE LOW ROAD IF THEY WANT, BUT IT WILL NOT LEAD THIS COUNTRY TO A BETTER PLACE. IT WILL NOT WORK IN THIS ELECTION.
TACTICS LIKE DIVISION AND FEAR, WHETHER CARRIED OUT BY FALSE WHISPERS OR TELEVISED ATTACKS, WILL NOT WORK BECAUSE WE WILL NOT LET THEM WORK--NOT THIS TIME, NOT THIS YEAR!
I'M COUNTING ON YOU TO ENSURE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO RUN THE KIND OF CAMPAIGN AMERICA WANTS AND NEEDS--A CAMPAIGN THAT APPEALS TO OUR HOPES RATHER THAN OUR FEARS, TO NEW POSSIBILITIES INSTEAD OF OLD POLITICS.
CHARLES, WE SIMPLY CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT YOUR HELP. THAT'S WHY I HOPE YOU'LL RUSH A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION--OF $50, 4100, $250 OR EVEN MORE IF YOU CAN--TO OBAMA FOR AMERICA, TODAY.
THE JOURNEY AHEAD WILL BE LONG. BUT WE KNOW IN OUR HEARTS WE ARE READY FOR CHANGE. WE ARE READY TO COME TOGETHER. AND IN THIS ELECTION, WE ARE READY TO BELEIVE AGAIN.
SINCERELY,
BARACK OBAMA
P.S MY FAITH IN THE DECENCY AND HONESTY AND GENEROSITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IS NOT BASED ON FALSE HOPE OR BLIND OPTIMISM, BUT ON WHAT I'VE LIVED AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THIS CAMPAIGN.
AT SO MANY DECISIVE MOMENTS IN OUR HISTORY WE'VE SEEN ONE PERSON STAND UP--AND THEN ANOTHER AND ANOTHER STILL--UNTIL A MOVEMENT WAS FORMED THAT COULD BRING ABOUT CHANGE. AND NOW, THIS MOVEMENT NEEDS YOUR VOICE-AND YOU HELP. PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE BUILDING THE MOVEMENT UNTIL IT REACHES ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITE HOUSE. THANK YOU.
There is a great deal in this letter that highlights fundamental beliefs and expectations that the community needs to take care of the individual-in diametric opposition to the "ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country."
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