Politics for a moment

One of my friends commented that she was surprised that I hadn't commented on the recent win by the Dems in the midterm elections.

I haven't in part because I am scared to be too happy about it. There's a ton of pressure on the Dems to now perform in only two years time (which in political terms is probably like 200 or so days). No doubt that it's better to have Washington D.C. set up with actual checks and balances, but I do wonder what will really get done in the end.

I recently finished Barack Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope, and there was something he brought up which I think may be the most overlooked part of this midterm election. At the time the book was written, one of the biggest topics in Washington was the filibuster and the "nuclear option" (or a change in Senate rules that would essentially eliminate the filibuster as a minority tool). What if the Republicans had gone through with their desire to destroy the filibuster? Where would they be now that they have assumed the role of the minority? I'll be most interested to see if any Republican uses the filibuster in the near future and what kind of press it will receive.

Now, on Barack Obama. He seems to be getting ready for a run at the presidency. After reading his book, I'm still not sure he should run (basically because he doesn't have a deep enough Senate record to run on), but he sure is a candidate for whom I would vote. In reading his book, he successfully communicated his humanity and his aptitude for interpreting the Constitution.

That's perhaps the biggest reason I would vote for him. Not only is he a great speaker, committed to strong ideals, and open to compromise - but he is a constitutional scholar. He isn't just a politician for politician's sake. This guy loves the Constitution and really understands it's multiple interpretations. I just don't see anyone else out there that is as adept in that area.

So, if you are looking to find out more about Barack, I'd suggest reading his book. It's too long-winded, but I think you'll see what I am saying.