I just finish reading the article on the Vice President's Speech on the Auto Industry.
I've been trying to be a little less preachy and political in my rantings and postings of late, but this really struck me. It is Memorial Day weekend, a time when we reflect in and honor those people who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country. It makes me realize that while government is big, inefficient, and slow; it is a reflection of us, it IS us.
Not everything is great. The extension of the Patriot Act without change is troubling. Glenn Greenwald raises some excellent points about the killing of Osama bin Laden. But all that being said, I am feeling an enormous bit of pride right now.
I am choosing to be optimistic and I'm focusing on the positives while ignoring the many negatives, but that is because I'm paying attention to the direction things are moving in. While the Patriot Act is as much of an example of Government overreach in the Obama administration as it was in the Bush Administration, we are seeing a level of transparency in our Government that we have not seen before. It's not perfect, but it is moving in the right direction. While the questions raised by Glenn Greenwald about the killing of OBL are valid, word is leaking that we may now be able to negotiate with the Taliban in a way we couldn't before because of tribal customs.
All in all, I am proud of my country and the direction we are moving in. Our government is a reflection of us; far from perfect, but trying to get better. I think it helps that we have such a polarizing opposite view on government from the right. Regardless, as I make my donation to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans this weekend, I am truly proud of our veterans and I am truly proud that while my Government is a reflection of all of us, America is waking up to that reality and is running away from the individualism and tribalism that has defined us for the last thirty years.