I know that we are on the verge of a historic election, and I fully understand the great enthusiasm that Sen. Obama has generated, and continues to generate, but I'm increasing becoming concerned that we are making Barak Obama out to be a cult of personality, when what we should really be idolizing are the IDEAS that he, and Hillary, and all the other progressive politicians have put forth.
Because, if our focus is the messenger, and NOT the message, then couple of things may happen:
First, it would be very difficult to hold someone accountable if they compromise too much against the progressive principle for the sake of "getting things done" or "bi-partisanship" (Don't ask don't tell, Welfare Reform Act, The Defense of Marriage Act anyone? And I know all of these things happened under Clinton, but the only other progressive President I could talk about is Carter, and that's too long ago to matter);
And second, if we are tied too strongly to an individual versus an idea, it's easier to sink with that individual if they ever fall from grace for any reason, and we would go down with them (just think of how foolish the conservatives who back Bush look when they try and defend the invasion of Iraq, the corruption in the Justice Dept. under Gonzales, the pick of Sarah Palin.) And this would be as opposed to being tied to an idea, because it's much easier for the people to make a mistake, than an strongly held idea to be wrong, which no matter how unpopular at one time, would change an evolve in public's eye if it's a good, progressive, idea.
Of course, having a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate and a huge majority in the House will be of great help to all our progressive causes, but just remember that many Democrats from the south and west have to face their constituents at the end of the day, so implementing our ideas will depend on how self-assured these "Yellow Dog" Democrats will be once they get elected. Would they really risk their tenure in Congress by backing a repeal of Defense of Marriage Act, or the don't ask don't tell policy in the military?
So while we are rightly excited to be part of this historic election, let's just keep our perspectives in check, and remember that we value the idea, or message, if you will, as opposed to the messenger, although there's nothing wrong with being proud of backing the first (half) African-American candidate to be the next President of the US.