Akkam’s Razor

I was going to give a long diatribe into my endorsement for the Primaries.

Flickr photo from user damonabnormal.

I’ll keep it short. Obama.

To me, this primary (and election) is not about education, opportunity, age, gender, or race. It’s not about terrorism, the war, the economy, the environment, or health care. It’s not about blue versus red, godless versus pious, or coastal versus heartland. It’s not about bowling, or coffee, or liquor. It’s not about torture, lies, or corruption. It is not about God, gays, and guns. It’s not about Pastors, lapel pins, or affiliations.

Simply put, I believe that this country is at a crossroads. We are being tested.

All of the institutions created some 230-plus years ago are faltering, have been weakened or gamed out of existence. The civic fabric of our nation is coming apart.

The social contract of citizenship has been undermined as the middle-class has been squeezed financially, while being told that their problems are largely psychological, and that values are most important. We have been told we’re winning the war, the economy is fine, the worst of the economic downturn is behind us, there is no emergent food crisis, inflation is under control, and that unemployment is low. Our military is fine, thank you, you only need listen to the generals, and is not under threat of breaking.

I want to be inspired, not led. I want to vote for optimism and change, not pessimism, triangulation, and the maintenance of an un-viable status quo. I want a candidate not running on the fumes of the past, or who feels their Presidency is a foregone conclusion and birthright. I want a candidate that can be easily removed via primary challenge in four years if need be, not one entrenched by the party system.

I say I’m for Obama, and will also state that I don’t think he bests Hillary in Pennsylvania (I think she wins with a less than 10-point spread). I may be throwing away my vote, but it’s my vote to waste.