Obama-rama

I had an interesting discussion with two acquaintances of mine the other day...now when I say "discussion", this usually is more like a one-sided air attack with gang-up missiles. But, out of the passion that has been sparked by politics of late, I couldn't help but to engage this attack. They both leaned on my desk asking me "Why? Why Obama?" and of course the answer I gave them was insufficient: "Because I believe the prioritized values I hold run closer to Obama and the Democrats rather than the other side."

I'm 22 years old and often that number gets you into trouble with your elders. They don't believe your experience or knowledge matches up to theirs by any stretch of the imagination and even though my answer seemed well-phrased and intelectually sound, they needed specific proof. So without further ado, my Top 5 prioritized list:

5. Birth Control - I'm sexually active. And while this is obviously a personal issue that is really no one else's business but my own, I have no problem letting other people know (except my father. He needs to believe what he needs to believe...) because I think it's natural and a personal choice people make. I'm young, un-married and in serious collegiate debt which is a bad combination for potential pregnancy debacles. So, I take responsiblity with preventive measures. I go to the gynocologist once a year for a check-up, and I take advantage of my insurance's birth control price. I take it every single day at the same time. I realize the risks and try to minimize them by being responsible with my birth control. And, if the issue should ever arrise, I would want the chance to choose my path. It is an important issue to me personally, therefore, I take it into account with who my alligance aligns with.

4. The environment - While I don't make passionate love to trees, I do care what happens to this planet. I own a recycling bin, I've been walking to work for the past four years, and I say "no thanks" to bags at the store when I can manage it. I'm not perfect, but I do try. I hate that oil prices are so high and our dependance on it is also elevated. I know both candidates care about our environment, but I personally believe Obama's plans are much more functional than McCain's.

3. Washington DC - Our government sucks. It has sucked for at least the past 4 years, and it is the kind of suck that I think only radical change can take on. Both parties need to GET OVER THEMSELVES and actually do something productive for our country. Enough said.

2. Personality - This may be controversial, but I firmly believe a person is made up of half of what they do and half of who they are. Obama hasn't done much in comparison to his opponent. But, I am attracted to personality. The things that make up your living self help choose my friends, help choose who I fall in love with, and help choose my political candidates. We can't know no matter how much speculation is done what our opponent will actually accomplish in office. There is just no way to predicate the future. We have to take their word for it and vote based on the person they show us. And, I am politically attracted to Barack Obama. It's not anyone's fault; it is how my personality aligns with his. How he speaks, how he treats other people, the jokes he makes...they all matter to me. We have to base our vote on what MIGHT be not what WILL be because we just can't know.

1. Education - my field, my passion, what I believe is the foundation for every issue this entire world faces. How we are educated both in school and in our other environments such as home creates people. And people are responsible not necessarily for every world event, but our response to it. Good education creates good people. I want to teach not just because I love English, but because I love people and want to be part of the movement of making the world a better place. Because of this, education needs better resources and better teachers to give the children what they need. The fact that Obama focuses on education more than McCain does is enough of a reason to side with him.

With these five things in mind, I'd be an idiot to go against my natural instinct.