Coming Together for Change

     We are in the midst of perhaps the most exciting presidential race in American history; one based on hope, change and new possibilities. But a dream without a plan is nothing more than a wish. 

      Thoughtful planning, skill, strength and diplomacy are essential if we are to see our dreams made real. At this very moment we are standing at the threshold, ready to step into a bold new future....a time when we can actually envision changing our “what if” daydreams into “when” realities. It is truly a time of golden opportunity.

     Our country has always been a land of opportunity, and one that has encouraged the participation of the people, ensured the rights of the people and concerned itself with the welfare of the people. But in recent years we have lost sight of those very aspects of our nation that have made it great, of the very principles upon which it was built. We have become so focused on our individual rights and our freedom to pursue opportunities for personal gain that we have forgotten that with each right, comes responsibility. Simply put, we have become a "hooray for me, to hell with you" society.

     Our founding fathers worked tirelessly to carefully build a nation where everyone had a voice and a chance to better, not only themselves, but their society as well. We have turned these gifts into a free for all, fighting for personal gain without remembering that we are but one part of a greater whole.  Within this society, whether young or old, rich or poor, strong or weak, we are dependent upon one another. It is a reality we may choose to ignore, but at our own peril.

     In a land where so many claim religious, and in particular, Christian affiliation, how can it be that we have become so self-centered...that we feel what's ours is ours, more is better and the rest of you be damned? Why have so many of us come to believe that our family, friends and neighbors who are struggling should rely upon the charity of the wealthy, when and if they choose to provide it and only to the needy who are deemed worthy? Why has it become impossible to even suggest that the richest nation on earth should ensure each of it's citizens sufficient food, medication and health care, and education without being accused of being a Socialist or anti-American?  How have our hearts become so hardened and our individual worlds so small?

     It's time to return to our roots. We need to re-establish, not only the rights, but the responsibilities of each citizen. We need to remember our responsibilities not only to God (for those who are so inclined) but to our nation, to our community, and to each other. One way that we can do this is by electing leaders who not only believe in change, but who respect individual rights while also understanding and promoting our responsibility to the common good. We can do it by electing a leader who has shown the ability to gather and lead rather than to divide and conquer. In my opinion, Hillary Clinton is that candidate.

     Senator Clinton's political activism and her voting history both speak to her love for this nation as a whole and her concern for the welfare of each and every citizen. Her strength, determination and intelligence are highly regarded on Capitol Hill. Her willingness to immerse herself in, and educate herself about, important issues has been praised. Her compassion is unquestioned. Yet America seems reluctant, choosing to judge her not by her own qualities but by her husband's. While many women have said that they won't cast a vote for her simply because she is a woman, are they voting against her for the very same reason? Most would deny it, but it seems that we are still not sure about a woman as president.

     The success of women in power is unquestionable. We have a multitude of real life examples here in America and around the world as proof. Science has also weighed in. Studies have shown that women, in general, tend to lead with a transformational style. They encourage participation and creative problem solving. In times of stress, women reach out to help others and to look for solutions rather than responding in the fight or flight style of male leaders. Women can scrap with the best of them when a fight is the only option, but they are much more likely to extinguish all other possibilities first. Like Senator Clinton, they are consensus builders, able to reach across whatever divides us and bring us all together at the table to get things done.

     Hillary Clinton has proved, not solely by gender but by her actions, that she is just such a leader. Pre-presidential race media coverage lauded her ability to garner support for projects from both sides of the political divide. She was seen as having a unique talent for bringing people of different views together in a way that lead to consensus and progress. But now, Senator Clinton's consensus building approach is being criticized. Is it any surprise that in a male dominated society where toughness is valued more than tact and battling more than befriending, we are being led to believe by both politicians and the media, that Senator Clinton's ability to gain support and cooperation on Capitol Hill amongst both democrats and republicans, liberals and conservatives, is somehow a weakness?

     Senator Clinton is presented as being too much a part of the status quo, a “Washington Insider.” Hillary Clinton is indeed a “Washington Insider” if being a “Washington Insider” means knowing how to work the system to get things done. Have we not learned from history, and from the Jimmy Carter presidency in particular, that beautiful intentions without political savvy are doomed to failure?

     Accusations of being part of the status quo ring less true. With eight years of a bull-headed, polarizing, and some would say, autocratic, president, Hillary clearly represents a break with the status quo. Unlike the current administration, her focus is not on widening the divide between rich and poor, conservative and democrat, but on working together to make change happen. Isn't this what we need right now?

     The more we distance ourselves from each other and the smaller our worlds become, the less likely we are to muster the support and the power to accomplish anything. We, as individuals, need to reacquaint ourselves with the fact that we are all in this together; that when it comes down to it, we all rely heavily on each other in one way or another. We need to expand our view beyond our nuclear families, beyond our neighborhoods and even beyond our nations to the world at large. We are all part of the larger whole and wholly dependent upon it. We can no longer afford to focus only on our own individual concerns if we hope to preserve our way of life and our world.  We need to come together and work for change.

     Isn't it time that we elect a leader who sees the larger picture, who will lead not with an iron fist but with a invitation? Don't we need someone who will set an example, who will invite all of us to the table in order to make things happen?  It is my contention that we do and that we need to move past our biases, our fear of the unknown and take a leap of faith into a brave new world of female leadership in order to make it happen.

     Does this sound too idealistic, too unrealistic, impossible? In the words of a very young and passionate Hillary Clinton at her Wellesley College graduation, "The challenge now is to practice politics as the art of making what appears to impossible, possible." It's time to stop saying “we can't”, “it won't work”, “that's not the way it is or how it's done.” It's time for a new approach. Let's help to make it happen.

     I realize that many of my readers may not agree with my politics or my analysis of the candidates, but I hope that we can all agree that it's time to broaden our horizons, reconnect with one another and with our humanity and work together to make our dreams of a better world a reality.

     Interested in what other people have to say about what's going on in politics today?  Check out the Carnival of Politics!

Comments

[Shilpan]

Lori-

I am not big into politics so I will give my opinion as best I could.

I need a leader who can control spending and budget deficit. Our President shall inspire American ingenuity that made this country great. Some of the important issues in my mind are,
Trade deficit, Social Security crisis, Uncontrolled spending, Mute response to public opinion.

Shilpan

[Lori@betweenusgirls]

I agree, Shilpan, that we need to focus on many of the issues that you listed, particularly the failure of our government to respond to public opinion. It's time that we get back to the idea that our government is for, and of, the people. Thanks for your comment.