Blogging for Obama: 10 Posts, 10 Weeks

On Saturday, I did the third activist volunteer action of my life in person, and met with 24 adults in the Alameda free library. The group met to discuss Alameda's proposals to the Democratic Party Platform. There was a great deal of sharing of ideas, and through the group ended up with more desire for foreign disengagement and peace initiatives, on the basics, we agreed with Obama's stance of insisting on diplomacy as the first option, not the last.

I especially liked how moderation prevailed in the final voting on policy. It was a lesson to me that giving some ground did not mean the end of the world. We can still progress with goals that are acceptable in scope as progressives collaborating with Democrats of all stripes, I saw it happen with my own eyes.

I am sure that it is Senator Obama's personal qualities and rational calls for bipartisanship that evokes both this environment and my own ease with grassroots action. To be frank, we have a decade of work to do. My mind has already moved on past the election. My body is just catching up.

At this moment, Senator Obama is collecting accolades from around the world, and being welcomed openly by world leaders and masters of state and commerce. He is parleying frankly with troops in Afghanistan, and confronting the fight that awaits there. Europe awaits, as does any world leader who wants more favorable relations with their own parties. For many reasons, this has been a great week on the national political scene, but for me, it was the week I agreed to meet three times with my fellow citizens and collaborate on fundraising, policy and coalition building for the good of the American Republic.

During my first policy meeting, when asked for what policy position we would keep but enhance, I asked the group to add that Republicans would be both welcome and needed in order to accomplish the energy, national service and infratructure changes we desperately need. The group agreed, but even if they had not, I believe that to be true. I think the biggest statement the Platform can make, aside from the National Call to Service, which I believe is a stroke of genius, would be to let the Republicans know they are welcome and that the work is for all of us.