Call me an idealist, call me gullible, call me any number of things, but I like Barack Obama. Not because I’m a registered democrat, not because I hated Bush, and not because I don’t like McCain (although all these things are true). I like Barack Obama because he’s the first political figure I’ve heard since Bill Clinton (who was elected when I was 8, by the way) who’s actually spoken to the issues that I want to hear about. Not only talk about them, talk about them from a position that I agree with. Things that I’ve been bitching about for the last eight years. Green energy, the quality of eduction in our county, all of the biggest things that Bush fucked up are in Obama’s sights, and there’s a part of me that has grown since I first saw him campaign that listens to all of the calls against him saying “this guy is crazy! He’s such an idealist, he’s so naive!” To those, I finally say this:
“Obama is an idealist, but fuck. Sure, you have to be a little bit silly and naive to believe that this kind of stuff is going to work, but you have to believe in something to have any hope of getting it done! If it takes a little bit of naive idealism for Barack Obama to believe his message of change then sign me up. It’s more important that you believe in what you say, than merely say what you believe.”
I could go on a long political rant here, but I won’t. All I will say is that I support 1) the growth of eco-friendly alternative energy solutions and feel they are the future and 2) improving educational systems by placing a focus back on all disciplines, most notably science, but also the arts and other aspects forgotten by current legislation. Now, there are people out there that won’t agree with my point of view. That’s fine. Of all the Republican candidates, I’m afraid of John McCain the least. If you support him, good for you. He can’t possibly be any worse than Bush (though Murphy would no doubt say otherwise).
This post really wasn’t motivated with the intent to act as a soapbox to preach my political ideals. This is a blog dedicated to my life as a physicist, and in science we have no room for this propagandized bullshit. That is the point of this post. I’m curious why people - and in fact, our political system - can’t borrow a little bit more from a scientific perspective. The scientific method, in it’s purest spirit, is simply a method of looking at a problem. Faced with a problem, we look at all of the available evidence, we analyze it in a reasonable manner, and based off of experience and observation we draw conclusions. If those conclusions “make sense” then it is easy to convince others that they are “true.” Likewise, if the conclusions do not make sense, or are not founded in reason, then they are quickly dismissed, and any respectable scientist would have to agree - even the one that may have proposed the conclusions in the first place.
That is not to say science is not with out it’s subjectivity. Quite the opposite! Too many times I’ve read about scientists that refuse to give up on things because of principle, or shoot things down merely because it disagrees with what they have done in the past. There’s too much politics in science it seems, at least in the sense of organized science. The basics - though - continue to guide the rest of us. Those who don’t really care if they’re wrong, because they’re curious to know what is right. I study physics to learn more about the universe and to improve the human condition, if I’m doing it wrong then I would expect someone to tell me.
So if there’s so much politics in science, why can’t there be more science in politics?
The problem is, so many people don’t seem to have any sense when it comes to political issues. Around this time of year, it becomes less and less about the candidates stances on issues, and more and more about the “intangibles” that infuriate or frustrate the general populace. Obama is too young, McCain is too old, Obama is too idealistic, McCain is too inadequate. These subjective opinions - while valid in a sense - have no place in a well informed decision that will affect the direction this country takes over the next four years. People should be drawing their conclusions based off of the empirical observations they have seen regarding the candidates and their parties. Judge Obama and McCain for what they have done that qualifies them to be President. Judge them for what they intend to do with the Presidency. Above all else judge them for how they stand on the issues. Do it this way, because I have a newsflash for you: the rest of the stuff? It doesn’t matter.
Is Obama a Muslim? No. Would it matter if he was? Also no, we’re a country that’s supposed to pride itself on diversity and acceptance.
Is Obama young? Yes. Is he too young? No. Clinton was younger, and look what he did as president. Kennedy was younger, and look what he did as president.
Is Obama an idealist? Yes. But so what? I’d rather have a candidate that believes in the potential of this country than one who touts more of the same.
You can make similar arguments for McCain, I’m sure. I won’t make them, because I don’t support him, but anyone who dismisses him because he’s “too old” or “just another Bush” needs to sit down and shut up and learn a bit about him before they spout crap like that.
I’m pleading with everyone out there to be scientific about your choice for Presidency. Look at the issues, look at the candidates, and make your decisions based on the facts. You owe it to yourself and to your country to do nothing less.
General
Politics, Rant
