Some people want to know what hope means.
I have hope. I hope for change. Nine years ago, we didn’t have to cringe when we watched CNN in the evenings. Today, however, is different. Right now, I am not pointing fingers – I’ll do that later.
In the last eight years we had to watch Russia tell us our missile defense system in Poland would begin an arms race. Now the Bear beat up our little buddy. Mutual assistance pacts are making a comeback from World War I. Israel takes a well-deserved swing at Lebanon, and Turkey beats up some Kurds.
We used to trust Israel to wipe out nuclear facilities. Everyone hates them already, so it’s no skin off their back, but now we want the enemies.
I love my country and want it to stay around for a while, but these past eight years scare me.
John McCain changed. McCain used to camp out on both sides of the aisle with the "Group of 14" and campaign finance reform. Now he is not content. He is aging and wants President on his resume before he retires.
He changed.
He fell in step to tow the line. With McCain, we have certainty. He will certainly use the military as much as possible, both in a situation where the military is needed and in situations where diplomacy would be better. He will maintain the posture President George W. Bush had on the economy with Bernard Bernanke down on his knees begging investors to ignore the war, credit crises and so on and please, please invest in America.
The last eight years are not favorable. We need change. It’s unclear what exactly that entails when it comes to the details of offshore drilling, or exact redeployment figures from Iraq. It’s uncertain what will happen with CHIPs or SCHIPs, the bailouts for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Bear Sterns or actual homeowners.
Barack Obama is not used to this position. Obama has fought for poor people since the beginning, but in his book he says things are different in Washington. He has to deal with PACs, lobbyists and others. He is a rookie.
Also, this is the first time we have seen a candidate denounce his church amid scandal. We have never seen a politician assert his personal morals and beliefs over his church’s.
Who knows what all this will mean, but given the progress we have made with certainty via status quo maintenance, I am ready for change.
Khan, a political science and history junior, can be reached via [email protected]
