A Discussion of Electoral Politics

My friend Gary and I have been exchanging views around Obama and the meaning and opportunities of the current prez election campaign based on some of the things I said in the previous post. After we sent a few emails back and forth Gary suggested that we post the conversation so that others could participate and/or comment. I thought that would be a great idea so the next few posts will be made up of the discussion that we began. If you want to have your contribution posted then just email it to me. Otherwise just add your comments as usual.

We'll begin with Gary's first reply:

Peace Sendolo,

I also found myself moved by Obama's speech and am struggling with that.

I found your ideas helpful in processing my own.

To be honest I was moved not just by certain parts, but by the worldview he put forward, a view which included recognizing America's sin in slavery and it's legacy still existing today, a critique of the Reagan Coalition of hate, and a call to move forward by recognizing a stake in one another, and even described racial tensions as a distraction from the attacks from corporate culture.

I feel like much of this worldview is still very much in conflict with the popular media affirmed narrative of America, but that he not only put it forward but tried to organize his audience around the truth in this view by connecting it to narratives they could relate to. Of course it's true that one such narrative was American exceptionalism and nationalism.

I think our current political system, its electoral process and such are inextricably linked to ruling class power, but I don't know what extent it is true that Barack Obama's engagement of that process makes him so linked that he himself becomes a strategic enemy.

Hmm. Though its worth recognizing that his engagement of this process has demanded that he get a Chief Financial Officer by the name of Penny Pritzker who actually own both your labor and mine and is an executor of the corporate culture he critiqued.

Well I guess I'll vote for him unless I find out you're running.