College Democrats

The politics of the past two decades have been fraught with venomous division. The partisan organs of Washington have beamed a social cacophony into our town squares and local meeting halls, inspiring bitter resentment among peers and toxic alienation between strangers. The proving of policies on their merits in public debate has been discarded for reactionary rejection of new ideas and personal vilification of their proponents. Amenity in discourse has become a relic of American antiquity, discoverable only in the most rose-colored legends of the nation’s founders.

This is not an abstract phenomenon, as its spirit has infiltrated our own campus. Despite the efforts of many students to unite politically dissimilar organizations in support of universal causes, some have labored to reinforce sectarian divides. Such individuals view compromise as shameful weakness and mutual respect as contemptible disloyalty. That such a pernicious ethos could debase not only national politics, but also a campus such as ours, is unsettling to contemplate.

It is within the context of this crisis of civility that I endorse Senator Barack Obama to be the Democratic nominee and the next president of the United States of America.

The Obama presidency will reinvigorate our democracy by restoring the fair consideration that would allow the direction of the nation to be discussed openly and honestly, without the politics of fear that have pitted Americans against one other in the past. To accomplish such a goal requires a president who will be a leader to all Americans and not that of a single political party. Obama is such a leader, inspiring people across the political spectrum to believe that we can realize our promise as a nation if we reject the partisan politics of the past.

Obama understands that if progress is to be lasting and powerful, it must be the product of broad national consensus and not razor-thin legislative margins. His policy positions, bold progressive reforms that are of universal interest to Americans, reflect this principle. As president, Obama will not allow lobbyists to work as part of his administration. He seeks to reduce carbon emissions by promoting alternative energy sources such as solar, wind, and nuclear power. Before the end of his term, all Americans will have access to affordable health care and a $4,000 yearly tax credit for college students will make higher education more widely available. Better than any candidate, Obama can restore America’s image abroad, starting by ending the War in Iraq on his first day in office.

We have political leadership in Obama that arises only once in a generation. He embodies a condemnation of our broken political system, the belief that we can change our country for the better, and the symbol of our ability to reach our potential as a people.

Obama is the dawning of a new day in American politics. Join me in voting for Barack on February 5, and let us all, united as a nation, look to the horizon.