I’m proud to call a fellow Chicagoan my president, and he will leave behind some very large shoes to fill in January of 2017. I know who will be able to fill them, and I know who won’t.
The creator of this website has effectively thrown down a gauntlet. In his view, criticism of the one who won’t be able to fill Obama’s shoes must be “constructive” after March 15, when the nominating contest apparently comes to an end. Just don’t tell California that, because they don’t vote until June.
The last time I checked, there’s still well over half the nominating delegates to be determined. And yet the temptation to declare everything over was apparently too strong to be ignored, at least on this site.
I can’t abide by an arbitrary deadline, or the insistence that anything I say must be deemed “constructive.” It’s Kos’ site, and we only get to live in it, so long as we fall into line when he tells us to. If those are the new terms and conditions, I think I’ll just accept the invitation to go find somewhere else to be, instead. In parting, I’ll just say one thing:
The former Senator from New York voted for Bush’s war “with conviction,” as she stated back in 2002. She did it in order to cut off the debate that we needed to have about the wisdom of launching a preemptive strike against a nation that had not attacked us. That’s not what America was in 2002 but, unfortunately, that’s what we are now. And her vote helped make it happen.
My candidate saw the war for the sham that it was, but he was marginalized by design. The war machine was in full swing back then, as everyone over the age of about 30 can attest. You were either with them, or you were with the terrorists. Opposing the war on principle was portrayed as sedition, and a betrayal of those who were killed in New York on 9/11. Yet the Representative from Vermont stood strong and gave voice to his misgivings, which were my misgivings, too. If only the Senator from New York had that kind of temerity.
There are many issues to consider in this election, but only one makes sense to me. One candidate stood up to the war party, while the other one went along with everything they wanted to do. I know which candidate I want as my president. And if that means I can’t stay here anymore, then I won’t.
Best wishes to all.