Obama for President

Without hesitation I'm endorsing Barack Obama for president.

The last eight years have been a political and economic disaster for this country I can see no reason why we should not expect more of the same under another Republican administration. How can I trust the judgment of Senator McCain if his best choice for vice president lacks any qualification for the job?

During the bush adminstration we experienced a zig-zag market with two downlegs wiping out 33% (1/00 - 9/02) and 40% (10/07 to the present) and a net loss so far of roughly 25% since he took office. Historically this fits the pattern, that markets underperform under Republican administrations when compared to Democratic administrations. President George W Bush has shown his party leadership, presiding over decling average returns for Republican administration stock markets. Why any investor would vote Republican is beyond me. What does all this squealing about "lower taxes" mean if your investment returns are cut by 40%? Oh, I get it, that's how a "free market" works? Gulp.

When I was a young boy growing up, we were shown, without choice, the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, it's stuck with me over the years. America, we were the good guys, fight for justice and equality, the cowboys in the white hats.

Somewhere along the line we lost our way, believing it was our way or the highway. A belief that absolute force and intimidation could be used to sway world events in our favor. The world has grown up, shaken off the destruction of World War II, globalized, and we now find ourselves a member of a new global economy, we are all interlinked economically.

This has been been made forcefully clear by the recent financial crisis which I believe is directly the responsibility of the current administration. It is not as if this problem was hidden, people have been talking about it for over two years but without leadership nothing was done until a fatal crisis put us where we are now.

I am against terrorism and I am against torture. The good guys would have never stood up for torture as government policy. Why are we now?

But wait, don't just read me, here are links to other esteemed newspaper writers which also realize that Barack Obama is the best choice for this country and are publicly endorsing him for president.

Chicago Tribune endorsement: Barack Obama for president
"This endorsement makes some history for the Chicago Tribune. This is the first time the newspaper has endorsed the Democratic Party's nominee for president."

The L.A. Times: Barack Obama for president
"The Times without hesitation endorses Barack Obama for president"

The Washington Post: Barack Obama for President
"The choice is made easy in part by Mr. McCain's disappointing campaign, above all his irresponsible selection of a running mate who is not ready to be president"

The Boston Globe: Obama for president
"...The nation needs a chief executive who has the temperament and the nerves to shepherd Americans through what promises to be a grueling period - and who has the vision to restore this country to its place of leadership in the world.
Such a leader is at hand. With great enthusiasm, the Globe endorses Senator Barack Obama for president."

The Seattle Times Barack Obama for president
"At a time of huge challenge, the candidate with the intelligence, temperament and judgment to lead our nation to a better place is Sen. Barack Obama."

Christopher Buckley, the son of William F. Buckley has decided—shock!—to vote for a Democrat. endorses Obama
"Buckley, the son of famed conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr., this week lost his job as a columnist at the National Review, the magazine his father started, over a blog he posted on the Daily Beast endorsing Barack Obama." [Christian Science Monitor]

Surprisingly, the Huffington Post, the last bastion of conservative liberalism hasn't quite made up its mind and endorsed Obama, at least I couldn't find the editorial:-) They do say nice things about him though.

And finally from FUX News, Hip-Hop-Dancing Colin Powell Fuels Speculation He'll Endorse Obama
Colin Powell showed off his hip-hop moves at an 'Africa Rising' celebration in London Tuesday, fueling speculation that the former secretary of state is about to endorse Barack Obama for president.
Colin Powell will appear this Sunday on "Meet the Press" and since he isn't exactly an economics expert, speculation has it that he might give Obama the nod.