I'm a fairly moderate guy, politically. When I was in high school, I wrote in a notebook that I considered myself a moderate Republican. I remember debating with a friend of mine on the issue of abortion and I believed that women ought to choose for themselves what they do with their bodies. Over the years, I don't think I've changed much in my views. I'm still fairly moderate and cautious. I've never given money to a politician because I've never fully trusted them with money. But tonight, that all changed.
Tonight I donated to the Obama campaign. A meager amount, nothing great. I'm a stay at home dad these days. But after the awful evening, with the Republicans spewing such hatred and venom (particularly toward community organizers---others had written some good comments about this), I decided that I would give Obama more than just blogging support.
This kind of hateful politics that Republicans have mastered these past 30 years must come to an end. It is shameful what it does to our great nation. I doubt it will ever end. But there must be a counter-effort to the lies, to the sleazy politics. Governing must be about more than character. Running a nation must be about more than scripted narratives.
I look at the way the Bush administration was forced to deal with Hurricane Gustav. They clearly don't like to govern, but their utterly atrocious handling of Katrina forced them to actually DO SOMETHING this time. They don't like it. It pains them to govern, the nitty gritty details. (The kinds of things community organizers have to deal with, apropos). Why do they even bother with government if they don't like to govern? I've not had that question answered yet.
I think this election is vastly important, far more than any previous election, and that is why I donated money for the first time.