The Year of The Dreamer

For me, 2008 means a return to dreams, and a rejection of the raw and brutal pragmatism that has coarsened American life so much in the past half dozen or so years. It is a modest -- and of course -- Quixotic resolution, but at least one that is easy to bear in mind as the days take their toll on hope and faith. I would say that it is more important to dream and to act on those dreams when your nation is perpetually at war, when our environment is at the tipping point beyond which the survival of the planet becomes questionable, and our elected officials so flat-out practical and yet so very, very ineffectual, dead-eyed, and so heartbreakingly anemic in their endless capacity to show the results not of deeds, but only of more and more empty words and promises.

With that in mind, I have gone back and forth about supporting Hillary Clinton, with whom I had a compelling run in that foreshadowed some of the issues others have reported on since. But as this year ends, and even though there are things about her that I find admirable, it is many of those very same qualities that strike me as unfortunate -- a brittle thin-skinned falsity, a ferocity of purpose without a true and deep sense of standing for anything other than centralizing her own power, and an unfortunately dire humorlessness among them.

She has continued to navigate through all waters with so much caution and so much trimming of sails that it is impossible for me to commit my heart and mind to her campaign. I find her husband's surrogacy troubling, and unhelpful. I find the nature of her attacks on her competitor, Barack Obama, to be churlish and unworthy. She disappoints rather than inspires.

So for now, I am going to argue for idealism, for dreaming. I am resolved, finally, that at this moment, a vote for Hillary Clinton simply is simply a vote on the Wrong Side of History.

Therefore, I will pray that Mr. Obama continues to grow in stature, continues to ignite the secret almost-forgotten aspirations of an awakening American polity, and eventually deeply ignites the passions of those who do dare to hope and believe in a new and revitalized, idealistic, moral and generous United States.

Today, on the last day of a ruthless bitch of a year, I believe that our best hopes lie with Mr. Obama. He is, in my opinion, a dreamer, and an idealist, and most importantly - the most connected of all the candidates to the majority of American people, the one who most knows what "is" is, and therefore our best hope to regain stature, pride, and to find a path to peace that is both lasting and fierce. Our best hope to insure seven million uninsured children, and to free our economy from the Orwellian perpetual war machine -- turning it into one that can repair a crumbling national infra-structure, and a crumbling sense of national pride too. I believe in this man and his wife. I believe in their goodness, and their honor, and I would be proud to be led into the fiery, complicated, raging future that all of us face on this last day of 2007.

To further my resolution towards this being the Year of the Dreamer, I will endeavor to concentrate more on art than on commerce, whether as a screenwriter, TV writer, or playwright -- or even as a reader.

I will not shy away from a fight, and I will continue to believe like any good non-believer that George Bernard Shaw had it right when he puckishly declared, "Do not do unto others as you would expect they should do unto you: Their tastes may not be the same." Yes, true, that, but reciprocity is a good doctrine any year, if you want to cover your bets.

That's about it for me. I don't want to push it. No big declarations of learning a new poem by heart every goddamn week. Or walking through Africa. I mean, I consider it an almost heroic accomplishment that I discovered the joys of running this year, and will keep that up, because now I see just how exercise can save you, lift you out of the slough of despond, and make life better all around. Being healthy means that you are strong enough to act on your dreams. For the people and the nation you love as much as for yourself. So I wish you all a very, very healthy 2008, and hope that the rest follows as best it can.

Read more New Year's posts from HuffPost bloggers

Comments

[realitytrumpsbull]

Well, Dick Cheney's a dreamer, too, just a different kind of dream, maybe if this year
everybody just decided to wake the blank UP
and start thinking a little more gooder better
and stuff, we might get at the root causes
of the different factors that saw our military
rammed into an oil war, ya know? Save the hype,
hold the promises, let's see the hard facts
and brass tacks numbers/fa­cts/figure­s etc.
Save the dreams for Disney...

[jptona]

Grow up - Politics is dirty - Just look at how the republicans act. Your kind of thinking will get another republican in the white house and more republican congressmen. Those guys fight to win regardless of whose jugular they slash. Dreams are nice but I want to win so we can get some decent jusges on the Supreme Court and some decent and fair laws.

Once we get people elected then you can think of your dreams.

[Tankan]

Better to live the dream than a neverending nightmare!

[HaveANiceDay]

Amen!
Obama is intelligent, articulate, compassionate and sincere. He has a vision I can believe in and a style I can admire. He is the best hope for the Democrats and the country in November.

[themodernleader]

Jon: You write all right for me. May I suggest a few things. First, be careful with too much running. I have two dear friends who messed up their ankles and heels (bone splinters) through fanatical dedication to a "healthy sport".
In your art turn always towards products that buttress and reenforce the Preamble to our Constitution. "What are those variables (conditions, ingredients, factors) which lead to the growth and development of our citizentry, organizations, institutions and American Republic?" And to our decline? Concentrate on answering this question in your writing. This may place you in the line of great citizenship.
Last, sacrifice for your family first, then for your Country against the evils of self-centeredness, selfishness and urge for unhinged power.

[Chewelahboy]

I like your characterization of Obama. Yes, he is a dreamer, and he's also the most connected candidate. There's something else, he is a member of a new generation of Americans.

Perhaps it's time to pass the torch.

Early in the campaign I thought a Clinton victory would also be a poitive change. It's way past time for a woman to be elected. However, during the month of December, Senator Clinton began to look much more like more of the same.

As an independent voter, member of the Baby Boom Generation, I'm personally taking a hard look at Obama, and I look forward to learning more about his candidacy.

Happy New Year!

[speakingthetruth]

This article was a breath of fresh air.

Thank God, there is a dreamer who can give us hope and a chance to reclaim who we are as Americans.

I'd rather have a dreamer who knows we can do better, than for any of the other "experienced" ones who have sat by and watched America be siphoned off because of greed and power.

I am trying to understand. Here we have the most "experienced" candidate running for office, and needs her husband out there selling her to us. What's in it for him? Why is he trying so hard to get back into The Oval House?

I know everyone is sold on her being the one. But is that what America needs now?

Why should he have to wait? Wait for what? So that he could get back into the office and disrespect this country again? They had eight years to give us a health care plan. Did they? No. They had 8 years to implement an immigration plan. Did they? No. They had eight years to change the education system around. Did they? No

Believe it or not, we are in trouble. I know everyone is painting that rosy picture for us, taking our eyes off of what they are doing. Anytime, we have foreign nations investing in our economy (i.e., banks), who owns us? Our food? Our ports?

So for us to have a dreamer - an outsider, who is thinking about all of us and will try to bring America together as one (if we really want change), will be good for America. We haven't had that in a long time.

This reminds me of Joseph and how he was used by God to prepare a nation to survive a famine.

We need someone who have an "audacity to hope," for such a time as this.

Happy New Year!!!

[Leontes33]

We are all still waiting for part two!!!

[Leontes33]

Sorry, Obama isn't it.

[LarBear]

Fantasies! Obama, the White (ooops) Black Knight, is riding in to save us... We're the Good Guys...
Fact: Good Guys DO NOT invade, occupy, kill, torture, and displace millions of Citizens..­. (Fact: A Loyal Military does as ordered)
Fact: Good Guys DO NOT elect a Penis Potato, who has never served his Country, including his Politically calculated joining the Texas National Guard...
Fact: We the People, fearfully did so twice!

Fantasy: Organized Religion is about Love and Salvation.­..
Fact: Organized Religion is about Fear and is Salivating and willing to kill for Control of others...
Fact: Organized Religion encourages the Killing in Iraq, Afghanistan and the World...
Fact: Organized Religion is in bed with Politicians, corruptly seeking Control of others...

Fantasy: Our young people are in Iraq & Afganistan protecting our Freedom...
Fact: Blessed be our young people... Sadly, sent to kill others, for a corrupt US Government, Corporations and Military Industrial, Profits...
Perhaps 'tis time we AWAKENED..­.

[patsynow]

Whoever you are, I do not know you and therefore your column is unauthentic. I do know that there is some deep rooted animosity for you to do such a hatchet job on Hillary. Seems you have not resolved your past personal conflict with her.

You try to come across as a thinker and all you project is pettiness.

Yes, I am a staunch Hillary supporter. Yes, she has many admirable qualities. Yes, she will make a fine president. Yes, she will make history.
patsypersona

[research]

Obama is a Lieberman "Democrat"!

Obama's eager choice for a "mentor" in the senate was Joe Lieberman, How can I possibly trust Obama, knowing that?

Kucinich is the only candidate consistently working for the 98% of the American people. He has proven as mayor that he is not for sale.

Kucinich is so feared by the MSM that his impeachment of Cheney got zero headlines. Russert was tasked with "Moon beaming" Kucinich, and finally Kucinich was just excluded from the debates, since he was getting huge applause for impeaching Cheney.

Google Kucinich Wins

We can hope HRC will be different then the face she presents to win, but it rarely turns out that way.

Strength Through Peace!

Kucinich!

Studs Terkel writes a great article about Kucinich:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20020506/terkel

Who are the top three candidates?

We don't really know.

Great link on problems with modern phone polling.
http://www.pollster.com/blogs/cell_phones_and_political_surv.php

[Kungfublood]

Obama is To wimpy that's fine if you are a CEO but hell on the working man. Edwards is at least on his own two feet. Kucinich and Ron Paul write them in!

[kudabux]

continued:
What do they think it will be like in the Whitehouse? These people have no place in politics, never mind running for President. Totally incompetent!

[kudabux]

After a stock answer about reversing Bush’s executive orders and his reverence for the constitution as a former law school lecturer, Obama seemed to grapple with the phrasing of the question.

“It raises an interesting issue about politics and leadership,” he said. ”My wife and I were talking the other day, and she said we’re not doing this again,” he added, drawing laughter.

“She actually didn’t mean it in the way that it sounded,” he continued. “I mean she’s complained about me being away and her missing me and the kids missing me. And that’s all true.”

“But what she actually meant is this: She said, you know in 8 years I’m not sure we’d be the same people as we are now,” he said. “She talked about how just 5 years ago…we paid off all our student loans after 10 years from law school. We hadn’t started a college fund for the kids. We were still living in a condo that was getting to be too small. I was still doing grocery shopping on weekends. My wife was still shopping at Target, she still does.”

“And she said, you know, eight years from now we will have lost a little bit of touch with regular ordinary families . We will still be good people, hopefully. But we will be in a different orbit, a different circle….We­’re already there. But we still remember what that was like.