11/05/2008: "Obama's time has come"

Ive watched the campaigning with interest from outside the USA.
This time more than ever, the election of an american president is pivotal to people around the world.

in politics, for so long now, we have not seen a genuine conviction politician, around the world the people have been crying out for one.
a politician who agree with them or not, has the conviction to put forward a plan or a policy, backed up with facts and a strong political argument to win the day.

in 1997 britain elected tony blair as prime minister, many people were convinced he too had conviction. alas it turned out he did not, he had a huge majority in our elected house, a huge opportunity to shape the UK and change it, after years of being in opposition, to a large degree, he fell flat and chose to tinker with the way we were, rather than wipe away policies he told us all, were not working.
at first he lived off the soundbites, after his 2nd election win with a huge majority, it became apparant to some that his "conviction" was mostly spin, britain looked to other nations ways of doing things to govern, instead of running the country the british way, from within, for the people who lived here, he adapted other country's policies, to fit britain.

people started to question his following of others policies, media spin and manipulation of figures and reports became clear as they replaced winning the argument to bring in policies.
more and more blair followed others rather than lead with ideas himself and every british person became effected by policies introduced for other countries, that were tinkered with and enforced over us.
after his 3rd term election with a reduced majority in our elected house, he didnt manage to last for the full term. we now have a prime minister imposed upon us, who has retracted from previous promises and i dont believe carries the majority of the people with him.
reaction politics is the pro quo in the UK.

when i watched the news reports, that a senator of the usa visited germany and 200,000 people turned out to see him, this man has a power that money cannot buy, spin cannot create he has the power to convince people to change the future, and work for a better way of life.
he could stand on a stage and say "rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb" he has the power to convince not just his electorate, but people all over the world.

he can show that armed forces are not a glorified police force, they exist to fight wars and protect.
other countries around the world have a right to live and exist in a different way to the western world, and we in the west should be tolerant and accept this, not invade and shape them as the west believes they should be.
"people working too long hours" is a strong argument, that at last should start to change. people of the west work too hard, families, children, the elderly, cast aside as we strive to work longer hours just to exist and feed big business with bigger profits, instead of having the time to be their for their families.

change the structures and rules that shape the way we live from day to day has to start somewhere, i wonder if obama's election victory will be the spark that lights the fuse, that starts a wave around the world, that it is people that matter, not record profits? i hope it is.
its time that giving people opportunities, applies to all personal choices, including those that want to start a family and actually share in it as it grows, rather than simply having a child and then working every hour god sends just to get by.

i think you have may have started something america, obama has the skills and power to influence and change the way you live your lives, and im hoping he has the conviction to push through genuine changes for the better, which will then rebound around the world.

enjoy it.... because genuine change doesnt come along very often.. good luck!