Monday, November 26, 2007

Barack Obama: The Right Kind of Experience

A lot has been made about the so-called experience issue in the Democratic race for the presidential nomination. Barack Obama doesn't have years of inside the beltway Washington experience as many of the other candidates do. But is that such a bad thing? Not in my opinion. But what would Obama bring to the Presidency? Here is a list of his experience - just read this list and consider whether one would want the President of the United States to have such experience:

1. Experience living overseas.
2. His undergraduate degree is in Political Science, specializing in International Relations.
3. Worked for years as a community organizer in Chicago, helping resolve disputes and assisting the poor living in public housing.
4. Received a Law degree from Harvard.
5. Served as a Constitutional Law Professor and Practiced Civil Rights Law.
6. Served for 8 years as a Illinois State Senator.
7. Served as a U.S. Senator from 2004 and sits on the Committees for Foreign Relations; Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Veterans' Affairs.


We need someone who knows about other countries and the cultural differences that exist. We need someone who has first hand knowledge of the conditions of the poor in America. We need someone who has an understanding of our law, our government and our constitutional rights. (Look at the current disaster the Bush administration has made.) Obama has all the right experience for the Presidency!

2 comments:

Coffee Joe said...

I am not a huge fan of the Bush administration- but I am wondering what specifically you mean by "current disaster"...? People give presidents for things that they had nothing to do with and blame for things they couldn't have possibly prevented all the time. I am just wondering what specifically you mean by "current disaster".

Matt said...

Well in the current context, I was referring to the Bush Administration's use of torture, the denial of basic rights under the constitution and a general contempt for the rule of law.

Perhaps Bush is not ultimatley responsible for the actions of his subordinates - but that raises the question of competency. I will not judge Bush's heart - for somehow, he probably believes that he is doing right, but I do hold him and his administation responsible for their illegal and likely criminal actions.

About Me

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Lima, Ohio, United States
I was born and raised in Ohio. I am a lifelong Catholic Christian who has always been interested in the big questions of life. I have a passion for learning especially Philosophy, Science, Religion, History and Culture. I graduated from the University of Toledo in 2001 with a B.A. in International Relations. I married my soul-mate, Jen in 2001 and we moved to rural Tanigumi-mura Japan where we taught English for 3 years. We moved to California and lived in San Francisco and the Bay Area for 4 years. Tired of sitting on the sidelines, I began volunteering for the Barack Obama campaign in March of 2007 and was eventually hired as a Field Organizer. Through the Obama campaign, I found my calling and moved back to Ohio to continue organizing. In 2009 I helped the field operations of the Keith Wilkowski for Mayor of Toledo race. After that, I was hired as a Regional Field Director for 15 northwestern and north central Ohio counties for the 2010 Democratic Coordinated Campaign. Jen and I are continuing to volunteer as we wait for the next organizing opportunity to present itself.