HOPE

I felt something Thursday night that I haven't felt in a long time. HOPE. Hope for this country and hope for our political system.

I know I'm gullible and I've been fooled by politicians before. "I am not a crook", "No new taxes. Read my lips"," I did not have sexual relations with that woman" "Iraq has weapons of mass destruction" No surprise that we have become cynical when we have been consistently disappointed with great men who have great power. My cynicism of our country's leaders has spread to cynicism of the process with which we elect our leaders. I'm sick of the disagreeable disagreements.

Talk radio and 24 hour cable news has been a breeding ground for blow- hards, talking heads, cynics, fear mongers, polarizing left-wingers and right-wingers. The louder and more outrages the better. With my values leaning mostly to the middle, I've been frustrated with both the left and the right. My personal values are very conservative, yet I believe that I can not force my values on others.

Four years ago I listened to a remarkable speech at the Democratic Convention by a man I had never heard of, with a funny name I soon forgot. I was impressed with his speech, but it was just a speech. Speech writers and political experts know how to turn a phrase, they know what the people want to hear. So I wished that it could be so, then filed it away as just another empty promise.

A couple of years later I heard that speakers name being mentioned as a possible candidate for President. Wouldn't it be nice, I thought, if he were the real deal and this crazy political system could actually get the real deal elected. So I started paying attention to what Barack Obama was saying. I liked what I heard. I read his book "The Audacity of Hope". I liked what I read. He was not running with the party of so called "Family Values" and "Conservative Christians" yet he values family and considers himself a Christian with deep faith.

So I am hoping. I'm hoping that this politician will not disappoint me. I'm hoping Barack Obama will become our next President. I'm hoping his plans are implemented and that our 2 party system will work out the differences with reasonable compromises so that everyone wins instead of ending in a stale mate where no one wins and nothing gets done. I'm hoping that if he looses the election it will be because the voters are well informed and vote on the issues not on manipulated emotions.

Most of all, I'm hoping that however this election turns out, our country and our world will be better for it. I'm hoping that my grandchildren will continue to have the freedoms and prosperity that I have known and hopefully more and better.

Go Obama!!! God Bless America!!!
That's all I have to say about that.