Yes we still can

With the midterm elections just a few days a way I’m reminded of the passion and excitement of 2008.
I remember hearing Obama speak at Liberty Memorial shortly before the presidential election. My friend Tamra stood on my shoulders so she could catch a glimpse of the future president. Thousands of people stood around as Obama declared that he would fight for us regular middle class Americans.
“Yes we can!” the crowd cheered.
Two years later Obama doesn’t seem to tout the same audacious hope that he used to. In the midst of recession, and the long drawn out passage of health care reform, Obama seems more on the defensive.
Not surprisingly democrats and independents are not as enthused as we were in 2008. Tea Partiers have their base rallied, but honestly I don’t hear the same enthusiasm coming from the left. And my message to those of us who identify with the progressive movement is Yes We Still Can!
Obama’s message wasn’t “Yes I can.” It was “Yes we can.” His campaign’s success was its simple grassroots nature. I see the same strategies played out in the Tea Party. They aren’t just following a group of candidates; they are following a movement.
Whatever side of the political isle you fall on I believe that the majority of people have good motives and genuinely care. Maybe it’s pre-wedding idealism talking but I honestly think most people love their families and want to help make the world a better place. (Don’t get me wrong I know there are douche bags out there but I want to focus this blog on the rest of us.)
The political process is necessary for our democracy to survive but true change goes beyond politics.
Yes we can make a difference. Real change requires people connecting with others. Change can’t happen in Washington until it first happens in us. When you’ve worked in a third grade inner city classroom school finance seems personal. When you have gay friends you naturally want them to have the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts. When you know a senior on a fixed income you become concerned about the fate of Medicare.
The flame behind Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign wasn’t a charismatic politician from Chicago, it was us.
Yes we can be the change we want to see. And next Tuesday I urge you to vote for the candidate you believe will make that happen. For some of my friends I know that will be a Republican and that’s okay. Regardless of what happens Tuesday, lets remember the fervor we had in 2008. Let’s get out in the community, connect with others and become the change that we desire.
Because, yes we still can.