Yes We Can – Moving Into Obama America

America has endured a long and treacherous road to arrive at Obama’s presidential election.

Our dangerous drive began with a sharp turn to the right when Bush stole the 2000 election from Gore. From there we careened down into a twisted ravine where rational, scientific thought was misplaced by an administration intent on banning stem-cell research. As darkness gathered, corporate vultures from Enron began to circle and prey on Californians’ energy by artificially raising rates.

Then, on September 11, 2001, as we teetered over an abyss, terrorist planes pushed us over and down we went with the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon. The abyss was dark, dank and filled with every kind of horror: torture, domestic spying, war, more war, murder, million dead, millions of refugees, civilian dead, wounded and ignored vets, civil rights overturned, imperial president empowered, and the list goes on and on…

After another loss of Kerry to Bush in 2004, thanks to yet more Republican election shenanigans, our rutted road only offered grim destinations with no hope. The final rut that broke our collective, American axle was the financial collapse in September and October 2008. With that, the last shred of Republican, capitalist philosophy was impaled by a sign-post indicating a left bend in the road.

Rounding that corner, our single, dim headlight perceived a black man who, despite a strange sounding Islamic name, seemed to be leading the way. His vision cut through the clouds of doom and through the darkness and toward hopeful horizons. He said, “Yes We Can” instead of filling our hearts with fear of bearded brown people. He spoke of unity instead of an axis of evil. He spoke of facing our problems and conquering them with intelligence and work but not with threats and violence.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding. But for now, on this very optimistic evening, I hope for the best, and for the moment, I’m expecting the best too. I’ll do my part to help our new President elect achieve his goals, our goals. Will you?