Yesterday, I was canvassing for Barack. I knocked on a door that looked like many here in Port Saint Lucie Florida. The woman who answered was a teacher and was definitely NOT voting for McCain, but wasn't sure she would vote for Obama either. She felt "they're all politicians that tell us what we want to hear" and "don't do anything they promise." She was thinking of voting for a third party candidate or writing in Hillary's name.
She agreed that part of the problem of not delivering on promises, was the elected candidate didn't have enough power in the legislature to pass promised legislation. I pointed out that we had a chance for majorities in both houses of Congress, but needed a Dem president to provide full power to change things. That argument seemed to strike a "glancing blow" on her barriers, but didn't connect fully.
I sensed a genuinely convinceable (is that a word? ... should be :) voter, but was getting desperate. Finally, I tried an approach that's been stewing in my mind for a while. I have seen it tentatively stated before, alluded to in passing, but, I haven't seen it stated clearly. I decided to try it out ...
Being a bit frustrated by her dependence on the meme that "they're all lying politicians", I took a stab in the dark. What follows is mostly what I said and partly what I wish I'd said. Still, it embodies my understanding of Obama's platform in a way I haven't seen. I'm sure that is mostly, through lack of time and/or space, not through lack of others' insight.
Ma'am, being a teacher, you'll understand that I'm no expert, but my degree is in economics so I kinda see things through that lens. Let me see if I can't tell you what has me enthused enough to be out here sweating my butt off, so I can talk to you.
What gives me comfort Obama will do a good job for us is that his policies are CONSISTENT end-to-end. I've never seen a "politician" that actually accomplished that before. It's important because it shows a pre-determined, well-thought-out set of principles for government. The fact he clearly knows where he's headed gives me comfort that he'll follow through.
It's not just that Barack's tax proposal is better, nor his jobs ideas, nor his energy ideas, nor his foreign policy, nor his change in government philosophy or even his war policy. What's important is that ALL those approaches are consistent. They fit hand-in-glove together toward a goal of fixing our country.
Obama's policies differ from John McCain's because they aren't a series of disconnected "fixes", they are an integrated whole. McCain believes that benefiting business will cause money to "trickle down" to the middle class. Except, the problem with that is that it doesn't HAVE to "trickle down". In fact, it HASN'T BEEN "trickling down". Instead it's been going off-shore where businesses have less regulation, less risk and lower costs.
Obama, on the other hand, believes that if we:
- Provide real income growth for the middle class,
- It will increase middle class income and purchasing which increases corporate profits,
- That increases corporate profits and encourages job growth through expanded markets.
How does that approach provide a hand-in-glove mesh of all the problems weighing on our country? Like this.
- Obama will push research, development and manufacturing of alternative energy, which,
- Can, in large part, be financed by a responsible pull-out from an Iraq war that is draining us and producing zero benefits to the U.S., so,
- Jobs will be created in the U.S., and,
- Lead to complete energy independence from oil, which,
- Will lead to stronger U.S. bargaining power internationally, since we will then,
- Be a world leader in oil-free energy with the know-how to produce it, which will,
- In combination with reforms I'll mention in a second, restore world faith in the U.S. commitment to the betterment of all.
While these economic policies are being put in place, given majorities in Congress, Obama will:
- Reform the Trickle-Down policies that provide for the welfare of corporations and top-one-percent earners,
- Force recognition of nasty partisan politics as the destructive philosophy it is,
- Reform our healthcare and civil rights policies to account for values that recognize rights and needs of "regular" (less than high income) citizens, and,
- Restore our Constitution to it's status prior to George (Unitary Executive) Bush, and,
- Begin healing our philosophical, political and economic stature in the rest of the world.
UPDATE: In the first few comments, the question has been asked (in essence), "So what happened." Well, I wish I could tell you that she had an epiphany but I can't. As with most of these contacts, there was no "revelation" ... but I did get the feeling it struck a chord and honestly believe we have an Obama voter. Of course, that could just be my ego talking :-)
UPDATE II: Below, Sagra adds a point that's well worth adding to the summary. Sagra says,
Reforming health care can also make us more competitive. It will reduce costs to companies and thereby reduce the incentive to outsource jobs. Making affordable health care available to everyone will also encourage people to venture out of their safe cubicle jobs and try starting their own businesses.