Okay, I understand that there are really two starkly different candidates on the ballot whose policies and capabilities will determine how the nation reacts to the coming challenges. And I understand the need to get the voters motivated with the "fierce urgency of now."
But this is just not "the most important election of our lives." Sure, sure, it seems more important, because it's the only election happening now. But it's just not. It's probably not even second.
I would say that the most important election of my life was the 1980 election. It was a realignment, and ushered in an era in which the movement conservatives dominated political discourse. Worse (from my point of view), the Reagan presidency did more to undo the New Deal than anyone ever thought possible. Like him or hate him, it's inarguable that Reagan's presidency reshaped the country in some very fundamental ways.
The next more significant election of our lives was in 2000, though perhaps we did not realize it at the time. I knew Bush would be a bad president, but that he happened to be the man in office on 9/11 elevated him from a simply regressive president to a transformative one. In a bad way. The expansion of the presidency, the roll back in civil rights, the TSA, the war, and so much more.
Maybe, in hindsight, 2008 will be a realignment and a historic presidency for reasons other than the demographics. Maybe Obama will be as ambitious a president as he has been cautious as a candidate. Maybe Obama will catch Osama, win the GWOT, restore the economy and fix health care forever. Then we'll look back on 2008 and know better.
One can only hope.
1 comment:
Yeah, 1980 versus 2000 is interesting. Bush was a realization of what Reagan started, right? 1980 is cool because it's longer ago and not as many people would come up with it.
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