I've been reading a lot of the posts on this and other lib/progressive blogs where people debate whether we need to focus on loyalty to the man we elected or we need to hold his feet to the fire for any misstep. I started off pretty firmly in the first camp, but I've come around to the second lately.
My first reaction in 2004 upon seeing Obama speak at the convention was "this is the guy we need to be putting at the top of the ticket." I believe more than ever that he is the right person for the job. I have no doubt that he is competent, serious and as "moral" as an effective politician can be. But he is not perfect. As some have pointed out, the people who have all to lose from the rule of law being re-applied will be making their voices heard. We must do the same.
More after the jump if you care to read on...
I take the existence of the citizen's briefing book and the rounds of "Open for Questions" to mean that President Obama wants to hear what we have to say. I think that he believes in true democracy. The founders fought, bickered and created an amazing, messy, incredibly robust form of government that was specifically designed to exist in a state of tension.
The authoritarians had their run, culminating in the coronation of King George on American soil. They tolerated no dissent from within their ranks and shouted down any from the outside. Now we once again will have the healthy tension that was designed into the system.
One point where I disagree with some bloggers for whom I have great respect is that I think we do have to listen to the ideas from the right even though their ideology has produced epic fail. But, make no mistake, this is the marketplace of ideas. If you bring that same old weak shit in here, don't be surprised when you get it slapped down with extreme prejudice (followed by the Dikembe Mutombo finger wag).
It's our time to show the world once again how it's done...