It's Time for a Change

As John F Kennedy said as he accepted his party's presidential nomination in 1960, we are at a "turning point in history." Never before has there been more of a need for a pioneer on a new frontier. For "unsolved problems of peace and war. Unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice. Unanswered questions of poverty and surplus."

It's time to stop hiding behind meaningless slogans catch phrases and warning signs. There's too much media attention on matters not applicable to our country's future. Manifested crimes. Digging up the past with a shovel aimed to discover dirt to harass the reliability of the president-to-be.

It's time to move past the irrelevant chatter that is scattered across the airwaves. It's time to disregard "Obama Nation," turn off Sean Hannity, and turn on a Hope for a better America. Shift the focus from questioning levels of patriotism, elementary schools attended or conversations about a Reverend's belief system, and focus on the issues at hand.

It's time for a new vision for America.

It's time for a campaign that does not reduce itself to the usual scare tactics, smear, fear, and greed but on the hopes and pride of all our citizens in a nationwide effort to restore common sense and competence to the White House, something it desperately needs.

As Expressed by Theodore C. Sorensen, "It's time for a president who hears and respects opposing views without denouncing them as unpatriotic as many Republicans do. It's time for a president that won't offer any positions to incompetent cronies we cannot trust, propose no foreign commitment we have no business attempting to keep, or seeking to make promises they couldn't possibly fill.

It's time for a change.

It's time for a president who will not hesitate to stand against any party faction, any special interest group, or any major donor whose demands and desires are contrary to that of the American people.

Our nation is trying to recover from eight years of mismanagement and misrule, cruel and unusual.

Beyond our borders our national pride barely stays afloat along a river of the poor choices and irresponsible actions we've delivered instead of flowing as powerfully as a mighty stream. We seem to be looked upon through eyes of disdain, a stained creation brought about by the decisions of the Bush administration. What will keep us from drowning? Crowning the correct captain to command our ship, steer us around the debris left in the open sea of the past eight years with a real commander in chief, we can recover a strength that will last. Cast into a sea of endless possibility, politics as usual will be a thing of the past.

It's time for a change.

A shift toward something we haven't seen or heard these past eight years. It's time to Visine their lies until we make them clear, Proactive the ugly acne of deceit.

To quote Barack Obama:

We are debating the most important foreign policy issues that we face, and the American people have a right to know the truth.

It's not just the Washington insiders that should be part of the debate that is going to shift the focus of our foreign policy.

When they send our troops into battle, they have to be absolutely sure that it's based on sound intelligence, and that they tell the truth to the American people as well as the families who are being asked to sacrifice.

Whatever mistakes our president makes, whatever opinions our president has, whether you agree with them or not, they have to be committed to the people knowing the truth, setting us all free from secrecy, deceit, fabrication and dishonesty.

It's time for a change.

The Republicans will characterize the democrats as weak, unable to protect America from terrorists.

To quote Barack Obama:

It's interesting that those who held to authorize the biggest foreign policy disaster in our generation are now criticizing for making sure that we are on the right battle field and not the wrong battle field in the war against terrorism.

We need a president who will abandon the irresponsible and naïve Bush Cheney policies, we need an overall new philosophy to correct the direction of our future. Unfortunately, we are no safer now than we were before 911. We have made a series of detrimental foreign policy decisions -- going into Iraq has not only fanned flames of anti-American sentiment.

But our actual safety has been neglected. They will tell us they are committed to our protection when they elected to invade a country that posed no immediate threat.

Again, to quote Barack Obama:

We know right now, according to the national intelligence estimates that Al Qaeda is hiding in the hills between Afghanistan and Pakistan and because we have taken our eye off the ball, they are stronger now than in any time since 2001.

We need a president who wants us to fight the right war. This means carefully getting out of Iraq, and refocusing our attention on the war that can be won. It doesn't mean to simply cut and run. The crux of our intelligence should refuse to bend. That means being as careful getting out as we were careless going in.

In dealing with Iraq we have been left with no good choices, a robbery of reliability, casualties of this war, we've scored only bad options and worse ones. Irresponsibility in its worst form.

Ever rising death tolls and dismal stats, a darkened future, and you know who to thank for that. As we stand alone, George W. Bush still refuses to admit his failure to properly lead. We need a president who will figure out the right way to proceed to bring our heroes home.

It's time for a change.

It's not a matter of completely renouncing the use of conventional force, but our course of action should be fighting the right fight on the right battlefield. When it's essential to our well being and not simply a choice to kill. That war is the last resort and never the first. Well rehearsed tactics of extremism in the defense of liberty. Proportionate never neglectful of innocent civilians or international law. This call of the wild should always be with the assistance and support of our allies and not on an island entirely by ourselves while the burden falls solely on our own shoulders.

We don't need to tell other countries their either with us or against us, embracing a bull headed mindless cowboy mentality, then expect them to help us when our plans fail miserably. It's time to bring back diplomacy.

We need a foreign policy that will earn us the respect of all other nations and not anger or fear when they hear our words manifested into actions they will admire our values and not merely our weapons.

It's time for a change.

It's time for us to save our middle class.

As growing economic inequality is a harsh reality of present day society, roasting opportunity like a burnt crisp piece of toast, why would we boast about crafting more tax breaks to the richest people in the land instead of those who need them the most?

We have to stop being viewed as hypocrites.

Guantanamo Bay , wire tapping, torture, indefinite detention, re-interpreting Geneva Conventions, and the rest of the curbs on our personal liberties and privacy are a great deviation from a true democracy.

We have to care about education.

Children trapped in corridors of shame disguised as inner city schools are a crime upon crimes, if dollar signs don't grace your wallet education can't grace your mind. Instead of raising and improving the actual level of education they raise the standards by which they measure education. As if the playing field was equal.

Dilapidated buildings with corroded ceilings, overcrowded classrooms and teachers not trained to teach the subjects they're teaching.

Poorly funded no child shall be left behind catastrophes, high drop out rates permanently placed within the nooks and cranes of present day society, schools with brand new metal detectors but outdated books. They're crooks stealing the dreams of an education away from an en entire generation of our children.

It's time for a change.

And yes, we do need someone in the white house who isn't afraid to stand on their faith.

Who doesn't beat everyone over the head with it, but isn't ashamed but proud of the role faith has in their own lives.

See, the Christian right will tell you that the battle is between Godly conservatives and Ungodly liberals. They claim the moral high ground.

To quote Barack Obama:

Faith has gotten hijacked, partly because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who have exploited and politicized religious beliefs in an effort to sow division.

But if the democrats don't do or say anything to negate the claims and give pause to this, then they enable big mouthed conservatives to be able accuse the entire Democratic Party of being Godless.

It's time for a change.

To quote Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.:

The promise of this country has always been a fresh start on an equal footing. Where differences in race culture and nationality. Are submerged in democracy.

We need a president who will recapture this philosophy, we are in desperate need for a pioneer on a new frontier, to completely abandon the Bush Cheney policies and take this country to reachable heights, worldwide respectability and honor.

Freedom and equality, justice for all.

It's time for a president who truly represents the people, intelligent decisions and reliability through honesty passion and decency whose stature leadership and courage will always ring loud.

It's time for a change.

And that time is now.

Etan, Alexandria Mayor William Euille, Rep. Jim Moran from Virginia's 8th Congressional District & DNC Chair Governor Howard Dean

Etan, WHUR 96.3FM on-air personality Tony Richards of the Steve Harvey Morning Show and DNC Chair Howard Dean greeting the crowd

Comments

[strifeknot]

It's time for real change, not Change We Can Make Believe In.

Nader '08.

[Retrofuturistic]

Actually, it's past time for a change. Impeachment should have occurred in 2006.

[mikey683]

Wow I see lots of pictures of the author. I forget who is he pushing?

[Badger84]

Thanks for speaking truth, Etan. Whenever I feel alienated from professional sports, I will keep you and Adonal in mind.

[mattheweste]

It's time for change so long as its cosmetic and limited eh?
This vision of "change" sounds like a face lift plastered over imperial horror.

Not interested.

Maybe if instead of fighting "the right wars" Obama had said he would fight no wars -- as he is obliged to do under the United Nations Charter, or else be a war criminal. That would be change I and millions of foreigners round the world could very literally "live" with.

Maybe if instead of trying to persuade warmongers that he's down with the war on terror Obama had repudiated the entire idea and said terrorist attacks are not the slightest realistic threat to the US... but instead he's voting for the FISA "compromise" after promising to filibuster it.

Maybe if instead of worrying about America's "image" and "pride" on the international stage Obama cared about changing the barbaric and genocidal behavior of America that has created that poor image abroad.... but he's more about appearances than substance.

This "change" looks a lot like a dime's worth of difference.

[TRYKER]

Thank you Etan, what a great read.
One thing that Obama said within the last month was something addressing civil rights. It basically said he would go over every one of Bushco;s policies and programs and immediately strike any that infringe on civil rights. This would surely be popular with Americans, especially those who suffer the most injustice. This would energize anybody, even those who infringe...but they would be in the minority-- at last.
The clean-up doesn't have to be long and grinding, just wheel out the Constitution and knock everything off one by one. Its simple, its the law.
Hearings hell, we know the answers...action! ...this is a reality show.
The reality is that we change into swift and sure and get on with it.
Obstructionists will be trampled...as well they should.
This is right in line with what you're advocating.
Really...can't wait to wake up one day when there is no longer "warrantless" ANYTHING...most especially "searches and seizures" ...police brutality, wiretapping. GITMO....

[jmpurser]

I suggest you take a look at Obama's rationale for his FISA stance before you get too excited about him righting our civil wrongs.

[jmpurser]

Actually, that time was about 28 years ago. And as a nation we ducked our responsibilities and voted for tax cuts, bigotry, stupidity, greed, and "screw you I got mine".

Time to face the facts. We're not a great nation. We're not a good nation. We're a big nation peopled mostly by bigots and fools.

I do salute you and the hardy few who will continue to fight the good fight.