It's OK to hope

A high school friend saw that I had Obama on my myspace friends list and posted this comment:

"yes we can" is a nice motto but unfortunately i think it's just full of false hope and just to get votes. politicians are liars and have a deep seeded motive. but maybe i am just too cynical. was this too "crab like" of me to write? anyway, Hi Walter :)

Here was my response:

Call me idealistic, but I do believe that our country can be better. There's nothing false about hoping that the people we elect will actually be able to affect positive change. Have our expectations dropped so low that we no longer believe that our elected officials can do anything to fight the influence of lobbyists? Have we given up on the idea that they are supposed to be serving the best interests of all the people -- not only the rich people?

The establishment wants you to believe that there is no hope, that way you won't feel any need to vote for a change. The "Yes we can" message is a direct reply to this overwhelming feeling of apathy among the people.

Well, after 8 years of soaring deficits, misguided wars, human rights (and Geneva Convention) violations, record profits for big oil companies, huge subsidies for big oil, complete ignorance of any environmental issues, and stubborn isolationism; I absolutely hope we can do better.

But hoping for change is not enough. It is up to us citizens to fire the politicians who have been doing nothing for us. That’s why I’m voting for people who I believe will lead us in a new direction.